Chapter 164.5 – Political Blowback.

Chapter 164.5 – Political Blowback.

"So, the old man fucked up." Daruma laughed. He, Onmiyame, Sizix, and several other members of the Spirit 'Nobility' were holding an emergency meeting after Mizumi and Shinlua's escape. "I never thought I'd get to tell you I told you so!"

"This isn't funny, Daruma!" Sizix slammed down on the table. "We failed to apprehend either Shinlua or Mizumi and now they've returned to Earth, doubtlessly to warn that Demon and assemble forces to oppose us!"

"Failing to capture either will require changes to our plans." A triclops man spoke up. "It will be hard to keep public order under control, and Mizumi's name still carries great influence."

"I understand your concerns, Anadora, but we've got everything under control." Onmiyame reassured him. "I'll admit that my failure to capture either of them was a pity, but it does not fundamentally alter our goals. So please assure your people that things will proceed as planned, and they'll soon have access to all the crafting resources they could ever want." He smiled. Anadora was the leader of Omara's crafting guild and was one of the most powerful men in the city.

"I still think this is going to be trouble." A black Tengu man spoke up. "Those creatures you've summoned, are you sure they are up to the task?" He asked. "Mizumi might be beholden to that creature, but I must admit that her claims about its power are... disturbing..."

{I know well the legend of the Demon Lord...} (Temura)

"Do you doubt my power, Temura?" Daruma glared at him.

"I don't doubt your strength, Councilor Daruma. I'm just cautious is all." Temura shook his head. "I don't like large-scale shake-ups, and our people are in no shape to fight an all-out war. As you know, our reserves of magic casters are at an all-time low, and it will take many years to replenish our forces." As the leader of Omara's mages, he held an important position, but his lack of mages was causing his power to dwindle.

"My explorers have been doing a fine job. I think they can handle any attack by the Demon if need be." Kumora was the leader of the Exploration Teams and a type of humanoid spider Yokai. "I'll show you that your ways are no longer needed, old man." She smirked.

"Your Explorers are undoubtedly excellent at finding resources and handling monsters, but it's still to be seen if they can handle a Demon." Momora was a large and rotund tanuki man who ran the cities trading guild, and he'd already thrown his lot in with Akagi and Mizumi covertly so as to not leave him vulnerable. He'd assumed conflict was inevitable but hadn't expected it this soon or in this manner.

{They really went and kicked the hornet's nest, didn't they?} Momora sighed internally. {At least Lady Mizumi and Shinlua got out safely. Now to just wait until that Demon kicks these idiots out, and we can get to work rebuilding our nation, free from their stupid politicking!}

"Just sit back and count your coins, Tanuki." Kumora glared at him. "Me and my people will make sure your fat ass doesn't have to worry about missing a meal."

{I'm not even that fat for a tanuki though...} (Momora)

"How much more time until those beasts are ready?" Anadora asked.

"Most people are kinda... ambivalent." She gave a wry smile. "Right now, many think it's nothing but politics, and I think they're not getting just how bad things are.

"How can you not understand how bad of an idea it is to piss off a Demon? Not to mention one who might actually be a Demon Lord." The older woman sighed.

"That's right, you've dealt with Demons before, Halmori." Momora let out a puff. "If I recall correctly, they destroyed your village."

"Indeed." Halmori bit her lip. "A fool within our tribe attempted to contract a Demon and swindle his way to power, and in his stupidity, he brought the creature's wrath down upon all of us."

"Which is why we shouldn't be provoking a foe like her." Momora set down his pipe. "Akagi is a powerful Demon, and Demon Lord or not, I don't want a poor relationship with someone who holds our lives in her hands." He smirked. "You got to see firsthand what happens when someone ticks her off." He glanced at Alma.

"Akagi was scary! She even exploded part of my shop!" The Tanuki girl's tail stood on end.

{At least she paid me a bunch of gold and fixed it, so I can't actually be mad.} (Alma)

"And that was just for insulting her sister. What do you think she'll do when she finds out that not only was one of her servants attacked, but that the Council intends to declare full-on war against her and that world?" He continued to smirk.

"The Council will fall." Halmori declared the Council's doom with no hesitation.

"Precisely." Momora laughed. "And when that happens, I want you two to be ready to swoop in and cozy up to her and her people." He continued. "I don't care if she's a Demon or a Demon Lord. When I met her that day, I didn't smell sulfur; I smelled gold. More gold than I ever imagined." He cracked a smile as his eyes practically turned to dollar signs. "And if there's one thing I love more than food, it's money."

Spoiler

Alma!

Anadora!

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