Harbingers of Change

Chapter 11

The wounds he had sustained during the battle weren’t healing. The passive regeneration of his God skill was doing its best, but its progress was nigh nonexistent. 

Pero glanced at his near-skeletal wings, torn asunder by… whatever had empowered Hinata’s retaliation. His consorts were carefully changing his bandages with the utmost care, slowly while minimizing pain. At first, he tried to talk them out of it, citing that he would regenerate eventually, but all except one refused to even consider leaving the task to the maids, due to their profound devotion to him. 

The odd one out was Yoseijoo, who hadn’t left her private room since their return to Nazarick. For now, Pero let her be, knowing that little could be done. Same as with him, neither natural regeneration nor healing spells worked, and potions did nothing either. But none of that was the reason for her seclusion; she was a proud Queen of her people and could tolerate pain with relative ease, something he knew deep inside his heart. 

The most likely explanation for the Sprite Queen's self-imposed isolation was her nine hundred seventy-one fallen subjects, of whom none could be brought back. Additionally, there were one hundred fifteen wounded sprites, all requiring similar healing to her, which further worsened things. 

‘I was the one who let her be nearby. Momonga chose only expendable units for a reason.’

Pero once again glanced at the doorway leading to her chambers, turning just his head to let Lupus replace the bandages on his avian face. 

'There must be some way to heal myself and them. I have a freaking divine regeneration ability, and yet it's doing fucking nothing at all!'

"W-was I too rough?" Lupus asked fearfully, noticing his changing expression. As a sadist by nature, she had been very careful to not get absent-minded and cause pain to her lover as she usually did for others. 

"...No. I didn't mean to scare you, I was merely lost in thought," Pero replied, easing the worry in the battlemaid's gaze. 

'What should I do? Just remain like this? Not a fucking chance. That wretch wanted my daughter, so she likely hit me for good measure,' After Momonga's shocking explanation, he knew that Hinata was nothing more than a tool used by the real culprit. Of course, that didn't dissolve her guilt in his eyes, and she would pay dearly.

While Momonga worked on ways to defend against enemies they couldn't reach, he had to do something as well, his pride as a Lord demanded it. Maybe the solution was somewhere in the skill he owned, it was divine in nature after all. Unfortunately, Momonga's explanation of how he worked with his abilities didn't do anything for him, nor did Momonga’s interpretation of his god-like skill circuits help him understand any better. But maybe he didn't need to copy what his friend was doing or view it from how he saw it.

As his consorts continued the painful work on him, Pero closed his eyes and tried to imagine his energies flowing into his wings and repairing them. Magicules poured out of his soul and into his wings, crashing against whatever was keeping him from healing.

If there was one thing he wanted to restore first, it was his ability to fly. It was a defining trait of his majin species, and without them, his agility and speed would be greatly hampered in battle. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he concentrated, there wasn’t any tangible progress. He opened his eyes from time to time to glance at the bandaged wings, but there weren’t any changes after several minutes of trying. If flesh and feathers would regrow, they would easily tear through the soft cloth binding them, and yet the cloth remained unfettered.

With nothing better to do, Pero tried again and again, his anger and spite growing by the moment. He wanted to be back to normal and wanted it badly.

'Work, you piece of shit!' He internally screamed at his skill, pushing everything he had into Divine Regeneration, whether it was magicules, spiritrons, or any source of nearby magical power; he forced everything he could sense into it. If a person had peered into his mind, it would be unclear whether his regeneration was more fueled by his magical energy or instead by his raw hatred combined with the intense desire to be normal, but it was as plain as day that he had engrossed himself fully in the attempt. 

"My Lord! A feather!" Luchia's scream snapped him out of his stupor.

As a natural flier and as someone who took great pride in her wing feathers, she took it very personally when her lover's wings were all but burned off, with little more than bones and scar tissue remaining. She knew the pain of lost flight better than any other wife in the room, having inflicted it before and also suffering from it.

For a harpy, such a crippling injury meant a swift death for the lower castes, and likely permanent exile for the nobilities, something that would lead to death anyways. To her relief, however, Tempest didn’t operate under the same harsh laws, and the rest of the royal family had nothing but worry and support for Pero. 

Pero cracked open his eyes, noticing a single feather sticking out of the thick bandages. 

