Volume 12 - CH 10.5

Bonus Short Stories 

Souma and Maria Watch 

We were having a relaxed get-together after the first conference where Maria and I met face-to-face. 

“It looks like everyone’s having a good time.” 

“Yes. Everyone does seem to be enjoying themselves.” 

As the two of us talked, I was watching my companions. They had each found someone they could get along with and were engaged in pleasant conversation. 

Maria chuckled. “I had expected talks with another nation to be more tense. During this sort of get-together, you would expect us all to be trying to get a feel for the other side’s intentions, you know? But everyone’s acting as they normally would.” 

“Well, our countries have amicable relations, so it would be weird for our subordinates to be fighting when we’re not... It looks like our second-in-commands are getting along, too.” 

I smiled wryly as I caught a glimpse of Hakuya and Jeanne out of the corner of my eye. Jeanne seemed to be enjoying herself, and Hakuya gave off a much softer impression than he usually did, too. Maria must have noticed it as well, because she was smiling softly. 

“I guess I should have expected your subordinates would be like this. You approach everyone without prejudice. They must have learned from watching you, Sir Souma. That’s how they can be so open with everyone.” 

It was a little embarrassing being given such a direct complement. 

“I could say the same of the Empire. Because their leader is so soft and fuzzy, her subordinates are kind, too.” 

“Oh, my? Me? Soft and fuzzy?” 

Maria made a show of puffing up her cheeks in mock anger. Even though I knew she was a year older than Juna, it still made her look like a cute little girl. 

I shrugged. “Having met and talked with you, I can say you’re pretty soft and fuzzy.” 

“That’s quite a thing to say. I am an empress you know.” 

“My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty,” I said jokingly. 

“Yes. Very good,” she said in a self-important tone. I knew she hated to wield her power in this way, so she was just messing around, too. 

Then both of us broke out laughing. 

“Ha ha ha, I don’t know what it is, but even though I know you’re supposed to be important, I can’t help but laugh when you act like that.” 

“Hee hee! It’s because I’m not good at being important. When I do it in front of you, it’s just an act.” 

“Like you’re playing empress?” 

“Yes, that’s a good way of putting it.” 

After we’d had a good laugh, Maria smiled. “It’s so peaceful here.” 

“Hm? What’s this about, all of a sudden?” 

“If we could laugh like this with people we had just met, we wouldn’t need a framework like the Mankind Declaration...” 

She said that like we’d be better off without it. That was probably how she really felt, too. Maria’s Mankind Declaration existed to force the signing nations to band together in the face of the Demon Lord’s Domain. She had taken the heavy burden of leading them upon herself. But if there was a way for countries to work together without compulsion, nothing could be better than that. After all, it would relieve the huge weight on her shoulders. 

So he can make a face like that, too. He might be an interesting individual. 

Aisha wanted to tell this story to Souma. 

Naden and Krahe Talk 

During the get-together, Souma’s second secondary queen, Naden, was talking with Krahe, a commander from the Empire. 

“So then me and Souma took care of the storm that attacked the Star Dragon Mountain Range.” 

“I see, I see. That’s just lovely.” 

No, it was more like Naden was telling the story of how she met Souma, and Krahe was enthusiastically nodding along and prodding her to keep going. 

“Was it a natural storm?” he asked. 

“No way. There was this weird thing inside the clouds that was causing it.” 

“The Lurker in the Clouds... I like it! It sounds exciting! So, what happened? Did the lurker have a terrifying and dignified form, like some sort of demon lord?” 

“Oh... It was a cube. Like a metallic one.” 

“A metallic cube... huh?” Krahe looked blatantly disappointed. “The Cube in the Tempest... It’s strange, I’ll give it that, but it lacks impact. Now, if there was a massive, bat-winged devil, or a three-headed dragon, then we’d have something to be excited about.” 

What’s the Thousand Year Dragon King got to do with this? was the joke Souma would have made if he were listening.