Nareen leans towards me in anticipation.
"What did you mean when you said you're a Nephilim? Like, I get it's your race, but that doesn't tell me much since I've never heard of them. Is this what you really look like? What can you do? Where have you been all this time? Why are you the only of your race on the planet?" (Nareen)
I let out a long breath...that's a lot of questions. I nod at him thoughtfully for a few seconds before responding.
"Nephilim are a humanoid race from Elven mythology, sometimes called Children of the Gods by the elves. This is what I really look like, and obviously, I'm very powerful. I've been living with the elves, whose royal family is aware of my identity. As for why I'm the only Nephilim, it's the same as why there are only four Elder Dragons here...I'm simply the only one that Azazel invited." (Mizuki)
Nareen's eyes widen to saucers.
"Wait, wait, wait...do you mean Azazel, as in the god? He's real, and...you met him!?" (Nareen)
Unsure how much I can safely elaborate, I just nod at the incredulous Nareen. Seeing my acknowledgement, his face slackens. He stares off into space for a few moments, making me wonder if he's having an existential crisis. Eventually, he looks back at me, though his expression is significantly wearier.
"So, if you really are living with the elves, does that mean you've met the Elf Queen?" (Nareen)
I raise my eyebrows, thrown by how quickly he moved on from the Azazel issue. Then, his latest question registers fully, and I can't help but smile ruefully.
"The Elf Queen, huh? Oh sure...I see my dear mother-in-law rather regularly." (Mizuki)
Too regularly if you ask me, given her dangerous personality and propensity for teasing Ilina.
Nareen's expression falters for a moment, trapped in strange state of thoughtful confusion, as though he's trying to solve a complex equation. Then, his face stiffens, and he locks an annoyed gaze onto me.
"You...married an elven princess?" (Nareen)
His voice is dripping with undisguised resentment...dare I say jealousy. So, I smile smugly and nod, indulging in a rare display of pride at my status as Ilina's fiancé. Honestly, part of me is sad I don't have a picture of her to show Nareen. Really rub my good fortune in, you know?
Thinking about Ilina, I'm suddenly struck by a strong sense of melancholy that she's not with me right now, even though I spent the whole past evening and night with her. Maybe I could just...pop in to see her, after dropping off Nareen. The rest of the negotiations here will probably take a little bit longer, right? And I'm sure my company wouldn't be too much of a hinderance while Ilina's doing whatever her normal Princess duties are.
Realizing my thoughts, I freeze.
Since when do I drop active, important tasks to go interrupt her workday? Is it possible that us finally getting laid turned me into a simp? Did she...somehow infect me with some yandere STD? Will I develop the uncontrollable urge to tell men who look at her that they're courting death?
I quickly shake my head at the ridiculous thoughts. Clearly, I am extremely sane, and it's impossible to qualify as a simp if she's my wife, right? I'm just...an affectionate husband, like I should be. I'm nothing like my possessive elven princess.
Nareen's irritated voice interrupts my rationalizations.
"You could at least try to look less smug." (Nareen)
I turn my gaze back to him, slowly registering his statement. I can't help but smirk.
"What a ridiculous accusation. I'll have you know that I'm the most humble Nephilim in the world." (Mizuki)
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Deep inside Mane City's central Temple, in a private room...
Zara glances calmly between the lion-kin King and Queen across the table, patiently waiting for their stunned demeanors to resolve. After all, her and Teyla did just drop quite a bit of information on them. After arriving here, they didn't waste time in laying out exactly what they'd like from the lion-kin in terms of diplomacy. Building an eastern border wall at the boundary of their so-called Great Forest, creating a stone road from the northernmost fox-kin city to Mane City, scheduling regular security and resource meetings to cooperatively protect the demi-human lands - Zara even offered for them to have an embassy in the wolf-kin village.
Overall, she doesn't feel that anything she asked was unreasonable, basically just to keep in touch and let her (i.e., Mizuki and Nina) bolster the cat-kin territory's defenses and infrastructure for them.
