Summoned to a Shattered World

Birthright Chapter 6 - Auspicious Slaughter

My mouth fell open, was what they were saying true? A look at Sarinknell's drawn face confirmed it. She was a fake. It made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Serving a Demon Lord was bad enough, being bound to a fake one was just absurd.

"You're right." Sarinknell's voice was calm, determined. "Currently, I have no claim under law, my father's title officially passed to my uncle."

Miusin smiled. "And yet you call yourself a Demon Lord? Doesn't that strike you as a little ridiculous?"

I agreed wholeheartedly, but not Sarinknell. "I don't technically own the title, but that will all change soon."

The other girl scoffed, showing off her pointed teeth. "And how's that? You said yourself that you don't have any claim."

Sarinknell shrugged. "For now. If my uncle were to die, then his title will pass to the member of his household with the highest rank. And if his successor died as well and so on..." The fake Demon Lord's finger traced the lip of her goblet. "Eventually you might just end up with a Demon Lord of the first circle after all."

Miusin's lips came together in a hard line and she turned her attention to her food.

Biustarn, on the other hand, looked delighted. "What a wonderful little notion. And how do you plan for this incredible turn of fortune to come about?"

"It's simple." Sarinknell tapped her finger against the table. "I just have to kill off everyone in my father's household that holds a higher rank than me. Fortunately, my uncle is the only such member."

"I'd hoped you might say that. Though I applaud your ambition, I can't say I fancy your chances. Unless you've got an army hidden somewhere."

"No, no army. I have a few allies, but I could always do with another."

Biustarn raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering me an alliance?"

"I am."

"Your proposal is certainly... intriguing. But I'm afraid I'll need more time to think it over, would you be willing to travel with us for a short while? You'd have a perfect chance to watch the battle."

Sarinknell bit her lip, deliberating. "Very well, we'll accompany you. I'll give you a day to think it over, that's the longest I can delay my plans."

They spent the rest of the meal discussing things of lesser importance, such as the upcoming attack on the human city and eating their raw meat. Meanwhile I sat there wondering what the hell was going on.

Not only was Sarinknell an imposter, but now we might be entering into an alliance with this other Demon Lord? It made my head spin. Once lunch was over, the servants started packing up and getting ready to go. "Are we seriously going to ally with this guy?"

"If we can. You said yourself that we need additional help, this is a perfect opportunity to acquire some."

"Yeah, but, can you trust him? You've never met him before in your life, right?" I couldn't imagine Demon Lords were particularly trustworthy.

"No, never. And as a matter of fact, I don't trust him at all. I don't know where you got that idea from."

"Don't you have to trust your allies?"

Sarinknell shook her head. "I see you know very little of politics. Allies are just someone who you try to use to your advantage, while they do the same to you."

There was something terribly warped about the way she saw the world, but she was right; I don't know anything about politics. Biustarn seemed dangerous, but she hardly needed me to tell her that. That was probably the very reason why she thought he might be a valuable ally.