Dark Fate, Chapter 221

Chapter 221 – “Unpleasantness”

Ambassador Kozhukov Tomas Makarovich was nervous. That much was easy to see. Well, not that I could blame him. After all, he was the Russian Ambassador to Ceres, and I had rather publicly executed his country’s leader just a week ago. To say that things were strained between Ceres and Russia would be a bit of an understatement.

Not that I had any particular animosity towards him, or his country. Sure, they had tried to play terrorist games by sending a Tier 3 monster to attack my new allies in Panama, but I had already gotten my vengeance for that, and made the appropriate examples. The only grudges I held on to were the ones I hadn’t properly repaid yet.

Of course, just because I believed I’d given them enough of a spanking to balance the crime didn’t mean I was going to remove any of the punishments already in place. Or that I wouldn’t extract my pound of flesh if they wanted to change things. I was a Demon Lord, not a Pure Soul, after all. I wasn’t so naïve as to forgive, not until I was certain the lesson had been learned, and, even when I forgave, I didn’t forget.

However, in the two weeks since I’d announced the closure of the Panama Canal to Russian shipping, Russian businesses had lost millions of gold worth of profits, since they needed to take alternate routes to market. I hadn’t been paying too close attention, but I had already heard that several companies were actually trans-shipping through Shanghai or Tokyo to get around the ban, which was only tightening the vise on the Russian shipping companies. In a few months, most of them would be risking going under, or would have to sell off parts of their fleet to stay afloat.

What made things worse for the Russians was that they had no way to really retaliate. Economic sanctions did not work, since I not only controlled the Canal, but also had raw materials coming from dungeons in the wider empire, and mining operations in the Asteroid Belt, as well as manufacturing capability. Political pressure was useless, because I was not part of any treaty organizations, and I didn’t have to worry about elections or anything like that. Plus, my skills helped keep my people loyal and happy. And the less said about military responses the better. Russia needed Ceres more than Ceres needed Russia, and that was the end of it.

That grim reality is why Ambassador Kozhukov had asked for this meeting. Enough damage had been done that it was already sending ripples throughout the Russian economy. He was here, hoping to find some way to stop the bleeding. Not that I intended to make it easy.

Kozhukov cleared his throat, and said, “Thank you for meeting with me today, your Majesty. I was hoping that we could come to an agreement to try and put the recent unpleasantness behind us.”

“Unpleasantness is an interesting word to describe deliberately sending a biological weapon capable of mass destruction at a foreign nation while not even having a declaration of war,” I said, evenly. “The best that could be said of such an action was that it was state-sponsored terrorism. Saying that it was casus belli for the Ceresan Empire to declare war on Russia would not be out of line. And there are those who believe that a weapon of mass destruction ought to be answered in kind.”

The diplomat winced at the implications of what I’d said, but he didn’t argue the point. There was no point, when he knew I was right. Still, I didn’t have any reason to torture him, personally, with those facts.

“Yes, I was unaware of my governments plans until they were revealed by the media. Unfortunately, I was not consulted about that course of action.”

“I know that,” I said, simply. “If I had suspected you of being part of that plot, we would not be having such a pleasant conversation right now. The fact that you, and many others in your government, were unaware of the actions taken by one of its agencies, and approved by your former president, is what stayed my hand from wiping out Russia’s military capability, as I did in what used to be Israel.”

Kozhukov took a breath, and then let it out slowly, calming himself. Well, no one liked the idea of me doing what I did to the IDF to their nation’s military, so that was understandable. “And I thank you for that. My nephew is part of the Navy, and my parents live within the danger zone of a military base, so I, personally, am glad that you chose a different means of retaliation. Unfortunately, this economic attack is more troubling to those in power, and those who support them. I’ve been instructed to see what it would take to have these sanctions lifted.”

I chuckled at that. “If I were a more vindictive sort, I would require the sanctions to remain in place until the losses surpassed twice over the entire gp value of the projected damages of a Giant Kraken attacking the canal, as well as the Juvenile Krakens that have since hatched from the eggs left in the canal. Two survived the initial frenzy, after all. Add in the loss of lives, and the additional ships that would have been destroyed, the costs of repairing or rebuilding locks?” I shrugged, leaving the exact numbers to his imagination.

“And since you are not that vindictive?”

I chuckled. “Well, then there’s room to talk. But, understand, any price I put on lifting the sanctions will go directly to those in power, and those behind them, not the people. Because the people aren’t the ones making the decisions. It is the leaders and the oligarchs who are to blame, and so they will be the ones who must pay.”

Kozhukov nodded slowly. “I gathered as much from the broadcast. You do not go along with the polite fiction that elected leaders are swayed by the needs of their voters, but instead say outright that they are only swayed by their donors. And so that is who you choose to target.” He sighed, and said, “I may as well hear what price you wish, though obviously I won’t be able to give an answer one way or the other without speaking to my superiors.”

