A/N: Man, this is taking longer than I expected. I've got a bunch of stuff planned for AFTER the Orc Lord arc was over, but barely anything before that. I'm pulling a bunch of things out of my ass here. This is an interlude. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter done within the week.
P.S. I'll be moving this to its own story. You can find it in my profile. It's called Summoned. If you can't find it now, that's 's fault. Wait a few hours for it to update.
Interlude: Towa
Towa laughed brightly as she leaned against the low table, the midday sun streaming through the open windows of her personal lounge. The late afternoon sun filtered through the wide windows, casting a warm, gentle glow over the wooden floors and colorful cushions strewn around. Seated across from her were Shuna and Shion, the two Kijin girls animatedly chatting about everything and nothing all at once.
It felt strange... wonderful, but strange.
Never in her life had Towa enjoyed something as simple and pure as idle gossip. Her upbringing as a princess demanded decorum and distance. Her days were filled with lessons, court obligations, and the heavy expectations of royalty. Friends were rare and casual conversation was rarer.
Yet now... now she had friends she could talk freely to, go out on walks with, and share joyous laughter with.
Her heart soared with delight.
"And then," Shion said with a dramatic wave of her hand, "Souei just vanished! Right when Benimaru was trying to show off his new sword technique, only to show up hours later to wrap Benimaru in a dozen layers of [Steel Threads] to "finish their fight". You should have seen the look on Benimaru's face!"
Towa giggled behind her hand, "Oh my. That does sound like quite the embarrassing moment."
"I think it's his way of keeping Benimaru humble." Shuna chuckled.
Shion let out a loud, hearty laugh that filled the room. "Good luck with that. Benimaru's pride could fill an entire kingdom."
Towa shook her head, laughing along with the Kijin. It felt so good to chat and laugh without worrying about who might be listening or how to present herself.
Their conversation drifted from amusing stories about Souei's pranks to Hakurou's overly serious training sessions, to the latest disaster involving Hiiro somehow getting stuck in a tree. It was the kind of mindless, joyful chatter Towa had only ever dreamed of having before... before she met Erwin.
After a while, as the laughter softened into contented sighs, Shuna leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her crimson eyes.
"I'm telling you," Shion said with a dramatic wave of her hand, "Mobuji totally has a thing for the head chef."
Shuna covered her mouth politely, trying to stifle a laugh. "He does get suspiciously enthusiastic whenever food is involved."
Towa snickered, feeling more relaxed than she had in years. "I thought it was just because he really liked eating."
"Well," Shuna said, giving a playful smile, "maybe it's both."
As the conversation lulled, Shion's golden eyes gleamed with mischief. She leaned in slightly, "So… speaking of interesting men… what about Erwin?"
Towa blinked, caught off guard. "Wh-What about him?"
"Come on," Shion said, nudging her lightly with an elbow. "You're obviously close to him."
Towa felt her cheeks flush. "He's… important to the kingdom."
Shuna giggled, "I believe Shion wants to know when you are going to confess to Erwin."
Towa's cheeks immediately turned a brilliant red. "W-What are you talking about?!"
Shion chimed in, her grin wide and teasing. "It's obvious, you know. You're always smiling more when he's around. It's adorable."
Towa felt her cheeks warm instantly. She fumbled with her cup for a moment before setting it down carefully.
"I-it's not like that-" Towa stammered.
"Then what's it like? You can tell us what you think about Lord Erwin," Shuna prompted gently.
"Well... I think Erwin is… kind," Towa said slowly, trying to keep her voice steady. "He's reliable, smart, and... and yet doesn't lord his advantages over others like some people would. He could be fun and playful too... even though he likes to pretend he's a serious, quiet, stoic man. I... I think he's a good person."
"Mmm," Shuna hummed knowingly. "Don't forget strong and handsome, too."
"Maybe I… admire him a little," Towa admitted softly.
"Only a little?" Shion teased.
"Alright, maybe more than a little," Towa said with a laugh, the tension easing from her shoulders.
"But that's not all, is it?" Shuna added.
"There's nothing wrong with that," Shuna said kindly.
Shion nodded in agreement, "If you don't claim him soon, someone else might, you know."
Towa's heart skipped a beat. She shook her head, laughing nervously. "It's not like that! He helped me so much and I... He probably sees me as just… the Queen he helped. "
"Maybe," Shuna said gently, "but if you don't make your intentions known, you will never know."
Towa looked down at her hands, thoughtful. Could she even dare to think about something like that? Her life had always been dedicated to her people. Duty first and everything else secondary. She had accepted long ago that her happiness was secondary.
Yet…
"I don't know if I could," Towa admitted softly. "I don't even know if I'm allowed to want something like that."
"You are," Shuna said firmly. "You deserve happiness, Towa-sama. And Erwin… he's a good man. I'm sure he'd make you happy."
"That's right. Don't let the opportunity pass you by," Shion added encouragingly.
Towa let out a long breath, leaning back and staring at the ceiling for a moment. A tiny, wishful smile crept onto her face, "Maybe."
Maybe… just maybe… She could allow herself to hope for more. But there are other things to consider too, like...
She sat up again and turned to face Shuna, "What about you, Shuna? Haven't you been quite close to Erwin?"
