RECRUITMENT COMPLETE
Scarlett's demand resonated powerfully through the throne room, "I want the failed hero, Yumi Yamamoto."
Yumi, who had been summoned along with her classmates, had not received the goddess's blessings nor did she possess any significant offensive or defensive skills. To the Kingdom of Gwarga, she was essentially a hero with no potential—a liability they were keen to discard.
The king's face lit up with a relieved smile at Scarlett's request. "Of course, Your Excellency! You can take her," he agreed eagerly, viewing the demand more as a favor than a punishment.
Scarlett mused to herself with a smirk, "Is that it? I just stormed a palace, toppled a king, and here he is, groveling at my feet, handing over what I want without a second thought. Where's the drama? Where's the epic showdown?"
She chuckled inwardly, "Are humans really this feeble? Or is it just that this kingdom is particularly weak? I mean, I was nearly done for in Darwitz because they prepaid a fucking army to put up a fight. Maybe I should have given them a heads-up before arriving, it's my fault that I bumped into them without even giving them any time to prepare.
Her thoughts were a mix of amusement and slight disappointment at the lack of challenge, making light of the situation in her characteristic, irreverent style.
Scarlett, observing the king's swift compliance, decided to push her demands further. "I'm not done yet," she declared authoritatively.
She produced a piece of paper from her spatial inventory and handed it over to the king. The list detailed specific needs: a selection of carpenters, laborers, and various types of equipment. Scarlett wasn't interested in having these workers build her village; she wanted them to teach the villagers the necessary skills.
This was all part of her plan to foster independence among the villagers. The list also included seeds for different agricultural products—fruits and vegetables—but notably, it did not request food supplies directly but the 'Seeds of fruits and vegetables'. Her intention was clear: empower the villagers to sustain themselves.
The king, perplexed by such practical and long-term demands, hesitated, his fear palpable. "It will be quite difficult to gather all these resources and people immediately."
Anticipating potential delays or excuses, Scarlett presented a crystal ball and placed a distinct mark on the king's neck—a red pentagram. "This is the 'Ouroboros Mark.' You have twenty-four hours to gather everything on this list and use this crystal to teleport them to the coordinates I've provided. Fail, and your head will explode," she explained with chilling calmness.
The king, his hands trembling as he clutched the crystal ball, nodded vigorously. "Yes, Your Excellency, everything will be sent within twenty-four hours."
Scarlett's stern approach ensured swift action, leaving no room for negotiation or delay, emphasizing her resolve to see her plans for the village come to fruition efficiently.
As Scarlett prepared to leave the throne room, a noble stepped forward and handed the king a letter. Swiftly, the king stamped it with the royal seal and passed it to Scarlett. "This is the official order stating that Now Yumi Yamamoto is now belongs to you , and you are authorized to act freely without hindrance," he explained, his voice tinged with a mixture of fear and relief.
Accepting the letter, Scarlett removed the 'Fire barrier' that had sealed the palace, signaling her readiness to depart. As she rose and walked toward the exit, those gathered in the throne room exhaled deeply, their relief palpable, as if they had narrowly escaped a catastrophic event.
Just as Scarlett reached the palace gates, a striking figure entered. He sported golden-black hair and wore a shimmering golden armor. His presence was commanding, and in his grip, he held an wierd golden sword. How should I describe it?, It's as if, Unlike any typical weapon, this sword seemed to possess its own life force, resonating with an energy that Scarlett sensed as an 'Ego Sword.' However, the man seemed uninterested in Scarlett or so to say he thinked that Scarlett was a human and leaving the throne room because the barrier has been removed, So he ignored her focusing instead on his own purpose within the palace.
Unperturbed by his disregard, Scarlett continued on her way, her mind now focused on retrieving Yumi and proceeding with her plans.
"Father! What happened here?" Prince Lórien burst into the throne room, his voice laden with concern and his golden-black hair shimmering under the chandelier's light.
The king, recovering his composure, stood up with surprise etched on his weary face. "Lórien?" he murmured, his voice a mix of relief and resignation.
As the prince approached, the king recounted the recent events, explaining how a powerful demon had effortlessly invaded the palace. Although the immediate crisis had been averted with minimal loss, the atmosphere was tense with the residual fear of what had transpired.He realised that the Women he saw while entering was actually the person who invaded the palace. He thinked of turning back but gave up because he knows that, She would have already escaped by now.
The disaster settled very quietly But the Lórien was unsatisfied with that, he wasn't like his cunning father but a very good person from the bottom of his heart. "Why did you agree to give the summoned hero to her?" he demanded, unable to mask his disappointment.