“Oh, it is simple, really, and will not be terribly financially damaging to anyone targeted by this decree. However, I am quite certain that most of the ones who are targeted will absolutely hate it. They will have to decide which is worth more to them, their pride as men, or their money.”

The ambassador groaned. “Oh, I am not liking the sound of this.”

I didn’t even try to hide the smirk on my face. “Because I am a kind and generous Demon Lord, I will restrict this punishment to the new president, the national legislature, and the fifty wealthiest men in Russia at the time of my decree. Those men will have two choices. First, they can accept a [Slave Brand], with their wife or daughter being their new Mistress, requiring them to take the submissive role for a change. If that is not to their liking, then they can take a [Sex Change Potion] and be impregnated by a demon of any species, carrying the child to term, and raising them as their own child.”

Kozhukov frowned. “Correct me if I am wrong, but is it not true that, if someone who has taken a [Sex Change Potion] is impregnated, they cannot be turned back?”

“Yes, and no. Yes, they would not be able to use a [Sex Change Potion] to change back, and most Tier 1 magics would not be able to undo the change. However, there are Tier 2 classes who gain magic that can change them back, or they can get a race change to a creature with natural shapeshifting abilities, like a Succubus. Of course, the succubus would still be counted as Female, even if they spent most of their time posing as a man. And there is the issue of their needing to feed.”

“So, this is why you said they would have to choose between their ‘pride as men’ and their money. Either they emasculate themselves by becoming slaves to their wives or daughters, or they become women, and have to carry a demon’s child? That will not go over well.”

“That sounds like a ‘them’ problem to me,” I chuckled. “However, once everyone on that list has completed one of those two tasks, or are killed, with their heads being delivered to the Ceresan Embasy, then the sanctions will be lifted, and Russian ships will be able to move through Ceresan territory once more. So, in fact, I’m giving them three options. Truly, I am a merciful Demon Lord.”

“This is what counts as mercy to a Demon Lord?”

That caused me to laugh, long and hard. “Oh, Ambassador, I assure you, most of the Demon Lords out in the wider galaxy would do far, far worse for far lesser slights than attempting to attack their lands with weapons of mass destruction. I happen to know of one, closer to the galactic core, that would have captured every person on the list I just gave you, along with their families, and given each family an ultimatum. The family will have to choose one of their members, and eat them alive, until there’s nothing but bone remaining. Depending on how deep the insult was, the survivors would then go on to the next round, and the next, until only one member of the family remained. And then, sometimes, those lone survivors would then go against the other lone survivors, until only one was left.”

Kozhukov looked as though he was going to be sick. Not that I blamed him. But still, it was something he needed to hear, and something that people needed to understand.

“The galaxy does not work the way things did on Earth before the Activation, Ambassador. There are beings that make even my power seem pale and insignificant in comparison. Those who have, over their immortal lives, pushed further and further, rising through the levels and Tiers. The twelve strongest individuals within the System are in Tier 5. Each of those monsters could crush the Earth with a flick of the wrist. The only reason that they are not an existential threat to us is because we are beneath their notice, and too far from their homes to accidentally get caught under foot.

“However, playing games like Russia, and all the countries of Earth, have done in the past? That is a great way to start getting the attention of people who are not as merciful as I am. Perhaps not those Tier 5 monsters, just yet, but even a Tier 3 warlord with a Tier 3 army would wipe out any standing army on Earth, or even all of them combined. Your people should be thanking whichever deity they choose that you tried this shit with me, since I would prefer to educate you on the new state of the world, rather than any of the true monsters who would not care that you are unruly children who have never been taught how to react around those more powerful than you are.”

I held up a hand to cut off what I knew he was about to say, “And yes, by galactic standards, but especially by the standards of those in the higher Tiers, you, and everyone else on Earth are mere children, or perhaps barely out of adolescence. No, it is not an age thing, but experience and knowledge about the way of the world. Especially since Earth still has no unified government to speak on its behalf. I was not lying when I spoke to the UN. Earth needs to get its shit together, and soon.”

“So, we’re all children, by the universe’s gaze, then? Despite everything we have done? All we have accomplished?”

I shook my head slowly. “The only ones who would be considered ‘adults’ by the standards of the galaxy would be those like myself, who have lived through multiple timelines, and retain the wisdom and experience from them. Otherwise, a people are only considered ‘mature’ when they have a unified government over their home planet, or have expanded to multiple star systems. So, make sure your leaders understand that this is my ‘gentle’ way of ensuring that they are ready to interact with the wider galaxy, when they come knocking.”

Ambassador Kozhukov sighed, his face ashen. “I will have to speak to my superiors.”