Chapter 118: THAT’S What You’re Shocked About?

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Holy Manor - Rose's POV -

[I apologize for interrupting you Lady Undine, Head Priestess, the meal you requested is ready. Would you like for us to keep it ready for you or are you ready to dine?] - Young? Arachne

[...] - Head Priestess Lao Ji Si

[Ha... We'll eat it now. I think we could all use a break regardless.] - Undine

[Understood Lady Undine, I will inform the others. Please take your time.] - Young? Arachne

It took a while, what with the whole "pointing her blade at me" thing, but I eventually managed to smooth everything over and calm down everyone involved. Argent had completely refused to defend herself from any of my other friends' arguments and it had only been the prompting of both myself and a certain foxgirl that had brought the current stalemate where the ones that refused to forgive her were at least willing to not be actively hostile. A win in my book to be honest.

It was during this lull of actual hostility that a very small Arachne woman? interrupted our much calmer discussion to announce that dinner was apparently ready. Or was it breakfast? Lunch? What time was it actually?

Regardless of what the answer was the woman? apologized upon entering and asked if we were ready to eat. Her question, obviously directed at the Head Priestess, went unanswered for a full half minute before the literal God in the room took over for the dazed old woman. Bowing to the sentient water puddle with reverence she? spared one more glance at the almost completely unresponsive religious leader before retreating from the room.

Lao Ji Si's reaction hadn't been the first time she'd done that this evening. Since waking up I'd noticed that the woman had been remarkably absent in any of our discussions, her glazed look and haunted eyes worrying me despite her former hostility. It was almost like she was an empty husk of the woman she once was and even with how little I knew of her I could tell that something major had changed since we met and I had a pretty good idea as to the reason for it. Regardless I had more important things to deal with for now however.

Sparing a sideways glance at the Demon doing his best not to nod off I let the rest of the group know that I and two others would be joining them in a bit.

[Could you guys go ahead, I think Urz, Argent and I have something to discuss. We'll join you soon.] - Rose

[Understood, don't be long.] - Malaise

[Let them down easy will you?] - Karen

[Oh oh?!? Are you gonna tell them? Are yo- OW!] - Veronica

[Quiet! Come on before you ruin it!] - Malaise

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Holy Manor - Rose's POV -

Waiting for everyone to leave took a few minutes but after it was done, I was ready to start. Except for one very noticeable problem.

[I thought I said to go on ahead.] - Rose

[You did Young Miss. However, I felt it necessary to remain behind as... insurance.] - Annabelle

[Annabelle I'll be fine I doubt tha-] - Rose

[Actually, I want her to stay. I-I know that what I did was inexcusable and that she may never trust me again but.... b-but I want to show that I'm at least no longer a threat.] - Argent

[I-I don't mind either!] - Urz

My personal maid Annabelle, her eyes fixed on the noblewoman as she refused to leave, stayed rooted in the same spot slightly off to the side behind me but well within striking distance. Limited as it was my martial training, both in my previous life and my current one, had told me that she specifically chose her position to immediately react to any further threat from the one that she continued to glare at. Regardless I wouldn't be able to have an open discussion with little-miss-combat maid looming over my shoulder, so I attempted to push her out of the room politely only to be rebuffed immediately.

Unsurprisingly Annabelle wasn't willing to budge a single inch while I was "alone" with what she considered a hostile party despite us more or less resolving the conflict a bit ago. Deciding to be a bit more forceful I was about to order her to leave only to be stopped by a surprising party. While Annabelle's insistance on remaining hadn't been unexpected Argent's plee for the same was. Cutely glancing at me with upturned eyes I found myself unconsciously squealing internally only to do so again when the innocent oppai loli that was Urz did as well. Damn it.

[With that out of the way Young Miss, why don't you start? I'd rather get this over with quickly and return to... your friends.] - Annabelle

[R-Right. Ahem so the reason I held you back from everyone else is to tell you about my past as well as my identity.] - Rose

- Arachne Hidden Village, Riyuegu Xiamen Holy Manor - Rose's POV -

[I refuse to believe it! Someone as cute and feminine as you can't have possibly been a boy! Everything else is beside the point, reincarnation or whatever I can't believe you were one of those vulgar oafs!] - Argent

[Oh, for the love of-! Why is that literally the sticking point for everyone?!? Seriously I'm literally telling you that I'm a reincarnated human from another world and the one thing you, and everyone else, gets stuck on is my freaking gender?!?] - Rose

Again?!? I mean sure I was effectively a different person now, as evidenced by my decision when it came to Kare Kare, and I'd even accepted my female form as natural and suuuure I enjoyed dressing up despite my protests and even used makeup regularly now and was a bit worried about my lack of growth around my chest area and- Yeah, I'm not exactly helping my case am I?

B-But that didn't matter! THAT shouldn't be the main thing that everyone's brain froze on! It's not like I was more feminine than the girls... around... me? Dammit I was!!!