"She is of no use to us, Lórien—a hero without talent or power. Frankly, it's a relief to be rid of her," the king rationalized, trying to justify the decision. "We can tell the people that we had no choice but to comply with the demon's demands."
"No, Father! We were the ones who summoned her here; it's our duty to ensure her safety, not cast her aside," Lórien argued, his voice firm with conviction.
He then knelt, placing his sword ceremoniously on the ground before him. "I, Lórien Nors, swear an oath this day—I will reclaim the summoned hero from that demon and right the wrongs we have allowed," he vowed, his resolve unyielding as the cold steel of his blade.
Scarlett unfurled her wings and zipped directly to Yumi's dorm room at Warrior Academy, the king having conveniently disclosed its location. She burst through the door, her sudden appearance startling Yumi awake.
Yumi's eyes widened in terror, and she let out a scream that could wake the dead.
"Shut up!" Scarlett snapped, a smirk playing on her lips. "I've put up a barrier. You can scream all you want, but no one's going to hear you."
"How did you escape?" Yumi stammered, her voice quivering with each word.
Ignoring the question, Scarlett tossed the king's order letter onto Yumi's lap. Yumi scanned the document, her confusion morphing into disbelief.
"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded, looking up at Scarlett with eyes brimming with betrayal.
"You need a narrator to understand that? It means you're coming with me," Scarlett explained bluntly, watching as Yumi kicked her bed in frustration. Her tantrum only made Scarlett raise an eyebrow in amusement.
"Don't worry, president," Scarlett reassured her, "I'm not going to turn you into a frog or anything."
Yumi's anger dissolved into sobs as she vented about her struggles. "Those damned royals! Do you have any idea how hard it is to live here?"
"Yeah, I totally get it," Scarlett commiserated, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. "No internet, no phonk, no music—life is dreadfully dull, Right?"
Yumi paused mid-rant, her tears stopping abruptly. "Wait, back up. How do you know about the internet? And you called me president—how did you know I was the student council president?"
"Well, I used to be a human, too," Scarlett confessed casually.
Yumi's reaction was instantaneous and dramatic, her eyes widening with the wonder of a child discovering a hidden candy store. "Wait, what?! Does that mean you went to my school? Did you get reincarnated as a demon? Like, are you the protagonist in one of those novels—'That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Succubus,' or or...So, I'm a succubus, So what?"
Scarlett's patience thinned as quickly as her amusement grew, and with a light smack to Yumi's head, she clarified, "First off, I'm not a succubus, I'm a dragonoid. And no, it's nothing like your teen novels."
Yumi, rubbing her head but undeterred, gasped. "Oooo...so Carl actually summoned you with his 'Summon Dragonoid' skill? That's so cool! But wait, what were you before? Don't leave me hanging!"
"Yeah, he did, but can we fast-forward past the life story? Ready or not, you're coming with me," Scarlett stated, cutting off any further inquiries.
Yumi's face fell, her voice dropping to a whisper tinged with sadness. "But are you sure I'll be useful? Back in school, I was top dog, but here? I didn't get any cool skills. Now, girls avoid me, and the only guys who talk to me are the ones who like my... well, face."
Patting her on the shoulder, Scarlett reassured her with a grin. "Don't worry. You were just a big fish in a small, unappreciative pond. I'm going to put you where you can really shine. Trust me, your 'pretty face' is the least of your assets."
Yumi, perking up a bit, managed a small chuckle. "So, from big shot to big fish, huh? Sounds like an upgrade to me. Lead the way, oh mighty dragonoid!"
Together, they exited the dorm room, Yumi buoyed by Scarlett's undeniable confidence. As they ambled along, Yumi glanced at Scarlett with a mix of awe and apprehension. "You know, you manage to look beautiful and terrifying all at once. I don't usually trust easily, but you seem so familiar, like we've met in a dozen of times or something."
"It's just your overactive imagination," Scarlett replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"So, what's the grand plan? Are we off to orchestrate some epic attack or something?" Yumi inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"First thing's first—we are going to some restaurant to eat," Scarlett declared with an air of nonchalance.
Yumi blinked, taken aback. "It's 6 AM, why on earth are we gonna eat this early?"
A mischievous grin spread across Scarlett's face as she leaned in closer and whispered conspiratorially, "Because after today, you won't be seeing good food at least for a month, I think!"
Yumi's stomach did a flip. "Wait, what? Are you enrolling us in some sort of boot camp or a reality show where they starve you for drama?"
"Something like that," Scarlett chuckled, enjoying the look of mock horror on Yumi's face. "You'll understand once we arrive at my village."