The Time of Promise
There are always women around Ren. Not in a strange way. As emperor, Ren has a maid who takes care of his chores and personal needs while he is in office, and a maid when he is not in office and is in the back of the room. Kings of other countries also have their maids who are sometimes replaced by their peasants, but the situation is generally the same. The king of a country rarely takes care of the daily affairs of life himself.
In Ren's case, however, the form is the same, but the meaning is a little different. Many of the women around Ren are former nuns, and many of the attendants are Liliths pretending to be humans. Rather than providing personal care, he is surrounded by people he can trust and, conversely, are responsible for preventing untrustworthy people and spies from other countries.
The personal care of Ren has always been taken care of by Rin alone. Whether in his office or in the back. How to define the position of Rin, who is in such close proximity to the emperor, is a source of concern for those in the personnel bureau within the Ministry of the Interior Affairs. Currently, she is officially assigned the official position of secretary. It does not matter to Ren or to Rin.
"Your tea is ready."
"Ah, thank you."
Even as he said his thanks, he only glanced sideways at the cup on the desk, and Ren immediately returned his gaze to the document. He always does and Rin doesn't mind. Not wanting to go through the trouble of drinking hot tea while being careful not to burn himself, Ren waited for the tea to cool before sipping it.
If that were the case, she would have served the tea cold from the beginning, but Rin always tries to serve the tea in its most delicious state, unless Ren instructs her otherwise. She does not even take a sip because Ren says that tea tastes best when it is hot.
It is a very selfish request, but Ren rarely shows such a troublesome character. Rin was glad to hear it.
After making tea, Rin would sit in a chair a short distance away and watch Ren. Just because he has returned to the back of the room does not mean that Ren's work is finished. Ren goes into the back because he has work he wants to do in an environment where he will not be disturbed. Knowing this, Rin usually stays quiet so that she doesn't get in the way either.
This is an especially important time. Various information is coming in from all over the continent, and it's a lot to look through. And unlike in the past, it is necessary to discern the truth or falsity of information. The thought of this has brought a sense of melancholy to Rin's heart, and she has sunk into a pensive state of mind.
She remembers her father's words. He told her that she must never tell Ren the truth.
The demons are now secretly shaken by the appearance of the Demon King. In truth, if it is a demon king, a demon king recognized by the demon sword, then the demons must obey that demon king. For Rin, this is something she would never approve of.
Her father, the king of the Vampires, declared that he would only be loyal to Ren. This came as a surprise to Rin. His father, who regretted the mistakes of the Vampires in the past and decided to follow Ren, is now trying to make his race make the same mistakes again. That is if the demon king is really a demon king recognized by the demon sword.
Regardless of what the facts are, this is vital information that must be conveyed to Ren immediately. However, her father wanted Rin to keep quiet. It was not for betrayal. If Ren knew this information, he would have suspicions about the demons. He said that this would be unfortunate for both Ren and the demons.
And Rin agrees. The only way to gain Ren's trust is to continue to believe and follow him. If someone were to disobey Ren and turn their allegiance to the demon king, Ren would surely lose faith in the demons themselves.
With this in mind, Rin accepted her father's wish. She forced herself to accept her father's words that he would bring the demon king's chaos to an end and that there would be no traitors. The identity of the Demon King made Rin do so.
It was only after she made the promise that she realized it was an act of betrayal to Ren. Should she tell Ren? Even if it meant breaking the taboo of breaking a promise as a demon. Even if it meant losing Ren's trust when he found out about the betrayal.
Rin's mind was in turmoil all the time.
"Are you worried about something?"
"Eh?"
The sudden voice pulled Rin out of her deep thoughts. Rin turned her head to look at Ren, who was looking back at her, and their eyes met.
"Ah, no, I was just a little absent-minded."
"Not just now, you've been acting a little strange lately."
"No... that kind of thing..."
Ren, who received Rin's denial, got up from his chair with a frustrated look, and went straight to Rin, grabbed her shoulder and stared into her eyes.
"Do you think I won't notice?"
