Arriving at the palace, Cirrus and Nox were amazed by the sight of it.
"Oooh, It’s really elegant here up close!" Cirrus said impressed.
It was a different world compared to the city, a little slice of heaven.
"Come, I shall lead you." Akio said, getting off.
As Cirrus stepped off as well, with Nox on his shoulders, he could feel eyes on him. He looked around to find several people and servants admiring him.
‘Just like Orario huh Cirrus!’
"It sure is Nox but more for my looks then by fear or respect."
He continued to follow Akio through the palace, and many of the servants got out of the way with blushing expressions. It didn’t help that Cirrus would give a nice smile to them all as he passed.
‘Putting up the charms huh?’
"There's nothing wrong with being a little nice."
‘I’m going to tell Ai and Artemis this.’
"Please don’t."
When they arrived at the courtroom’s entrance, Cirrus was even more shocked to see such a grandiose door than one would see in a castle.
"I shall open the doors."
Akio placed both hands on the massive red ornate doors and pushed.
"Hrrrr!!!"
Creak!!!
Creak!!!
As the doors slowly open, Nox turns back into her human form and takes 3 steps behind Cirrus.
The doors open up, and Akio walks in first.
"I Shirakusa Akio! Your loyal guard introduce to you Lady Amaterasu! Cirrus Zephyr! Creator of the Heavenly Cloud-Gather Cutter! And his loyal retainer!"
Cirrus walks in to see a room that is a mix of a shrine and a palace, with Amaterasu down the middle in the back upon her stone throne, her red and golden hair kept neatly up, giving it the appearance of holy rays.
Around her were several other gods and many kinds of races, such as Renard’s, humans, Hume Bunnies, Elfs, Cow People, Chienthropes, Cat People, and Weretigers. They all looked very regal in their outfits. Cirrus even spots Susanoo within the crowd.
With each step Cirrus takes, he can feel the eyes fall less on him and more on Nox.
"Fufu seems like I’m the center of attention."
"Good for you."
When they made it to the center of the room, they stopped and knelt as gracefully as they could.
They could hear the murmurs of several people and even some movement of people trying to see what was under Nox’s veil.
"So you are Cirrus Zephyr, the one who crafted this blade." Amaterasu took out the sword and elegantly drew it.
‘Impressive.’ He thought.
Many of the people looked in awe at the weapon and then at Cirrus.
"I am. I’m very pleased that it was to your satisfaction, Lady Amaterasu." Cirrus said, looking up at her.
"To be honest, I didn’t think Susanoo would get his hands on such a weapon." She sheathed it back. "And to learn you would be coming to my country, I was ecstatic to hear this. I ask of you to join my royal court as its personal smith! We will provide you with vast lands and anything you desire! Should you make more blades of this quality? I shall even give you the family name of Kyūjouno!!"
Akio’s eyes widened; this was the chance he wanted. The honor that would allow his family to depart from the Gojouno Family.
He looked at Cirrus with anticipating eyes, as did many of the people in the room.
"…I like the offer, but being a smith is not my profession."
"!!"
Murmurs spread throughout the room.
"Then what is your profession then?" asked Amaterasu, her temper starting to rise from the inaccuracy of her information. She glared at her people and at Susanoo who kept looking at Cirrus.
"I am an adventurer of Orario. I created that sword in your hands so my beloved's Familia may return to this land they call home."
Everyone was talking amongst themselves even more.
"I see... Then do you wish to join my royal court?"
"I will accept it under one condition."
‘No! No! Just accept it!!’ Akio was getting very worried. 'This is an opportunity of a lifetime!! Please!! Please just accept it!! You just have to make a few swords and we will have broken free!!’
"…" she stared at Cirrus with her onyx eyes with some curiosity. "And that is?"
"I do not want to join the royal court as it's blacksmith. I want the family name and I want the Kyūjouno’s to not have to answer to any of the other Family’s and only answer to you upon request and approval by me and my future wives, along with Lord Susanoo."
Her divinity began to flare up like the sun, showering the room with golden rays.
"What??" Her eyes narrow in on Cirrus as if she was gonna shoot lasers from her eyes and melt him.
Out shopping in the capital, several people could feel Amaterasu’s divinity from her castle.