'It worked!' Pero jumped up to his feet in excitement but was forced to quickly realize that he had burned through most of his energy reserves as he staggered, leaning on a nearby kijin for support.

"Looks like my attempt worked!" He proudly announced as the concubines flocked closer, admiring the result.

"Ladies, ladies!" Sensing the inevitable conflict due to their now close proximity, he tried to stop them before it turned into a fight. However, by some miracle, they broke out in excited chatter, not their usual bickering.

Now, he had a clear path on how to proceed. Once his energy was back to full, he would be able to accelerate the process for himself and the others. 

<X>

When the rest of his consorts were calmed down, off his back, and sent to their rooms or other places to assist in the war effort, Pero went to speak with Yoseijoo. 

After she failed to respond to a knock, he entered her room, only to find her sitting on the carpeted floor and staring at the sole empty segment of the walls, opposite the door.

Just like him, she sported dozens of bandages covering her wounds. Half of her right dragonfly-like crystalline wings were completely missing, and calling the remnants of her right arm a stump would’ve been generous. A corrosive scar tore through the right side of her face, leaving her burnt and blinded. 

"Hey. How are you doing?" Pero asked, leaning against the doorway.

She sharply turned her head and hastily got up to her feet. "My Lord, I didn't hear you come in," She bowed.

"Look, Yoseijoo…If I knew-"

"It was my fault, my Lord," She shook her head.

"No, it wasn't your fault, and drop the Lord stuff. It's just the two of us," Pero asserted, taking a step closer, only to be met with the sprite queen leaning away from him.

"If I never insisted on coming as your guard, then you wouldn't have tried to protect me and others of my kind, avoiding your injuries in the process," She spoke quietly, "I am unworthy to stand by your side. I want to request to-"

They had this exact conversation a few times already, always with the same results, but this time he didn’t want to back down anymore. He had given her enough time to sulk in her pity.

"Stop!" Pero took another step closer and embraced her, "Don’t leave me."

Even if she wanted to, Yoseijoo wouldn't have been able to get out of his firm grip, as Pero held his concubine as tightly as he could without harming her, careful of her injuries.

"I will fix everything, me, you, and the rest of the sprites, just don't leave me." He whispered. "I'm so sorry I caused so many deaths. You’re right, I should have said no, I should have never put you and the others in harm’s way in the first place,  but I can’t let you blame yourself anymore. As a leader, it was my job to ensure you all were safe and I failed."

"You are too kind. However, a crippled Queen should be replaced. I am too weak to lead my people." She whispered in return.

"I will fix you. I don't know how, but I will. I don't want to lose you." Pero tried to assure her, unsure of how he would keep this promise.

"My Lord…" Yoseijoo hugged him back just as tightly. "I vowed to be by your side, and I will not break this oath. If you still consider me worthy, I will stay in my place."

"Of course I do," Pero let go of her and gently stroked her face, gazing into her eyes with the intensity only lovers can have.

What remained was to find a way to actually remedy her wounds. His own recovery was assured in time, so long as he continued pumping magic into his injuries but that wasn’t the case for others. It wasn’t like he could give divine regeneration to others, nor could he create similar skills for the crippled.

Restoring his consort at the moment was more important than his own healing, taking priority above even his wartime duties. The pain, while manageable, was also acting as a constant reminder of his failure to take things seriously.

Ever since he had entered this world, he had gone on with casual ease and didn’t worry too much about life in general, and now he was faced with the fact that not everything was as easy as he had thought. It went without saying that he didn't want to die, but that wasn't his biggest fear, not by a landslide. In the end, no matter how powerful he was, he could still lose those he cared for.

If he had been hit even slightly differently, his beloved consort would have completely perished. The reassurance that anyone connected to Nazarick could be revived was shattered after the last, rather fateful battle, narrated to him personally by Momonga. The Overlord had stated that the souls had been taken by Ker, and without them, any revival was all but impossible.

Pero knew he needed to be more useful, not only for himself but for those who relied on him. He needed to embrace his role as a leader and emulate Momonga in his tireless pursuit to keep everyone safe. More power, more regeneration, more of everything; he needed it all. 

