This one is the bonus chap for the powerstone milestone on the neighboring site.

  The parchment vanished into a sealed scroll before Ludwig could really register that it existed.

  One moment Cire took out a paper from her storage ring and moved her pen with that calm, relentless scratch. The next, Hiruzen had read it in silence, expression unreadable, and rolled it up as if it were a mission report instead of written cage and chains.

  Ludwig couldn’t help but scratch his head at their dispy. He felt like he was missing something as the price for the potions weren’t stated yet.

  Hiruzen’s gaze lifted to Cire. “Then we have an understanding.”

  Cire inclined her head once. “I guess we have.”

  For a breath, Ludwig thought Hiruzen might argue the word. But no, Cire just stood up, the chair beneath her scrapped the floor as patrons nearby tried to pretend they were more interested in anything else but them. The Hokage followed suit, and before long the two negotiators who had fought with terms and a punishment dder grasped each other's hand.

  “I hope we will have a great partnership.” The Hokage said.

  Cire nodded. “As long as no one in your vilge does what is stated as no do, I believe it will be a great partnership.”

  The Hokage chuckled bitterly. “Soon, I’ll send the list of precious things in our world. I hope that will change your mind about this partnership.”

  “Hah.” Cire scoffed. “We helped you create a leash for your otherwise rampaging special ops agents and will soon supply you with potions. Doubt anything in your world is as precious as that.”

  Hiruzen let out another bitter smile. Seemed like Cire’s words hit where it hurt for him. “I’ll take my leave now. Else, I’ll get hurt.”

  Cire just nodded before Hiruzen looked at Ilea and Ludwig and also offered them a nod.

  As the door closed and the Hokage’s presence left the restaurant, the customers bar a few let out a collective sigh. The tension also eased quite a bit, as if the restaurant took another step towards its daily routine.

  “Cire.” Ludwig opened his mouth and took a step closer to the woman. “Thank you.”

  Cire looked at him, one of her eyebrows went up. “For what?”

  “For not letting me do something stupid because I felt responsible.” Ludwig said. “For making it… easier.”

  Her fingers tightened briefly on the strap, then eased.

  “You are responsible.” Cire said. Her tone wasn’t cruel. It was factual. “You just don’t have to be responsible alone.”

  Ludwig swallowed. He’d come to the negotiation believing medicine could stay medicine if he was careful enough. Yet, Cire had just proven the opposite: medicine became power the moment someone wanted it badly enough.

  Cire finally looked up at him. “So, I guess you will be staying?”

  Even though it was a words that had question mark by the end, in trutht wasn’t a question at all.

  Ludwig nodded once. “After what happened? Yeah, I have to cut my break short.”

  Cire’s gaze flicked past him toward the staff moving through the restaurant with controlled efficiency. Toward the cracked corridor tile. Toward the table where the negotiation had just been concluded.

  Then her eyes returned to Ludwig.

  “Don’t try to fix everything.” She said quietly.

  Ludwig almost ughed. It would have come out wrong.

  “I’ll try.” he said. “Though I knew I’ll fail.”

  Cire’s mouth moved by a fraction, almost an approval.

  “I’m returning to Tempest then.” She said, “I was supposed to be on vacation.”

  Ilea snorted. “Sure.”

  Cire ignored her.

  Ludwig finally chuckled. Maybe the first in the night where he didn’t use it to mask his own nervousness. “Enjoy Tempest. Just make sure Kushina didn’t do anything stupid.”

  Cire let out a chuckle. Her demeanour also shifted a bit, she felt like her usual self who was slightly alcoholic. Or maybe whiskey-holic. “Talking to Hiruzen is far easier than doing that.”

  Cire pivoted on her heels and walked away from where Ludwig stood. But at the nearby table, she stopped. “Trian, I have to talk with you once I return.”

  The redhead looked at Cire and nodded. “I have a feeling you will want to talk with me when you push the Medic Sentinel name to the negotiation. I’ll wait.”

  Cire looked at him and smirked. “Make sure you prepare a list of names of those you deemed strong enough.”

  Trian frowned. “Our definition of strong should be close enough. And no one in the corps should make the cut for now. Then what should I do?”

  “You have experienced fighting shinobi from that world firsthand. I want a list of those who will not die against them. At least, at the level of the special ops Hiruzen brought.”

  Trian’s face turned contemptive. “I need to check with Aki. But, I’ll have the list ready.”

  “Good.” Cire answered. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

  “Sure.” Trian answered.

  As Cire took a walk towards the door, she looked at the restaurant’s staff and nodded. Which his staff reciprocated.

  The restaurant’s door creaked open, and the refreshing air of Tempest wafted in. A heartbeat ter, the air stopped as the door closed shut.

  The chatter inside the restaurant continued, still subdued, but it’s there. Ilea propped herself up from the broken pilrs and walked to the table where Trian and Kyrian were sitting with a team from the Shadow Hand.

  “She changed, alright.” Ilea mused. Not just to those close to her, but to Ludwig as well.

  Knowing he was invited, Ludwig walked closer to the gathering of people from Ravenhall. “She spooked me for the entirety of the negotiation."

  The squad of Shadow Hand let out a collective chuckle at his words. Even Trian and Kyrian smiled.

  “As expected from the Head Administrator.” A woman's voice slithered out from beneath the hood.

  The amused chuckle hangs in the air for a moment. Only after it subsided Ilea opened her mouth.