"Hm? Art do you feel that?" said Ai.
"Yes… it’s similar in feeling to Ouranos? I guess Cirrus must have made his demands."
Back to the meeting.
‘How scary, she really is a Supreme God like Ouranos.’
"Y-you insolent child!!!" shouted one of the retainers.
"You dare ask more you greedy foreigner!!" said another.
"You dare restrict Empress Amaterasu!?" shouted another retainer.
"I think it’s fair. I should make some negotiations. After all, I am the one you are trying to acquire." Cirrus said, as his eyes sharpened and a smirk began to form.
"Guards seize him!!!"
Several of the guards clenched their spears. They quickly surrounded Cirrus with their spears aimed at his neck.
Cirrus, however, didn’t move from his spot, nor did Nox.
The gods watching could tell Cirrus wasn't taking them seriously, he isn't even sweating a drop.
"My so many guards. All so insolent, they would follow the words of some retainers and not their Empress who they are sworn to guard. Hell you even acted on her behalf as if you knew what she wanted?"
"!!"
Immediately, Amaterasu’s divinity flared even more, the rays of light became harsh like the desert sun. Her pupils gained a white tint to them and every god was beginning to shake in fear, all but Susanoo.
The retainers were furious but he was right, they acted to rashly and this situation has turned sour even faster because of them.
'"Guards remain at your positions!" Amaterasu said with cold fury in her tone of voice and eyes. "Care to repeat that? My guards are all level 3 and my personal guard Yagyū Toshi is a level 4."
A man decked in full samurai armor walked up beside her. He held a formidable aura, but Akio knew Cirrus was far stronger.
"You decided to back your retainers huh? Well your at least loyal to your own foolish and arrogant men."
"You human." Amaterasu was seething even more.
Akio was now sweating bullets. This conversation went downhill so fast,
"W-wait a—"
"It's nice and all your empress has your back," Cirrus said, talking over Akio. "But Lady Amaterasu I highly suggest you get stronger and smarter guards." He let out his own bloodlust that filled the room. " If you wish to threaten me."
The guards stand in petrified fear.
"!!" They felt death beginning to loosely grab their necks. They knew Cirrus could kill them, but he was just playing around, toying with them, showing that he was the apex predator in this room.
"You dare to let out this barbaric feeling in my court!!"
More of her divinity began to push back Cirrus’s bloodlust back.
"How dare you try and threaten me with force!"
"You dare propose an absurd condition that undermines all of my retainers and their efforts to become a Family in my court!! You are a foreigner!! I have full command of this country, and its resources, what can a single person like you can do!?"
"…" he reminded quiet for a bit as he looked around the room. "Tell me how much do you know of the goings on in Orario?"
"We know of Hera and Zeus' Familia’s fall." Said one of the gods.
"And do you know of any notable adventures?"
"No." said another. "Why should we bother with those beneath Lady Amaterasu!"
"My...Look at what ignorance has caused. Even the gods are blinded with their all perspective sight." He said, standing up. "Then do you not really know who I am??" Nox followed his lead and stood up as well.
All the guards took a step or two back.
Amaterasu could feel the tide of this conversation beginning to turn against her as Cirrus smirked. Susanoo had really told them nothing, and in turn, left her and everyone else out to dry.
‘Susanoo!! Did you do this!? Why!!! I was fine when Tsukuyomi gave you that punishment, but you did this!!’
She was glaring dagger's at Susanoo. Susanoo glanced back, and he only looked at her with sympathetic eyes.
‘I am sorry. But I need insurance to make sure I am not kicked from my home again. This will also make sure that no one can try and interfere with us.’
Cirrus walks a bit ahead, with Nox three steps behind him.
"…Then shall I reintroduce myself then?" Cirrus makes a big smile as he makes an even more extravagant bow. "My name is Cirrus Zephyr!! Child of the goddess of justice and the star maiden! Astraea!! And the son of the captain of the Hera Familia! The Empress!!! I was given the name the Uncrowned Emperor by the gods of Orario when I ascended to level 8!!"
"!!!"
The room fell into silence.
They had unintentionally brought a beast into the palace and threatened it with force. All the guards put down their weapons. If their strongest force in the country was a level 4, they would need at least ten level 3’s to bring down a level 8. That would require far, far more resources than any country could ever hope to gather.
