Word count: 1400 words
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Meliodas had other plans in mind, he was not expecting himself to urgently need to become a king and finish the mission. But things changed and it turns out that he needs the SS rank summon as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to stay away from Renner, he had to change everything now. She is the easiest way for him to become a king.
He knew what he had to do, he just had to do it in time.
"Yo Makima, I'm going to talk to Renner for a few minutes. Wanna tag along?"
"Of course, my lord, it is my pleasure to accompany you." She bowed with a smile on her face.
"Come on Rem lets go. Hisoka, Shoko, take care of the mansion while I'm out."
Rem stepped next to Meliodas upon his words, Shoko nodded her head with a bow while Hisoka smiled with a 'Yessir'.
Kurogiri opened the portal towards the castle in the capital Re-estize, and the three of them appeared in front of the queen's private chamber.
The grand doors of Renner's private chambers burst open without warning, the sound echoing through the opulent room like a gunshot. The queen, seated at her desk with a half-written decree in hand, looked up sharply only for her quill to slip from her fingers as her blue eyes locked onto the intruders.
Meliodas stood in the doorway, his ever-present smirk plastered across his face, his posture relaxed as if he owned the very air around him.
Behind him loomed Makima, her golden eyes cold and calculating, while Rem lingered just a step back, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
Climb, who had been standing guard at Renner's side, immediately tensed, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword. His heart pounded in his chest, partly from alarm at their sudden appearance, partly from something far more complicated.
That unspoken, forbidden feeling he had buried deep within himself whenever he saw this man flared for just a moment before he forced it down.
Renner recovered quickly, her shock melting into a practiced, diplomatic smile. But her fingers, hidden beneath the desk, trembled ever so slightly. "Meliodas-dono," she greeted, her voice smooth as silk. "To what do I owe this... unexpected visit?"
He chuckled lightly. "Isn't it better when the interesting things come without warning?"
Renner stood from her desk, folding her hands in front of her as she took a few steps forward. "Perhaps. Though surprises tend to carry… complications."
Meliodas stepped further into the room, motioning without asking and taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs meant for visiting dignitaries.
He didn't sit like a noble, though. He lounged like someone who owned the room.
Makima stood directly behind him, her posture perfect and unreadable.
Renner gestured with a hand, and Climb moved subtly to stand behind her, his eyes flickering between Meliodas and the women behind him.
A tense silence settled.
Meliodas broke it first. "How's the kingdom holding up?"
Renner tilted her head slightly. "We've stabilized for the most part. Trade routes are reopening, the nobles are... content and public order is being restored."
"Mm. You've been busy."
Renner nodded. "I have a duty to this kingdom. I take it seriously."
Meliodas gave a low hum. "And yet... for all your efforts, this place still feels like it's held together with thread."
Renner's smile barely flickered, but her fingers tensed. "Rebuilding and gaining support takes time, especially after I exempted most corrupt nobles of their responsibilities and lands."
"Of course," he said lazily. "But what about pressure? Political? External? Internal? You've been playing a delicate game since you took over. Even a queen has limits."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "If you came to speak of politics, I'd expect more subtlety from someone like you."
"I didn't come for politics," Meliodas replied, his gaze suddenly sharp and serious. "I came to talk to you."
Renner hesitated at the intensity in his voice. "…Talk to me about what, exactly?"
Meliodas leaned forward, resting his elbow on the armrest and his chin in his palm. "You're fascinating, Renner. A genius, a queen, and beneath all that... a monster."
Climb bristled, but said nothing.
Renner's smile turned cold. "How flattering."
"I'm not insulting you," Meliodas continued, his voice calm and smooth. "You remind me of myself sometimes. The way you smile to disarm, the way you twist the pieces into place. It's beautiful, really. You and I... we understand each other."
Renner's gaze turned calculating. "…I'm not sure what you're implying."
He chuckled. "Let's stop pretending, shall we? You're tired of the weak people around you. You wear that crown because I handed it to you. You're queen, but every day you fight to maintain control. Power... it isolates."
Her voice lowered, thoughtful. "True, it does."
They stared at one another, two minds dancing on a tightrope.
"I like power," Meliodas said bluntly. "But I don't like sitting on thrones. Too stiff. I prefer influence, and results. And right now, you and I are sitting on a gold mine of potential. Yet we barely speak."
Renner raised an eyebrow. "You're proposing... what, exactly? A partnership?"
Meliodas smiled again, that mischievous grin returning. "In a way."
He stood up slowly and walked toward her, step by step, until he stood just a few inches away. Climb remained still, his grip tightening behind his queen.
"Let me ask you something," Meliodas said, his voice softer now. "What do you think people want most in troubled times?"
Renner answered cautiously, "Security."
He nodded. "And what symbolizes security more than love? A union. A beautiful, royal love story. Something to give the people hope. Something to make them believe the Queen has found her equal, not just in politics, but in soul."
Renner froze.
Her breath caught.
The implications of his words echoed in her mind before he even said it.
"A marriage," he said gently, "between us."
Climb's heart dropped.
Renner didn't speak.
Meliodas stepped beside her, his voice brushing her ear. "Imagine it: the Queen of Re-Estize and the Headmaster of the Obsidian Chains, supporting each other to rule in peace. No one would question your rule again. And I'd have a throne to lean on without ever sitting on it."
Makima, silent behind him, allowed the corner of her lip to twitch upward, as if trying to hide something.
She was pleased. Watching the pieces fall into place.
Climb's throat tightened. He looked at Renner with quiet, aching eyes. He loved her, he knew it. But he had long accepted she was beyond him, a simple commoner, a weak knight with no achievements... But the idea of her being forced into this… With this man... it burned.
Renner slowly turned to face Meliodas' face which was close to hers. "You're serious."
He met her eyes. "I always am."
"…You know I can't refuse, don't you?" She commented.
He tilted his head. "You could. But you won't. We both want this to happen."
A pause.
Then she asked, with a voice tinged in quiet resignation, "When?"
Meliodas stepped back, stretching like someone who had just finished a nice walk.
"Three days," he said. "Announce it. Make up whatever story you like. A secret romance, hidden letters, love blooming through chaos. I trust your imagination."
Renner didn't nod. She didn't smile. She just stood there, porcelain and perfect, hiding the hurricane behind her eyes.
Meliodas turned toward the door.
"Oh, and Renner?" he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Wear something pretty. It's going to be a big event."
Then he was gone.
Rem and Makima followed, silent shadows behind the storm.
The door closed. And Climb… finally spoke, his voice hollow. "Your Majesty…"
Renner's voice came out soft, detached. "It's all right, Climb. We do what we must to protect this kingdom."
But at that moment, for the first time, she wasn't sure who she was protecting it from. She had to do what she had to do...
TO BE CONTINUED --->
Hey everyone! Author here.
If you've got an anime character you'd love to see summoned into the story, feel free to drop your suggestions, including which character you'd like to see and what rank you think they deserve. Your input might just shape the next events in the story!
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