Forbidden Zone 3, Hazy Mountain, Audience chamber.
The large audience room was lined with soldiers, with high ranking dream knights stationed adjacent to the throne. Their light blue robes and silver samurai style armor let off a battle hardened and intimidating aura.
Baku sat on the throne, his armor now donned, and his full face helmet resting on his armrest.
Two katanas rested to the side of him, as he sat cross legged in his seat. With his eyes closed and his mind relaxed, he waited for the entry of the young devil that requested his audience.
He had gathered his most trusted subordinates to attend this meeting. A light show of force, in case the capital dogs wished to gauge his people's current strength.
Sure, the fissure was increasing in size, and the mist was becoming tougher to manage, but his core men never wavered in battle. They still faced the dream beasts head-on each tide, and won, despite their meager numbers.
He was confident in the strength of his brothers in arms standing around him. Their collective auras bringing out an intense and hotblooded atmosphere.
Baku was proud of this group. Despite the newer recruits coming from the capital being a disgrace, harassing the villagers, sleeping during patrols, and barely killing a fraction of the dream beast stragglers, this group pulled its weight to the extreme.
They made up for the poor reputation being circulated by the traders that come through every now and then.
That is why he brought them here. To show the nobles that no matter the schemes or obstacles placed, true warriors still shine through.
Baku was aware of the possibility that his clan had sent over people not through good faith, but to ruin his prestige and cripple his fighting force.
He also suspected this ailment of his was not due to natural causes, but by the force of bad actors, hoping he would weaken enough to submit to their demands.
The capital devils coveted the dream cores his fortress had access to, and the past decades, they've seemed more and more desperate for them. Especially his old clan.
He snorted at the thought. Years ago, they didn't even care whether he was alive or dead. Casted out of the clan young, because of his lacking intelligence and seemingly useless dream mutation.
'What use is there to eat dream mist? It's just a waste of materials.' His clansmen had said.
With his 4 stars, it was safe to say that was the extent of his mutations, thus, he was labeled useless and soon exiled.
'But then things changed after I met the Judge.'
He smiled at the thought. That judge had given him strength and purpose, here on this mountain.
The name Dream Eater soon followed.
Creaaaak
Baku hardened his face as the doors of the chamber slowly opened. He would not submit this mountain or his men to those worthless bastards.
The second he thinks this little one isn't a true nomad, he'll toss her out on her ass personally.
Jingle - step
Jingle - step
Jingle - step
A light, rhythmic ring of anklets could be heard as a group of five entered the audience chamber.
Leading the group, a small, pink haired devil strode gracefully to the center of the chamber. The black horns on her head shined metallically as the red tint radiated her supreme existence.
Her short black kimono swayed elegantly as she stepped. Her cute nose was tilted slightly, giving off the feeling she was looking down on the people present.
Her pink, flower petal eyes rotated slowly as she gazed at the seated old man, unbothered by the oppressive aura attempting to solidify the room.
She stopped at the center and smiled sweetly, such an atmosphere did nothing to hinder her steps.
She was Hannya, the Heart Devil.
Some of the soldiers glanced at one another, though the dream knights maintained their stoic demeanor, the normal soldiers couldn't help but get a bit dazed watching her entrance.
Wearing their village's traditional garb, along with the grace in which she walked, coupled with her captivating appearance, the soldiers could only have one thought in their minds.
'Jade beauty!'
Hannya gave a noble curtsy. "Greetings, Baku, the Dream Eater. I am Hannya 6th Luxuria. It's nice to meet you."
Baku stared at the young devil. He wasn't sure if she was a nomadic devil or noble. Her clothes were made of fine silks, her jewelry were expensive looking, and her manners looked practiced and natural. But…
"Kuhuhu you say you are the 6th Luxuria, but why have I never heard of such a name? Our records say the 6th Luxuria goes by the name of Salitha, care to explain little girl?" Baku said with disdain, he would glean the truth from her words and actions.
Hannya tilted her head, her face not changing in the slightest. "Why should I explain such coincidences? I'm here to make a deal, not prove the platform's will to name me as 6th."
Baku's heart skipped a beat. The platform? Not a family or clan? His excitement grew, but he held it down for now. This could very well be a ruse.
He decided to continue his old fox probing.
"Hmph, nonsense!" he bellowed. "You come here, kill one of my elites, barge into my territory for an unannounced audience, and take advantage of our hospitality, yet you can't answer a simple question from the fortress lord?" He shouted righteously.
Hannya didn't say anything, her smile only widened as her eyes spun a bit faster. She waited patiently.
"Ha! Now you refuse to speak? Fear of exposing your true identity huh? Kuhuhu good, good. Then how about this? There will be no discussion of a deal unless you reveal your origins or kneel here and now! kuhuhuhu!" The old man stated, his 'senility' firing at full capacity.
Hearing the outrageous and unreasonable request from their commander, the soldiers felt a bit uneasy. Asking a devil to kneel was a little much right? Plus, some had heard about the meat paste found at the southern gate. Was it really ok to challenge a devil in such a way with a guardian like that?
