Archive Of Potentialities.

Oneshot: Nine shades of Blue.

It's been a few weeks since I arrived at Tempest, weeks that I spent most of being confused and skeptical.

And I can't be blamed.

I know these people's history, and their pain. I once served the person who instigated it after all. And in my opinion, they looked too happy and content for a nation attacked by humans.

Was it all a lie? Did the Demon Lord Rimuru interfere in time?

Regardless of how much it repulsed me to be doubting the person that saved me, I couldn't help it. The contrast between my expectations and reality was just too great.

I tried to imagine myself moving on well after everything that happened to my mother and her village…but it just didn't work.

What was there to be happy for?

What's the point in moving on?

Are we just supposed to let our guards down to be hurt again?

“Hinata's taking care of the kids right? Take Kumara to her as well.”

Huh?

I surfaced from my bitter thoughts as I heard Lord Rimuru mention a name, my name.

In front of me was the Oni named Shuna, one of the last survivors of the Orc driven disaster that took over the Jura forest just a little while ago.

Now, I wasn't privy to everything Clayman did and my thoughts were usually hazy from my futile efforts in trying to resist his control, but I still had enough clarity to know that he and some other demon lords were responsible for that disaster.

Knowing this, I fully expected hostility from this Shuna woman, even if she concealed it.

“Understood, Lord Rimuru.” She smiled and picked me up, I was still lethargic from evolution, and I haven't completely figured out my skills.

“Have fun, Kumara.” Lord Rimuru waved as we retreated from his office.

I examined Shuna’s expression, searching for the tell tale signs of pretending.

But I found none…. Was she good at concealing it..? Or was I just not a good enough observer?

Did she not know how I got here?

Of course, I wasn't actually at fault for anything that happened to her and her people, but I would perfectly understand if she chose me as a scapegoat for any lingering feelings of resentment she had.

But there was nothing of the sort..

Heh, maybe my current state makes me look too pathetic to be hated, I was literally being carried like a pet after all.

No conversation happened between us - for good reason - as she took me over to the woman called Hinata. I promptly analyzed what I could about her, nothing special but it did the job.

If I could laugh in my current form, I would.

The amount of people I had met who could beat Clayman served as a satisfying joke to me. There was just something funny about how at least 6 people within this City's borders could have ended his ambitions without much fanfare.

“Good afternoon, Lady Hinata.” Shuna greeted, she didn't seem completely open to Hinata's presence, and it showed.

That removes the possibility of my observation skills failing me then, Shuna clearly wasn't a big fan of Hinata.

“Afternoon. Shuna, right? Is there something I could do for you?”

I turned my attention away from the two women and inspected my surroundings.