The silence in the room was heavy enough to asphyxiate a man.
Nico sat straight in the wooden chair with his hands resting on his knees to hide the slight tremor in his fingers.
The air around the table felt like it had turned into sludge from the sheer pressure the man before him excluded.
The General hadn’t moved a muscle since commanding them to sit.
He just sat there with eyes half-lidded as he quietly sipped his tea.
[Breathe... just breathe...] Nico told himself, forcing his lungs to expand against the crushing gravity while a single bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
Nico felt his mind going completely blank as the General’s presence weighed down on him.
To his left, Peko sat like a statue with a blank expression, giving away absolutely nothing.
But Nico knew her better than that. He could see her violet eyes calmly darting with micro-movements, scanning for the best course of action should it all go to hell.
[Of course she isn’t affected by his presence... that’s a Phoenix for you...] Nico quietly sighed.
Slowly, the General’s amber gaze swept over Nico, and just as he was about to speak –
-Glug... Glug... Glug...
The sound of liquid being swallowed echoed obscenely loud in the quiet room.
Nico’s eyes widened while the General’s twitched.
On Nico’s right, Nom-Nom chugged the tea down in three big gulps before putting the cup down on the table with a clack.
With a satisfied sigh, she wiped her lips with the back of her hand before saying, "That was really good... could be sweeter though."
Under the table’s stunned gaze, she picked the kettle up and poured herself another cupful, unknowingly snapping the oppressive presence bearing down on Nico by her sheer... Nom-Noming
[If only I had that kind of confidence... maybe it comes from knowing she’s a Greater Dragon and what it means to be one]
Turning his glance once again back at the calm and composed Phoenix sitting beside him, Nico couldn’t help but ask [What would she say? Bet she could handle better than I.]
Nico sighed.
[But what about me, though?]
And a silent chuckle escaped his lips the moment he pondered that question.
[Dude, what the hell about ’you’? You got a literal System, Infinite Mp Regen, A Divine flippin Armament, and five goddamn affinities, two of which are Time and Infinity... You’re no lesser than anyone in any goddamn room... So again, what the hell are you on about?]
With a final deep breath that calmed nothing, Nico looked before slowly raising his hand towards his own cup, making sure that not even a slight tremor ran through.
A faint smile spread on his lips as he brought the cup to his lips and saw the still tea it held.
[Gotta... move like a Nom-Nom, and speak like a Peko.]
With a sip and a steady gaze up at the General, Nico spoke, "A very good afternoon, General. Allow us a moment of introduction."
The General’s amber eyes flicked from the nonchalant Dragon to the suddenly composed Nico.
Leaning back slightly, he gave a small, curt nod.
"My name is Nico," Nico began casting his net. "And as you already know from your reports, I possess the Affinities of Ice, Metal, and Nature. I am a Tier-1 Mid-Stage Mage with Six Circuits."
He paused for a heartbeat, letting the lowly stats hang in the air before dropping the hammer.
"However, I recover mana faster than I can spend it, thanks to the... specialized training I received from Pantheon."
The General’s eyes narrowed slightly, processing the tactical implication of a mage with infinite ammunition, if they can obtain it from him.
With a subtle gesture from Nico, Peko spoke next.
"I am Peko," she said calmly. "Tier-5 Perfected-Stage. Six Circuits. All Classical Affinities except Light and Darkness."
The General’s eyebrows shot up involuntarily. He knew it from the reports, but hearing someone say they have Fire, Water, Earth, and Air was still shocking... and just as absurd.
After all, it is common knowledge that the highest number of Affinities one can have is three.
Not to mention, Tier-5 Perfected-Stage was a realm of power that cannot be scoffed at.
Nom-Nom, meanwhile, needed no gesture.
She sat up straighter, puffing out her chest with a proud, wide grin.
"Hi! I’m Nom-Nom. And I am the Greatest of all Greater Dragons."
The General let out a soft, involuntary chuckle at the sheer audacity of the claim.
"I sincerely doubt that," he replied with faint amusement flickering in his eyes.
Nom-Nom’s smile didn’t falter as she locked her violet slit pupils onto his amber ones with absolute certainty.
"Don’t."
That was all Nom-Nom said as she leaned back in her chair before picking up a sugar cube and popping it into her mouth.
The General’s gaze froze at her reply, while the air in the room grew colder by the second as he searched into her eyes for that arrogance of the largest toad in a well.
But all he found was the most sincere and absolute certainty he’s ever seen in anyone’s eyes.
Letting out a soft ’hm’, the General turned his attention back to the one clearly in charge of the negotiations.
"So, Nico," the General said, his tone shifting to business. "Let me be direct with you... Are you here till the Night of the Red Moon, or do you plan to overstay your welcome?"
"Neither," Nico replied calmly. "We belong to the category of DAFs."
The General raised a scarred eyebrow. "DAF?"
"Deploy and Forget," Nico elaborated. "We are assets given a single objective before being let loose into the field, and promptly forgotten about. And our only objective is to help defend Fugen against this year’s Night of the Red Moon. As far as Pantheon is concerned... we were never a part of them."
"A political offering, then," he mused, drumming a finger on the table. "Like that little white tiger cub we received from the nation of Lingxiao last winter. A gesture of goodwill..."
"Not that either," Nico shook his head firmly, then, with a hardened gaze, he continued. "Neither you nor anyone else has the authority to command us."
The General frowned as his presence flared on instinct.
"Our single purpose here is to help defeat the upcoming Night of the Red Moon," Nico pressed on, ignoring the pressure increasing by the second. "And after that, we will have our freedom from Pantheon... and every other chain that binds us."
Leaning forward, Nico placed his cup on the table as he continued –
"I asked for citizenship simply because we wish to make a life here in Fugen. I’m not asking for any backing, financial or otherwise. We just want to build a life here. But...If you insist, we will leave once the Red Moon is dealt with. And find a home someplace else."
The General stared at him for a long moment before a sneer curled his lips.
"Well then," the General said coldly. "I would suggest you start making plans as to which country you will call your home. I will use you for the battle, yes. But I will not risk a Pantheon infestation in Fugen by letting you lot stay here."
The rejection was absolute.
But Nico didn’t flinch. Instead, a small, dry laugh escaped his lips.
"If that is the only thing that worries you, then you can rest assured, General," Nico replied with eyes burning with a sudden intensity, "We hate Pantheon just as much as you do... If not more."
"What do you mean?" The General frowned as he stared at Nico in surprise. Even he could not have predicted this.
Nico slowly closed his eyes, remaining quiet for a long moment, before taking a deep breath, and what he spoke next sent the General’s heart to frenzy.
"Do you know what a Chimera is?"
Peko, beside him, instantly snapped her eyes at him in complete and utter shock.
[Is he... going to sell us out?]