For now, a long rest to regain his energy was very much due. After quickly notifying the rest of his concubines through Thought Communication, he settled in Yoseijoo's room as they shared a bed. He was so exhausted from the day’s ordeal that he didn’t even plan a long night of lovemaking. All he wished now was to rest by her side, feeling her warmth and comfort. His body and mind needed healing and self-determination more than anything else, and the same could be said for the one beside him. 

'I think I won't seek new concubines. I need to take better care of you all. You each deserve as much attention as I can give,' He made an internal pledge while listening to Yoseijoo's calm breathing, already deep asleep in her plunge into the realms of Orpheus.

It seemed that the assurances had finally taken away her grief, calming her just enough to let the overwhelming fatigue lull her to sleep. He followed her example soon enough, falling into a dreamless sleep as he too got some shut-eye.

<X>

As always, habits die hard, and he was up once again before dusk, feeling his woman's soft body curled against his, wrapped in his embrace. 

'...Looks like I’m back to near full energy. I guess I should try to heal her somehow.'

The first idea that popped into the avian’s now fresh mind was to use both Nazarick's connection and the link he shared with Yoseijoo as the one who named her to facilitate the mending process. It connected everyone to a certain extent, and if it worked out, he could heal her almost akin to how he healed himself, albeit in a diluted form.

Entering a similar mental state as before, he once more poured magical energy into Divine Regeneration, but this time aimed its healing towards her through their intrinsic link. Something within Nazarick clicked as if it were merely opening a door to a room that Pero only had to push a little bit harder to go through, inviting him to enter. Time was rendered irrelevant, as he moved at his own pace, faster than any mortal could comprehend.

< Entity Peroroncino attempting to become a patron deity to entity Yoseijoo. Requirements not met. The entity Yoseijoo’s agreement is required. >

'Huh? Becoming a patron deity?'

His lover rose from her sleep, confused. An involuntary shudder rolled down both their spines as she inspected the agreement, Divine Regeneration resonating … somehow.   

"Pero?"

"Don't worry-"

< Permission granted. Patronage requirements met. Yoseijoo has accepted Peroroncino as her patron deity. >

"Oh, you accepted. Give me a minute and I’ll try something. You can rest if you want."

Yoseijoo nuzzled her face in his chest feathers with a sigh of contentment and sleepily uttered, "As you wish. Thank you for this gift." She fell asleep almost immediately from a newfound warmth. 

Feeling a new channel open between them, Pero guided Divine Regeneration towards healing her. Unlike him, where it had taken most of his energy to restore even a bit of muscle and regrow a single feather, it took far less effort to make Yoseijoo’s wounds disappear, and in only mere moments at that. 

But Pero didn't stop there, he refused to do so, feeling relieved, euphoric, and most of all excited at the prospect of what he had just discovered. The next ones to get the patronage offers were the rest of his concubines who quickly agreed to it, and once they confirmed that it was completely safe on their ends, Pero pushed his will towards the hundred-odd sprites. Of course, he couldn’t heal all the sprites at once, but a good chunk of them got immediate healing as he drained his magicule stores. 

'I did it. In a day or two all of them will be back to being good as new.' His joy did falter with the realization that nothing could be done to those who had perished, but at least those who survived would have their injuries healed. He would have to contact the designated healers soon, among other things. It took him a few hours to heal Yoseijoo, and it would take the same to heal the others.

'I will have to find a way to repay the families of the fallen. I might need to ask Yoss about the traditions of her people once she wakes up.' 

Being careful not to rouse her, Pero gave her head a few gentle strokes, listening to her happy murmurs. The others could wait.

But while she slept, he could share his revelations with his friends, and boy was he excited like back in his high school days, anxiously waiting to ask a girl out. Connecting Momonga, Veldora, and Buku through a shared message channel, he happily announced his findings.

{ Guys! I found a way to become a patron deity and use my Divine Regeneration on others! Yoseijoo is back to normal but I’ve yet to heal myself. }

{ That is fantastic and I am happy for you, but why are you shouting this at four in the morning!? } Buku grumbled back.

{ Hmm… That is great news, but you shouldn’t bother your sister so early. Buku, you can go back to sleep. We will give you the details later. } Momonga responded next, as diligent as ever.

{ Kinda busy guys. Stabilize that flow! Sorry, that was not meant for you guys. Talk to you later. } Veldora hollered in everyone's minds before abruptly cutting off the message. As a spiritual being who didn't need or want to sleep, Veldora was spending most of his time in the lab, and it was a fair guess that he was in the middle of an experiment. One with tremendous amounts of energy, but that was only normal. 

