Chapter 62 Peace Talks, Part ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Alright, I’m heading out,” Miyako said, stepping onto a shadow.
”See you in three days,” Maya replied, raising her hand. With a faint shimmer, Miyako’s body sank into the shadow and vanished.
A moment later, Miyako reappeared in the backyard of Aran’s Fort.
”Phew, Maya-nee-chan’s power is totally a cheat code,” she muttered. Teleporting instantly from the Demonkin’s heavily guarded territory to this fort, dozens of kilometers away? That was unreal. The fort itself was wrapped in magical barriers (T/N: Protective magical fields), just like the Demonkin lands.
Miyako didn’t know the full limits of Maya’s ability, but if she could teleport multiple people, she could open an enemy’s gates from the inside or sow chaos within.
Taking down a fort would be a breeze. Right now, a lake created by Kanata separated the forts, but if they could bring soldiers here—and if Maya were on their side—they might’ve taken that fort already.
Might’ve, anyway. Reality wasn’t so simple. Maya was currently Kanata’s captive, and they had no way to send soldiers across the lake unharmed. Worse, with Maya on the enemy’s side, their own fort could fall in a heartbeat.
”Ugh… peace talks, huh?” Miyako sighed.
”Peace talks? What’s that about?”
The sudden voice made Miyako jump, her heart racing. Who’s there?
”Oh! Tsubasa-kun? You scared me!”
Miyako was shy by nature, especially around guys, but Tsubasa Nisei was an exception. He didn’t give off that pushy, teenage-boy vibe.
Talking to him felt like chatting with a same-sex friend—easy and comfortable. Plus, knowing he was Sayaka’s friend and former fiancé-to-be had melted away most of her wariness. When Maya or Sayaka weren’t around, Tsubasa was her go-to confidant.
”I’m the one who got scared!” Tsubasa said, a hint of reproach in his voice. “You were supposed to be at the fort, and then you just vanished. Do you know how worried Sayaka and I were?”
Miyako ducked her head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.”
”No, no, I’m not mad. Just glad you’re okay.”
”Thanks. I’m really sorry.”
”It’s fine. So, what’s this about peace talks?”
”Oh, right. Well…”
Miyako explained what she’d learned about the Demonkin army. Maya was being held captive but used as a bargaining chip for negotiations.
The Demonkin were dealing with internal conflicts and didn’t have the resources to fight the Human Race, so they wanted a non-aggression pact (T/N: A treaty to avoid conflict). If the peace talks succeeded, they’d release Maya. Miyako shared everything she and Maya had seen and heard.
”Hmm,” Tsubasa mused. “If that’s true, they’re desperate. We could push for terms that favor us.”
”Um, Tsubasa-kun,” Miyako said hesitantly, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Their strength hasn’t weakened, and Maya’s basically a hostage. We should aim for equal terms to keep things fair.”
She mentioned her earlier thought—if Maya were free, taking down the enemy fort would be easy—but cautioned against exploiting the situation. She also considered how to approach Almea and the Human Race side.
”Good point,” Tsubasa said. “But I doubt Asagiri-san would play ball with the Demonkin so easily.”
Miyako shook her head. “Maybe, but… Kunugi-kun is with them.”
”Kanata, huh? Nomura-kun mentioned something about that.”
”Oh? Were you and Kunugi-kun close?”
”Close enough, I guess? I talked to him more than Morita-kun’s crew did. Honestly, it was probably just me and Asagiri-san who really chatted with him in class.”
”Really? Well, Kunugi-kun was summoned with us, but he got sent alone to the Dungeon in the Forest of Evil…”
Miyako recounted what Kanata had told her about his summoning.
”So, that’s why he’s at that fort now,” she finished.
Tsubasa went quiet.
”Tsubasa-kun?”
”Sorry, just… surprised,” he said, shaking his head. “The negotiations are in three days, right?”
”Yeah, we’ve worked out some basics, and we’ll finalize the terms there.”
”Otonashi-san, can you leave this to me?”
”Huh? Why?”
”I’m the one running things here,” Tsubasa said with a grin. “And Kanata’s not negotiating with the Human Race—he wants to negotiate with me. He’ll probably dump the whole Human Race issue on me afterward. Typical Kanata move.”
He gave a wry smile, as if to no one in particular.
”Really?” Miyako asked.