Shuna blinked, a light blush coloring her cheeks. She set down her cup carefully before answering. "I admire Lord Erwin. It's as we discussed, he's strong, yet kind. Maybe… someday, my feelings could grow into something more." She smiled warmly at Towa. "But for now, I want to cheer you on, Lady Towa."
Towa's chest tightened at her friend's sincere words.
She reached out and gently took Shuna's hand in hers. "Thank you, Shuna. That means more to me than you know."
If she ever truly did end up with Erwin, as hopeful as that dream seemed, she wanted her friend to be there by her side too. She had heard too many tales of friendships that were broken by jealousy and rivalry. She doesn't want to let that happen here, to lose the friendships she just made.
Intrelude: Orc Disaster
Gelmud paced furiously across the damp stone floor of their temporary camp, his clawed hands twitching in barely restrained frustration. "You were supposed to kill a few low-level ogres! How could you fail such a simple task?!"
Geld stood silently in front of him with his head bowed and broad shoulders hunched in shame. Behind them, Footman leaned lazily against a crumbling pillar with arms crossed.
"Well, to be fair, they weren't exactly your average ogres, were they?" Footman said with an exaggerated yawn.
Gelmud spun on him, fury bubbling over. "And you! Don't act like you're not to blame for this embarrassment!"
Footman's lazy posture didn't change, but a flicker of irritation passed through his eyes. He stood up, releasing just a flicker of his Aura. It engulfed the area in a crushing and oppressive pressure.
Gelmud's knees buckled. His will was unable to withstand the sudden weight on his shoulders. He fell to the floor, coughing as he struggled to breathe. Even Geld stumbled backward, eyes widening as the pressure pushed down on him.
Then, as quickly as it came, the Aura vanished.
"Oops~ Sorry, sorry. Just slipped out. You know how it is." Footman apologized without any remorse. He crouched next to Gelmud and casually helped the Majin up.
"Anyway, since Geld couldn't beat the ogres, maybe we just need to give him a little boost." Footman reached into his coat, pulling out something fleshy and misshapen shard that pulsed with ominous energy. It radiated power that even Geld felt keenly.
"What... what is that?" Gelmud asked hesitantly.
Footman shrugged, "I dunno. I found it while we were fleeing. It looked like a fragment of some powerful monster. I figured it might be useful."
"Useful?! This could be revolutionary!" Gelmud practically leapt at the chance. "Geld! Devour it! Now!"
Geld looked at the shard, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. There was something deeply unsettling and dangerous about it. Still, he bowed his head. "As you wish, Father."
His defeat at the ogres' hands still gnawed at him.
He took the shard from Footman and ate it whole. His Unique Skill [Starve] activated, devouring the shard for its power. The effect was immediate. Geld roared as Magicules surged through him like a torrent. His form rippled and expanded, his muscles bulging and his clothes tearing from his expanding bulk. His Aura exploded outward in a violent and chaotic wave of power. The very ground shook beneath him.
The transformation ended with Geld hunched forward, his breath ragged. He had evolved from Orc Lord into an Orc Disaster.
Gelmud watched in awe. "Yes! YES! This is it! This is true power!"
Geld's eyes rolled back, and he let out a guttural growl. The glint of intelligence vanished from his eyes, suppressed by his newly gained power that he couldn't control and twisted by [Starve] into a primal hunger for anything in his way.
"Prepare the army," Gelmud said, unaware of the danger. "We march now. It's time we showed those damned ogres what true power is and-"
Geld lunged forward and tackled him, teeth and claws tearing into Gelmud's body.
"Wha-?! Geld?! No! Stop! I am your creator! Your father!" Gelmud shouted in panic. He struggled, trying to free himself from Orc Disaster's grasp, but Geld was both bigger and stronger than him.
Geld didn't stop. He tore a chunk of Gelmud's shoulder and gulped it down greedily, his mind completely overrun by the urge to feed.
"GAHHH- FOOTMAN!" Gelmud screamed as he was lifted into the air, "HELP ME! HELP-"
But the clown was already gone.
By the time Geld was done, all that remained of Gelmud was a crimson stain on the forest floor. The power within Geld surged again, rising to new heights.
Geld let out a monstrous roar. Across the forest, his army answered. Bound to him through [Starved], the sound of hundreds of thousands of inhuman howls filled the air and shook the trees.
Footman watched the chaos unfold from a high ridge. He released an impressed whistle.
"Wowie. His power is almost on par with a Demon Lord now." He glanced down at the glowing crystal orb in his hand. "Where did you find that fragment of Charybdis anyway?"
A voice echoed from within the orb. "I've always known where Charybdis's seal was. The seal just started weakening recently. I planned to save it as a trump card. I just didn't expect to have to use it so soon."
Footman chuckled. "Well, gotta admit. The legendary Charybdis's power looks mighty impressive."
"That," the voice replied, "was merely a fragment. The real Charybdis is far more powerful."
Footman chuckled and watched on with interest as the newly risen Orc Disaster and his army began their march through the forest. Wherever they go, they leave nothing but destruction in their wake. No life would exist where they pass, for all would be devoured by the Orc Disaster and his army.