As Ren stared at her, Rin felt as if he could see into the depths of her heart. The amber eyes seemed to radiate a light of their own. Rin was so captivated by them that she could not move.
Gradually, the eyes move closer to her, and then they move away from her. The next moment she felt relieved, her mouth was sealed shut. Ren's arms go around her back and hug her tightly. When he loosened his hold on her, he gently picked her up and carried her to the bed. Ren covered her up. His hand gently stroked Rin's cheek.
Then Rin came to her senses.
"...Ren-sama?"
"...Eh? Ah, no! It's not that!"
Suddenly Ren's mood changes to a different one.
"I felt like I was being sucked in when I looked into Rin's eyes."
"Eh?"
Ren was fascinated as well. It would be strange to stare straight into the eyes of a Vampire woman and not feel anything. This is normal, and the experience so far was abnormal.
"My mind had gone blank."
"R-really?"
"Um... is something wrong?"
"...No, Ren-sama seems to be in trouble, so I'm a little worried."
"Me?"
"Ren-sama is everything to me."
"...I'm beaten. I was confident in my strength of will."
With each light snap of his fingers, the lights in the room went out one by one. The room was soon covered in darkness.
Even in the dark, they can clearly see each other's faces. Their gazes were strongly intertwined.
"...Ren-sama"
"Rin... I don't need the -sama right now."
"...R-Ren"
As fearfully told, Rin discarded the -sama in Ren's name. The response was a pair of overlapping lips and Ren's hand reaching for her chest.
Little by little, Rin's white glowing skin showed in the darkness. Her chest showed, her hands went up, and the brilliance of her upper body was exposed. And two beautifully stretched legs.
"R-Ren... Ren..."
The moment Rin had been waiting for came unexpectedly this night.
If the trigger was the first lie she told Ren, if it was a betrayal of Ren, it might be ironic for Rin.
◇◇◇
The conference room is filled with people who are considered to be important ministers. It had been a long time since a meeting of this scale had been held. Why were so many people gathered? As one would expect, everyone was aware of the situation.
It is clear that war is near, and that it will be on a much larger scale, which can be inferred from the appearance of the military and the amount of supplies they have begun to gather.
Tension was on the faces of all but a few of them as they were finally told the official story. Except for a few.
"Suspicious"
"What?"
"Relationship between you two."
"...What are you talking about?"
"It's frustrating, but I understand that Ren thinks of Rin-san more than me. But there is a kind of familiarity between me and Ren that Ren and Rin don't have. I used to feel superior to that."
"What are you talking about?"
"Did you two do it?"
"Like I said, what are you..."
"Ah, it looks like I hit the nail."
"Eh?"
Ren had a hunch about what Shizuku was going to say and tried to play dumb, but the other couldn't do it.
Rin's normally translucent white skin was now tinted pink. That is a breathtaking glamour. In fact, those gathered at the meeting could not take their gazes off Rin.
"Rin's destructive power at times like this is amazing. Even I, as a woman, want to hold her."
"What is that statement about?"
"But..."
"I mean, are you an idiot? Are you an idiot?"
"Idiot... that's terrible."
"We're going to have a meeting. Besides, it's a very important and serious meeting. Don't say anything strange before that."
"Everyone's face is so tense, so I was trying to relax the mood."
"Is that so?"
"That's right"
Shizuku gave an immediate answer to Ren, who was looking suspiciously at her.
"...You're lying. I can tell right away because your nose moves when you lie."
"Eh? No way."
Shizuku touches her nose in a panic. Ren is looking at that Shizuku with a smile on his mouth.
"...You tricked me, didn't you?"
"It's your fault for falling for such a simple trick. Well, let's start the meeting before we get too comfortable."
The attendees began to adjust their postures in a hurry at the sudden announcement that the meeting was about to begin. It seemed that the tension had actually dissipated.
"First of all, I will talk about what is clearly known. Led by the Luine Kingdom, a military alliance between the Lemberg Empire and the Izrim Magic Kingdom was formed."
A stir spread through the conference room. It was a big announcement at a time when the mood had relaxed a bit. Some of the participants could not understand what Ren had just said.
