(please note that Tereda is talking in japanese and Ram can only understand it due to the Allspeak potion he gave Rem and Ram in the Re:Zero world.)
A sudden shift in temperature that sent a shiver down my spine.
Ram, her usual playful smirk replaced by a chillingly blank expression, her red eyes narrowed, her hand hovering near the hidden space of her soul storage, radiated a silent fury that made the surrounding diners shrink back in their seats, their conversations dying into hushed whispers.
She didn't seem to comprehend why we didn't respond.
"OOH hello there, handsome," the woman, her voice a grating blend of arrogance and feigned flirtation, drawled, again. As if we hadn't heard her the first time. "Would you like to ditch this tiny pink gremlin for a real woman?"
My gaze shifted to the source of the disruption, my enhanced senses taking in every detail – her opulent attire, her excessive jewelry, the cruel glint in her eyes, the way she flaunted her bejeweled whip, a symbol of her dominance over the two scarred women who stood silently behind her, their heads bowed, their bodies trembling.
Slaves.
Rage, a cold, primal fury, surged within me, a visceral reaction to the injustice, the cruelty, the casual disregard for human life. But before I could unleash the full force of my wrath, a thought, a plea, a warning, echoed in our shared mindscape.
Tereda, let me handle this.
Ram's mental voice was a low growl, a barely contained fury that mirrored my own. I could feel her desire, her need, to punish this woman, to make her pay for her arrogance, her ignorance, her blatant disrespect.
But I couldn't allow it. Not yet.
There was something… off about this woman, about her obliviousness to the events of the past few days, her casual dismissal of my authority, her utter lack of fear.
I needed answers.
Easy there, Ram, I thought, my mental voice firm but laced with a gentle warmth, a silent reassurance of my understanding. I know you want to protect me, but let me handle this. I promise, you can have the next one.
I turned my attention to the woman, my gaze hardening, my voice a low rumble that echoed through the restaurant, silencing the remaining whispers, drawing every eye to me.
"How dare you," I said, my words a controlled, yet palpable, threat, "insult both myself and the Ruby Empress?"
Beside me, Ram's cheeks flushed a vibrant pink, her eyes widening in surprise, then narrowing with a pleased smirk as she savored the title I had bestowed upon her.
The woman, however, just stared at me, her expression a mixture of confusion and amusement.
"Emperor?" she scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "What emperor? That must be a scam. There's been no announcement of a regime change. And as for an empress…" She let out a harsh laugh, her gaze sweeping over Ram, her eyes lingering on her slender form with a cruel mockery. "I don't see any empress here. A thin rail like that pink thing could never hold His Majesty's attention for long."
Her gaze flicked to the two slaves, a cruel smirk twisting her lips. "Besides, what do these pathetic creatures know? They're just slaves. Their words mean nothing."
That sealed her fate.
The sheer stupidity of her words, her ignorance of the events that had shaken the very foundations of this kingdom, her blatant disrespect for Ram, my chosen consort, my beloved, and her callous dismissal of the slaves' worth…
It was too much.
"You are a fool," I stated, my voice cold, devoid of emotion. "A creature of ignorance and arrogance, unworthy of the air you breathe. Something this… stupid cannot be allowed to live."
With a casual flex of my will, I activated my telekinesis, my power surging, a wave of invisible force wrapping around the woman, lifting her from her seat, her laughter dying in her throat, her eyes widening in terror as she realized, finally, the true extent of my power.
She started to scream as I compressed her.
Her screams turned to gurgles, turned to cracking noises, turned to silence as her body, her stupidly opulent attire, her gaudy jewelry, her very essence, crumpled inwards, as all of the atoms making up her being crushed together, her form shrinking, collapsing, until she was nothing more than a tiny, crimson-black dot, a speck of concentrated matter that landed on the pristine purple carpet with a heavy thud.
Silence descended upon the restaurant, broken only by the soft gasp of the two slaves, their faces a mixture of shock and a profound, almost unbelievable, relief. Their chains, the physical ones, I immediately shattered with a flex of my will.
I then realized I needed therapy robots until we could get some people who have properly learned psychology.
The world, I realized, was full of fools and I need to corral them even further.
The silence in the restaurant stretched, thick and heavy, the weight of the woman's sudden, brutal demise pressing down on the remaining diners. Their faces, pale and drawn, reflected a mixture of horror, awe, and a grudging respect for the power I had just displayed.
The two slaves, freed from their cruel mistress, stood frozen in place, their eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief, their bodies trembling with a residual tremor of the terror they had endured for so long.
"Speak," I commanded, my voice a low rumble that echoed through the silent restaurant, my gaze fixed on the pair, my enhanced senses probing their minds, searching for answers, for information, for any clue that could explain this woman's baffling ignorance, her casual disregard for my authority.
They flinched, their heads bowing instinctively, their voices barely whispers.
"Yes, M-Master," one of them stammered, her words a mix of ingrained obedience and a tentative hope. "Trash Four… at your service."
"Trash Seven, Master," the other echoed, her voice trembling.
Disgust, a wave of visceral revulsion, washed over me. To reduce human beings to mere objects, to strip them of their names, their identities, their very humanity…
It was unforgivable.
"Your names are no longer Trash Four and Trash Seven," I declared, my voice firm, my words a decree that shattered the chains of their past. "From this day forward, you are Fortitudia and Superbia. you are free."
Their eyes widened, their faces a mixture of disbelief and a dawning hope, a flicker of light in the depths of their despair.