[Well because it's just so unbelievable! Don't you agree Urz?] - Argent

[W-W-Well.... Mhm...] - Urz

Lamenting my decent in what would be called a "basic bitch" in my old world I once more felt the reality of the completely different person I'd become. Confronted with the fact that I WAS Rose I decided to... change the subject.

[Aaaaanyway, did you have any questions? I also accept comments or concerns.] - Rose

[So about you being a bo-] - Argent

[Not about that! Ahem. I meant what do you think about me being this supposed Demon Lord or whatever?] - Rose

My attempt failed! Realized I'd need to be a bit more specific if we were going to move on from the apparently distressing fact of my old gender I clarified that I meant the more serious topic of my identity rather. And Argent too must have realized that the change of topic was more serious as she immediately gained a more grim expression. Urz however, continued to look no different than before as she innocently asked a question that completely caught me off guard.

[I-I mean does that even matter?] - Urz

[Huh?!?] - Argent and Rose

[What do you mean does it matter?!? She's literally told us she's the next incarnation of the greatest evil to ever walk the face of Miscalis! Why wouldn't it matter?!?] - Argent

[H-Hiii! B-But! But she's still the same Rose we became friends with, right? I-I don't want to lose my first friends because of something that has nothing to do with her! It's not like she's the person that did all those bad things in the past right?!?] - Urz

Shocked stiff by her innocent question both Argent and I straightened immediately as Argent immediately started shaking the poor girl while spilling the beans on what her actual thoughts were. Things she would have most likely been too guilty to say to me directly poured out of the noblewoman's mouth without stopping as the poor Kappa reacted with both surprise and a bit of fear. Her reasoning? Completely in-character with how precious and innocent it was.

[...! Ha. Haha! Hahahahahahaha! Was it really that simple? Truly? Hahahahaha!] - Argent

[W-W-What's going on? Did I say something funny?] - Urz

[Haha-! No, <Hahaha!> I just realized that I was so caught up in my duty or whatever and completely missed such a simple answer. I can't believe that I missed something so easy.] - Argent

Freezing mid-shake as she heard Urz's reason behind decided my Demon Lord status didn't matter Argent suddenly began laughing maniacally. Her laughing so powerful that tears were actually streaming down her face as the confused, and slightly terrified, Kappa looked on in wonder. It ended up taking her several minutes to finally calm down during which I could hear her murmuring to herself to which I nonchalantly pretended to completely miss.

[So.....?] - Rose

[Rose. By my noble house of Lustra, I swear to serve you in all things. I shall protect you and your own as your Knight until my dying breath. Both as atonement for my wrong and for your noble heart. This I swear upon my name Argent de la Lustra.] - Argent

[Wait what do you mean ser- What's happening?!?] - Rose

Prompting her to continue however froze me in place as she did something so shocking, I'd literally never expected it in my entire lifetime. She kneeled.

Kneeling to the ground on one knee she pulled out the sword she'd somehow gotten possession of at some point and lay it in front of her in some sort of ceremony as she pledged herself to me. Growing more and more shocked at the unfolding events I immediately tried to raise her to her feet but was stopped when a bright light blinded me as Argent's sword glowed a blindingly bright white. I could hear Annabelle panicking behind me but didn't have the leeway to actually react as I felt something sweep over me as if a massive force was examining my very soul. After what felt like ages I sensed that it felt satisfied somehow and my vision came back to Argent being held down by my overprotective maid as she held a slightly shimmering blade against her neck. Argent's own blade had gone back to it's non-glowy state and, realizing that my new... knight I guess, was about to get skewered I called off my attack snek.

[Annabelle I'm fine. Oof, what even was that though? I felt like a presence washed over me and when it was finished it was like no time had passed?] - Rose

[The Trial?!? You experienced the Trial?!?] - Argent

[What in the blazes is the Trial and can everyone stop yelling, it's hurting my head.] - Rose

[S-Sorry, w-well the Trial is... well it's like a test of the lord our family deems worthy of serving. I've only ever heard old legends of it happening, so I didn't actually expect anything like this to occur but basically, according to the story, my family's ancestors will look upon those we wish to serve with all our hearts and judge their merits and if they are found wanting...] - Argent

[If they are found wanting?] - Rose

[B-Both the lord and the one that make the oath die.] - Argent

[Wait so you mean I could've died right then?!?] - Rose

[I-If the stories are to be believed...] - Argent

[Young Miss I believe I'm fully within my rights to eliminate this threat once and for all! Not only has she threatened your life once she has immediately done so again! It's onl-] - Annabelle

[Annabelle! I understand your reservations, but the first time has already been resolved and this time it wasn't even her intention. Plus, she could have lied and told us it was completely safe, and we'd have no way of knowing any different! I think that even if you're not willing to give her a pass for the previous time it's completely unreasonable to blame her for something she had no clue would happen!] - Rose

[Yes... Young Miss.] - Annabelle

[We'll discuss this as a group though, I think that everyone should be aware of the latest... change in dynamic.] - Rose

What I saw when I entered the dining hall would shock me so much that it wouldn't be until the next day when we finally spoke on the newest sequence of events.