  “You know, now I’m curious about what she underwent. Evolution, you said? Why don’t you feel the same then?”

  Ludwig crossed his arms and slipped into contemption. Should he tell her or not? Afterall, it’s the specialty of the Tenshura world.

  But after remembering Cire and Ilea world also had the same System Window, Ludwig decided to open up. Though, not everything. Just what he knew he could say.

  “I don’t evolve. Rimuru can’t name me fot some reason. Though he said he would be able to if he evolved ter on.”

  His answer nded him a hum from Ilea and a gaze from everyone else.

  “Oh, so Rimuru has to name someone for them to evolve?” Ilea asked.

  “Yeah.” Ludwig nodded. “That’s the way of their world. A lower being could evolve by getting named by a higher being.”

  “Can I evolve there I wonder…” Ilea mused.

  At that, Ludwig chuckled. “Of course not. Rimuru can’t name me, so of course he wouldn’t be able to name you.”

  Ilea stared at him for a long moment. Then she leaned back, hands behind her head, and ughed. A real ughter, not the sharp predator sound she used when she wanted someone uncomfortable.

  “That’s so stupid.” She said, like it was a compliment. “I love it.”

  Across the table, one of the Shadow Hand shifted under their hood, shoulders rolling as if they’d been holding tension in their spine since the raid. Another removed their gloves, flexed their fingers once, and set them carefully on the table like it mattered that the world stayed tidy.

  Kyrian, sitting with a posture that looked rexed until you watched his eyes, gnced toward the dining room. “The customers are still here.”

  Ludwig followed his gaze.

  Valerie walked past with a tray of steaming cups, movements steady and smooth. A pair of patrons in the corner spoke in low voices, heads close together, like they were sharing a scandal. Someone ughed, te, forced. Then coughed and drank too quickly.

  Normal was returning in pieces.

  The restaurant’s hum had softened since Hiruzen left, yet it still felt offbeat. Like the building had stopped bracing for impact and started listening for the next footstep.

  But Ludwig knew, once tonight was over, everything would return to normal tomorrow. That’s just how the world runs. People forget and forgive. Even if they did not, a tankard of two could make them do so.

  In order to return normalcy to the restaurant, Ludwig could only hope Hiruzen moved fast. Because if he didn’t, he had to go to Greito and ask him to redo the whole interior. Which would spiral into another round of talk where he had to tell him about the approved immi—uh, world change, for them from their world to Tenshura world.

  Ludwig’s head throbbed as he thought about that. The talking was one thing, but the most worrying thing was how the adult demon in that settlement would perceive him. Most of them called him a hero right now. He didn’t know what it would turn into once they realized the world they went to was a pce where they could be truly free.

  “So…” Ilea opened her mouth, hands behind her head. “You are restoring the interior now or what?”

  Ludwig woke up from his thoughts and looked at the ash medic. “I can if I want to. But not now, else I have to really fine-tune my power to prevent you guys from being forced to vomit what you have eaten.”

  Before Ilea could ask further, a presence could be seen on top of his head.

  “Human! Do that! I have finished my pudding and want to eat more!”

  Just from hearing how absurd the words were, Ludwig knew who it was.

  “Raon, doing so wouldn’t be good for your body.” Ludwig chuckled. “If you want more, just ask Valerie.”

  He could feel two sets of gaze nding on him at that moment. Then, Raon said again. “C-can I?”

  “Come here you little brat!” Another voice entered the conversation. “Chef, you shouldn’t let that brat get everything he wanted.”

  Ludwig turned around and saw the redhead noble walking towards him. Or more accurately, toward the little dragon.

  “It’s fine. At least for today.” Ludwig said and moved his eyes towards Raon. “Starting tomorrow, you pay again, okay?”

  “Okay!” The dragon vanished in an instant. A couple of meows followed suit before a sigh.

  “You really shouldn't do that.” The redhead noble sighed.

  “Cale, right?” Ludwig asked as he looked at him.

  The guy nodded before moving his hand towards him. “Cale Henituse to be exact.”

  Ludwig csped Cale’s hand, and he realized the man was truly a noble. His palm was smooth, a kind of hand that someone who hadn’t even washed their clothes themselves for once had.

  But that didn’t make him look down on him. Someone was just born that way. And being a noble didn’t mean they were always weak. Just hearing what the noble in front of him could do automatically slotted him to the ‘quite capable’ patron list on his head.

  “I thank you again for helping my staff.” Ludwig said. “Heard you have quite a sturdy shield in you.”

  “Apparently,” Cale chuckled and looked towards Ilea. “Not sturdy enough.”

  The Shadow Hand squad chuckled at Cale’s world. Then one of them said something from beneath their hood. “If a shield is hard enough for the famed Lilith, she would just level up and hit harder the next day.”

  They ughed at the man’s words, before Ilea pyfully flicked her ash towards the speaker.

  Ludwig pressed his smile down and continued. “Still, you helped. My staffs are safe because of your shield. Multiple people said so. Therefore, I must thank you.”

  Cale shrugged. “I never intend to do so. But those guys… well, just the Hokage. I always hated him.”

  Ludwig smirked as he was able to read between the lines. Ilea as well. Even though he didn’t say it outright, the man in front of him just told them he was also like them, someone who arrived in a different world from Earth full of fiction.

  “My thoughts exactly.” Ilea chimed.

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