”Yup. Plus, if Morita-kun’s group catches wind of this, who knows how they’ll mess it up? They’re desperate for a win.”
”Because of Saya…”
”Exactly. That’s why Sayaka’s not here right now.”
”She’s not?”
”Nope. She’s scoping out Almea’s movements. We’ve got ways to stay in touch, so once this is settled, we can move on to negotiating with Almea. If Alfheim and our group team up, even the Empire will have to back off. So, can you trust me with this?”
”If you say so, Tsubasa-kun…”
”Thanks. I’ll handle things with Sayaka and Almea. You rest up.”
”Oh, okay. Thank you.”
”Oh, and if you can get in touch with Kanata, tell him I’m dying to see him, so he’d better show up.”
With that, Tsubasa walked off.
Miyako felt like she’d been outfoxed, but chalked it up to exhaustion. She headed to her assigned room to rest.
* * *
”Is this really okay?” Miyako asked, trailing behind Tsubasa.
”What’s there to worry about?” he replied. “They’re the ones who proposed peace, right?”
”I know, but…”
They were heading to the negotiation site, just the two of them.
Tsubasa had chosen the location and informed the other side at the last minute, so a trap seemed unlikely. Still, going into enemy territory with only two people felt reckless to Miyako.
And while Tsubasa said Kanata was the one pushing for peace, Miyako knew it was actually the Otaku Trio’s decision, not Kanata’s alone.
”Sure, if it was some random Demonkin, I’d be cautious,” Tsubasa said. “But Kanata’s not the type to pull dirty tricks. Unlike me.”
”I know, but…” Kanata wouldn’t do anything sneaky, but what about the girls around him?
Miyako’s heart tightened with unease. After declaring herself Kanata’s “bride” and talking with his girls alongside Maya, she’d managed to push through their demands, though it took some compromise. It was terrifying, and without Maya, she’d have folded. But the talks taught her something.
Demonkin weren’t so different—just people with unique powers, like her own. And those girls? They cared for Kanata as much as she did. They’re just like us, she thought. That meant they’d do anything to protect him, no questions asked.
Sure, Miyako’s side had no intention of harming Kanata. This was just about settling negotiation terms.
That’s why Tsubasa insisted on going in with just the two of them—less chance of provoking anyone. “No need to stir things up, right?” he’d said. But despite his logic, Miyako couldn’t shake a nagging fear squeezing her chest.
* * *
”Well, you’re early,” a voice called out.
At the designated meeting spot, figures stood ahead.
Kanata was at the center, with El perched on Millie’s shoulder and Princess Sakura flanking his side. In the distance, three girls in maid outfits waited quietly.
”Hey, Kanata, long time no see,” Tsubasa said, grinning.
”Yeah, been a while,” Kanata replied, his eyes widening in surprise.
Tsubasa chuckled.
”What’s with that look? Didn’t expect me?”
”Nah, I thought the class rep would show up.”
”Oh, no way. If he came, this whole thing would fall apart,” Tsubasa said, shaking his head. “He’s a loose cannon right now. Imagine him finding out you’re leading the Demonkin side and surrounded by cute girls in a harem? No telling what he’d do.”
He glanced at Millie and Princess Sakura as he spoke.
”Harem? That’s not—” Kanata started.
”Oh, come on,” Tsubasa cut in. “Harem protagonists always say that. But let’s be real—you’re living the exact harem life you used to hate.”
Kanata flinched, the jab hitting hard. Back in Japan, he and Tsubasa had argued endlessly about galge (T/N: Japanese romance visual novels).
Kanata despised harem endings, while Tsubasa championed them. Light novels and manga with easy harem setups? Kanata couldn’t stand them either.
”So, how’s it feel?” Tsubasa pressed, smirking. “You hated harem protagonists. What’s it like being one now?”
Kanata clutched his chest and sank to a crouch, the words cutting deeper than he’d expected. He’d tried not to think about it, but Tsubasa’s taunt was draining his resolve.
”Enough teasing our Lord,” Princess Sakura said, stepping forward protectively.
”Haha, Lord?” Tsubasa laughed. “What’s gotten into you, Kanata?”
”Shut up!” Kanata snapped, barely standing. “Can we just talk terms already?”
”No rush,” Tsubasa said, still grinning. “It’s been forever. Let’s catch up.”
