"Gazel!" Harumi squeals as she flies through the ornate reception hall. The king of Dwargon looks up at his name and a smile graces his face as he lets out a jubilant laugh at the excited nymph girl rushing at him.

"Harumi-hime! Hello!" he shouts and the nymph girl barrels into him, her arms wrapping around his broad chest.

"I didn't think you would come! How did you convince your council to let you out?" Harumi asks as she pulls back, staring up at the large dwarf.

The man chuckles and pats her head as she sits on the tatami mat beside him "It was quite the difficult battle little one. Let me tell you all about it" Gazel says and jumps into fabricating a daring battle against his council members about how he wished to come to the festival himself. Harumi, despite knowing it was a heavily exaggerated story, listens with wide shining eyes, imagining every word that comes from his mouth in vivid detail.

Most of the other guests stare over at the two as they wanted to know exactly who had the luxury of calling the famous dwarven king with such familiarity especially when the man was known for his high esteem and thoughts on proper nobility etiquette.

Many stared in awe as they realized it was the infamous nymph queen that the entire land was in uproar about. Those who came to Tempest tried to catch a glimpse of the illusive girl wanting to see what a forest nymph looked like.

Tales of the old species had risen in popularity when the rumors of their return had hit the masses and though there was no shortage of those who speculated on what one may look like to finally see their true form in person was a bragging right on its own. It also made things more intriguing if not dangerously fueled that the last forest nymph also happened to be a demon lord alongside her brother of the same title.

Those in attendance were left in a state of both awe and fear at the sight of Harumi Tempest and it only stirred more desire within the populace.

As those still gaze upon the happy little nymph the doors open and an intense aura floods the dining room making people pale at its intensity. Those who were brave enough turn slowly to the door as Guy walks inside a smirk adorning his face as he feels the tense atmosphere caused by his presence.

Gazel, who had noticed the change in the area, looks up from his companion as a hand gets placed on her bare shoulder. The king blanches as his eyes meet ruby red ones that gleam back at him. Blue clashes against red as the two men size one another up and Harumi's own rose colored eyes flicker back and forth between the two a sweatdrop forming on her brow.

A nervous look crosses her face as the king's eyes finally leave Guy and turn on her "I see you have done it again, Harumi-hime. Does your ability to attract dangerously powerful entities know no bounds?"

Harumi's nervousness fades into a sheepish look as she smiles at the dwarf "If it's any consolation I don't mean to bring them to me they kind of find me"

Guy chuckles as he takes a seat next to her his hand slipping from her shoulder to sit flush against the ground behind her as he leans against it. "I hear the little goddess as a title bestowed from you. 'Demon lord seducer' was it?" he asks, letting his smirk morph into an easy going smile that hides the sharpness he puts in it.

Gazel narrows his eyes at the man seeing through the facade. He knew exactly who this was sitting before him. Demon Lord Guy Crimson was a prominent figure in the world. Those who were high up enough in the political game knew him by name though most had never seen his face.

The oldest demon lord in existence was not one to trifle with and those who unfortunately gained his ire were not left alive long enough to tell about it.

Usually those below had no need to truly worry about the red haired demon as he never came out of his domain that resided in the Ice Continent. Though that seems to have changed after the Walpurgis meeting where the Tempest twins had been officially named Demon Lords.

Gazel turns away from the relaxed man and his eyes land on Harumi who had turned her attention away from the two in favor of the food that was sat around the table. Yet again the nymph shows just how little she cares that the company she keeps are highly dangerous individuals showing not a care in the world as she sits in their presence.

He closes his eyes as he feels a headache coming on at this new addition to her already overpowered harem. "Yes. A fitting name given the circumstances" he murmurs and opens his eyes again having resigned himself to being in the presence of the grinning demon lord. "Though I fear when I gave her that title I may have unleashed something akin to a curse. I was unaware of how accurate it would become"

Guy chuckles lowly at the dwarven king's admission. Guy wasn't a stranger to the dwarven man before him. He had heard of his rise to kinghood and his reign. It was also interesting to learn that the man was also the twins first real ally when creating the nation they both rule while also imprisoning them before that came to pass.

But that was neither here nor there. A past event gone with the winds of change. If his dearest little goddess showed no issue with being around the man then he too shall hold no interest in past transgressions.

Guy's ruby red eyes slide back to the nymph next to him who squeals loudly and claps her hands as a plate of sushi is placed in front of her. While the two men were sizing each other up a large group of servants had brought in a massive spear tuna.

One of the serving elves had been kind enough to bring some of it after Harumi had watched with awe as Hakuro prepared it in a grand display for the audience.

Guy, who had not seen food such as this before, watches intrigued as she happily munches on it, her face lighting up at the flavor. "What do you have there, little goddess?" Guy asks, leaning down to get a closer look.

Harumi's eyes lift up as a piece of sushi hovers halfway to her mouth dangling from a pair of dainty ornamental chopsticks. "It's sushi, Guy" she says and watches as the demon lord raises an eyebrow.

"Sushi" he rumbles. He may have been alive for tens of thousands of years but given his reclusive nature and disdainful attitude towards humans he had never encountered much of their cuisine.

Though to be fair neither had the humans come across this 'sushi' she was enjoying fervently due to it being specifically from her old world. Not that he would come to know that anytime soon of course.