"It goes without saying what the purpose is us. Does this include the Northern Alliance?"
"Are you saying that the three countries are going to attack us jointly?"
"No, not only the three countries, but also those who agree with them."
"...That's."
"There is no need to be upset. The fight had been decided from the beginning. It's just that it's a little earlier than planned."
"But when you think about how many troops it will be."
"Two hundred and fifty thousand. More if they empty the country, but I don't think that's likely."
"Two hundred and fifty thousand...... here are five thousand. The Northern Alliance as a whole is 50,000."
"If we give the Northern Alliance total power, it will be more. But it doesn't matter. That's the kind of fight we're going to have."
"When?"
"Today at the earliest"
"Today!?"
"If we look at the Northern Alliance, that's a possibility, right? When Luine crosses the border, that's when it will begin."
"......That's not going to happen, is it?"
It's not Ren who would hold a meeting in such a tense situation. Lautrec stroked his chest in relief.
"I would be in trouble if it did."
"Don't surprise me"
"I'm too upset. It's not right to ask now when it's time, is it?"
"Yes, I will reflect on that. What do you think the strategy will be?"
"They're talking about a separate march, but I doubt it."
"Are you saying that a large army of 250,000 will march together?"
"There seems to be a possibility of that."
"Why do you think so?"
"Because we would be happier if they came separately. They would not attack us in a way that would please us."
The Northern Alliance as a whole would be more difficult to deal with if they were to be divided into smaller units. However, if they consider the Nord Empire alone, they would be more grateful if fewer enemies attacked them at once. That's how it is.
"...I see. The Lemberg Empire, which is the closest to us, has 50,000 soldiers. Ten times as many, but much better than fighting an enemy five times as many along with the Northern Alliance, which is likely to be slowed down."
"That's what I mean. The enemy is 150,000 or 160,000 in the three core countries. And let us not forget the fact that there are heroes in the smaller countries as well."
"...That's right"
"The difference in strength is huge when they come together. If you were the enemy, that's what you would choose."
"If that is the case."
"How long would it take for them to join forces? The enemy would not want to take too much time. Where can they get together the fastest and where can they station more than 200,000 troops?"
"...Izrim Magic Kingdom. The furthest away is the Lemberg Empire, which will take four months to assemble."
"Unfortunately, the Lemberg Empire's army has already advanced westward under the guise of an invasion. It's two months from where they are now. And to add to that, two months if there is no country to intercept them on the way. And there are no countries on the way."
"Yes. Then it will be two months before the assembly. And one month from Izrim to the nearest country in the Northern Alliance."
"Yes. Three months later."
"But the time will depend on when they move."
"They are already starting to move. Three months is just enough time for us to detect the advance of the army of the Luine Kingdom and start preparing to intercept it. Three months is a period in which they don't have to hide their movements."
"Are they waiting for Lemberg to approach?"
"That's what I meant."
"What's our response?"
"We will be ready to intercept them immediately. Messengers have been sent to the countries of the Northern Alliance requesting them to prepare for war. Arrangements are being made to dispatch messengers with further information."
"Ha"
"Ask the western countries that are adjacent to the Luine Kingdom to strengthen their border and strengthen their defenses."
"And we're not to take part in the battle?"
"This is an emergency. In that case, we must ask them to stall as long as possible."
"Yes. And the South?"
"Yes. The countries bordering the central part of the continent are the same. The rest of the countries should gather at the former royal capital of the former United Kingdom of Mercenary."
"I understand"
"I will go ahead to investigate the battlefield, so let Hassan lead the army. Sergio will lead the guards and accompany me."
"What troops should I bring with me?"
"The entire Western Garrison. Including mercenaries."
"That's!? That would leave the western defenses empty!?"
The West is all the territory of the former Saint Miriam Kingdom. The southern part borders other countries, and beyond that is the Lemberg Empire. Ren says he will not have an army to defend that western territory. No wonder Lautrec got panicked.
"It was originally someone else's property. Only the Nord realm should be protected."
