"And quite a rude one at that."
Imagine Artoria visiting another territory.
If someone there declared, "You're not leaving alive today." even a saint like her would draw her sword to test its edge.
"Is that so?"
"What a pity Ice acted so quickly!"
Snow Empress regretted it, blaming Ice Empress for killing Takeyu.
Leaving him alive, she could have used the incident to escalate, bypassing all formalities and unleashing an icy divine descent on the hidden village.
"Uh…"
Ice Empress felt wronged... Damien's signal had clearly been to reduce the fool to ashes.
"Enough. I told Ice to do it." Damien said, covering for her.
Hearing their exchange, Momiji realized what Damien had done.
His swift, ruthless action was, in truth, a defense of the Tengu's reputation.
If Damien had taken it seriously, it could have sparked a war between their factions, with countless deaths.
Takeyu, that idiot, was gambling with the lives of tens of thousands of Tengu.
And those hawk faction elders!
Did they even realize the disaster they'd bring by provoking such a force?
"Takeyu and those behind him do not represent us!" Momiji quickly distanced herself. "Please believe we sincerely wish to join you."
"I do." Damien replied.
"Phew~~"
Momiji exhaled in relief.
In matters of racial survival, individual sacrifices were inevitable.
Still, she found it strange.
Why was Takeyu's reaction so extreme?
What were they trying to achieve?
Damien was already here... couldn't they address issues in a meeting?
As Damien had said, any problems could be brought up openly.
He wouldn't hesitate to help where he could.
'Saying nothing, refusing even to attend a meeting…'
'No!'
Momiji realized something. 'They're deliberately picking a fight.'
The goal was to offend Damien, derailing peaceful negotiations.
'Damn it!'
'Those old fools, always causing trouble!'
While Momiji fumed inwardly, Damien pondered the same question.
Why had this happened?
He didn't recall Rimuru facing hawk faction resistance in the original story.
'And a character like Takeyu didn't appear in the source material.'
'This is a real world, not everything follows the original plot, but…'
'Is the Tengu a bit too hostile toward me?'
Searching his memories, Damien noted something. 'In the original story, when Rimuru sent Benimaru to visit, the Tengu reacted strongly to the snake women.'
Looking at Takeyu and the hawk faction's behavior…
'Heh, I see.'
Damien understood. 'What hawk faction, what staunch defenders of Tengu pride? Pure nonsense.'
These people were likely spies hidden within the Tengu.
'The novels mentioned Frey invading the Tengu.'
Yet the Sacred Mountain's dimensional space was nearly impenetrable, its concealment alone a formidable barrier.
Artoria could detect it, sure.
But entering? That was another matter.
Dimensional spaces were defined by their ever-shifting entrances.
For Damien, with his mastery of spatial magic, it was trivial.
But Frey? Did she have such means?
Maybe, maybe not.
Damien leaned toward the latter.
'So, there's a traitor leading to a potential invasion.'
'This caused the Tengu heavy losses, unable to survive in the chaotic world, forcing them to rely on Rimuru's Jura Tempest Federation.'
Piecing it together, Damien understood the full picture.
'As expected, every place has its parasites.'
He didn't know what benefits Frey had offered to make them betray their own.
But this gave him a hunch. 'Will Frey show up?'
Due to Takeyu's disruption, the group fell silent, no longer in the mood to enjoy the scenery.
"My lord!"
Hakurou, waiting at the entrance, bowed respectfully as Damien approached.
Kaede's residence was a traditional Japanese-style courtyard.
The architectural style and cultural customs seemed to have been passed down from the ogre tribe 300 years ago.
"Let's talk inside." Damien said.
"Yes."
Hakurou led them to the reception hall.
"Lord Damien, a pleasure to meet you. I am Kaede." She said, kneeling and bowing. "Thank you for your care of the Sword Savant."
"My health prevents me from greeting you in person. I deeply apologize."
"No matter." Damien replied, sitting cross-legged opposite her.
He disliked kneeling, for obvious reasons.
As for the others, they sat as they pleased... Damien never enforced such formalities.
The group soon entered the reception room.
Artoria stood behind Damien, gripping her sheathed Sword of Promised Victory, ready to guard.
Shion and Shuna knelt on either side of him.
Snow Empress and Ice Empress stayed on the adjacent veranda with Momiji.
As for Ogerpon, the little one hopped into the courtyard, chasing after unfamiliar flowers and plants.
"How much do you know about the situation here, Lord Damien?" Kaede asked.
"Not much." He replied. "Please, Kaede-san, fill me in."
"It's my duty."
With Hakurou's support, Kaede detailed the Tengu's current state and expressed her stance.
She and her daughter Momiji were willing to lead their clansmen to join Damien as his subjects.
Damien nodded, pleased with her sincerity. "I see your commitment."
"If you don't mind, allow me to address your health issue."
With that, Damien raised his hand, and a surge of magicules gathered at his fingertips like docile lambs.
It wasn't an attack but a gift... an invaluable treasure for any majin: Naming!
***
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