Point-of-View: Aries Velenet

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"There have been no major incidents over the last week, and we’ve seen no sign from the new nation of Arcadia of making any aggressive moves against any of the other nations. And that concludes my report, your Highness," I remarked, as I knelt before King Landis in the throne room.

Lately, I’ve been making weekly reports to him about matters both in and out of the nation, but there hasn’t been much to report on recently, not since Hematite was conquered and renamed to Arcadia.

"I see...this new nation is a major concern, we need to do something about it," He frowned in response.

"You mean attack it, your Highness?" I asked him warily.

"No, that’s the last thing I want...I had planned on occupying Hematite since the people of the nation were destroying it with their civil war, but now that Demons and a Dragon King are occupying it, the situation has changed. These are not beings we want to go to war against, an unimaginable number of people are sure to die if it comes to that," He shook his head with a grimace.

"Glad to hear you say that, maybe it was worth coming here, after all. Hey, there, uncle, how’s it going? Hey to you too, Commander Aries Velenet, it’s been a while."

I quickly sprang up onto my feet and manifested my Soul Weapon, my eyes widening in bewilderment as I saw a large mass of slime sliding into the throne room through the window, before rising up and taking on a humanoid shape.

Clothes dropped out of a Pocket Dimension portal, falling onto the mass of slime, which slipped into the clothes before finishing taking shape and turning solid, the mass of slime transforming into a person. It’s him...

"Larrk Stryker...why have you come here?" Frowned King Landis warily, as I pointed my floating blades towards the intruder, as the guards in the throne room began to surround him.

"Easy now, I’m not here to fight. I wouldn’t have come here alone if I was. I’ll get straight to the point...I’d like Obsidian to form an alliance with Arcadia. Or, if that’s too much to ask, I’ll settle for a simple peace treaty or non-aggression pact. I’d also like to set up trade deals between our nations, if possible," He explained, as he leaned against the window railing.

I don’t sense any aggression or hostility from him, I think he’s being honest...

"What? That’s why you’re here?" Responded King Landis in bewilderment.

"Mhm, that’s right. And rest assured, even if you disagree to my request, we won’t attack you or anything. Basically, so long as you leave us alone, we’ll do the same...that said, anyone who tries to attack us, will be eliminated with extreme prejudice, we’ll show no mercy to anyone who tries to make an enemy out of us. So, what do you say?" He inquired with a smile.

"This isn’t a decision I can make lightly...but at the very least, I can say that Obsidian has no plans of antagonizing Arcadia."

"Good, that’d be the smart thing to do. You’d just be sending your armies to the grave, and we’d rather not get involved in any conflicts either. The main goal that our nation of Arcadia seeks is to form a place where anyone is welcome, a place to peacefully coexist regardless of any prejudices.

We are a nation of humans, Monsters and Demi-Humans, I myself am a Heretic with two Demonic Grade Contracts, and while I did despise not being able to live freely here in Obsidian, that isn’t a grudge worth holding on to, certainly not one that I’d go to war over. That’s why I came here in hopes of forming an alliance, or at least a peace treaty. So, tell me...how much time will you need to respond to this request?"

"Give me a week. Come back here in one week and I’ll let you know what my decision is. I’ll be transparent, the idea of forming an alliance with your nation is hard to pass up, the last thing I want is to make an enemy of Arcadia...but I cannot make that decision alone, I’m not the only voice of influence in Obsidian, after all. So, give me one week to convince the other people in power in this nation," Requested King Landis.

"Sure, that’s fine by me. And like I said, even if you ultimately refuse an alliance with us, we won’t attack Obsidian. Alright, good talk...I’m gonna head out now, see you in a week, uncle," Responded Larrk, as he began to turn into slime against, before pausing and reaching into his pocket as a buzzing vibration rang out, taking out his phone.

He then glanced at me after reading the message he’d received, a strange look on his face...

"What is it?" I inquired warily.

"Nothing too serious...but I guess I should probably tell you. One of your Knight Captains has, uh, kinda eloped with one of my friends. He just texted me, and apparently, she plans on ghosting the Knight Order. So, uh...sorry about that?" He grinned sheepishly.

Huh? What? N-no, that can’t be...none of my Captains would ever be so-...oh. Actually, one of them would...

"The Knight Captain you speak of...are you referring to Mysst Jenwell?" I asked him with a grimace.

"I don’t know," He shrugged in response.

He seems to be telling the truth, I don’t think he knows who it is...but the most likely one to do something like this would definitely be Mysst.

But who would Mysst elope with, anyway? I didn’t even know that she was seeing someone...wait, could it be...

"Your friend, is it the Diamond-ranked Adventurer with the green hair? Ilex something or other?"

"Yeah, that’s him. Come to think of it, he did mention that he’d met you a few times. Hm...," He trailed off, before taking a paper and pen out of his Pocket Dimension and writing something on it, before turning his arm to slime and stretching it out towards me, adding as he handed me the paper, "Here, this is his number. Give him a call if you want to check up on the former Captain if you’re worried."

"Uh, okay...," I muttered in bemusement, as he then fully turned into slime and slithered out the window...

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