Chapter 915: Equals?
"...That's all your excellency, after Charles followed the demons' movements we decided to leave the other 100 Demon Emperors in Nihari next to the space portal with the 100 Martial Emperors who had just arrived from Gudah, one reason is so that we don't have to walk in a large company everywhere, and the other reason is as an additional protective cover for the space portal if it gets attacked since it's currently our main entrance to Nihari." Old Gu rubbed his hands quickly.
"...If I understand correctly, you brought over a hundred Martial Emperors from a potentially hostile planet, a planet that has an overlord, and out of all places you landed in Nihari... Questionable choices, don't you think?"
"Your Excellency, these were not choices at all, we didn't even agree on the numbers of those who would come along!! After trying to link several portals and failing, the only one that worked was the southern space portal in Nihari, so I jumped inside it unconsciously before it closed like the previous ones, and I didn't pay attention to those standing behind me, as soon as I reached the other side and saw the Great Serpent Army approaching us, I froze in place for a few seconds, and when I looked back, a hundred scoundrels had already crossed, I assure you that bringing them to Nihari was not my intention, this is fate!!" Old Gu spoke quickly
Ever since Charles reminded him of his action, he had been confused for hours thinking about what he should say to Robin to justify bringing a new potential enemy into a coveted place like Nihari, in the end he decided to tell the truth and try to look as pathetic as he could, lying to someone with the Eyes of Truth is pure stupidity.
"...Interesting." Robin rubbed his chin gently, clearly completely lost in thought
"Yes Your Excellency, that's exactly what it is." Old Gu nodded several times
"Do you know what I'm talking about?" Robin laughed and then pointed to the tent door, "Invite them back in, I'll meet them."
"Right away, Your Excellency." Old Man Gu stood up and took quick steps outside.
This time, he hoped that the two would act as carefree and indifferent as usual. He didn't care if His Excellency were to issue orders to execute Volpe and Samson. Anything to distract him from the mistake he made would be good!
But contrary to his expectations, he didn't search too much. The two were standing outside next to the guards, their hands behind their backs like students who were sent to the headmaster's office. "...Who exactly are you two?!"
"You've really gotten us into trouble this time, Brother Gu, You've gotten us into trouble!" King Volpe calmed down a bit when he saw Old Man Gu talking to them. "You told us that your Master was an easy-going, fun-loving person who wasn't inclined to war. Was he the one inside?"
"It's your luck that we came at a time like this. You only have yourself to blame. I also said that he didn't like unnecessary wars. I didn't say that he was an idiot. He's still the planetary emperor, you fox-head!!" Old Man Gu couldn't help but laugh a little, "Anyway, follow me, His Excellency wants to meet you."
"...." Samson clenched his fists tightly, "I don't want to go in anymore, he'll just mock us, maybe force us to kneel or something twisted like that, that guy is dangerous..."
Robin's look at him a moment ago didn't leave his mind, wherever he moved his eyes to try to occupy himself with something else like looking at the giant tree or the meadows, he found Robin's eyes in front of him staring into his soul, he is a warrior who has been fighting for survival for more than a thousand years, and yet with just a look he felt like he jumped into the gates of hell but someone was generous enough to pull him before he fell, even he doesn't know yet how he escaped from that situation.
"Come on, this was within our expectations, come on let's go in and whatever happens happens." Volpe patted his old friend on the shoulder and pulled him towards the tent.
*Pshhh*
Volpe lifted the curtain of the tent and entered with his friend, their eyes looking at the ground and moving slowly, ready for some oppressive aura and maybe some humiliation. "Haha, welcome to my land." Unexpectedly, Robin opened his arms, "Why are you still standing? Come, come with them, Gu, and sit here next to me."
"...." The two looked at each other for a moment, only able to move to the seats after Old Gu pushed them.
"I apologize for what happened a moment ago, I was brought news of the rebellion of one of my closest followers, as you can see, and I lost my temper, what would you have done if you were in my place?" Robin continued with a smile, "But everything is fine now, it turns out there was a mistake in the report."
"... Of course, of course..." Both Volpe and Samson showed a shy laugh
If they had been met with that smiling face a moment ago, they would have dealt with Robin like equals, in their eyes he is the leader of a nation like them, and if Robin has an overlord, Volpe has one too, what's the difference between them?! But the initial coincidental clash made them remove that idea from their heads completely, they just want to return to their planet now.
"General Gu told me about something that happened to him on your planet, but there are a few things I don't understand, can you explain them to me?" Smiling, Robin leaned forward a little to appear excited
"Of course, of course... Your Excellency... What do you want to know?" Volpe showed a fake smile again
"What are you doing here?" Robin glanced between the two of them, "Just now I saw that you two were reckless and couldn't assess the current situation. Is that why you decided to travel to an empire you've never heard of, taking your top generals and powerful family members with you? Or do you have a hidden purpose? Perhaps from Gu's words, you thought that we would be defenseless due to the war against the Great Serpent Empire, so you brought a hundred martial emperors just to occupy us or gain some benefit?"
"We're reckless! We're just reckless and foolish!!" Samson shouted loudly, "We heard one of your martial emperors praising your heroism and the history of the True Beginning Empire and talking about the different planets, so we wanted to see them for ourselves, that's all!!" "Hasn't it crossed your mind for a moment that you might not come back alive?" Robin didn't seem convinced by the response.
"Your Excellency, I assure you that if Marshal Snite had asked us one day to go meet that scoundrel Pythor, we would have agreed." Volpe laughed sarcastically, "If we can benefit from the meeting, then that's good. If we don't benefit and return empty-handed, then we will have tried our best and seen a different world. If we get killed, then we will bid farewell to the harsh life on Planet Gudah and be remembered as martyrs."
"... Are things that bad over there?" Robin automatically turned his eyes to Old Man Go.
"Even worse." Go nodded, closing his eyes
"Oh? Alright, then I'll accept that explanation for now." Robin leaned back against the back of his chair, "There's something else I don't understand... Why exactly do you put up with your relationship with your overlord?"
"... Put up with how?" Samson gestured to his side.
"Hehe." Robin couldn't hold back his laughter, "It seems you don't know what's being done
to you."