"Impressive, isn't et?" Ayva asked as Robin observed the wall-length murals they encountered in pa.s.sing. "We dwarves have our ways with stone, and have an inborn intuition fer how ta bring its beauties inta light."

"Indeed. I am genuinely surprised. That you could build such a large structure as this..." Robin agreed, gazing up at the gilded paintings that were plastered even on the ceilings that were 20 feet high.

"It's actually a ploy our artesans built ta show off. No matter how tall humans can be, they'll still be dwarfed compared ta these halls. Makes et a bit harder fer others ta look down upon us." Ayva laughed.

"Dwarves with s.p.u.n.k on top of pride, huh. Well, I admit, I am pretty impressed." Robin smiled. "Even we humans ever rarely create wonders like these."

"Rarely? So Ye've seen something similar then?" Ayva asked, curious.

"Hmmm...not anything half as impressive around here, but there are a rare few that come to mind back home." Robin replied. "I've only ever visited two of them. But they were sort of on opposite ends of the world, so.."

"Ah see! Well, now ye can add this'n to yer memories." Ayva chuckled.

"No need. I'm recording this all down as we go." Robin smiled, holding up her phone. She had been taking pictures for a while.

"Well, I thought you didnae want ta waste tha power source?" Ayva replied.

"I didn't. But now I can do this..." Robin touched the charge port of her phone with her index finger, and the phone brightened a bit as the phone indicated it was charging.

"Now the only thing I need to worry about is if my phone has enough s.p.a.ce to store all these photos..." Robin chuckled, before moving on to a more serious topic.

"More importantly, Queen Ayva, I do want to ask you: When was this mural put up?" Robin asked, stopping before a large portrait of the king in traditional j.a.panese-style clothing. It was like seeing a very muscular shrunken bearded Hercules dressed up like a yakuza, painted in traditional Rennaissance style.

"This? Quite recently....Ah think et was about five years ago. Why?"Ayva asked.

"No reason, really. I just find it quite lifelike...especially the eyes. They almost seem real." Robin smirked pointedly at the portrait's face. The eyes visibly blinked.

"I've thought so as well upon occasion, but it's just the lighting. Come now, let me show you to the music room." Ayva smiled brilliantly as she rounded a corner with Robin. The hallway guards saw her hand motions from behind her fan, and two of them quickly moved to inspect the mural they had just pa.s.sed.

Three halls away, A dwarf maiden slipped out from behind a tapestry. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead and the back of her neck. She had been trying to get a good look at Robin, but she had instantly been discovered. Even worse, now the hidden pa.s.sageway would be discovered. And it would be traced back to....the dwarf maiden quickly hurried off to report what happened.

---

"So, how many countries are you in a diplomatic relations.h.i.+p with?" Robin asked.

"Well, o'course there's the humans, an' then the elves. After that, there's the neighboring demon kingdom, and the beastman kingdom on th'other side."

"Beastman?" Robin asked, curious.

"Aye." Ayva nodded. "Ye've heard tell about how demonkin have a natural grasp on magic, right? Well the beastmen can be considered of the same line, if'n ye go back far enough. But beastmen only have one kind of magic. To transform between their human form and their animal form. Even now sometimes Ah kinnae tell one from th'other. But don't make the mistake of calling a demon a beastman. They consider it a grave insult."

"Any reason why that is so?" Robin asked.

"Because they are unable to use other kinds of magic, the beastmen are looked down on by the demonkin. Just know this: If'n ye see a beastman and a demonkin in tha same room together, odds are they'll end up fighting before an hour is up." Ayva sighed.

"Noted." Robin acknowledged. "But, why didn't I hear anything about this in Ekkins.h.i.+re?"

"That's cuz humans consider them to be demons too, which has caused quite the squabbling, as beastmen think being called a demon is saying you're a vain, disdainful sort of creature."

"Aishh! And this is why politics was my worst subject." Robin grumbled. "So many squabbles!"

"Aye, that there are." Ayva nodded in agreement, as both let out a sigh.