Mufaza gives here an incredulous look.
"You...want to build a road all the way through the Great Forest, straight to this city? Is that even possible?" (Mufaza)
Teyla throws Zara a questioning glance, deferring to her once again. Zara purses her lips thoughtfully, considering how much to reveal. When they parted ways earlier, Mizuki sent her and Teyla a private telepathic message saying that she could reveal whatever about him she needed to, as long as she impressed upon the lion-kin that it must stay within their royal family.
Zara nods at the lion-kin slowly.
"It's possible. Mizuki's wife is the Elder Dragon of earth, Nedonera, and if he asks, she can clear the forest and pave a stone road in less than a day. She can erect the border wall as well." (Zara)
Mufaza's jaw hangs open, though he quickly tries to compose himself.
"His wife...I, uhm...I see. So...Mizuki is an Elder Dragon?" (Mufaza)
Zara shakes her head.
"He is not. Perhaps he's told your son about his race by now, so you can ask him later." (Zara)
Picking up on her polite refusal to discuss the subject further, Mufaza falls silent and nods. Lyra, who's studying Zara with a thoughtful expression, decides to politely redirect the conversation.
"Well, I think my husband will agree that we have no reason to refuse this so-called 'border wall', nor the road through the Great Forest, as long as you're not requesting our assistance in constructing them. The other requests, though...we'll need to discuss them. Road or not, traversing the Great Forest is perilous. I'm not sure we can risk the lives of our warriors just to staff this...embassy, or to exchange information with you." (Lyra)
Zara sighs thoughtfully, considering the issue. She doesn't need resources, or a promise of protection from the cat-kin, she just wants to foster goodwill and coordinate security. She just wasn't expecting how wary they'd be of their so-called Great Forest. Still, she can't blame the Queen for her hesitance, given what she's been told about the dangers of the cat-kin traversing it.
There's nothing Zara can do about the embassy – if they won't staff it, that's it. But, she still has options to facilitate regular information exchange, and foster mutual security. She could talk to Mizuki about granting the lion-kin royal family an MMC, but she's not inclined to indebt herself to him further.
She could also have the wolf-kin take sole responsibility for traversing the Great Forest. The question is whether that's worth the risk it brings to her people. She wants to secure the demi-human lands and limit unapproved human activity in them, but the cat-kin are already pretty safe from invasion, and they don't really patrol most of their territory anyway.
Perhaps she should just dispatch some wolf-kin to patrol along the new border wall east of the Great Forest, and monitor any minor human activity in the area that way. Paired with as-needed visits to the cat-kin along the new road, that should help protect demi-human interests like she wants.
Zara returns her gaze to the Queen.
"I understand your concerns. In that case, perhaps we should be satisfied with the border wall and the road, and we could ask you to send word to us if you observe any human activity in your territory?" (Zara)
Lyra makes a thoughtful expression, before turning to the King and nodding. Mufaza nods back, then faces Zara.
"We accept." (Mufaza)
Zara nods, then glances at Teyla.
"Teyla...anything else?" (Zara)
Teyla raises her eyebrows.
"No...that's more than I expected, honestly. Weren't you going to warn them about the Empire, though?" (Teyla)
The Queen narrows her eyes, her voice becoming wary.
"The humans' Empire? What about them?" (Lyra)
Teyla blinks, then gives a coy smile.
While she can't speak lion-kin, and Mizuki neglected to mention it himself, she's too perceptive to have missed how it was the lion-kin who first suggested having these negotiations without Mizuki, or the veiled threat behind Mizuki's emphasis on having the Prince tour him around. She's a leader who recognizes the importance of being tactful, but...she's also someone petty enough to disdain being used as leverage. It shouldn't hurt to make the royals sweat a bit, right?
