The Player known as Takuto Ira often described Vittorio, his direct subordinate, as a troublesome person who thrived on riling others up. But did the pot really have the right to call the kettle black? He was currently living up to his title as the one true master of the Gleeful Spin Doctor, as he was currently spinning his own way right under his opponent’s skin.
“How about it? If you tell me Mr. H’s name and game right now, I will happily accept your proposal. I will surrender for the sake of peace and deepen our ties for a brighter future. A truly marvelous plan, indeed. You have won me over with your genius.”
Takuto clapped his hands, amplifying how suspicious he came across. Anyone should be able to tell at a glance that he wasn’t serious, but Yu—the only one who did take him serious—immediately raised his voice in opposition.
“Hold your horses there, King Takuto! I ain’t willing to join them for that!”
“Now, now. Just remain my silent partner for now, Yu.”
Takuto found he really was an easy guy to work with because that’s all it took for Yu to shut his mouth and go along with him. He seemed to have much stronger feelings about his alliance with Takuto than even Takuto had realized. Or maybe he was just acting in accordance with his plan to leave everything to Takuto when it came to politicking because that wasn’t his strong suit…
Takuto buckled down on his strategy to provoke them. He was going to dig in until he dragged out their ulterior motives. They were obviously looking down on him.
“Witch Vagia. You seem to have viewed me as a threat from the start. I am incredibly curious to know what made you deem me a threat, but please trust me. I am trustworthy,” Takuto said, looking straight into her eyes.
Vittorio’s enthusiastic remarks loudly pierced his brain through their telepathic link, but Takuto ignored them to concentrate on Vagia. If you are going to do something, do it thoroughly. That was Takuto’s motto.
“I can’t accept your proposal. It is an appealing one, though♡.”
“Oh? And why’s that?” Takuto asked, feigning surprise to an exaggerated level. He figured as much. He would have answered the same in her shoes.
Still, he deliberately put on a show. As if to prove just how much of an untrustworthy farce her peace proposal was.
And that finally got a clear rejection out of Vagia.
“Because…you have already decided to annihilate us all, haven’t you?”
“…Who knows?”
Takuto hadn’t decided that part just yet, but he sensed the necessity for it. Not only did he not trust Succubi, but this Vagia person was as troublesome as they came. She was the type to plan her next move. Make strategies. She wasn’t the type to make decisions on the spot like Keiji. She was no amateur. She was a huntress who slowly, vigilantly kept her fangs hidden until she’d already devoured her prey. Sensing her nature was what led Takuto to decide he needed to eliminate the Succubus Army—the ADV faction.
“So long as there is an axe left to grind between us, we won’t be coming to any kind of agreement.”
“I love me some good ol’ grinding action though, aahn♡. I hope it goes on forever,” Vagia said in a sultry voice.
“And it’s those types of comments that make you untrustworthy.”
The talks broke down just as he’d predicted. The only thing left to do was to return home safely, but that was unlikely to happen as predicted.
Vagia seemed to have finally accepted that her plans had ended in vain, for she let out a long, long-suffering sigh, her voluptuous breasts bouncing with the soft movement.
“But I want to understand you,” she said with all seriousness to Takuto. “Those are my true, unadulterated feelings.”
“The idea that we can understand each other by talking sounds beautiful at first, but in reality, it’s just arrogance, Witch Vagia.”
“What a shame…”
Thus, the curtain closed on their peaceful negotiations. If the rest played out as Takuto predicted, then his opponent would play their next card now. He really hoped he was wrong this time, but he understood the odds were against him. So he shifted gears and prepared to deal with what came next.
“But I think you will change your mind when you hear what I have to say next, darling♡. For you see, I’ve prepared a surprise that will make even THE Takuto Ira say yes, ehe♡.”
“Now that’s intriguing. Do tell.”
Yup, here it comes, Takuto thought, relieved he hadn’t misread the situation. It would have left a horrible taste in his mouth if Vagia had proposed peace with nothing but good, pure intentions. But obviously there was no chance of that. Just as Takuto had suspected, they had prepared to screw him and the others over.
Takuto signaled Yu with his eyes and sent telepathic instructions to Vittorio.
Witch Vagia was a Succubus. As long as that was the case, it would be nigh impossible to suppress the Succubi instinct for excessive expansion… Moreover, since time immemorial, Succubi have excelled at deceiving and screwing men.
“We, the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals, will now enter into a permanent alliance with the Holy Kingdom of Qualia and the Player Mr. H♡. And as the leader of the alliance, I, the Witch Vagia, hereby declare the establishment of a new order, the Lawful Continent Alliance.”
Mr. H and the Elves were a given, but even Qualia was in on it, huh…?
Judging from the bitter demeanor of the Pope of Qualia, it seemed that not everyone had agreed to it, but the kingdom had obviously approved joining.
The power balance of the entire world had been decided at this moment.
What an incredibly dirty and solid move, Takuto thought idly despite the tense atmosphere. They had cut their opponents off at the heel and advanced the situation in their favor. He wanted to give them a hundred points if this was a test. If only it had been his ally instead of his enemy who had scored here…
“With that settled, as the leader of the alliance, I propose that all the nations on this continent embrace a new order and peace, woof♡,” Vagia declared triumphantly.
Takuto just stared back at her expressionlessly.