Accompanied by Sylthrenn, Queen Azherie approaches with an air that commands respect.
Standing before her, I realize just how tall she is, practically as tall as me.
"Strauss Wagner, it is time to draw up the contract for the Demonic Game of Death," she announces in a tone that brooks no argument.
"Just the two of us," she declares, her alien eyes now an intense white.
Sylthrenn bows in acknowledgment of the queen's absolute command.
I turn back to my group and inform them that I will be speaking privately with the queen.
Naturally, this sparks Franz Dadref's ire, but I notice from the corner of my eye that Welze, Gallo, and Jarica are restraining him.
The queen moves with a lightness as if she's floating, leading the way towards a door on the left side of the throne.
I follow her, maintaining a distance of about a meter. As we pass by, I notice the empty chairs arranged in a semicircle around the throne and wonder where her seven Servants might be at this moment.
An elf guard at the door opens it as soon as the queen approaches.
We step into the room, and the door closes behind me.
As we enter her private chamber, I am immediately struck by the opulence and grandeur of the room.
Every corner screams of luxury and power, from the intricately carved furnishings to the shimmering silver accents.
The air is heavy with a heady mix of exotic perfumes and incense, adding to the aura of majesty that surrounds her.
The walls are adorned with rich tapestries depicting scenes of conquest and glory, while the floor is covered in plush velvet rugs fit for a queen. Purple candelabras cast a warm glow throughout the room, highlighting the fine furnishings and ornate sculptures that line the walls.
This is a place where only the most powerful and elite are welcomed, a testament to her status and influence.
However, what immediately catches my eye is the roughly one-meter-tall column in the center of the room, engraved with words in a language I can't recognize. It's not Elvish, of which I'm certain, having learned to recognize it during my stay in this realm.
A blank piece of paper rests on the column, waiting to be filled out by us. My surprise doesn't end there.
The column isn't just at the room's center; it also stands at the center of an octogram with a pentagram inside it, identical to the magical circle I draw when preparing a Master - Servant ritual.
The difference is that it's carved into the floor like a trench, and I think it's a brilliant idea.
If I survive this game, I'll create something similar in my temple for Raqahela.
The convenience lies in having a pre-made pattern to channel the blood and the practicality in cleaning it.
"Is it possible to read Azherie's mind?" I ask Raqahela through my thoughts.
"No, she is protected by an archdemon. But the same can be said for you, her dear Strauss," the succubus responds, and I sense a certain nervousness in her.
On one hand, I regret not being able to take advantage of this ability; I would have bought it immediately if I could have. But on the other hand, I'm relieved that the queen can't read my mind.
Alongside the parchment, I see an exquisite-looking writing set. There are no chairs; we must stand, in an uncomfortable position.
We won't be discussing things amicably. It will be a negotiation, perhaps fierce.
"Let's define the terms of our agreement," the queen begins, positioning herself across from me on the other side of the column.
"Before discussing the contract, I would like to see the hostages." I make another request.
"Absolutely not." Azherie firmly denies with an icy expression.
"Are they still alive?" This sudden refusal makes me question their well-being.
"Do you dare doubt my word, Strauss Wagner?" the queen's tone, hitherto always moderate, begins to heat up, and I can see offense in her eyes.
"I need to know that they are well. Particularly two people who are important to me."
Azherie slams her fist onto the surface of the column.
The pen and inkwell fall to the ground, staining the floor with ink.
The scene is sudden, but I remain with a cold and calculating expression. Making her lose her cool is also part of my strategy.
"You will be able to verify their condition only in case of your victory," she responds, having regained her composure after the outburst.
"I do not accept the greed of others. You are abusing my generosity."
She then vents her annoyance: "Have I not accepted all your requests? Expensive equipment? Alchemical ingredients? Have I not provided you with food and lodging and treated you royally?"
The conversation becomes increasingly tense.
"You have been kind to welcome us and provide us with everything we requested," I admit, maintaining my composure and a mocking smile. "But we have not abused your hospitality. We have only done what was necessary to prepare ourselves."
