The scorching hot sun stood high up in the sky. Not a single cloud in the sky was present and the air felt extremely dry. Not even the moisture from the sea could penetrate this dry barrier. We had finally arrived at the southern continent.

Before arriving we got briefed on the situation by the Laurel.

Laurel who is the prince that had come here on a diplomatic mission in order to ease tensions between two major factions. He got a very difficult mission to pull off, reconcile two opposing factions in order to secure the trading route going through them to the port. One group is a devout follower of the warlike sun god Horekesa, and the others are followers of Harjan, which is the crescent moon god. What initially started out as an heated argument between faction leaders, eventually soured the faction relations to the brink of civil war.

The source of this heated argument? The official story says that both the faction leaders supposedly got divine messages from their gods to retake the holy land where they reside. So now it falls onto Laurels shoulders to somehow resolve this situation before it gets even worse. Because if a civil war breaks out then trade is effectively stopped between the kingdoms. And that is the last thing the king and nobles want over at home.

My opinion on this situation? It is stupid. Why not just share the place and be done with it? But then humans are pretty greedy. Also I wonder if this much sun is bad for my white skin. By the way, can I get skin cancer as a holy lich?

”Uhh, I am dying here. Mjaaa...”

”Hot...”

I hear Nyaya and Nino say from behind of me after a while. They are melting!

We had now escorted Laurel for an hour in the portside city of Jaranoa. Thematically the city looked like a mix of colonial era buildings from the Spaniards of Earth, and with indigenous buildings which was built to cool themselves down from the sun. Was quite the mish-mash of styles. It looks like the kingdom had a lot of influence here over the years.

After a short while we finally find the governmental building in which Laurel and us will reside in. The moment we entered it we felt cooled. God bless air conditioning! Nyaya which had got it the worst laid down on the cool floor in bliss. Looks like cat beastmen do not handle heat so well. Inside did we see a group of nervous looking officials.

”You are finally here, your majesty.”

Greeted the most nervous official Lauren with. He gulped afterwards.

”Greetings fellow countrymen.”

Laurel greeted while giving them suspicious looks.

”How is the situation?”

He then went straight to the point. Obviously something must had went very wrong if they are this nervous.

”I- It is best if we take it elsewhere.”

The extremely nervous offiical said as the other officials nodded.

”I see...”

The prince now understood just from this nothing have gone according to plans.

They then took us down underground for what felt like 3 floors down. In this bunkerlike environment are the walls lit with magical lights and the floor is made out of polished marble. At the end of the corridor at this flor is a spacious room. In the room is there a ebony wood table on top of toe hugging blue carpet. In this room did we all settle ourselves on the sturdy oak chairs.

Before telling us the gravity of the situation did the head official clear his throat and wiped his sweat off. Then he looked at us with a stressed face.

”I am afraid the situation has escalated.”

Lauren then looked at him in confusion as the official said it.

”What do you mean with that?”

The now upset Lauren asked. Obviously they are trying to sugarcoat the situation.

”The feuding Horekesa and Harjan factions are now escalating again!”

With a gulp the official answered.

”Has anyone died yet?”

A frustrated Laurel asked to further get a grip on how bad the situation is.

”No! So far they have only resorted to destroying private property and engaging in harassment.”

It looks like the official was at his limits soon.

”If this goes on any further then a proper war is on our hands. No mere vandalism. Resentment breeds hate. And hate turns into violence. Then this self sustaining cycle will repeat forever. Unless we can find a way to reconcile them.”

Laurel then gives me a satisfied look. I gave him a ”Are you dragging me into this?” look.

”I think I have found a way.”

That just confirmed it. He is dragging me, Izumi and the girls into this. This was no mere escort mission! We got decieved by that cheeky guildmaster!

”Lotus, your eyes and forehead mark are not just for show. Right?”

He then stared at me intently as he asked me.

”Umm... They are symbols of my relationship with Harjan...”

No point in lying I thought as he asked me. I am after all the [Child of Harjan] in this world. Thanks to the intervention of Earth’s god. But what does this have to do with me?

”Then there is a way.”

Laurel said with confidence. It looks like it made the officials less nervous.

”B- But how is this supposed to help!?”

I quickly butted in.

”If we can get one side to calm down, the other one will be easier to negotiate with.

So Lotus, how do you feel about playing the role of [The Chosen One]?”

He winked at me as he essentially ordered me. I got a bad feeling about this.

”Eh!?”

”...what?”

”...”

”...eh?”

”Oh.”

Me, Izumi and the girls exclaimed our surprise at this weird plan.

Shortly afterward started Izumi grumbling to himself about that bastard branch guildmaster, while hiding his face with his hands. He probably knew it was going to come to this again. Probably explains why he was so feeling down way back in the capital... She is quite the devil.

”Do not worry folk, we will do our best to de-escalate the situation and ensure our trading is not affected. By the decree of the king this diplomatic mission will be an success.”

Laurel then finished the meeting off with this promise.