{ You could’ve told me all about it later! Thanks, Momo, you are a lifesaver. Please kick the bird for me once he’s back to normal… } Buku sounded as if she was already halfway asleep.

{ Whoops. I claim injury protection. Can I get guards so sis doesn't murder me? } Pero asked with a chuckle, flashing images of the eight-bladed assassins through his link.

{ Yeah, yeah, you get a pass until you’re back to normal. I am happy you are healing, tell Yoss I’m happy for her too. I’ll drop by in the morning to hear the details. } She cut off the communication, off to slumber once more.

{ You know you should stop antagonizing her. } Momonga voiced his dissatisfaction with their near-constant squabbles.

{ I know. I should have told you both the moment I figured it out, not in the middle of the night. I will make up to her when she gets up. I just wanted to share the good news. Anyhow, here’s all the data. } Pero sent all the relevant information to the Overlord.

{ This is just what I needed. I think this type of energy transfer would let me repair Hinata's soul enough to bring her out of the dreaming state. }

{ I would say leave her as is and let Demi give her a large dose of nightmares on top of that, but I guess we need to get the info out of her. }

{ If you want to retaliate, neither me nor Buku will stand in your way. But I prefer if we don't kill her just yet. }

{ You said it yourself. She’s just a tool. Just keep her in chains till we can safely off her. Though Yoseijoo might want to get revenge for her fallen people. }

{ I see. You can bring her with you when we interrogate Hinata and I will see to it to honor Yoseijoo's wishes. Within reason of course. }

{ Got it boss. Give me the heads-up when you get Hinata into a talkative state. }

Pero cut off the conversation and closed his eyes. Another nap surely wouldn't hurt, particularly since he had spent practically all night channeling his magical energies.

'I have to stop making a habit of waking up sis so early.' He chuckled to himself, drifting back to sleep.

<X>

Gazel sat with most of his advisors, unreadable as ever, waiting for the last attendee, Henrietta, to arrive. The others were understandably nervous, but they patiently waited nonetheless.

Gathered in the darkened conference room, the nation's high council was prepared to discuss the outcome of the battle for Tempest. This was of course in addition to the discussion of all of the implications for them, whatever the conclusion turned out to be.

Tempest had already reported a sweeping victory over the church's forces, but didn't provide any details save for the announcement that the invading army was utterly crushed. The monster nation's victory came as no surprise to any of them after being rather extensively gifted a perspective of the hegemony’s military might. 

Dwargon, meanwhile, had closed its border with Falmuth and about a third of the nation's forces were now stationed along its walls and fortresses, ready to fend off anyone who tried to flee the doomed nation. Many had protested the cruel move, but it had to be done.

"I'm sorry for the delay, Your Majesty," Henrietta barged in with a quick bow and took her seat. Her already pale complexion was noticeably whiter and she seemed to be on edge, jittering in her seat as she pushed the observation orb over the table. Her fingers were shaking, something unusual for the experienced spymaster.

Gazel waved his hand over the orb to activate it, nervously anticipating what would happen. By his spymaster's reaction, it was obvious that she was unprepared for what she saw, thoroughly so. He, on the other hand, didn't feel there would be anything that could surprise him anymore. Dwargon didn't even attempt using spies on Tempest, knowing their clear superiority in the intelligence department, having convinced his advisors it wasn’t worth the risk of countless lives.

The unfolding scene displayed a human army in an incredible state of disarray, with large masses moving away from the main force.

"With the limited information we could gather, we know Hinata had abandoned the main force and moved towards Tempest's capital on her own. The rest of the powerful individuals were picked off one by one. Tempest's spymaster Demiurge notified me when the veil was removed," Henrietta commented, her voice noticeably subdued.

"I see. Without a doubt, all we will witness is a display of power." Gazel gave a subtle nod, slouching down in his seat a bit to give his advisors a much-needed gesture of calmness.

As the scene went on, Momonga appeared in the skies far above the human camp. Buku appeared a distance away, holding Hinata by the hair as the latter hung limply in the former’s hands.

"She was captured alive. A bold move. I think we can start to prepare for Tempest going after the Ruberios Holy Empire next." 

