Part 2[แก้ไข]
---[Underwood] Harvest Festival Headquarters
After the commotion between Yō and Griffith, Izayoi, Asuka, Kuro Usagi and the leader of them all, Jin gathered in the Matsuri planning HQ.
The one that turned up to represent the [Two Wings] Community was the one in charge, their leader, Griffith. The guy who was beaten by Yō’s stunt had been warded in the hospital to have his severe wounds treated.
The atmosphere of the place was very tense. Though it was just a stare off between the two parties, with a table in between, the emotions were so high strung that a touch would be enough to set it off. Though the only one that has kept his calm is Ren, he was already drenched in cold sweat at that point.
A long sigh came from Sala as she finished reading the report and look up at both parties in turn---
“……I’ve understood the sequence of events that has led up to now. I won’t be pursuing the matter for both parties this time. However, if such offense is repeated, the ones involved will have to be sent out of the Harvest Festival grounds---That’s all.”
“What kind of joke are you trying to pull now?!”
Griffith howled loudly as he repeatedly slammed the table with his palm.
Successfully, he got all eyes in the room fixed onto him.
“Representative Sala! These guys have caused harm to my comrade! Yet, you choose to let them off this lightly?”
“Have you forgotten your share in this incident? The insults towards me…I can turn a blind eye…”
“What nonsense are you saying?! Isn’t that the most important matter?!”
Sala’s choice of words caused Asuka to erupt in anger and slammed the table with her palm.
“This is the first time that I’ve heard the news of your pending resignation. You’re the one who contributed the most in the defending of [Underwood], so why do you need to give up your position as the representative?!”
“This is the confidential matters of the Alliance, I’m not obliged to discuss them with you.”
“…what?!” Asuka’s exclamation came out more like a mumble as she couldn’t find anything else to retort to that.
Asuka didn’t expect Sala to openly reject her and could only clench her teeth, letting her words simmer in her belly. If the reason for Sala’s resignation was due to the act of breaking her horn, it wouldn’t be a far cry to say that Asuka had some responsibility to bear as well.
Sala seemed to feel bad about it as she averted her gaze and continued the main topic.
“…Anyways, Griffith. It is only right to challenge you to a duel for your indiscriminate spreading of slanders isn’t it?”
Sala’s words were sharp and reprimanding. However, Griffith wasn’t about to back off yet.
“Sure. If it were a duel and a casualty went down, I have no complains. But that little brat attacked and injured my comrade without a warning! This is just an act of violence!”
The veins on his face had become clearer and throbbed with Griffith’s anger. Even so, the reason for this anger wasn’t for his comrade, but just a pretext for his real reason, the embarrassment of his Community in front of the crowds. The root was still his selfish pride.
Though Sala had already seen through him, she avoided bringing that up and she stood to leave.
As Griffith was about to continue his badgering, someone else stopped him.
“---Just drop it. Can’t you see that Shasha-chan is feeling troubled?”
Having stood all these while watching the proceedings from a corner where he leaned against a wall, it was he who had broken off the conflict---One eyed Kouryuu. He smiled at Griffith with his lone eye squinting to form just a line.
Hearing her name being called as “Shasha-chan” in that seemingly yet seemingly not Kansai accent of his, Sala’s shoulders drooped lifelessly.
“Kouryuu-sama…. That…. I’m already two hundred years old, and you still call me “Shasha-chan”… Isn’t it a little…”
“Hahaha! You say the same words as my sister, Shasha-chan!”
Kouryuu said heartily in his fake Kansai accent while smiling in a way that didn’t seem to move the muscles that were supposed to be used for smiling. With that same insincere smile that made people wary of him plastered across his face, he shifted his gaze to Griffith.
“Anyways, by your reasoning, it is quite true as well. From the reports, the lady from [No Name] was a little too defensive.”
“Wh…What did you say?!”
Asuka’s anger caused her pitch to be upped an octave as she protested. Yet, it was clear that compared to Griffith that stood up to start spewing protests, she was much calmer.
“Moreover, just who are you? This is a problem between us, [No Name] and [Two Wings]! Any judgement should be left to the [Draco Greif] Alliance Sala.”
Asuka said with open animosity towards him.
“Wait, Asuka…Wait a moment! This person is a friend of Draco Greif and also the advisor of the Alliance! He definitely isn’t any suspicious character!” Sala quickly intervened.
“…Advisor? I’ve not heard of a person with such a title in our Alliance.”
Griffith frowned in surprise. Being a leader of [Two Wings] and as part of the Alliance, he had not heard of such a position, and that showed how fishy it was.
His reaction only succeeded in making others deepen their suspicions.
Kouryuu smiled slightly while rubbing his hair with a hand looking troubled. Seemingly like a last resort, he took out a deep sea blue Gift card from his sleeve.
Seeing the Gift name that was recorded on the card, their faces turned pale.
The words written on the Sea-blue Gift Card was---[Great Sage who Devastate Seas].
“Great….[Great Sage Who Devastate Seas] Saurian Demon King?”
“Sau, Kouryuu-san is actually one of the Seven Great Demon Kings?!”
Kuro Usagi also exclaimed in surprise though slower than Griffith by half a beat.
Kouryuu sighed and rubbed his head with his hand awkwardly.
“Draco Greif and Garol had taken care of me in the past so I’ve decided to stay here for a while to return the favor.”
Kouryuu laughed heartily.