The scenery around Ludwig twisted before they pieced themselves back. Beside him, Valerie and Bilo staggered. But it only lasted for a brief moment as they had already gotten used to the sensation.
After he drew his sight from them, they naturally moved towards the presence he felt ever since he landed. To be exact, four familiar presences were standing close to where they arrived. However, his attention focused on both Selene and Greito, who stood just a little bit closer to where he stood compared to Finka and Zhark.
"Never thought I'd see both of you this early in the morning." He started with a teasing smirk. "What's the matter?"
Selene's mouth bloomed into a smile. From that action alone, it was quite telling that the succubus was trying to act as his equal now, not just a follower who would always say yes to everything he said.
Though that part of her had not entirely gone yet. She still had that crazed glint of blind followers he saw on the church's followers when they talked about their God. But hoping she would become an entirely different person in less than a week was too much. He knew that much.
"We want to talk about your proposal of us visiting Tempest, Sir Ludwig." She finally spoke. But her tone was rising and falling while saying that, like she was a violinist who was not sure what song to play.
If he had let it out, his crisp chuckle would fill the morning atmosphere of the forest. Fortunately, he did it without letting out a sound from his mouth or even showing a twitch on his face, so no one could tell what he was experiencing right now.
After pushing the chuckle down, he answered. "That? Didn't we already set the date?"
"Indeed." Her voice reached his ears again. "But the villagers have all agreed on quickening the process. Can we visit today?"
"Today?" Ludwig repeated as his mind slipped to the night before.
The deal between Dwargon and Tempest was reached inside his restaurant last night. Today should be the day when they signed the deal and the festival day.
On such a precious and monumental day, would it be wise to send both Selene and Greito there?
His hands naturally found them tangled in front of his chest as his thoughts deepened. If he said yes to Selene's request right now, he was afraid Dwargon would see it as a risk factor and call off the treaty. Thus, making the goal of Tempest that should have been achieved years earlier due to the treaty go back to square one.
If something like that happened, he knew Rimuru wouldn't resent him. Even the denizens of Tempest wouldn't bear such ill will toward him.
If push came to a shove and a shove came to a bloody war, he was ready to stand by his friend. Dwargon might be able to keep their technology from being erased by Heaven by holing up in their kingdom. But he was confident his Storage Dimension was way stronger.
However, since he was also invited to witness the official declaration of the alliance, he would be able to interfere if something happened. So, the chance thing spiralled down to that point was quite low.
Nodding his head, Ludwig brought his sight back down from the sky to Selene. "Let's go then. Bring those who will go here."
"Only Greito and I will go, Sir Ludwig." Selene answered. "So we can depart now."
One of Ludwig's brows went up as soon as she heard the answer. "Really? Why though?"
Still with the same smile she had held since before, she answered. "The other felt our judgment is more important. As long as we are okay with what we see, they will also be okay."
"Fine then, let's go."
As soon as Ludwig said so, Greito, Selene, Zhark, and Finka moved towards him. After saying goodbye to enthusiastic Valerie and Bilo, the scenery around them warped.
Since the baggage had become four rather than two, he could feel the strain of his mana reserve inside him being drained. But maybe thanks to the added stats from after Konoha's debacle, not even a flash of thought that the mana reserve would be empty crossed his mind.
When the refreshing and dewy atmosphere of the forest was replaced by the cold morning breeze of the Ashfrost Mountain, a retching sound instantly entered his ears. Even without turning his head to see, he knew whose sound it was.
To preserve that person's dignity, Ludwig moved quietly towards the door. Behind him, he could feel a heavy step following him.
After entering the restaurant, Ludwig blinked into the kitchen. His hands moved in familiar movements for a few minutes. By the end, seven new cups of hot coffee now sat on the bar.
He pushed two cups towards the new demon in this restaurant while distributing the others to his employees who had gathered. But rather than opening another talk with the two new demonkin, he first addressed his employees.
He briefed them about what menu they would have today. However, rather than a briefing, it was closer to a reminder. After all, when the day of the employee's break came, the restaurant would serve the same menu to reduce the workload for each of them.
He also told them that he would go to Tempest first before helping them with the preparation, as well as just before lunch started.
Once the employees started to check for the stock and prepare more of what was needed, Ludwig turned on his heels and blinked out of the kitchen.
"Finish looking around? A good place, right?" He smirked at Selene, who quickly focused on him after looking around with great interest.
"It is." Selene smiled. "I can't help but look forward to visiting again when it's full of people."
Putting his hands on his waist, Ludwig laughed. "That's not something you should look forward to. Before you return to the village, you'll already see it."
"Right! I forgot about that." Selene's crisp and melodic laugh echoed through the empty restaurant.
"By the way, Greito. What's the progress of my order?" Ludwig said after the laugh died down.
The Minotaur, who was busy sipping the coffee from a cup that was clearly too small for him, finally put the cup down and looked at him. "It's already done. You should take it with you later."
"Huh? Isn't it faster than it should?" Ludwig asked.
"It is." Greito nodded. "I'm just excited to work with such material."
Ludwig digested his answer for a moment before laughing. Yes, that was so him. As long as the materials were interesting enough for him, his speed would be faster.
"You didn't forget about my bowl and cutting board, right?" He asked again. Now with a smirk and teasing tone. He still vividly remembered how the big minotaur screamed at him when he wanted him to make those from the leftover materials.
Greito clicked his tongue before answering. "They are also done."
"Good." Ludwig smiled even more brightly. He did it deliberately to annoy the big guy. But who would scold him?
After a few small talks passed between the three plus two Pokemon that kept clinging to him, Ludwig finally asked them to get up from their seat. But just after he opened the door to Tempest, he turned back and looked at both demonkin with serious eyes. "You will hear something as soon as you touch the ground. Don't panic. It's not harmful, okay?"
Both Greito and Selene stopped on their tracks before looking at Ludwig with serious eyes. However, when he saw the sign that they were about to ask something, he turned away once again and walked out.
Maybe because they still trusted him, the two didn't even hesitate before stepping out. But just after their feet touched the ground of Tempest, no sound reached his ears. They both had stopped moving once again.
Ludwig moved forward again before turning back to look at them. The last time, he could get a good look at how the others fared. But this time, he wouldn't miss it.
Strands of Mana entered his eyes as he looked at the two demonkin. Nothing was out of the ordinary considering they were now undergoing a process of being recognised by the world. However, as someone who had world-hopped several times now, he knew. Their mana was currently becoming denser, even if it was only a little bit.
Then there's also what his magicule sense told him. Just before they left the threshold, not a glimmer of magicule could be felt from them. But now, it felt like whatever he could see through his Mana Sense was being translated in real time into magicule.
Nothing had changed. Everything was originally there. But now, rather than mana alone, they should work on magicule also. It's like a song played on a guitar was now played on a grand piano.
Gretio was the first one who woke up from his stupor. He looked down from the sky at his hands that were clenching and unclenching several times.
In the meantime, Selene had a calmer reaction. She just looked blankly at the sky for several heartbeats even after Greito was done with whatever he was doing to check on the state of his own body.
Ludwig snapped the two back into focus with a clap of a hand. Then he opened his mouth. "Don't wander anywhere, okay? I'll look for your guide. If anyone asks you, just tell them you came with me from the restaurant. Understood?"
After he got his answer from the two demonkin, the scenery around him warped again.
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