"That being the case, about this avatar of yours..."
"Wait a second," Muria's yokai avatar noticed Mikaela's hand about to close, and quickly called out to stop her. "My consciousness is linked to my true body. You can keep this avatar—it doesn't need to be destroyed."
"Just teasing you. Of course, I'll keep it. Why would I destroy your power for no reason?" Mikaela's face lit up with a playful smirk.
"Very funny." Muria chuckled helplessly. "Alright, I'm withdrawing my consciousness. Figure out a way to carry this avatar around; it'll make it easier for us to communicate later."
"Understood." Mikaela nodded. Then, she clasped her palm around Muria's yokai avatar. The deathly black mist that composed the avatar started to collapse under immense pressure, eventually compressing into a small, black, crystal-like sphere.
"Where are you going to keep me?" Muria asked with some suspicion.
"On my hand!" Mikaela snapped her fingers. To Muria's stunned disbelief, she took out a few other gemstones, all similar in appearance to the black crystal formed from his yokai body. She strung them together into a bracelet.
Realizing where his avatar would now reside, Muria fell silent. Without another word, he withdrew his consciousness and retreated entirely.
Not long after Muria retracted his awareness, he received news that the general he had sent to Creek Mountain Kingdom had returned.
"You've seen the Crimson King's army, haven't you? What's your impression of them?" Although Muria had already witnessed Mikaela's forces firsthand through his yokai avatar, he still asked the question.
"I've seen them. They are a fearsome foe, one we must approach with utmost caution." The general replied solemnly, his expression serious.
"And what about Creek Mountain Kingdom's forces? How do you view them?"
"A bunch of worthless fools who rely solely on their equipment, with no fighting spirit whatsoever. If we had the same number of troops, any of our generals could crush them." The general's disdain for Creek Mountain Kingdom's military was palpable.
"They're that bad?" Muria's lips curled into a faint smile at the general's blunt critique.
"Absolutely. Their military's weakness stems from their nation itself. The entire country is rotten. The upper class indulges in decadence and neglects governance, while the lower class is treated no better than livestock."
"Oh? But according to their delegation's leader, their country's national strength is comparable to our own."
"That's just them putting on airs. Their nation is far inferior to ours," the general sneered. "Look at their response to the war against the Crimson King. Instead of focusing on how to win, they're preoccupied with finding an escape route. What kind of leadership is that?"
"So, you're saying Creek Mountain Kingdom isn't a reliable ally?" Muria stroked his chin. "Does this mean you're against forming an alliance with them?"
"No, my king. I suggest we ally with them."
"Oh? And why is that?" Muria's smile grew more pronounced.
"Creek Mountain Kingdom is doomed. Geographically, it's sandwiched between us and the Crimson King's forces—it has nowhere to retreat."
"General, your analysis assumes that we'll work with the Crimson King to destroy Creek Mountain Kingdom. But right now, we're discussing whether or not to ally with them."
Muria rubbed his temples, already guessing what the general had in mind. As expected, the general's idea mirrored his own: ally with Creek Mountain Kingdom first, then stab them in the back.
"My king, that is precisely my suggestion. We should form an alliance with Creek Mountain Kingdom, only to later eliminate them during the war. This would further strengthen our kingdom."
"I see. Your suggestion has been noted. You may withdraw for now." Muria waved dismissively, signaling the end of their conversation.
"But, my king—" The general, freshly returned from his distant mission, knelt on one knee, as if wanting to say more.
"Enough. I'll give your proposal serious consideration. That's all for now."
"As you command."
"Your general is quite something. His thinking aligns perfectly with yours," a voice laced with amusement suddenly spoke near Muria.
"It's no surprise. These generals all fought their way up from the battlefield. Concepts like 'alliances' are foreign to them. They only think about conquest and annexation."
Without even turning his head, Muria knew who was speaking. In his palace, only one person besides himself enjoyed such unrestricted freedom: his father, Fernand.
"With that mindset, how do you expect to form a proper alliance with Creek Mountain Kingdom? Their nation may be deeply flawed, but not everyone there is a fool. If we approach them with ulterior motives, do you think they won't notice?"
"They might not," Muria said with a smirk. He had encountered all kinds of rulers during his conquest of the Ymir Plains, including those who remained oblivious even as their kingdoms teetered on the brink of collapse.
Reality often surpassed imagination in absurdity. Muria had even heard of a minister who rebelled against his king simply because he didn't get his favorite dish at a banquet. Such ridiculousness was not uncommon in chaotic times.
"Never underestimate others," Fernand cautioned. "Creek Mountain Kingdom is roughly comparable to us in size and strength, and we've just emerged from a long war. Our nation hasn't fully recovered yet."
"That's not an issue. In the war against Creek Mountain, we won't need to bear the brunt of the fighting. Mikaela's forces will handle the main assault; we'll provide support."
"Wait, what's with that tone of certainty?" Fernand narrowed his eyes, sensing something amiss.
"I've already contacted the Crimson King."
"When? Why didn't I know about this?"
"While I sent the general to observe her forces, I attached a yokai avatar to him."
Muria proceeded to recount his meeting with Mikaela, providing his father with an early warning to avoid any future surprises.
"And what exactly did you two discuss?" Fernand asked, his eyes locked on Muria.
"Nothing much. Just how we'd divide Creek Mountain Kingdom between us," Muria replied nonchalantly.
"Nothing else?" Fernand pressed further.
"What else would we talk about?" Muria's expression turned slightly odd, sensing where this was headed.
"Didn't you say she's the one you've been waiting for all your life? You didn't propose to her?"
"Ugh…" Muria sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. They had barely discussed serious matters, and now the conversation had derailed into this.
"This was our first meeting, and it wasn't even a proper one—my true body wasn't there. You expect me to propose marriage under those circumstances? Isn't that a bit absurd?"
"What's absurd about it? If you like her, just say it. Why beat around the bush?" Fernand waved dismissively, unimpressed by his son's hesitation. To him, love and romance were distractions, irrelevant to the responsibilities of a ruler.
"Once we've formally met, I'll bring it up," Muria said helplessly. On this matter, he was confident.
"Good. The sooner this is settled, the better. You know I wouldn't pester you about this if you already had a child or two."
"Very soon," Muria promised. "Once Creek Mountain Kingdom is dealt with and I meet Mikaela in person, I'll propose."
"Excellent." Satisfied with his son's commitment, Fernand's expression softened.
"Now, let's discuss our alliance with Creek Mountain. Since they're the ones seeking our help, we should demand payment in advance—supplies and resources."
"Your heart is as black as coal," Fernand remarked, though there was a hint of approval in his tone. Demanding compensation from an ally they planned to betray was certainly devious.
"Hmph." Muria let out a humorless chuckle, fully aware of his father's own cunning nature.
"Actually, you're still too soft. Creek Mountain is desperate, not us. We can drag this out, even hinting at our talks with the Crimson King. That'll put even more pressure on them."
"That would make them panic," Muria acknowledged, somewhat impressed by his father's ruthlessness. "In that state, they'd be willing to give us whatever we ask for just to secure the alliance."
"Exactly. As a ruler, you must master the art of negotiation to secure the best outcomes for your nation."
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