"Prepare yourselves?" the queen laughs. "You have taken everything you could, Strauss Wagner. You have abused my generosity, my magnanimity, thinking I was foolish. I would have never expected such dishonorable behavior from you," she accuses.
I have pushed her to the edge of her tolerance.
"But it doesn't matter. It will be interesting to see how you use all that you have gathered."
"I would do anything to win," I retort firmly. “But despite this, if you have no intention of letting me see the hostages, we can end this here. I will not participate in the game and I am not concerned if I lose my life.”
The changing eyes of the queen are a display of sudden chromatic changes, as if the dark elf is trying to maintain control over the whirlwind of emotions overwhelming her at the moment.
I smile, amused, thinking that right now she reminds me of a teapot whistling because the water is boiling.
Probably, if she wanted, she could kill me at any moment without any effort thanks to her power.
But she doesn't want to give up on me, on making me one of her Servants. Queen Azherie is greedy.
"You're playing a dangerous game, human!" she says, almost growling.
"I'm aware of that, after all, I've gone all-in," I respond.
The queen clenches her fists, looking at me furiously.
"You can't see the hostages in flesh and bone, but I can have Sylthrenn show them to you through the vision globe," she offers a compromise.
I could perhaps attempt to press the queen further, but I am already reasonably satisfied and want to pass another request.
"I can accept this compromise if you allow me to add one more person to my team."
The queen regains her composure and smiles, anticipating where I am heading with my request.
“I had anticipated this, you are always ready to gain further advantages,” she says, her eyes now shining brightly. "Xiaikai Frolich is another piece I desire for my collection," she continues, correctly guessing who I am referring to. Her eyes sparkle as she talks about the top student of the Extrella Academy. "You and Xiaikai Frolich, Strauss Wagner, are much more similar than you might imagine."
"Similar?" I ask, unable to hide my interest. "In what way?"
"You both are special, unique," the queen explains. "Your potential is immense, and I desire both of you."
I wonder if the pink-haired summoner is also bound to a demon.
If that were the case, Raqahela probably would have informed me.
Judging by the queen's expression, it seems things are going in the direction she hoped for, and it appears I am losing the slight advantage I had in making her angry.
"I made sure she was invited here to Arach’Che’el for that very reason. I could have simply captured her and imprisoned her with the other hostages."
I laugh amusedly at her last statement.
"Perhaps if you had personally troubled yourself, you might have subdued her. Otherwise, I am sure Xiaikai would have wreaked havoc in your realm. This is not a concession from you, Azherie."
The queen chuckles, recognizing there's some truth in my words.
"I will allow Xiaikai Frolich to join your team, but only by adding a particular condition to the game contract."
This surprises me a bit. Azherie's greedy nature is coming to the fore. She knows how to play the game; she's an expert and has been doing it for a long time. Probably things are going as she had foreseen.
"Let's hear this condition," I invite her to continue.
"If you should be defeated, Xiaikai Frolich will not die like your other Servants or team members. Instead, she will form a Master-Servant contract with me," she reveals her particular intention for a Demonic Game of Death.
She desires Xiaikai so much that she's willing to make a substantial modification to the typical game contract, and she can't do it without my consent.
"That woman is not my Servant. I can't decide for her life," I respond sincerely.
"This fact hasn't stopped you from betting lives that don't belong to you... or am I wrong?" the queen retorts, and I can't argue with that.
"You don't need the consent of the person involved to make a contract with them?"
"We will draft the contract in such a way that when she agrees to participate in the game and be part of your team, she will also implicitly agree to the additional conditions," she explains calmly, implying that it's feasible without any problems.
It's a somewhat unfair practice that would invalidate any human legal contract, but I guess demons have no trouble imposing stringent contracts. In the end, this condition doesn't change much for me, I'm not concerned about the fate of the pink-haired woman, and frankly, I play to win. I don't even want to consider defeat.
However, this opens up other negotiation spaces for me.
"I can accept this condition provided that you accept another request of mine," I reply with a devilish smile.
She grinds her teeth, clearly annoyed.
"When you become my Servant, I will make sure to punish you for this insolence."