If she really was a noble, wouldn't she be one of the clan's treasures with such a protector?
The soldiers couldn't help but glance at the old butler. To their relief the butler was calm.
The dream knights, on the other hand, were tense. Looking closely at the butler, with their trained eyes, they could see the edges of the air around him begin to subtly blur.
His face was calm but the heat radiating from his body was beginning to warp a bit of the atmosphere around him.
Baku did not miss this either, through his maniacal laughter he glanced at Sawyer, standing in the center of the front row of dream knights, which Sawyer acknowledged by resting a hand on his blade.
But the underlying tension was thrown into stupefaction by what Hannya did next.
She nodded with a smile and kneeled. She followed with a graceful, fluid, kowtow. This was the opportunity she was waiting for.
As her head touched the ground, Baku choked down his laughter. His eyes were as big as saucers as he witnessed this scene.
The room was silent as Hannya showed her respects. But it was not a peaceful silence in the mind of the onlookers, everyone's thoughts were crashing in chaos.
All but Hans, who stared at Baku with deep eyes. Regardless of the seriousness of his ultimatum, regardless of his senility, and regardless of Hannya's priorities. Baku had made Hannya kneel, the younger sister of his Queen. Such a thing can only be met with one fate.
The only reason he hadn't gone on a rampage yet was because the young miss had asked him to allow her to handle Baku.
He would wait for his young miss to get what she wished for before taking his old head, along with the dream knights of this now useless fortress.
Hannya got up from her pose, the smile never leaving, though it seemed slightly different from before.
As her eyes spun rapidly she spoke. "Kikiki, that was easy." She put her hands on her hips and looked around, feeling the same as always. The kneeling didn't bother her at all, not in the slightest. In fact, she had already forgotten about such a small matter, this was an investment. Kneeling was something all people did at some point in their life, so slaughtering these bugs around would make no sense to do for such a common thing. She wasn't a beast. An unrelated thought then popped up in her head, could dream knights still fight with their eyes missing? She'd ponder on that later.
No one said anything, they didn't dare.
Hannya turned to Baku, who was staring at her with a serious face.
He felt a little disappointed. Had devils gotten so pathetic to the point they would kneel just to get a deal?
He couldn't accept it.
"Now, with that done. I'd like you to train me in the dream knight's combat arts, specifically you Baku, and not the grunt techniques, the whole set, like a direct disciple!"
Baku's mood dropped even further, he couldn't even pretend to be senile anymore. He was truly disappointed. She was no nomadic devil. Just a greedy one, like the devils in the north.
Baku had no need for special artifacts, resources or manpower to the point he could grant such a deal. On top of his injuries it couldn't even be fulfilled.
Hannya continued. "Ah, also, I need 5000 dream cores, oh, and a particular item from your treasury." She smiled, not caring about the strange stares
Finally, Baku couldn't take it anymore, he had gotten his hopes up for a miracle after his old friend had visited, but it looks like he'll be dealing with the nobility for his path to survival.
He beckoned to Sawyer, his movement weary and downtrodden. "No deal, young devil. Sigh, Sawyer, escort them out. They can stay in the lodgings for a few more days, but they have to leave by the week's end."
Sawyer nodded as he began to step forward, he could hear the weariness in his commander's voice. He clenched his fists. Of course this was a waste of time.
But a young voice made him halt, it wasn't the cute one he was hearing earlier chirping out demands. It was a cold, condescending one.
"Oh? Too weary to pretend anymore now huh?" Hannya's voice was low, but all could hear the mockery in it.
Sawyer and Baku froze at the words. No outsider knew of this, even a majority of the men had no idea. It couldn't be…
They focused their eyes on the little girl. She laughed at the sharpened gazes.
"Kikiki, you couldn't even let me finish with my offer, you must have one foot already in the grave huh?"
The commander and vice commander's faces darkened at the words. They couldn't answer. Confirming such a thing would plummet morale. Sawyer didn't know how badly his commander's condition truly was, but deep down he had a sense of urgency.
The little devil pointed at Baku sitting on his throne. "If you agree to all those things for me…"
She smiled, a devilish smile. "...I'll get rid of the lulling virus in the next hour."
"!?!"
"!?!"
Shocked gazes and murmurs could be heard across the room. Some were confused about the accusation the little devil stated earlier, but they all understood the meaning behind what she stated now.
She had a solution to deal with their leader's hidden ailment. A solution that would solve it in an hour. Such a feat had long since been given up on by the healers of the camp.
Baku's heart shook at the words. His mood shifted once more. He felt his hands clench and unclench.
'The knowledge she possesses of my condition, her seeing through my act, her unknown origins…could she really be?'
A nomad. His heart began to pound at the thought. Then her kneeling was just to go along with my whims?
He thought back to a statement made by his old master many years ago.
'Remember, kid, a supreme devil, especially the nomadic ones, never submit to anyone. They may kneel and speak words of reverence to someone thinking they have the upper hand, but a devil's eyes tell it all. They can't hide it, it's so against their nature, it's easily seen if you look deep enough….'
