A Castle in the Trees (Saiouma Fantasy AU) (HIATUS)

4

"Ma'am." The young shapeshifter halfling gave a slight bow in front of the Demon Queen, Junko, seated upon her dark iron throne. She quirked an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh, so you're the one who wanted to see me? Ugh, I thought it was something more important. Although I guess you are supposed to be here for your report.... Well, spit it out." 

While speaking, she inspected her long black nails, immaculate and razor-sharp enough to tear into the flesh of any creature and leave a nasty mark. Just as she had with the person that now stood in front of her in order to mark them as part of her legion.

She could use it to communicate with them, and could also cause them intense pain if she so desired with a single thought. Fortunately, this usually only happened if they were to betray orders. However, the Queen just loved despair, so sometimes she did it out of nowhere just for fun.

"Things are going well. The prince is in good condition, as is the princess. They do not seem to be aware of my position yet. I have been stalling for time best I can, trying to delay his training, and earning their trust." They reported.

"How long's it gonna be until the old man kicks the bucket and he has to become king?" She asked in a whiny voice. "I want to kill the little idiot already. We've been preparing for this for years, and I'm getting impatient."

"He's only a child currently. The king is in good health, so they predict he has a few years left, that is if nothing impedes. They wish for the prince to court a princess from a faraway land and ascend the throne in exactly four years. However, he hasn't gotten along with any of them, from what I've heard."

"Hmph." She crossed her arms across her chest. "How stupid. I wish he would die faster. This is soooo not cool."

"Well... I could try and arrange that if you desire." They suggested cautiously.

"Wait, seriously? How?"

"One of the brewers could create an Elixir of Withering. If I found a way for the king to ingest it, it would be effective in causing his death more swiftly."

"Elixir what now? What's that? You know I don't bother with potions. She questioned.

"It's a powerful toxin that slowly breaks down the bodily systems and defenses. It will strengthen the effectiveness of afflictions, creating a stronger likeliness to die from illnesses and wounds. If taken over a long period of time in large quantities, it will eventually kill on it's own."

They had an extensive knowledge of potions, something sort of unconventional from their line of work. They just fascinated them. Something that, depending on how it was made, could be so useful and yet so deadly was an incredible tool, and they didn't understand why they were taboo across the land.

"Know anything stronger? I just wanna kill him."

They shook their head, trying to hide their annoyance out of pure fear for their superior. The Queen was formidable, yes, but a bit.... hardheaded, and very impatient. She was willing to cast aside an entire plan for her own personal desires, cutting down whatever she found necessary to cause as much despair as possible, even at the cost of her own species. Nothing mattered to her, really.

As a leader, she was unreliable and unpredictable, but had guided the race decently so far. This betrayal had been in the works for years. She had been the first Queen to plan something like this, and it had caused uproar with some members of the species. They had been executed, effectively causing everyone else who disapproved to fall into silence. It was surprising that she had held out on not just going ahead with it. But that patience had seemed to run out.

"An Elixir of Withering, while slow, is undetectable. It is also harder to come by and is not commonly found in larger establishments such as the Oma kingdom. Most other poisons, they will have an immediate cure for, and runs the risk of our treachery being found out. I do believe Withering would be the best poison for the job, and would shorten his lifespan by a considerable amount of years." They stated matter-of-factly.

They usually didn't do things like this, as making a suggestion to the Queen that she didn't approve of could result in her flicking her wrist and ordering you to be slain on impulse. But they needed to be done with this as soon as possible, and getting on her good side was necessary for their survival, while risky.

"Fine. I'll run an order to have the Elixir whatever made, and you start putting it in his food or something, I don't know. Figure it out. Anything else?"

"No." They replied simply.

"Then get out of my sight." She waved her hand in the air as if shooing them away. Then, they remembered something.

"Well, there is one thing I just recalled that might be necessary for me to mention." They said cautiously.

"Ugh! Jeez, how much longer are you planning on making me listen to you prattle on? Well, tell me if it's so important!" She rolled her eyes.

"The prince seems to have taken a bit of a liking to someone. It hasn't gotten far, but it seems the feeling is reciprocated."

"Oh? Is it one of those girls you mentioned the king wanting to pair the little brat with?"

They shook their head. "No. In fact, it's one of the workers at the castle."

"Ooooh!" She squealed excitedly. "A slave/prince relationship? How scandalous! While his parents try to pair him up with a fancy princess, he's running off to love on his little servant girl. Ah, what despair that will cause for everyone once they find out! What's her name?" She clapped her hands together eagerly.

"...It's a male. I asked the head of the workers there, Kirumi. His name is Shuichi Saihara."

"Even more dramatic! How fantastic! I can't wait to see their faces when they find out their heir is off with another boy!"

"They aren't in that kind of relationship, ma'am. They haven't even spoken yet. However, it's important to note that they seem to be quite eager to talk to each other, and I've spotted them observing one another from afar. Kokichi almost spoke with him the other day, but his sister stopped him. Shuichi has also been threatened to stay away from them." They reported.

"Oh. Well, that's disappointing. But it's alright! This way, that little slave boy can be yet another person who'll fall into deep, deep despair when we kill the prince! His little schoolboy crush will be nothing more than a bittersweet memory. An entire kingdom, crushed under the heel of my boot... I can hardly contain my excitement!" She exclaimed, giving a dreamy sigh similar to a young lovestruck girl fantasizing about her darling.

"I shall take my leave now. Do instruct the brewers to begin with the toxin. I will return to the kingdom once it is finished." They bowed deeply to the Queen.

"Yeah, yeah, now go away, you're annoying me." She insulted them. The traitor nodded curtly and strode away from the throne room and into the main hall, walking away to their chamber to prepare for their next trip back to the castle.

jUNKO FUCKIN ENOSHIMA THE ULTIMATE DESPAI-YAAAAAAAAAAAR

there is one impostor among us lmao

why do i put these in every chapter of every story I post