Chapter 279 – Entering the New Alliance
“――For this reason, the alliance will last for a period of three months. After that time, we’ll discuss an extension of the alliance. We’ll use the Internet to broadcast the event of us having allied to the whole world. Those are all conditions. Are you okay with that?”
I rattle down my conditions during my phone call with Motoki.
『No problem. I’m sure this alliance will go down in history!』
“Let’s hope it does.” I agree with Motoki’s exaggeration with a wry smile on my lips.『Well then, let us immediately show the power of this alliance to the whole world!』
“Meaning? Are you saying you want to announce it online right away?”
『No! Our combined might…! We shall make our power known to the humans of Toyama!』 Motoki enthusiastically declares as if this is the real issue at hand.
“First comes the online announcement.”
『Ugh…our bonds…! Our feelings…! Isn’t it fine as long as we know about those?』
“No, it’s not. If you can’t agree with this condition, there won’t be any alliance.”
『Guuh…the passionate, seething blood circulating in me…stifling my drive will come with great losses, but――』“So it’s fine for us to call it off?”
I give Motoki a final warning while suppressing my emotions because of the nonsense coming out of his mouth.
『I-I got it! Let’s show our bonds to the whole world first!』
“We’ll do the online broadcast tomorrow. The place will be my Domain. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”
『I’d warmly welcome you if you came to my――』
“We’ll carry it out in my Domain. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”
I repeat myself, using a tone that doesn’t allow any objections.
『Y-Yeah…I understand』
“I’m going to await you tomorrow at noon then.”
Unlike Kaoru, I can’t feel anything when talking with this guy. I quickly cut the line as soon as I finished my business with him.
◆
11:50 a.m. on the next day.
Ten minutes before the appointed time, a group of elves visits the Aster Empire.
“I appreciate you coming all the way here. I’m the Demon King of the Aster Empire, Shion.” I offer a hand to the beautiful elf standing at the front of the elf delegation.
Since all his equipment is unique, I’m sure that he’s Demon King Motoki.
――?
Suddenly, the elf whom I considered to be Motoki, genuflects on the spot and bows his head.
Hmm? Going by the phone calls, I imagined him to be an arrogant buffoon, but…is he actually a humble Demon King?
“Ha ha ha! Nice to meet you! I am the supreme ruler of Toyama ― Motoki.”
The elven group divides and an orc with an arrogant attitude shows up from behind.
Haah? Motoki is an elf, isn’t he?
“Excuse me, but allow me to ask you out of curiosity: what’s your race? I’m a vampire lord.”
The orc in front of me is supposed to become a sworn friend, so I confirm while making sure to not come across as rude.
“Hmm? Friend Shion, you were one bothering yourself with titles!? Well, there’s no need to hide it, seeing how we’re sworn friends! I’m an elf lord! It’s unexpected that we’re both lords! So it was fate for us to join up!”
It looks like Motoki regards his race as a title. And, it’s the first time for me to regret having chosen vampire lord.
“Hmm? What is it, Kanon? Right now we’re in the middle of an important talk! No helping it…wait a moment!”
Suddenly I start to talk to myself in a loud voice.
“Eh? U-Umm――”
――Kanon, be silent!
“Sorry, one of my leading subordinates insists… Would it be alright for me to leave for a moment?”
“How rude while being in front of Motoki-sama!”
“It’s fine! We’re both troubled by having subordinates who depend on their fathers.”
“I’m really sorry… Hibiki, serve our guests tea!”
“Eh? Master, over here――”
――Hibiki, set everything up to hold the discussions in this place.
“As you wish, Master.”
At once, Hibiki prepares table, chairs…and a tea set.
“Hmm…you were called Hibiki?”
“Yes?”
“You have quite the dreamy muscles.”
“Hiii!”
Motoki strokes Hibiki’s biceps all over. Motoki is truly fearsome to make Hibiki scream like that.
While Hibiki experiences sexual harrassment, I approach Kanon, and whisper to her, “Kanon, who is that?”
“Eh? Demon King Motoki…I think?” Kanon inclines her head, answering me with a voice lacking confidence.
“Is ‘that’ really an elf?”
A protruding belly and thin hair on his scalp. The few remaining strands of hair are greasy on top of that. And a dense arm hair as if all the hair from his head has been transplanted on his arms… His face feels more imposing than those of the created orcs.
“Ah!! U-Umm, that’s probably the real Motoki.”
“Hooh? What’s the basis for that claim?”
“Please look at his ears.”
Urged by Kanon I direct my eyes on the ears of Motoki, the self-alleged orc. They’re faintly pointed. I think?
“The shape of his ears is one of the special traits of elves.”
“I see.”
“And elves are usually beautiful.”
“Hmm.”
“In other words, creating such an ugly elf is impossible…thus I guess that’s Motoki.”
“It’s a flawless reasoning, I suppose.”
After having resolved that mystery, I return to Motoki.
“Sorry for having made you wait.”
“Shion, you possess quite decent subordinates…Hibiki is nice, but he’s nice as well!”
Motoki sends a passionate gaze in Takaharu’s direction who’s remained in the back. Even the bold and daring Takaharu yelps lightly, and immediately hides behind Sarah.
“I see. He’s quite the shy one, isn’t he?” Motoki grins broadly after seeing Takaharu’s reaction.
“Coming back to the main issue, we’re going to start the online announcement from now on. Here you have the simple script.”
When I try to hand him the script I wrote up in advance, Motoki wraps his sweaty hand around mine at the same time as he accepts the script.
Ugh… Somehow I manage to not scream out in disgust, but…the revolting feeling this pig causes in me is abnormal.
“Okay, I got it. And, Shion?”
“What is it?”
“Are we going to hold the online announcement here?”
Originally I had planned to carry it out in the office after transferring over, but I feel a physical repulsiveness of inviting this pig over.
“Indeed. Is there any problem with that?”
“I was sure we’d shoot the scene at the same place where you did it with Kaoru-tan, but I guess I was wrong.”
“Filming it here is owed to my huge consideration of you.”
“Hooh? You say this dreary entrance area counts as consideration for me?”
“Indeed. It’s not like it’s likely, but…if something unforeseen were to happen, you’d be able to escape right away as you’re right next to the exit. Right?”
The end justifies the means, and thus I make up some suitable nonsense to explain it away.
“I see, I see. Certainly, I wouldn’t know what to do should I get locked up in the deepest part of your Domain… This is a consideration between fellow Demon Kings, huh? I learned something new. You have my gratitude.”
Motoki buys into my excuse.
“Well then, let us start the online announcement――”
Afterwards I announced my alliance with Motoki to the whole world with a cramped smile.
Translation Notes:
