I’m curious, but I’m sure it will come up in due time. As for the other attendees… I see Phon’kaven is participating like they said. Did the other neutral nations from the Dark Continent skip the conference because of its location? I thought Sutharland would send someone at least, but I don’t see anyone who looks like a Dwarf, so I guess not.
As anyone could have guessed, few nations from the Dark Continent—primarily the neutral nations to the south—chose to attend.
I understand the two smaller city-states skipping, but I’m surprised Sutharland, the most powerful empire on the Dark Continent aside from Mynoghra, isn’t here. I assumed they would send an envoy since Phon’kaven did… Then again, Phon’kaven must be wary if they sent one of the Staff Holders instead of Pepe.
Takuto assessed the Dark Continent attendees in an instant, then shifted his gaze to the participants from the northern Lawful Continent.
The Succubus faction members are a given, but I see the Elves have sent someone too. Doesn’t look like a Saint, though. A nominal stand-in, maybe?
The Saints were the holy nations’ most powerful fighting force. The El-Nah Alliance of Elementals naturally had Saints of their own. Takuto thought they would send a Saint or two to showcase their power, so it was strange to see neither the Succubus-dominated El-Nah nor the Holy Kingdom of Qualia had sent one.
El-Nah has the Succubus Queen Vagia and an old Elf man for its representatives. And Qualia has a…clergyman. He looks pretty high-ranked, so maybe he’s one of the three Popes?
Noticing Takuto’s gaze, Qualia’s representative jerked back in his seat, fear stiffening his expression. For all his expensive-looking and ostentatious adornments, he seemed to be a coward. Takuto looked away to keep from scaring him too much. Then he contemplated his reaction and presence.
Is Qualia being as cautious of this conference as the neutral nations? That kingdom’s greatest strength is its Saints. They only have two Saints left. It’s possible they thought that sending either of them was too risky in case anything went wrong back home. Considering Mynoghra is also using doubles, it’s ironic that Yu is the only one honorable enough to participate for himself.
The Lawful Continent had equally few participants. Apart from the two major empires, the northern continent lacked the variety of smaller nations and races of the southern continent. It was an All-Faction Conference in name only—the number of attendees was far too few to represent all the factions on both halves of Idoragya.
Two factions from the Lawful Continent and three from the Dark Continent are here, huh? You could say all of the big names are present at least, but there’s something more important than that.
Introductions for each faction proceeded as Takuto analyzed and assessed the various information. The old Elf announced he was participating as the representative of his race, and the clergyman stated that he was indeed one of Qualia’s three Popes. The Phon’kaven envoy apologized for being just a representative and expressed their hopes to make friends with everyone.
Finally, it was time for the last person. Takuto’s turn.
“Introducing King Takuto Ira of Mynoghra,” Freesia introduced him.
Sensing everyone’s eyes on him, Takuto carefully gave the self-introduction he had been repeating in his head since the conference started. “Nice to meet you. I’m Takuto Ira. Some call me the King of Ruin.”
Someone gulped loudly.
His succinct introduction filled the room with a weird kind of pressure. The Qualian Pope and Elf representative scowled, and nervous tension rippled through the taut expressions of both Phon’kaven’s envoy and the two Succubi guards.
Takuto despised this awkward atmosphere and wished they could just move on, but no one said anything. His nervousness burgeoned.
Wait, did I screw up somewhere?! But I didn’t say anything weird… Takuto’s pulse raced. His face was about to turn scarlet with embarrassment, but he schooled his features to make sure he didn’t humiliate himself in front of the other leaders. Somebody hurry up and say something!
A few seconds of silence ended up feeling like an eternity. Takuto was about ready to say something—anything—to put an end to his misery, when…
“Is that…it? This is a gathering meant to deepen everyone’s friendships, so isn’t it a little naughty of you not to say anything else♡?” Vagia said to him.
Takuto was grateful she cut through the awkward atmosphere and continued the conversation, but it wasn’t in a way he could handle properly.
“What else should I say?”
“…!”
Takuto’s terse reply rubbed Vagia the wrong way yet again. Even he could tell he’d upset her. He didn’t mean any offense. With so many non-allies in attendance, he wasn’t going to stupidly announce his god or game name, nor was he obligated to do so. On the other hand, it was tactless to string together words that insult the other party in a confrontational manner.
Sure, it would have been great if he could say something clever, but Takuto always struggled with proper communication. He’d shown some progress in his interactions with the Dark Elves and his subordinates, but his communication skills still scraped the bottom of the barrel.
His question was actually an entreaty. He wanted Vagia to take the conversation in a better direction because he was too nervous to speak. That was all he intended by it, but…his intentions were rarely conveyed correctly. Especially since, while Takuto himself wasn’t aware of it, he was currently perceived by others as fathomless darkness.
His presence as the King of Ruin inspired fear in all living things, so it was inevitable that he intimidated the attendees just by being there. He had spent so much time with Yu Kamimiyadera, who naturally dispelled the darkness around him and wasn’t bothered by evil auras, and the subordinates who already knew his temperament, that he had completely forgotten one crucial thing.
Takuto Ira remained someone who would bring ruin to the world.
“Yeah…that’s just the kind of person you are.”
…What does she mean? That’s not a normal reaction.
Takuto noticed something was off, and it wasn’t the discomfort she was feeling in his presence. He’d locked onto the way she’d referred to him as if she had known him all along. As far as he was concerned, he had never had any contact with Vagia. Even before he came to this world, he’d never met anyone like her during his short life lived within the confines of a hospital. There was only a slim chance she was someone he had interacted with online through games.