"Free?" Fortitudia whispered, her voice barely audible.
"But… what will we do?" Superbia added, her voice trembling. "We have nowhere to go. No skills. We are… nothing."
"You are not nothing," I countered, my voice softening, a hint of compassion replacing the earlier anger. "You are survivors. You are strong. You will be valued."
I extended a hand towards them, my gaze meeting theirs, a silent promise in my eyes.
"Come with me," I said, my voice a gentle invitation. "Serve in my palace. Train as battle-maids. Protect the innocent. Fight for justice. Forge a new destiny for yourselves."
They hesitated, their eyes darting between me and Ram, who offered them a reassuring smile, her Red eyes radiating a warmth that melted away the last vestiges of their fear.
"We… we would be honored, Your Majesty," Fortitudia said, her voice gaining strength, a newfound determination replacing the earlier uncertainty.
Superbia nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor, a silent but no less heartfelt, agreement.
"Excellent," I said, my grin widening. "Now, tell me… what information did you deem so vital? What secrets did your… former mistress possess that could have led to her… delusional behavior?"
"It's about… the Shido Trading Company, Your Majesty," Fortitudia explained, her voice gaining confidence, her posture straightening. "Karen… that was her name… she was married to the man who runs it. Koichi Shido."
"He's a monster," Superbia added, her voice trembling slightly, but her gaze steady. "Despite his… handsome looks, he is cruel, violent, and… depraved. Everyone fears him."
My eyes narrowed. Shido. A Japanese name. What was a man from my world doing in this… magical realm?
"Tell me everything you know about this Koichi Shido," I commanded, my voice taking on a steely edge. "His business dealings. His associates. His weaknesses. Secrets."
As they spoke, a plan began to form in my mind, a cold, calculating strategy that would bring the Shido Trading Company crashing down, a prelude to a larger goal, a grander ambition.
I would reshape this world.
I would bring justice to the wicked.
And I would start with Koichi Shido.
I left the restaurant as our new servants followed behind us, I asked Ram, You were rather gentle with them Ram, what happened to the sprickly sweet cactus pear of a personality I am used to?
Idiot! Rogue! Infuriating man! She began, I sensed another tirade coming, but I turned around and grabbed her by the waist. I stared into her red eyes and smirked.
I spoke aloud. "But I'm only an idiot when it comes to you and your sister. Your beauty and love are so baffling that I can barely think. I am certainly a rogue, I would steal the moon out of the sky for you, A theft worthy of any rogue. If I weren't so infuriating, Would I still be me? Would you love me as you clearly do?
Her mouth was open in a stunned silence.
So I took her lips in a gentle kiss.
She melted into me immediately, kissing me passionately.
A cough was heard as our new servants were looking around nervously.
I turned my eyes towards a tall man in a black pinstripe suit with a red tie above a dress shirt.
He was giving me a smile of gratitude that felt extremely fake.
His yellow eyes were narrowed in irritation. "I appreciate you removing that irritant, but I really did need her for my plans."
He lifted his arm, as fifty dead eyed slaves stepped forward menacingly, but not yet attacking.
"Gokigen'yō, Shido shōnin. Kisama no yōna kegarawashī doreishōnin ga, chin no yōna tōtoki sonzai, aratani sokui shita tennō ni aisatsu ni kita no ka? Soretomo shini ni kita no ka?"
/
"Good afternoon, Merchant Shido, you disgusting slave driver, have you come to greet my esteemed self, your newly appointed Emperor, or to die?" I demanded, eyes boring into his disgusting soul.
/
"Hō, dōkyō no tomo yo. Kimi mo kono sekai ni ten'i sa se rareta kuchi ka. Kenryoku no za ni tsuita dōhō ni aisatsu shitai no wa yamayama da ga ne, ainiku to watashi wa, watashi no keikaku o dainashi ni shita omae o korosu koto dake ni shika kyōmi ga nai no da yo."
/
"Oh? A friend from our world, So you were also transported to this world, were you?" His sarcasm and disrespect continued to grate on my nerves. "I would love to greet you, but.. Unfortunately for you I am only interested in killing you, after all, you ruined my plans thoroughly." He had the audacity to fucking smirk at me.
/
"Kisama no yōna kegarawashī dobunedzume! Wagate de kisama o hōmuri saritai no wa yamayama da ga... Aa, itoshi no kōgyoku no kisaki, Ram Chouju to no yakusoku datta na. Yo ni fukei o hataraki, seigi o mushi shi, dorei o shoyū shi tsudzukeru koto de hō o fuminijiru futsuku mono o, tsugi ni arawareta toki wa, waga kisaki ni kashizu suru to yakusoku shita no da."
/
"You disgusting rat shit! I want nothing more than to personally send you directly to hell... But alas, I made a promise to my beloved Ruby Empress, Ram Chouju." I waved my hand generously towards Ram, her eyes widening in the corner of my eyes as her blush radiated further. "I promised that the next vile wretch who dared to disrespect me, disregard justice, and trample on the law by continuing to hold slaves I would offer you up to my wonderful Empress for execution."
I nodded to Ram, and she stepped forward, some kind of evolution of her wind aura, compressed into a sphere the size of a pebble, appeared at the center of Shido's chest.
To my vision, Shido simply ceased to exist.
We turned our eyes towards the fifty slaves, but they remained in a martial arts stance.
They didn't move a single inch further, however.
I used my Telepathy to figure out what was happening, but I didn't find a single thought in their heads.