Baku looked deep into the eyes of the young devil before him. At his realm of power, even when ill, observation of this level was a simple task.
'Sure enough..'
Her eyes showed no submission or reverence, not even an ounce of respect.
Through the spinning, hypnotic eyes of Hannya the old man could see only one thing.
Contempt.
His heart sank. The little one had allowed his act to run wild, waiting to reveal her cards at this moment. If she really was a nomadic devil, a supreme devil, If she really could heal him…
'...but kid, don't test such a patient devil, you'll always regret it.'
He had forgotten his old master's teachings. The age of the noble devils had really made his old bones senile.
Before he could even think of damage control, fully trusting his theory of Hannya being a nomad, a skeptical voice spoke up.
"An hour? You expect us to believe such a claim? We've had doctors from across Hellnia to look at lord Baku for the last decade, yet none could even slow his growing ailment!"
It was Sawyer. His vice commander had stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury. He was now fully convinced these people were here to scam his lord and run off with the dream cores and treasure they had most likely been eyeing in the shadows.
To him, that's who devils outside the Hazy mountain were. Charlatans and swindlers.
Hannya turned to the vice commander with a smile. She extended her hands as white mist began to billow out from her palms.
The mist was expelled so quickly and densely, it began to rapidly spread across the floor of the audience chamber.
The soldiers and dream knights were alarmed. An attack of some kind? They hastily reached for their swords, their stances lowered reflexively, ready for any incoming threat.
Sawyer too, clutched his two katanas, beginning to unsheath them. But his movements halted when he felt a large, looming presence behind him.
It was the butler.
"Stay where you are, young demon." His pressure locked onto the elite dream knight, making cold sweat trickle down his back.
Sawyer hadn't seen the old man move. This realization made his hand tremble slightly, they were outmatched, and his lord was still sick!
Seeing this, Hannya nodded in satisfaction. Hans really was a reliable butler.
Baku stared at the white mist flowing across the ground. His eyes shook as he recognized the substance.
"Dream mist…"
Hannya twirled back to the lord, her cute face looking up at the throne, but her eyes clearly looking down on the person sitting upon it.
"Kikiki, correct lord Baku. My devil physique awakened the ability to control dream mist completely. A convenient tool for dealing with lulling viruses and the dream beasts, don't you think?"
The mist then converged, returning back to Hannya's small body. As she stood there, observing the room that was silent once again. They were dazed at the ability. After a brief silence, a ruckus broke out.
"This..the young devil can control the mist!"
"I-isn't she a direct counter to the dream beasts!?"
"With such a skill, wouldn't the lulling virus cease to exist?"
"We could have a chance to close the fissure!"
Such conversations were being murmured ceaselessly across the large hall.
A growing feeling began to spread in the surrounding soldiers' hearts. A feeling they hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
This young devil could possibly be the greatest solution to the growing threat to their homes!
As the subtle excitement rose in the hearts of the loyal soldiers of Baku, Baku himself had a sinking feeling.
The reveal of the young devil's unique physique had sent a surge of lightning through his blood, he was the only devil able to fend off the more devastating dream mist and the dream beasts with his [Eater of Dreams] ability.
With addition of the young Hannya, the possibility of executing an expedition to the dream fissures core was no longer out of the question.
But…
"Ah! M-my head! It hurts! My beautiful, other worldly forehead!" In the midst of the rowdy talks of the soldiers, the main topic of the discussion, Hannya, began to grab her head in an exaggerated manner.
She was saying these things, but she wasn't even trying to fake it. She held her poor head while grinning at the sunken face of Baku.
He had guessed as much. The second she revealed such a card, the tables had turned completely. The little devil had no plans of making things easy now. Since she had to kneel before Baku, she would make sure he would regret such a play.
She fell back dramatically.
"YOUNG MISS!" Hans, the ever tactful butler, appeared behind the young lady and caught her weary form. With a knowing gleam in his eye, he shouted with righteous fury.
"The savagery! Forcing such a fragile young lady to use her powers after sustaining such grievous and mortal injuries! Pure barbarism! This loyal butler demands proper compensation!"
The faces of the hopeful soldiers and dream knights became dark at the scene. Injuries? From the kowtow earlier? Nonsense! She isn't even trying to hide the malicious grin on her face!
They gritted their teeth at the two's shamelessness.
Hannya secretly gave a thumbs up to Hans in her mind. He really was a skilled butler.
Baku sighed in resignation. She wished for him to kneel in front of his men. It was obvious. No other action would bring back the little one's own honor. He was now out of options, she had too much leverage.
He rubbed his eyes tiredly and spoke. "You wish for me to kneel…if it means we are square and can broker a deal, then very-"
"Square?" Hannya cut him off, she stood up, her weariness long gone, but her smile as bright as ever. She shook her head gleefully. "You kneeling is obvious, that's the simplest show of sincerity…" She then pointed to the dream knights flanking the throne. "...after that, ten heads of my choosing from these warriors will be your compensation."
The audience chamber froze.