"We just wanted to warn you that they seemed to be planning an invasion of the Elven Kingdom, and we doubt the demi-humans would be spared from their aspirations. Plus, they're a little worked up right now...Mizuki killed the Emperor and almost a hundred of his royal guards. Apparently, they threatened Zara and another friend of his, and he didn't respond too well to that." (Teyla)
Zara gives Teyla a mildly surprised look. She's certain that they never mentioned that to Teyla. Of course, how could she know that Teyla learned about Mizuki's slaughter through her intelligence network, then just purported Zara as the reason to spook the lion-kin? Teyla has no idea how close to the truth her assertion is.
Naturally, the King and Queen stiffen at Teyla's words, falling deathly silent. Teyla suppresses a satisfied smile. Mufaza's voice turns distinctly nervous.
"S-Slaughtered, you say? Is that true, Elder Zara?" (Mufaza)
Zara meets his gaze, then sighs and nods.
"Indeed. Mizuki is...sensitive, about threats to his friends. Some, especially so..." (Zara)
A certain blonde elf flashes through Zara's mind. Nearby, Queen Lyra collects herself and interjects calmly.
"How fortunate...I take it that you have a close relationship with Mizuki, then?" (Lyra)
Zara smiles wryly.
Truthfully, she's well aware of the silent difference between her and the other three of Mizuki's original party – Nina, Ilina, and Alto. Like an invisible line she'll never be able to cross, hiding secrets she'd never guess. But she doesn't care...she never has. While she was quick to leave him and return to her people, they remained, and yet Mizuki still continued to support her and the wolf-kin without discontent.
"I'm very lucky..." (Zara)
Lyra studies Zara quietly, considering what meaning those words could hide. However, her and everyone else's thoughts are interrupted when two people suddenly appear out of thin air in the corner of the room. A lion-kin boy with a beaming smile and eyes filled with disbelief, and a young man wearing a small smirk, emerald eyes gleaming with amusement.
The King, Queen, and their royal guard Skara all stiffen, but remain in their seats. Mizuki chuckles.
"Wow...I'm impressed. The elves really lost their shit the first time I did this to them, but look at you all, cool as cucumbers!" (Mizuki)
Zara frowns at the flippant remark.
'That is...unlike him...'
Meanwhile, Nareen turns towards Mizuki, his beaming smile slowly transitioning into a deadpan glare.
"What the hell, man!? You said you were going to show me a magic trick, not be a buzzkill! We only visited a single dessert stand after lunch!" (Nareen)
Mizuki raises his eyebrows.
"I just teleported you, and that's your takeaway? Also, you had, like, twelve pastries from that place. Any more and I'd have been bringing you back in a coma." (Mizuki)
Queen Lyra clears her throat pointedly, drawing everyone's attention.
"Nareen, dear, is everything...okay?" (Lyra)
Nareen tilts his head.
"Yeah, Mom...it's fine? Mizuki's cool." (Nareen)
Lyra nods and looks to Mizuki.
"Thank you for looking after our son." (Lyra)
Mizuki shrugs.
"No worries, it was...interesting, for me. Anyway, I'm sure you guys have loads left to discuss, right? So...I'll see you in a few hours!" (Mizuki)
Without giving anyone a chance to respond, Mizuki vanishes, leaving everyone stunned by his inexplicable departure. Those left naturally drift their gazes to Nareen, wanting answers. Nareen returns a bewildered look and raises his palms.
"Hey, I don't know what that was about! The dude walked around the city with me, asked to see my Aura Vision like once, and spent the rest of the time answering all my questions. Then, he just gave me a weirdly long handshake, thanked me for no reason, and brought us here without my consent. Honestly!" (Nareen)
The group falls into dubious silence for several moments, before a voice inexplicably echoes in their heads.
[Oh, I almost forgot! King Mufaza, Queen Lyra...I left protective magic on Teyla and Zara that will kill anyone who tries to harm them. So, you know...do with that knowledge what you will!] (Mizuki)
As the warning sinks in, Nareen gives Zara and Teyla a curious glance, while the other three lion-kin seem to freeze in terror.
"Wait...he can do that?" (Nareen)
Zara sighs, and casts a somber look at Teyla, who returns her gaze with a bewildered expression.
"Still think he's not acting strangely?" (Zara)