Harumi glances at her sushi before she lifts it towards him, an expectant look crossing her face.

Guy places his lips around the chopsticks, his eyes staying trained on Harumi's while he slowly takes the sushi and chews. Harumi's face flushes as the red headed male's eyes never leave her his ruby red depths alight with a heady fire to them.

Guy places his hand on her chin and gently brushes a piece of rice from her bottom lip. A self-satisfied smirk upturning his own lips "Its delicious little goddess" he leans even closer to her his lips hovering over her ear "almost as delicious as your delicate blush is. My eyes enjoy a grand feast everytime you grace them with that exquisite sight"

"I really can't leave you two alone for even a minute can I?" Rimuru's voice brings the red head's attention away from Harumi and he looks up from her ear to see the shorter demon lord standing there with his hands on his hips and an unimpressed look on his face. "I turn my back for just a moment and you try yet again to seduce my Imouto. You truly are insatiable"

Riumuru looks away from his sister and her new lover and towards Gazel and Dorf who both look anywhere but at the two a light flush tinting their cheeks. "Ah yes" Guy purrs trailing a finger down her cheek "I wouldn't feel the need to seduce your sweet Imouto if her reactions were not so enticing and easily drawn out"

Rimuru huffs and sits down placing his cheek in his hand a small pout covering his embarrassment. "Is it too much to ask that you refrain from all that lovey dovey stuff while others are trying to eat. You've drawn quite the group of spectators with your actions" Rimuru says, waving his hands at the blushing and embarrassed crowd that had been drawn to the two powerful people interacting with each other in such an intimate manner.

To see such a power couple display their affections so openly was shocking. Almost as shocking as it was knowing just who were the ones doing so.

"Hmm. Maybe it would be a good idea to retire to a more secluded setting. Wouldn't you agree, my little goddess?" Guy asks, sweeping a stunned Harumi up into his arms. "It was a pleasure Lord Gazel, Demon Lord Rimuru. I will be keeping your Imouto for the night, enjoy your celebration" Guy flashed his fangs at the group before sauntering off through the stunned crowd and out the doors.

Rimuru sighs exasperated by the man's actions "He's finding far more enjoyment from their bond than I thought possible" he grumbles playing with the sushi left over on Harumi's plate.

"He seems quite smitten" Gazel acknowledges not sure what else to say.

"Awfully suggestive too" Dorf mumbles, his focus still grasped by the liquid in his glass.

"Yeah. I suppose you could say that" 

Silence drifts through Harumi's darkened home as all those within it are fast asleep, worn out from the day's celebration. The little forest nymph lies peacefully on top of Diablo who had taken the place of her bed for the night.

Her nose twitches as she stirs slightly, her eyes fluttering open having been awakened by the intense desire for a drink.

Pouting, she wiggles out of Diablo's grasp sparing a glance at the passed out storm dragon that is sprawled across the rest of the mattress and lands silently on the ground padding to the open bedroom door. Yawning she walks down the hallway rubbing at her drooping eyes as she heads to the kitchen in pursuit of water.

As she draws further down the hallway and away from her room something tickles her conscience as Castiel starts to become alert. Noticing Castiel becoming agitated she turns around and glares as two men clad head to toe in dark leather armor freeze under her ultimate ability Pneuma.

"Now that's just rude don't you think?" she asks, huffing at the two. Her rose pink eyes gaze into their soul and she tilts her head curious due to the fact that they were sent from two different sources but both held the same intent to harm her.

"Coming into my home with the intent to kill. Now that wasn't very smart" sighing she captures their souls into small iridescent gems and gazes at them as they lie in the palm of her hand "I am a demon lord. Cazac I could understand. But what made Yuuki think that a mere assassin could touch me?"

"Kaida-Hime" Veldora's voice murmurs softly from the darkened hallway and Harumi looks up her eyes wide.

"Velly. Did I wake you?"

"No. I felt a disturbance within the house but it seems you already took care of it" Veldora says and brushes a strand of hair from her face as he looks at the gems in her grasp.

"Yes. Yuuki sent one. Though the other was sent by Cazac. From what I gathered if he were to not report then this one was to come here. Though Yuuki isn't stupid. I wonder what made him think it was a good idea to send such a weak being after me" Harumi thinks out loud and grabs onto Veldora's hand squeezing it as his lips peel back in distaste.

'A test of some sort maybe? He doesn't seem to know much about me. Besides the rumors of my abilities Rimuru had kept completely silent about me when speaking with others outside of Tempest'

'Answer. Yuuki may be testing your ability to protect yourself when not behind those in your inner circle. Though you hold the status of Demon Lord he may have gotten the impression you were only powerful when guarded by those you live with'

'I see. So he was testing me. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I did threaten him upon just meeting him. I wonder if he will become a more prominent issue in the future'

"Come Kaida-Hime. Why don't we go lounge in the greenhouse until the sun rises" Veldora suggests and tugs her along the hallway towards the greenhouse.

'I do hope things stay peaceful. Even if it's just for a while. I fear something dark is on the horizon. We must be ready for it'

'Even so Harumi. You will not be alone for it'

(Posted: 11-03-2022)

(Pages: 5 | Words: 2279 | Lightly Edited)