In the heart of the Sorcerous Dynasty of Sarion, Elmesia El Ru Sarion sat upon her throne, her sharp eyes fixed on the subordinate delivering a report. She didn't miss a single word.
"That concludes my report, Your Majesty."
"Excellent work. You may withdraw."
"At once!"
As soon as the subordinate exited the hall, Elmesia turned her gaze toward Erald Grimwald.
"Well, Erald? What do you make of it?"
"It is... difficult to believe," Erald replied, his voice laced with hesitation.
"And yet, the report is accurate. The evidence is undeniable."
Erald offered a bitter, strained smile.
"You are right, of course, Your Majesty."
Elmesia's gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, in the direction of the Jura Tempest Federation.
"You share a close bond with Demon Lord Rimuru. Let's leverage that connection to find out what's really going on."
"I understand. I shall gather whatever information I can for you."
Elmesia leaned in, a sweet, playful smile blooming on her face.
"Your Majesty...?"
Erald suddenly felt a chilling premonition—a sudden sense of dread that defied words.
"What are you looking so confused for?" she asked airily. "We are going together."
"Absolutely not! It is far too dangerous for someone of your standing!"
Elmesia let out a long, dramatic sigh.
"Erald, do you trust me?"
"With my life!"
"Then it's settled. I'm coming to Tempest. In fact, staying by my side is the best way for you to ensure my safety, isn't it?"
"...Very well. I shall prepare the royal guard immediately."
"Mm. See to it at once."
Erald bowed deeply and hurried out of the room.
Left alone, Elmesia looked up at the blue sky through the high windows. It seemed so close, and she reached out her slender hand as if trying to grasp it.
"Ever since that day, this bad feeling in my gut has only worsened," Elmesia murmured, her tone turning cold and serious. Her gaze sharpened, as if piercing through time and space to reach the heart of Tempest. "As the Emperor of the Sarion Dynasty, I must act."
"Hmm?"
In the middle of the bustling streets of Tempest, Issei suddenly felt as though he were being watched from an immense distance.
'Is it just my imagination, or is someone actually tracking me?'
"What's wrong?"
Rimuru, noticing Issei's sudden halt, stopped and looked back with a puzzled expression.
"Did you feel that?" Issei asked.
"Feel what?"
"...No, never mind. Forget I said anything."
"Hah?" Rimuru's face was the picture of confusion.
"I said forget it! Come on, let's get moving. You still have a mountain of paperwork waiting for you, don't you?"
"Crap, I forgot!" Rimuru shrieked in panic, immediately sprinting back toward the central office.
Issei watched him go with a faint, amused smile.
The sun was high and bright overhead. Instead of following, he decided to take a leisurely stroll through the city. To the citizens of Tempest, Issei was a being held in the same high regard as their master, Rimuru Tempest. Whenever he passed, they greeted him with deep bows or respectful kneels.
Since they were so kind, Issei made sure to return the favor with a friendly wave. He noticed several beautiful monster women blushing as he passed, clearly captivated by his presence. He didn't mind the attention, though he had no intention of adding them to his harem.
'This world really is something,' Issei thought. 'But home is still home. Well, I've got a little time left. Might as well enjoy this place a bit longer before I head back.'
Lost in thought, he didn't realize how far he had walked until he found himself standing in the middle of a quiet forest clearing.
"Welcome, Lord Issei."
A beautiful silhouette emerged from the trees—a mature woman with flowing green hair.
"You're one of Ramiris's subordinates, right? If I remember correctly..."
"Treyni. My name is Treyni."
"Ah, right. Treyni-san. What brings you here?"
"I happened to spot you while I was tending to the forest spirits, so I thought I would offer a greeting."
"Hmm. Is that all?"
Issei narrowed his eyes, casting a sharp glance toward the shadows of the trees.
Treyni closed her eyes for a moment and smiled softly.
"As expected of Lord Issei. You noticed as well."
"Of course. Anyone would notice a Hero's Haki this intense."
Treyni nodded in silent agreement.
From the foliage ahead, a group of elves emerged, led by a breathtakingly beautiful woman with shimmering silver hair.
"Who are you?" Issei asked.
In truth, he already knew their identities the moment he saw the woman leading the group. He only asked to keep up appearances and maintain his guard.
"Greetings, O foreign demon," the silver-haired elf spoke. "I am Elmesia El Ru Sarion, Emperor of the Sarion Dynasty."
"Hyoudou Issei. Just a guest from another world."
A flicker of surprise crossed Elmesia's jade-green eyes.
"A visitor from the outside?"
"Yeah. Is there a problem?"
Elmesia paused for a heartbeat, then shook her head.
"Quite the contrary. It is a lucky coincidence. I came here specifically to discuss something regarding you."
She winked, and in that instant, a crushing wave of Hero's Haki erupted from her body, saturating the air.
"Oh? I'm curious to hear what that is."
Issei countered instantly, releasing his own Harem Haki.
If Elmesia's aura was like a raging fire, Issei's was a calm, rose-pink mist—gentle to the eye, but utterly dominating in its pressure.
Elmesia's brow furrowed. Behind her, Erald and the other guards turned deathly pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Even Treyni felt the air grow heavy, forcing her to take an involuntary step back.
At first, Elmesia's Hero's Haki tried to push back, but it was quickly smothered and suppressed to its absolute limit by Issei's overwhelming presence. Seeing Elmesia on the verge of collapsing, Issei immediately reined in his power.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Issei asked with a wide, friendly grin, looking as if they hadn't just been locked in a silent battle of wills.
Elmesia wiped a bead of fragrant cold sweat from her forehead, her expression complicated.
"First... allow me to apologize. And if it isn't too much trouble, I would prefer to move this conversation to a more private location."
Issei nodded with a generous smile.
To be continued...Anvanced Chapter patreon.com/AgamYupi02