"But then"
"Three countries, no, the heroes will all be involved in the battle. That's where I'll settle it all at once. If I want it, I can get it back after we win. If we lose, that's the end."
"But……"
Ren's goal is not to conquer the continent. Revenge on the hero and destruction of the order of this world. King Luine is right when he says that Nord only brings chaos to the continent.
Kill all the heroes or take their place. Crush the united front centered on the great powers, lower the authority of the great powers to the ground, collapse the military of the great powers, and return the continent to the era of rivalry with small countries.
That's Ren's goal. The perfect opportunity came sooner than he expected.
And Ren isn't in a hurry. If he gets impatient here, he won't aim for such a thing from the beginning. He just keeps sharpening his fangs, thinking that the time for revenge has finally arrived.
◇◇◇
After finishing his duties for the day, Ren returns to the back. Tomorrow he's scheduled to leave for the former Mercenary Territory, so he's not going to work for today, and he's going to take a good rest... or rather, he'd rather enjoy his time with Rin.
Right now, it was Shizuku who was straddling Ren and wiggling her hips.
"Ahh, Ahh, Anhh"
"...Hey?"
"...What? ...Ahh."
Every time she moved her hips, Shizuku's voice leaked out of her mouth.
"Your voice is different than usual."
"...Terrible. Is that your impression?"
Stopping the movement of her hips, Shizuku lightly glares at Ren.
"Impression"
"I'm doing these things out of embarrassment. I'm sure you'll be glad I did."
A different voice than usual on purpose. There is something strange about Shizuku who thinks Ren will be pleased.
"Embarrassing acts are your thing, right?"
"That's not true."
Shizuku interrupts, saying that it's her turn tonight. She had been happy to be one-sidedly played by Ren, but on this day, Shizuku was the one who was putting in an effort. The reason for this is simple. It was out of a desire not to be outdone by Rin.
"......I see, come to think of it, you're pretty normal these days."
"Normal?"
"Library is the norm. It was also a place with a lot more people. Ah, or tied up."
"…………"
A number of the acts that Ren had been doing with Shizuku, which he assumed Shizuku to be a pervert. Including the pranks of the orphans, she has done quite obscene things.
"Ah, withholding the toilet."
"Don't say that!"
It is correct to say that she was made to endure, not that she put up with it. She drank as recommended by the orphans, and when she tried to go to the bathroom, she was interrupted by them crying and clinging to her to play with them. Shizuku, who had to engage in the act with Ren in such a state, ended up exposing her disgraceful appearance in front of Ren.
Shizuku has been seen by Ren many times in a most embarrassing manner. Partly because of that, she doesn't feel the need to cover herself up in front of Ren.
"...I used to be an honor student, and for a male student, I was an unattainable flower."
"You say that yourself?"
"And now I'm a slut who would move her own hips for Ren."
"Somehow you're saying it's my fault."
"Actually yes. But it's not because of Ren, it's because of Ren."
"Eh?"
"Now I live very comfortably. I don't have to worry about what other people think and decorate myself. I can be myself."
"I see."
"So don't die"
"Eh?"
"When Ren is gone, I surely won't be able to be who I am now. So don't die."
Shizuku was thinking about the situation in her own way. How difficult is this battle? And what kind of determination Ren has to face the battle?
Shizuku correctly understood the meaning of Ren's embrace of Rin.
"I'm not going to die"
"That's not good enough. Promise me you won't die."
"I can't do that. This fight is pretty tough. You can't win if you don't take risks out of fear of death."
"You won't make promises you can't keep, right?"
"Yes"
"Even so... Promise me! Promise me and keep it!"
"Eh?"
"If you don't make a promise, I won't forgive you! I will never forgive you!"
Shizuku suddenly became furious and started pounding Ren's chest with all her might. Shizuku hits with such force that even Ren feels pain. But Ren could not stop her. The tears welling up in Shizuku's eyes did not let him stop her.
――The morning of the next day. At Ren's side was Shizuku, who was getting ready for a trip. If he can't promise her, she won't let him die. That's why she'll always be by his side. That was the result of her appeal.
That day, Ren and the others departed. To the land of the battle against this world.
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