Chapter 123: Shiro, Drinking Alcohol Again?
"Everyone, dismiss," Dustin instructed calmly, waving his hand to signal the priests to leave immediately.
"Understood, Lord Pope!"
The clergy vanished in a flash, terrified that staying a single second longer would result in being chopped into mincemeat by the Demon King.
"Now then, what brings you two here today?" Dustin greeted them with a benevolent, cheerful smile.
"Come on~ Don't be so tense, we're just here to negotiate," Shirazawa said, looking completely casual.
"..." Dustin's face darkened. This method of negotiation was far too informal.
"Please follow me, you two."
Under Dustin's guidance, the pair was led to a luxurious reception parlor. The nuns responsible for hospitality served tea and refreshments before respectfully bowing out. With only the three of them remaining in the room, Shirazawa sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, looking as natural as if he were in his own home.
"Why is everyone just standing around? Eat up, make yourselves at home."
It was a textbook move of a guest acting like the host, leaving Dustin utterly bewildered. Ariel pressed a hand to her forehead, too embarrassed to look at his shameless display, and cut straight to the core issue.
"An elf reincarnation has surfaced near the border. Making matters worse, she possesses a unique skill that reveals the locations of other reincarnations..."
After relaying Ms. Oka's situation to Dustin, the old man remained remarkably composed. Clearly, he was no stranger to the existence of reincarnations. Simultaneously, a realization dawned on him.
"I see. No wonder Potimas was able to move so quickly, tracking down over half of the reincarnations in just over a year."
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Dustin's expression grew serious. As a pope whose entire existence was dedicated to the human race, his immediate instinct was to eliminate this unpredictable variable entirely. "So, do you want me to dispatch people to eliminate her?"
"No," Shirazawa waved his hand. "Quite the opposite. We want you to ensure her safe return to the elf territory."
"What is the logic behind doing that?"
"Well~ You don't need to worry about that. Just tell us whether you agree or not."
Dustin activated
A single second later, Dustin nodded his consent without hesitation. "Very well."
"As a condition, we work together to eradicate the elf race. How does that sound?" Dustin narrowed his eyes, studying Shirazawa as if trying to peer straight through his thoughts and motives.
Shirazawa raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself: *This old man's train of thought jumps way too fast. How did we suddenly arrive at the topic of wiping out the elves?* He didn't offer an immediate answer; after all, he was just a regular contributor here–the ultimate decision-making power rested firmly with the Demon King.
"Deal," Ariel agreed instantly.
"Do you already have a plan to deal with Potimas?" Dustin asked tentatively, locking his gaze onto the Demon King.
"Of course. Why else would I come here to negotiate with you?"
"Understood. I will notify the members of the imperial church to guarantee she crosses the international border safely and arrives within the elf territory unharmed."
"Then we'll leave that in your hands."
"Oh, right!" Ariel suddenly recalled one final detail, continuing smoothly, "Two reincarnations have sought refuge with your church. You can take charge of those two."
"Do whatever you want with them–train them into warriors to fight the demon race, or use them as bait for the elves. It's entirely up to you."
"Yes, that condition is acceptable." Dustin nodded serenely, his mind already calculating how to utilize the two reincarnations to maximize his returns. Brainwashing them through the church to mold them into powerful assets under his control seemed ideal–just like those two spiders.
"Launching an offensive against the elf race still requires time to prepare. We will discuss the specific details of the plan later."
"Agreed."
With the business concluded, Shirazawa escorted Ariel back to the Demon King's Castle. Inside her spacious, ornate office, Shirazawa couldn't help but complain.
"How did a routine conversation suddenly escalate into a full-scale plan to invade the elves?"
"Heaven only knows!" Ariel stamped her foot in frustration. "Blame that rotten old man. His thoughts jump way too quickly; it's hard to keep up with his rhythm."
"Uh... and yet you agreed so seamlessly?"
"Duh! I'm the Demon King, you know. I can't afford to lose the battle of momentum." Ariel stated with a look of pure pride. "My acting just now was pretty convincing, right?"
"Sure, sure... convincing enough... I guess..." Shirazawa's lips twitched. He couldn't help but feel that Ariel was becoming increasingly goofy, an effect undoubtedly caused by the Body Brain's integration.
"Oh well~ Whatever~" Ariel spread her hands. "We have to deal with the elves sooner or later anyway; we just lacked a concrete blueprint. You're the one who stirred up this entire sequence, so I'm leaving the tactical plan for invading the elves entirely in your hands."
Ariel casually shifted the entire burden to Shirazawa, prepared to walk away from the mess.
"..." Shirazawa's lips twitched, completely unable to counter her logic. He genuinely suspected that Ariel had calculated this outcome from the very start, solely to force a lazy slacker like him into motion. "Tch~ What a hassle~"
Shirazawa sighed. Still, dealing with the old elf wasn't something they could rush; even though he had a plan, it required time. At the very least, he needed to elevate his own strength to match Güli-güli's tier first. Speaking of which, perhaps it was time to ask D about the next stages of cultivation...
As night fell, the Demon King's Castle was brilliantly illuminated by magical lights, looking as stunning and vibrant as daytime. Shirazawa stood by the window frame, gazing up at the starry sky with an endless stream of thoughts flowing through his mind.
"Sigh~ Another sleepless night."
The exact millisecond his words left his mouth, a familiar presence suddenly materialized inside the bedroom behind him. Sophia had already been tied up and returned to her own quarters, with Sael and Riel standing guard to ensure she didn't wander off. Consequently, there was only one person who could possibly appear in his room at this hour.
"A-Zhe~ I-I'm back... *hic*... Hehehe..."
The lights in the room weren't turned on. A white silhouette slowly approached the moonlit balcony, stepping out from the shadows and into the silver moonlight. Shiro was clutching a bottle of red wine, her eyes glassy, her porcelain cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she swayed unsteadily on her feet. Clearly, she had entered a heavy state of intoxication.
*The delinquent's wine?*
*Oh, crap!*
*This is going to end badly!*
The surge of joy that had just surfaced in Shirazawa's chest was instantly replaced by pure dread. He couldn't comprehend how the wine Blo had dropped off had ended up in Shiro's hands. Crucially, this girl had already drained over half the bottle–the situation was critical. When Shiro threw a drunk tantrum, even he had to keep a safe distance. *If your alcohol tolerance is that pathetic, just don't drink! Seriously.*
"Hehehe~"
Reaching the balcony, Shiro leaned heavily into Shirazawa's embrace, her hazy eyes locked onto his face as she reached out to caress his cheek. She murmured softly, "A-Zhe... she said... said that I, I won... But, we're clearly still missing a step... just one last step..."
With that, she stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against Shirazawa's, clumsily biting and nibbling at him.
*What on earth are you talking about?*
*Let's clear the air and speak properly first.*
Shirazawa struggled violently against her hold. "Stop, hold on!"
The moment Shirazawa pushed her back, an incredibly aggrieved expression surfaced on Shiro's face, tears welling up in her eyes instantly. "Ugh~ Waaah~ You're rejecting me..."
She wept so pitifully that Shirazawa was left completely at a loss, instinctively pulling her back into his arms. "You're completely drunk. I want to hear your answers when you're sober, otherwise you'll just forget everything by tomorrow morning."
Shiro pouted her lips, her expression filled with pure stubbornness.
*Gulp~ Gulp~*
She chugged the remaining wine down in a single breath, wiping away the crimson stains from the corner of her mouth, her gaze turning fiercely determined and unyielding. "If I don't get drunk, how on earth are you supposed to get a proper opportunity, dummy!"
"..."
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