"Well, let's look on the bright side." Robin said, with a grin. "After this is over, we can have a nice cold drink of fruit water and forget these quarrels in place of food and good cheer."

"Aye, Deary! I'll drink ta that!" Ayva laughed. They soon came to a large stone door, intricately decorated with many small carved scenes.

"The door of history, carrying the tales of our ancestors." Ayva indroduced, as she touched her ring to a gemstone in the center. The doors soundlessly swung open.

Inside was a long stone table, at which sat at least a hundred individuals, who all started talking at the same time.

"Queen Ayva, I fail to see why ye would impound the heir to our city's most prestigious doctors over a paltry sum of money-"

"I heard there was an outbreak of parasites within the city! How horrifying!-"

"Why haven't you appropriated those Slime Kings for the crown, yet!? We are uneasy, seeing that the cure for our predicament lies in the hands of this foreigner-"

Each was talking over the other, but what could be heard was enough to turn Ayva's expression black with anger.

"Shut yer gobb! If yer such chums then ye have no problem covering such 'a paltry sum fer yer pal there. He stole millions of gold from what we've given to the citizens, and we haven't even fully accounted how much he's stolen!"Ayva smashed her fist upon the table, ending the discussion.

Then Ayva smiled. "But if'n ye can't, then don't provoke my anger or ye'll be the first ta accompany him in his cell."

After those words, there was an immediate pindrop silence.

"No one wishes to bail out that roly poly rascal anymore, huh?" Ayva sniffed. Her heels began to click once more, as she headed towards the dais at the head of the long table. "Then don't let me hear any more aboot him again. We have more important things ta discuss."

"Yer Majesty, why is this foreigner here? He has no business in our affairs." A grumpy-looking dwarf pointed and scowled.

"Whoever said that tha very Hero himself wasn't welcome in these here halls can pack up and leave, or else take back yer words and yer pointer. Mah husband might not be here, but that dinnae mean ye can break the rules or be rude to guests of the kingdom." Ayva scolded. The grumpy old dwarf sat down and withdrew his hand, chagrined.

"What if He's a fake?" Another asked.

"As everydwarf can, yer welcome ta try liftin' his sword in the commoner's square." Ayva answered bruskly. Everyone was aware that once her words became short, she was close to her bottom line, and shut up.

"Now, in answer to a completely ridiculous statement provided earlier, mainly why I have not absconded with a rare king slime. First, it dinnae belong to me or any dwarf. Second, While they are under Hero Robin's care, they are neither pets nor slaves nor belongings. They are her companions, and are also accompanied and protected by Guardian Lord Tarquinn. Those who think themselves a wise old donkey can discuss the owners.h.i.+p of king slimes with him."

There was an outburst of surprise before Ayva raised her hand, making them be quiet.

"Moreover, I have reason to suspect that the recent infestation--not plague, mind ya. In-fes-ttion.-- was brought here and spread on purpose. Seeing that it ought ta be someone of high influence, I believe the fiendish devil ta have originated from one of our oh-so-n.o.ble families."

Ayva smiled sweetly, but all those present began sweating buckets. Queen Ayva truly was angry this time. At this point there was no escaping it: someone was going to have the living daylights struck from them.

"...So, tell me why Ah should trust enny o' you squabbling, nickering nanny goats over the hero? Hmmm? Who's ta say that yer not all in cahoots against the people and tha crown?"

"H-how can we prove our loyalty?" A stammering red-bearded dwarf spoke up, catching on to what Ayva was hinting at.

"Any destroyed records is considered grounds fer treason. Every family's books are ta be cross-referenced by ten others of different factions. If'n ye even TRY ta frame someone, Ah swear ye'll be hanged from the city walls as an example!"Ayva ordered emphatically.

"Also, send out an inquisition to the place where tha worst cases were, and ask them about their food, drink, and places they'd gone. No violence against the common folk will be tolerated. We will find tha source o' this plague, and with tha source, we will find tha black dwarf that needs die a thousand deaths." Ayva grit her teeth into a grimace.