That of course was how they saw it, in actuality adventures from Orario really are a different breed with even the most common level one has better stats then any other in the world.
‘Level 8!!!’ Akio was elated. He won’t be put to death or demoted. With Cirrus being level 8 he could take the throne for himself and no one would or could do anything about it. 'M-my dream!! It’s in hand!!!’
"Nox you can introduce yourself."
Walking up to Cirrus, Nox removed her veil, showing her face.
Immediately, several of the men’s hearts were enamored.
"My name is Nox! The Grand Spirit of the White Night! The first of my kind, created by the great goddess Nyx! And contracted to Cirrus Zephyr, my master!"
Amaterasu’s eyes widened, and her divinity calmed down.
'Even a 1st generation spirit!? Tch! What the hell has my people been doing to have slacked off this much!?!?'
She squeezed the stone arm rest of her throne masking her anger as much as she could.
"…It would seem we really need to work on our information gathering, Nijouno! Gojouno! Rokujouno!"
A Cow Person and two humans stepped forward.
"Yes! Our Empress!!" They gave her a salute.
‘Oh? That one looks a bit like Kaguya?’ He said, looking at the human with a refined yet punch-able face.
"I want you three to improve our information. I don’t want to be humiliated like this again. Do you understand?" She said it in such stern words that the three of them felt fear go down their spines.
"Yes! My Goddess!!" they said, bowing.
They got up and left giving Cirrus the stink eye, but he didn’t care, the chips were on his side.
"Now Cirrus Zephyr." She said. "I like to offer my apology for this... mishap." She clenched her fists in anger.
"That is fine. It is not your fault that your subject does not see the value of information."
They all clench their fists in anger and glare at him with hate-filled eyes. Susanoo, however, was smiling ear to ear.
"Thank you for understanding. I will accept your condition unless there is anything else you would like to add?"
"No. That is everything, but I do have some words I would like to share on what role my Family is going to play."
"Go on, we are all ears."
"Thank you. The first thing is that I seek to bring peace to this country and usher in an era where needless conflict is avoided. Should any do arise, I—" Cirrus exerted an overwhelming amount of pressure. "—I will handle it personally."
They could feel how strong he was. It was the pressure of a one-man army—nay, the pressure of an entire nation's military force.
"Mmmm…" Amaterasu went over his deal and wanted to see if he could do one thing in particular. She would at least get something out of this. "Would you be so inclined as to help train my family if we were to pay?"
"I wouldn’t be displeased with that no, should any wish to come I’m more than welcome it. I also should note that any forms of spying and the like will result in me sending those spies back broken personally to your doorsteps." He glared at the other Families and they all felt a chill run down their spine from his warning.
"…I see very well then! Did you all hear his warning!" She looked at her retainers.
"Yes! Lady Amaterasu!!" They all shouted in unison, bowing to her.
"Excellent! From here on out, the Kyūjouno Family has been formed!! I also hereby give you the name Kyūjouno Hakukumo to fit your role as the first head of your Family!"
"Uraaa!!!!!!!!!!!!" the whole room exploded in forced cheers.
‘This went pretty well.’ Said Nox.
‘We got what we wanted and it’s even better than what I expected.’
‘Being connected while also being loosely connected with the head goddess of the country and even given the authority to deny her requests... well, that’s a massive jackpot for us!’
‘Easy way to get shit done.’
‘Very true. It’s also funny that Susanoo brought back a treasure worth a country, and here you are, a priceless treasure that now has the country in the palm of their hands!’
‘…You worded it like I’m going to conquer the country?’
‘Well, you are in a way no?’
Cirrus: Bow to me peasant!!
Amaterasu:
Noice
Thanks for the chapter, yep mostly what I expected.
Also why give Cirrus another name?
Simply to make him fit in more into the country
@NotOriginal And to fit in with the Family he is the head of
@NotOriginal Understood, thanks
His real name is Alcides, right? I prefer this one to Cirrus
" they would need at least ten level 3’s to bring down a level 8 "
Wtf eles estão drogados ? Como assim .
Yeah it's to show how bad their information and just general gap of knowledge is. As far as they know from their own experience this would work as they have no understanding of what a level 8 can do.