D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

— Kat —

Kat wasn’t really sure what to do, or rather to be more accurate about things… she didn’t understand why she was sitting here at the moment. She felt superfluous. Mry was clearly leading the conversation, and Kat had eventually picked up on the fact that Corela was allowing it. Kat didn’t really have a place in the conversation though.

Mry was leading things. She steered the conversation where she wanted it to go, and Corela responded as clearly and honestly as she could, sometimes expanding on the points that were particularly important but stopped when Mry gave indication that she wasn’t all that interested. Sometimes Stphn would get a slight single from Mry, a tap on the shoulder or a bumped arm and he’d just… explode with questions.

Corela didn’t even answer half of the questions Stphn come up with. Stphn just let his mind run wild, asking and answering several questions in half as many breaths while Mry just watched Corela’s reactions to the things Stphn was saying. Corela did occasionally get prompted to answer one of Stphn’s questions but it was usually just one of half a dozen.

Then there was Bower. Occasionally he would be prompted to add things, or confirm other things. He clearly had a reason for being there even if it was just ensuring that people were being kept honest… because it’s not as though Corela didn’t have chances to ask questions back. Not in any great number, but when she did Bower would confirm Mry and Stphn’s answers as true.

And Kat? She just found herself sitting there sipping on her water while everyone else spoke. It didn’t help that Lily had woken up for a bit, ask where Kat was, and then went straight back to sleep when she heard the answer. So now Kat was just left here with nothing to do but go over her own thoughts…

Which wasn’t the worst thing ever but Kat was starting to realise that she didn’t really have anything she felt the need to think about. It was strange to realise just how much she’d been leaning on Lily as part of her internal thought process. Sure there were plenty of times when Lily was asleep, but in those instances Kat usually had something to do. She was either keeping watch, or practicing…

And if she went back further into her past? When she was ‘doing nothing’ she was in truth usually either at school and learning or at home at the orphanage and watching over the kids. Even if she wasn’t actively participating in the game or the discussion she was there watching and ensuring things didn’t get out of hand.

And right now Kat felt those instincts acting up. She wanted to watch over this conversation, not for the details, but to ensure that everyone came away from it as friends, or at least as people who were able to keep living with each other… but nobody here was a child. They were all full grown adults with decades on Kat at the very least and centuries in the case of at least two people. It made Kat feel like she had no place in the conversation.

The fact Bower was over on Stphn and Mry’s side of the room didn’t help matters. Especially because he’d moved there. So like… was she meant to be on Corela’s side of things? Was Kat on her own side representing the demons? Nobody had told her this, certainly not Hunter, Meg or Kamiko. Though Kamiko at least probably has no idea of there even being wider implications… probably.

Then again. Kamiko did go to demon school and I still have no idea what they actually teach you there. Perhaps she has a better idea of what I should be doing here then I do… and normally I’d just ask but she’s not here and Lily is asleep so I can’t get her to just pass on the message!

Kat pointedly did not sigh as she took another sip from the canteen to disguise her sighing. Once of the things she did think about now that they were out of the mists? Was exactly how long everyone else would be inside. Kat had no idea how to summon a demon, obviously, but Meg hadn’t offered even a few basics to help them along. Sure Meg had said it wouldn’t be the correct summoning circle… but surely even a little bit of info would help?

Especially when Kat started to think back on all the times she was summoned. Nobody had summoned her as just some random person. Even Xiang, technically hadn’t. He’d used ancient demon summoning circles and massively overpaid for the service. That meant it was probably going to be decades or maybe over a century before everyone else got out… which. Was a thing.

*Maybe I should learn how to call backup at least. I wonder if there’s like… classes for teaching that sort of thing? Kamiko might know so it’s another thing to add to the list.*

“… what sort of say in the governing of the territory you’d be assigned do you expect?” asked Mry.

“Well that really depends on the details of just about everything involved with that question. Where are you thinking of setting us up? How much land? What sort of responsibilities would come with being in charge of it? I believe I approached you about some temporary housing,” stated Corela.

See, Kat could hear the conversation and tell that Corela was annoyed about Mry’s question even if she wasn’t showing it… but Mry knew she was annoyed. It was weird. Because even though Corela wasn’t showing she was annoyed, she also wasn’t hiding it either. *

So does that mean she wants Mry to know she’s annoyed but that she’s not overly annoyed? Or is this like a polite way of saying ‘hold up there’ or… something else? How much is my translation ability helping me keep up with this conversation?*

“Yes but you’ve been talking about potentially shielding you from any royal forces that come sniffing around and leaving your existence out of my reports. That means either lying on my tax forms or ensuring that you’re not within my domain so it’s not my problem, so I’m asking, what sort of say are you expecting to have in how things are run?” explained Mry in a way that did not help Kat understand what was going on here at all.

Why do the tax forms even matter?

“I’m not asking for anything of the sort. I ask that you not draw specific attention to us but I do understand that at some point people are going to ask questions. I can answer those myself, and defend everyone should it be necessary. I am simply asking for lodging for a time,” explained Corela.

“And I’m trying to explain to use that it CAN’T simply be lodging. Even if I was willing to simply allow you to move into the empty houses around here the other things that you’ve mentioned means that you either need to either remodel things extensively or essentially take over a section of the city,” retorted Mry.

Corela glared back. “I’m trying to be polite with this Mry, but you are being deliberately obtuse at this point. If I really have to I can simply build a compound somewhere out in the mountains using some equipment I’ve kept on me. I’m here because it’s more convenient, because the demons were only willing to take us so far, and because I do want a chance for the kids to integrate into the kingdom eventually… but I can easily take my group and leave,”

Kat held back a twitch at Corela’s words, though Kat wasn’t sure how successful she was… except Mry seemed to be smiling. “Ah so it seems you can stand firm on something. You’ve been led around the nose so much in this conversation that I was starting to wonder if you were a bull instead of a dragon,”

Corela huffed spitting out a lick of fire. Somehow. Kat was pretty sure the dragonkin couldn’t do that naturally… was it a spell or something? Oh wait Corela was talking. “… for weakness. I understand I’m putting you in a tough position but please realise that even discounting the time I was in stasis I likely have more life experience then your kingdom itself and the power to back that up. I’ve done some horrible things in my time. If I have to do a few more to find a place for my family in this new world? Well that’s just the price of doing business sometimes isn’t it?”

Mry laughed at this. Kat didn’t. Neither did Stphn, though Bower did have a smile on his face. “Ah see there’s a bit of fire in you. I was afraid I was talking to a diplomat that had no understanding of the real world. You don’t really look your age you know. Seems it IS possible for us to work something out. Now, how do you feel about crazy old ladies and trap gauntlets if you don’t mind my asking?”