”No way. Keep this up, and you’ll dig into my dark past.”
Kanata shut him down, but Tsubasa’s smile didn’t fade. “Fine, how about I talk about myself then?”
This isn’t the time, Kanata thought, but a strange intensity in Tsubasa’s aura made him hold his tongue and listen.
”See, with looks like mine…” Tsubasa began. His delicate, almost feminine features could pass for a girl’s—eight out of ten people would believe it if he wore a dress.
Growing up, he’d often been dressed in girls’ clothes. “It wasn’t bad or anything,” he said, shrugging. But puberty hit him hard. His body was undeniably male, clashing with how he felt inside, and it was unbearable.
”I struggled a lot,” Tsubasa admitted. “I mean, I love girls, so accepting I’m transgender—feeling like a girl in a guy’s body—took time.” His gender identity didn’t match his biology, but his sexual orientation was toward women, making him, in a sense, a lesbian. It was complicated. Staying quiet meant blending in as a guy who liked girls, which was easier than coming out as a sexual minority twice over. But that silence ate at him, deepening his pain.
”So what do you want me to do about it?” Kanata asked, genuinely confused. “You’re not into me, right?”
Tsubasa’s eyes flashed with anger.
”Don’t say gross stuff like that. I hate you.”
El and Princess Sakura tensed, shifting to battle-ready stances.
”You don’t know this,” Tsubasa continued, his voice sharp, “but Sayaka was my fiancée. And her heart’s set on you. That’s why I can’t stand you.”
To Tsubasa, guys—especially teenage boys—were the worst, always leering at girls. It disgusted him, made worse by the fact that he was one of them biologically. Kanata, though, was different. He wasn’t as sleazy as others, not obsessed with 2D girls, just… easy to be around.
A rare friend. But then Tsubasa saw Sayaka and Kanata together at lunch one day. It wasn’t a secret rendezvous, but seeing his first love cozy with his friend? It crushed him.
He recognized the feeling as jealousy soon enough, but before he could act, they were all summoned to this world. Without Kanata around, Tsubasa thought he could win Sayaka’s heart.
Finding out Kanata was here now, leading the Demonkin? It broke the dam on his suppressed emotions.
”You should just disappear,” Tsubasa spat, his voice dripping with venom.
Princess Sakura lunged forward, ready to strike, but Kanata held her back.
”Why stop me?” she demanded.
”Chill,” Kanata said. “It’s just jealousy, right?”
Tsubasa snorted, his glare unwavering.
”Your smug attitude drives me up the wall,” Tsubasa said with a chuckle. “Oh, right, peace talk terms. Hand over Aaren Plain and your fort, plus all the girls by your side, and I’ll agree to peace.”
”Don’t mess around!” Kanata shouted.
”I’m dead serious,” Tsubasa replied. “If you can’t accept, the talks are off. No peace.”
”Fine by me!”
Princess Sakura slipped past Kanata’s restraint, charging at Tsubasa with her massive battle axe (T/N: A large, double-headed weapon). A loud clang echoed as an invisible barrier (T/N: A protective magical field) deflected her swing.
”Get out of my way!” Tsubasa snapped, pulling something from his pocket.
Danger! Kanata’s instincts screamed. He grabbed Princess Sakura’s arm and flung her back. Something grazed his cheek with a sharp whistle.
”Aw, missed,” Tsubasa said, holding a gun
Kanata moved to shield El and the others, eyeing the weapon warily. “You’ve got a Gift too, right?” Tsubasa asked.
”What’s yours? Spill it.”
”You think I’d just tell you?” Kanata shot back, his mind racing. I need to buy time.
He’d prepared for various scenarios in these talks, including a breakdown, but learning only Tsubasa and Miyako were coming made him overconfident. He’d brought just El and Princess Sakura, thinking they’d be enough, especially since Miyako wore a Collar of Subjugation (T/N: A magical item ensuring loyalty) from their last meeting.
Tsubasa’s Gift was supposedly non-combat, so Kanata had let his guard down. Big mistake.
”Come on, tell me,” Tsubasa teased. “Fine, I’ll go first.” He pulled a bazooka from nowhere and fired a barrage of blasts.
Kanata dodged, scanning the chaos. Miyako sat frozen, overwhelmed.
