Riches and Bitches: I have a gate to an isekai and leveling-up system!

Chapter 210: Worst but simplest path

"I'm quite disappointed," I announced, while fully aware of how little either party cared about my opinion here.

Right now, I was just a third party. A worthless nobody stepping right between two hostile parties. There was hardly any meaning to my existence when placed between Etaria and Claudy.

But still, I was a human. And I was capable of voicing out my thoughts, at the very least.

"What is even a human doing on the side of the forest monsters in the first place?" Etaria spoke, keeping her voice on the edge between a polite tone and an outright hiss.

It seems that Claudy's jab from just before was pretty damn accurate, otherwise, I couldn't really tell what shook Princess composure enough to make her lift her polite mask a bit.

"I don't see how is that of any importance," I calmly replied before gently freeing my arm from Fay's hold and taking a step forward, now putting myself in the direct line of fire of Etaria's eyes. "What's important, is how this entire war will play out. And as I already said, I saw enough to be pretty confident I already know that."

After an honest dose of truths, now came the time for some bullshit, for I had no idea how things would play out. I didn't know anywhere near enough about the princess, the empire behind them, their motives for the war and all.

I only knew what was right before my eyes and what I learned from the few humans we had the chance to interrogate a bit.

Way too little to create any long-term plans or even establish some goals. And what was even more important, I wasn't in a position to play towards any kind of goal.

No.

'All I can do right now is to stay flexible and try to get as much as I can, regardless of what it will be.'

"Well, that's true, it was just my curiosity speaking, sir Peter," Etaria spoke, her tone turning perfectly calm, flat, and slightly polite.

"I'm sorry, but it is exactly as you said, Your Majesty," I replied with a slight bow. "I'm a crass person. My upbringing is humble and I hold no noble title."

I lowered my head again and kept it lowered for quite some time.

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"Still, as a selected emissary of the forest, I would like if we could drop the diplomatic approach and talk directly," I suggested while raising my head and looking Etaria directly in her golden eyes. "Right now, all the pleasantries and formalities will serve no purpose other than wasting time.

And to be frank," I shook my shoulders, "I don't know the first thing about imperial etiquette, so I can't follow it even if I wanted or cared enough to do so."

As strange as it might appear, this was one of the crucial points of the entire meeting. Unless we could speak freely, I wouldn't be able to pass on my own understanding of the situation. It also served my effort to build up the vibe of pragmatism and straightforwardness, be it through my manner of speech, general behavior, or even the selection of words I used.

"Works for me."

Strangely enough and against all of my expectations, Etaria didn't even bother to contest that point. And with a shake of her shoulders… she suddenly appeared a lot more relaxed than before, as if the air of dignity and status that surrounded her had finally dissipated, allowing everyone to look at the girl for who she was rather than for what ungodly power she represented.

"Then, let's sum our current situation up," sensing the opportunity, I spoke out. "First, the most obvious scenario. Assuming we don't agree or anything of importance here, your armies will continue to gather while I will busy myself preparing what I need. And on the day you issue an order to attack…"

I made a short pause to keep everyone in anticipation of what I had to say.

"On the day you issue an order to attack, I will kill everyone and everything."

I spoke those words while staring right into the golden eyes of the princess and picturing a nuke going out right in the middle of the mercenary camp.

To the best of my knowledge, even the tiniest nuke ever produced was far more than enough to create a fiery blastwave that would set a huge chunk of the nearby forest on fire. Coupled with all the other physical phenomena occurring during and after such a powerful discharge, this already dangerous fire could easily turn into a proper firestorm.

Still, just in case Etaria could read my thoughts, I continued to place the three, converging zones of death on the simplified map of the area.

Zone black, where nothing was left alive. Zone red where there might be some luckers who survived. And then, zone grey, spreading in a much wider circle than the former two zones, stretching way out into the forest and, on the camp's other side, way past the crest of the nearby incline and into the massive plains beyond.

"Kill us all…" the princess echoed my words while shaking her head. "Do you really think I will believe something like this is possible?"

Etaria held back a giggle while looking at me with amusement all over her face. Yet, as her eyes moved to the side, ignoring Fay's furious glare and locking on Claudy's eyes, the princess asked again while introducing only the most minute change to her question.

"Do you believe he can do it?"

This time, Claudy took his time to ponder over his answer.

"When I brought Lunagar fortress up, I did so for a reason," he said with a long sigh after a considerable amount of time. "When things first started, it felt like we were back at that bloody approach…"

The young noble gritted his teeth. The luster in his eyes dimmed out, suppressed by the weight of the memories that this mere mention forced to resurface.

"Let me answer you this way. Yes, he brought out weapons and spells that are as effective as they are spectacular," Claudy announced once he finally made up his mind. "As for whether he has the means to kill your entire army in one, fell swoop…"

Claudy first shook his head before shaking his shoulders as well.

"Can he kill all of them?" Claudy repeated the short version of Etaria's question. "I didn't see him using anything on a scale necessary to accomplish what he claimed he could do with ease. But after what I saw…"

Claudy shook his head again, for just one more time.

"Whether he can do it, I don't know," he repeated himself this time. "Whether or not I believe he is capable of doing so, though?"

Claudy's lips jerked when a small smile surfaced on his lips.

"After witnessing the carnage from as close as I did…" Claudy gritted his teeth and looked away. "Yeah," he nodded his head while keeping his eyes averted, "I believe he can."

Etaria's face visibly tensed. Contrary to my words, she was willing to take Claudy's opinion at face value. And now that he offered an unsettlingly certain answer…

"You said that's one of the possible paths, not the only one, didn't you?" Etaria asked, turning her golden eyes to me. "If so, what other options do you have to offer?"