A healthy, casual smirk on his face, Ukuter stepped in, strolling up to Imuru's desk, his assistants just behind. "Do you mind?" Ukuter inquired.
Knowing what he meant, Imuru just barely managed to lift his hand to the chair, looking like a deer in headlights. "Give me a damn break…"
Ukuter took a seat, resting his sword beside him. "Sorry for the unsuspecting arrival… But I heard the news, so I had to come give me congratulations."
"Thank you… Lord Ukuter," Imuru said with a tentative smile. "Crap, why? Why? Why? Why? He did say I'll be seeing him soon, but why me? I thought he'd just forget," Imuru thought, just itching to pull his hair out.
"Just Ukuter will do, please," He requested. "You have control now of the Celestial Lake, I will admit that's quite a feat."
"Uh… Not exactly. I'm just keeping an eye on it, trying to work stuff out, but of course, thank you," Imuru replied. "Hm?"
"What is he so happy about?!" Imuru questioned, perplexed by Ukuter's extremely smug expression.
"Then that just proves your character. I can see why the Deviders respect you so much, Great Demon Lord," Ukuter said.
Imuru sighed internally. "Awe, crap. Why am I surprised he found out?"
"Listen hear Imuru, I've taken a liking to you, so I want to do you a favour. I'm willing to recommend you to the other Kings, in fact I've already called a meeting, I'm certain they'll be interested in you," Ukuter informed.
"Um… Sir… Lo—" Imuru cleared his throat. "U-kuter… I'm very grateful and appreciative of your presence, but it would be wrong of me to trouble you, so please there is no need," Imuru swiftly replied, wanting nothing to do with whatever Ukuter has to say.
"For goodness sakes! What Is Wrong With People!!! Leave Me Be!!! I don't even know you sir, doesn't a Demon King have anything better to do, than trouble the little people? What did I do to deserve this? Does he get a kick out of this? Maybe he does, he wouldn't be smiling like that if he didn't," Imuru panicked internally.
"No, it's no trouble at all… Just that I've already called the meeting…" Ukuter leaned in. "To call it off… now that would be troubling."
Imuru sank in his chair, nodding in agreement. "Ye-Yeah… that makes a lot of sense."
"There's no way I can refuse…" Imuru's mind ran into situations of the wrath he'll suffer by the hands of the kings, gulping. "That's unthinkable…"
"Brilliant." Ukuter snapped back into his chair. He took a glance around the office with a curiously childish face. "Political stuff is a part of my disinterest, but I'm certain Pix would be happy with the stabilization you're bringing to Sacred Forest… I should've taken it over, but, eh… Couldn't be bothered."
"Hmm." Imuru's eyes widened slightly and glimmered with prompt realization. He sat up in his chair, resting his hands on the desk. A thoughtful thought reaching into his mind. "He's a Demon King… nonetheless he's pretty casual. Respect is key, is it not? Judging by character… then yes!"
Imuru cleared his throat, ready to address Ukuter. "If you don't mind me asking, who is Pix?"
Ukuter cocked his head, exhaling deeply, already weary of her name. "An annoying fairy… Trust me you don't want to meet her. She should be sleeping somewhere in the forest. One reason I couldn't have anyone wrecking it…"
Imuru chuckled lightly, covering his mouth like a little school girl. "Is she that bad?"
"Terrible," Ukuter confirmed. "If she wakes to attend the Meeting Of Kings… I very much pray she doesn't, then you'll get a dose yourself."
"Is he?... Filtering?" Yun asked himself, quietly observing Imuru's strange shift in behaviour. "He's feeding into my Lord's kindness and giving him what he wants. Sneaky little…"
Imuru leaned forward in his chair, and leaned his head into his hand, laughing and giggling.
Yun tight-lipped, pressed in a thin line, his mouth quivering, struggling to hold his words in. "Is my Lord falling for this?... Wait?! No, No… Is this my Lord's type?" He gritted his teeth. "No! I refuse to believe this."
Sphe glanced to her side, raising her eyebrows, as she saw Yun shivering in place, more than she ever had. "What's up with him?"
The two lords finished up with their conversation, Imuru came from around his desk, to shake his hand.
"You're welcome here anytime." Imuru leaned forward. "Whether it be an official visit or not," He subtly teased, with an impish smile.
"That is noted. You're a pleasant person Imuru, Until next time." Ukuter went on ahead, sphe following, with Yun lagging behind staring at Imuru briefly, before hurrying along.
Imuru and Yosho allowed the silence to envelop them, both standing, giving some time to pass to ensure the Demon King was long gone before they decided to even say a word.
"Okay, I think they're gone," Imuru thought, turning around with a subtle sneaky smile on his face. His eyes met Yosho's, outwardly sparkling, and grinning from ear to ear, impressed with her lord. "Huh? Where did those come from?"
"Crap… That doesn't matter now. I have Ukuter to worry about. Studies… And many other things. I better start clearing things up; and by me, I mean someone else."
"... Wait? What would happen if I didn't do anything? What if I just pretended nothing else is happening, aside from Roll's and Ukuter's issues, that are practically unavoidable." Imuru smirked. "Yeah… That's right, until then, I just waste away in my room or office, snuggling with Forcent." He crossed his arms across his chest confidently. "Now there's a plan."
"Great Imuru, if I may be excused?" Yosho asked, looking to head out.
"Certainly, Yosho," Imuru replied, letting her off on her way. "Hmph. I'm never getting used to that. Like, what if it's something important, do they still have to ask?"
"Uh…" He spun around to request something, but she was already gone. "Should've had her send Forcent my way if she found him… Wait, aren't I just being lazy now?... I should reconsider my life choices."
Outside, and stepping off the porch down the steps, Yosho held up a tightly clenched fist.
"For the sake of Great Imuru… And my job as his secretary, I need to get stronger." Yosho exhaled. "What's my best option? A training partner?"
"Respectfully, Arken wouldn't be acceptable… There is Forcent…"
A shuffle in the bushes heightened Yosho's sense, as something fled further within the woods. Yosho blinked, her sharp eyes, spotting just enough of the creature to know exactly what it was.
"Oh Dear… Gray Persudo? This could turn problematic… They are still an issue to the local ecosystem. It would seem we'll have to deal with Erinot personally." Yosho glanced behind at Imuru's residence. "Great Imuru has been through a lot. For such an issue, I will spare Great Imuru's time and handle it with Forcent."
"Now, where to find the Ennom…"
Unfortunately, despite her efforts, Yosho gave up. Unable to find Forcent, she had to turn to the last person she would've wanted to team up with; Arken.
Stepping out together into the wilderness, they began to track down the Persudos, such skills coming only from Yosho. Arken followed her around, pointing out whatever Yosho did repeatedly, which deeply annoyed her to a degree considering the fact he wasn't being quite helpful.
"What serious threat is this that requires my attention?" Arken grumbled. "If—"
Yosho snapped her head up at him, cutting him off. "I'm Certain!… it will be worth your attention," She said, standing up.
"Hmph. So be it. Where to?" Arken asked.
"Just further northwest." Yosho pointed.
"What makes you believe that?" Arken inquired, stooping down, gently brushing his fingers across the grass in search of something, replicating Yosho's action.
"Grah…" Yosho grumbled, glaring down at him. To ascertain she doesn't lose her composure, she took a second to breathe. "Well, where to?"
Arken's eyes drifted from the ground to the surrounding area. "Northwest…" He stood back up to his feet, crossing his arms across his chest. "The blood splatter is recent."
"Ow?" Yosho's eyes widened in surprise… at his apparent competence. "Well… let's get moving, shall we?"
As Yosho and Arken followed the trail of dark splatters deeper into the woods, the air grew dense and unnaturally cold, the canopy knitting overhead to plunge the path into a gloomy twilight, until a foul, metallic stench; thick with rot and old blood, clawed at their nostrils, making Yosho stagger back against a gnarled tree, one hand clapped over her mouth as her stomach lurched violently.
Arken frowned, his own nose wrinkling against the foul air, but he pressed forward where Yosho recoiled. His steps led him to a massive, ragged deep hole in the earth, the epicenter of the stench, and when he peered over the edge, his eyes were met with a grotesque mound of intermingled corpses, the hulking form of a many Great Bear, the feathered bulk of Sky Murts, the shattered plating of Armoured Orcs, the body of Fury Boars and more, all a silent rotting catalogue of the forest's most powerful creatures, discarded in a single, horrifying pit.
With her mouth covered Yosho pushed past the nauseating scent, to peer over into the pit… Backing off once she saw what it contained.
"D… Demonic… Energy." Yosho recognized the familiar energy almost immediately… Just what was this for? Was the question.
"Ritual?…" Arken felt a cold sweat trickle down his brow. He got up to grab Yosho and leave, but before he could even move another inch, the source of this issue crawled out from the shadows.
Right on the other side of the pit was the Pack Leader of the Gray Persudos, Erinot. Looking a pit rough for wear, and blooded, his eyes were different from the last time he was seen; with black sclera, red iris and black sharp pupils.
Their eyes met Erinot's demonic vision. "My final sacrifices," Erinot murmured sharply, with murderous intent.