El was casting a magic barrier to protect him but couldn’t aim her mana blasts at Tsubasa, who kept Kanata in her line of fire. Princess Sakura tried to close in, but a hail of bullets from Tsubasa’s sudden machine gun pinned her down.
Rena and Amisa rushed from the rear, but Human Race soldiers swarmed in from the sides.
”Finally, they’re here,” Tsubasa said, grinning. “My Gift is Creation—I imagine, and it becomes real. Like this!”
He slammed his hand to the ground, and the earth surged, forming a massive Golem that knocked Princess Sakura back.
This is bad, Kanata thought, issuing a retreat order. But with enemy soldiers circling, escape wouldn’t be easy.
”Running already?” Tsubasa taunted.
”Yeah, got a curfew,” Kanata shot back. “We’ll play another time.”
He moved toward Miyako, still dazed, but Tsubasa’s Golem blocked his path.
”Sorry, you’re not making that curfew,” Tsubasa said. “Creation!“
He slammed the ground again, and it crumbled beneath Kanata’s feet.
”El! Sakura! Get out!” Kanata shouted, his voice nearly lost as the earth swallowed him and the Golem whole.
When the dust and roar settled, nothing remained but flat ground.
Tsubasa’s laughter echoed over the empty plain. “Heh… hahaha!”
Notes:
• Miyako – Quiet library girl with golden hair, intelligent and book-savvy, occasional silent companion to Kanata.
• May – Blonde, soft-eyed shrine girl. ch14–15. Gentle and pleading (“Please… just let us go…”), timid but loyal, relies on Mina’s strength. Came with Mina to save Sara, but was disarmed and bound by Kanata as his captive maid.
• Maya – Cheerful brown-haired girl, naturally charming and social, Kanata’s classmate and morning conversation neighbor.
• Tsubasa – A classmate, and a gift holder of Creator. He has an androgynous charm, popular yet approachable, bonds with Taichi’s group.
• Nisei – Tsubasa’s Family Name. The Creator and the androgynous.
• Saya – Orphanage sister of Maya and Miyako, later adopted into the wealthy Kitahara family for a political marriage. Holds rare Gift Princess Knight (Valkyrie): versatile fighter-leader with light magic, stronger than Morita’s Commander. Quiet in Class A but bound by childhood oath to protect Maya and Miyako. Torn between duty as Kitahara heir and hidden first love for Kanata.
• Sayaka – Athletic blonde with sharp presence, expert in multiple martial arts, Kanata’s lunch-time sparring partner and admired distant figure.
• Almea – First Princess of Alfheim, poised and graceful, leads and guides summoned heroes, embodies calm authority and divine favor.
• Asagiri – Maya’s Family Name.
• Nomura – The cunning otaku hero, wields Analyzer to master information, plotting a lavish harem empire in a foreign realm. Appears: A scheming figure amidst maids and training fields. Reason: To exploit his summoning for wealth and pleasure. Event: Enjoys maids’ service and schemes with friends for a harem.
• Morita – Kazuo’s Family Name.
• Otonashi – Miyako’s Family Name.
• Millie – A desperate female knight, sheds pride for survival, her trembling pleas and fiery spirit captivating Kanata’s interest. Captured on Chapter 19, when squad raiding the dungeon.
• Sakura – Sent with her Ogrekin tribe in Angula’s Aaren Plains war, Sakura was captured with Annamira’s 18th Squad. Meeting Kanata, she boldly claimed the role of his “Second Consort~desuwa”—an Ojou-sama whose teasing elegance hides a cruel, playful edge.
• Aaren Plain – Grassland east of Florence, flanked by Mercuria (south), Alefgard (north), and Alfheim (west). Trade artery for food, steel, and elven goods; lifeline in peace, choke point in blockade. Reminder: Florence’s survival hinges on this crossroads.
• Amisa – Fallen Demon noble of Grayladd, joined Angula’s Aaren Plain campaign with maid Saria , captured with Rena, Annamira, Sheila; spared by Kanata, now loyal aide with maid Saria, calls him “Master/Big Brother.” Reminder: ex-heiress turned submissive servant.
• Rena – A silver-blue haired commoner drafted for water magic. Brave but naive, she tried to save Annamira and was recaptured. To spare others from ogres, she volunteered first as a slave. Her trademark is the imouto archetype, calling Kanata “Onii-chan” in her shy-yet-clingy water-mage way.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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