"Logistically, we cannot provide much support, nor would Tempest be able to reach Ruberious without invading at least four countries on the way. As far as we know, even their magic transportation would fail against the Ruberios' holy defensive grid," Vaugh, the supreme commander of the Dwargon military, remarked.

"I wouldn't put it past Momonga to find a workaround. I wish for our engineering corps’ reports after we finish viewing the recording," Gazel spoke, refusing to show any emotions to keep his advisors composed.

Only recently had he gotten a grip on himself and not shown strong emotions in front of his advisors, something they so desperately needed. But that came with the acceptance that Tempest was a force beyond reason and he could only hope they did not become hostile to them. In short, there was such a lack of control that there simply was no point in worrying anymore. It would be best to ride the waves, whatever they may be, and his job would be to keep the crew afloat.

The sky in the recording darkened as a golden clock with numerous gears appeared in the clouds. Everyone watched with bated breath as the timepiece counted down a minute to midnight, each tick causing it to glow brighter and brighter. Once the countdown ended, the entire army fell in a single moment, as if it were one entity and death had decided to claim it. Every single human fell to the ground, their souls leaving their bodies and rushing toward the floating undead figure. Hastily constructed barriers did nothing, armors clattered to the ground, and even the bodies disappeared as well.

The recording ended soon after, but no one said anything. Everyone sat in shocked silence for a good minute.

"H-He killed an entire army with a single spell. To even guess how much energy that would require…" Jaine mumbled under her breath.

"...It's safe to assume that no army would function against Tempest," Vaugh commented, visibly losing at least two shades of brown.

"We are allies and will continue to be closely affiliated. Momonga has shown time and time again that he is a man of reason, and as Dwargon is not antagonistic, we have nothing to fear," Gazel leaned forward, continuing to radiate authority, "Now, what are the latest updates on the engineering corps' joint research with Tempest?"

'It is only a matter of time before Dwargon will have no choice but to become a vassal of Tempest. All I can do is to wait for the most opportune time to make the offer.'

"I don't have a full report yet, but the tests performed exceed all expectations. Artillery is tearing through fortifications with ease, and only magisteel-enforced and higher-quality armor can provide protection from the bullets shot by guns. As of now, I have stopped plans for new fortresses and await the update on what sort of protective lines can be built with these technologies," Vaugh reported.

"I fully agree with your decision. Suggest for the head engineer to discuss possible defensive fortifications with Tempest's head engineer," Gazel ordered.

'I wonder what their real research looks like. Even what they gave us is beyond anything our technicians could dream of, and they’ve handed it over like candy to a toddler. I wouldn't be surprised if they have found a way to build life-like automatons similar to that maid.' 

"For now, we are keeping the current course and operating under the pretense that Tempest does not plan to betray us." 

'I should find a way to be more proactive. Considering that the Eastern Empire would be a bigger threat than the Western Nations combined, we will need to wage an intense war should push come to shove. I could offer to help escalate their expansion towards the east and build one long defensive line to guard against potential aggression.'

Being a strong and resolute ally was his only option at the moment. There was no way of fighting Tempest, even if he were to abandon everything and fight with all his might. If a war broke out with his largest neighbor, Dwargon's fate would be sealed within hours.  

'I should also check up with Elmesia, Carrion, and Frey on their next course. No doubt they won't even think of working against Tempest.’

The established contact with the two Demon Lords had come as a great boon, filling the previously dark spots in world communication as they talked about trade networks, foreign policies, and lightened tariffs against each others’ citizens.

The irony of Tempest, whose namesake once tore nations apart, being the force that was bringing the world closer together didn't escape the Dwarf King's notice. If events proceeded how he envisioned them, it would be only a matter of time before Tempest's capital would become the center of the whole world, reigning in a new age of less hostile relationships between humans and non-humans. 

Editing by aidan_lo

Proofreading by Sluethen, aidan_lo, FantasyTroll, Thea, shynavyseal, Malguis, Cakeeight, Zprotu, and NuggetLover.

AN: Thank you for reading the story, and if you have caught up to the latest chapter, you can check out my other work or join my discord server (https://discord.gg/WmGKVU3XG2) where additional chapters are available or if you are interested in becoming a beta reader (gives access to chapters months ahead of regular readers).