The Syndicate Faction, on paper, was poorer than dirt. They didn't even have their own mansion. Generally, creating a Faction was impossible for two reasons. By the time the paperwork would go through, there would be no available members to join it. Everyone would already have been selected to join another Faction.

The act of coming together beforehand to create a Faction with the required member count was frowned upon. It wasn't a law, per se, but the Tribune Faction decided what the law was. Coincidentally, the Tribune Faction was not a lawful, official Faction. They too came together to enforce their vision of the Law that governed the Academy and they earned their power and influence through brutal violence. It made sense then, that in order to maintain their power, they would never allow another 'unsanctioned' faction to exist in the Academy.

The second reason was simple in comparison. Running a faction required a lot of gold. Daily operation costs could run as high as several hundred gold pieces. Generally, these costs would be covered by sponsors outside the Academy, which meant that factions provided a certain service indispensable to the Demon Realm at large.

For example, the Demon Court sponsored the Nobility faction. The ancient demon clans sponsored the Elite. The Raveners and the Realmbreakers were sponsored by the Ministry of War and Destruction. And so on.

What service could a 'Crime' Syndicate provide?

According to Def: "Oh Master, there plenty ways to go stupid about it. But we smart now. Def much experience."

Whatever that meant.

"Excuse me, are you Lord Ain?" A blonde ran into the temporary faction room within the Academy admin building, which was recently repaired. In fact, Ain saw her before. The first time he came to the Academy, this girl told him that the first Exam had already started. She had snowflakes in her eyes - like Latela. But she was no Lust demon.

"I am Ain," he said. "How can I help you?"

"I'd like to join your faction, my Lord!" the girl said, desperation in her eyes.

Ain glanced at her shoulder. She was already a first year of the Raveners. "You already have a faction. You know the Tribune will come after you if you join my faction too."

The girl tore off the insignia and threw it to the ground. "I don't care! I quit the Raveners."

Ain blinked. Something was wrong here. "What is your name?"

"Atrea," she said. And then added: "... my Lord."

"Atrea," Ain echoed, frowning. "You are a half?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Half human?"

Atrea swallowed. "H-how did you know? I tell everyone I am half Fae..."

Ain waved his hand, dismissing the topic. "Why do you want to join the Syndicate?"

Atrea seemed confused. "My Lord, isn't it obvious. You promised to teach Emperor-level techniques to anyone who would join. And, my Lord, I am ready to give you my eternal and unquestionable loyalty. I will even... even... my body... if you want it..." Her voice became smaller and smaller the more she said.

"Excuse me?" Ain asked.

Oh, so that's what Def meant.

"I said..." Atrea blushed.

"No, it's fine. Forget it," Ain said, sighing. Ain made a mental note to interrogate Def on exactly what he promised.

"W-will you... let me join?" she asked.

"I..." Ain trailed off. He had to admit, promising useless Emperor-level techniques is not a bad recruitment pitch.

Suddenly, Senon stormed into the room. The room was small, it had about enough space for two goblins, one half demon, one human, and a Living Word. It was starting to get crowded.

"Master, I don't mind if you want to fool around and have more than one wife," Senon said, pissed as hell. "But I... I... want..."

Wait, what?

"Wives?" Ain asked. "Hold on. Whose? Mine?"

Senon narrowed her eyes, reaching for her sword. "You will play stupid?"

"This is a huge misunderstanding," Ain said, holding his hands up defensively.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Uh-uh, misunderstanding," Senon whispered, tears in her eyes.

"Def!" Ain shouted, "Def! Come here!"

"Def is on business in the city," Atrea said. "He told me to come straight here."

Ain jumped out of his seat. "Look, this wasn't my idea. It was the goblins. They are setting me up."

"Lord Ain!" At least twenty voice shouted outside, in unison. "We wish to serve you; Our bodies and our souls belong to you! Our eternal loyalty, we give to you!" Their voices were so in sync, they must've practiced it for hours. The voices were mostly female.

Senon pushed the curtain aside and looked out onto the courtyard. She couldn't hold her tears back anymore. Something she saw crushed her heart.

"You are an asshole," Senon said, glaring at Ain. "I hope the Tribune murders you in your sleep."

Then she stormed off.

A fire was lit up in Ain's eyes. Was Def intentionally trying to get Ain killed? No way, Def was not smart enough for such a scheme. No, it had to be something else.

Then it hit him. Like a lightning bolt out of the blue, Ain understood the scope of Def's scheme. If Ain had wives, like Def, he too would be in debt - forced to feed the ever-turning, malevolent wheel of misfortune and financial ruin.

Ain chuckled. "Nice try, Def," he whispered.

"My Lord? Won't you go after your... first... wife?" Atrea asked.

"Maybe later. Look, Atrea, I don't know what you heard, but I won't be needing your..." Ain pondered. "I am willing to teach you what I can, if you are worthy of it. The other stuff, you don't have to worry about it."

"You don't... want... my b--"

"No, thank you. I am fine," Ain said, interrupting her.

"What about the Tribune?" Atrea asked.

Ain shrugged. "Who?"

"The Tribune Faction. You know they kee-- oh I get it."

Ain nodded. "Good girl."

"Tribune is too small for Lord Ain to see, heh heh," Atrea said.

"Do me a favor and tell the others outside what I told you, word for word. I have to go take care of something."

"Yes, my Lord!"

___

Ain had to admit that Def's approach to handling the membership problem was as effective and brutal as the Tribune's way of solving the Faction problem. The Tribune never had problems because First Years did not have the strength, means or resources to form factions, much less defend their members. But someone who openly promised Emperor-level techniques, a rarity in this era, and Calamity Lord knows what else, was not an opponent the Tribune crossed paths with before. At the very least, it implied that the individual had strength and means.

To Ain's knowledge, the Realmbreakers was the only faction to come together despite the Tribune's attempts, but they had the backing of the Ministry of War, so it is no surprise that they managed to overcome their tribulations.

Ain found Senon on the path leading to the city, at the foot of the mountain.

"Senon, where are you going?" Ain called out to her.

"I am going to go kill Def," she said, angrily. "Don't stop me."

"Stop you? I am coming with you!" Ain said, walking by her side. "This is all his fault, you know?"

"Yes. I... I knew that," Senon said, gaze adamantly fixed in front of her. She had an air of arrogance about her.

"Well, if you knew, then why did you get so... angry about it?" Ain asked.

Senon was silent.

In truth, Ain knew why she was angry. There was just nothing he could do about it. It wouldn't be fair. Perhaps Ain was the only one who could understand the reasons why it wouldn't be fair.

"At least you have the members you need now," Senon said.

"Yes, you are right," Ain said. "I just don't know what Def has in mind for them."

"Robbery and racketeering, most likely," Senon said.

"That crossed my mind." Ain nodded.

There was a long silence. The two walked down the path, and the city was becoming closer and closer. Through the crown of the maple trees, the sunlight filtered through, casting romantic shadows on the two irregulars in the Demon Realm.

It wasn't that strange. Even Atrea was a half human, half demon.

"You are teaching everyone Emperor-level methods now," Senon said.

"So it seems," Ain said. "They aren't anything special really. Only in this age, they look like an ideal all should strive to obtain."

Senon wasn't even surprised to hear those words. Not from Ain. Considering what he was capable of, Emperor-level methods and techniques must be child's play to him.

"Will you teach me one?" Senon asked.

Ain pondered. "I won't," he said. "You are my disciple, I will teach you something better."

Senon glanced at Ain.

"It is a Heavenly King-level method, appropriate for you," Ain said.

Senon's eyes glazed over. Heavenly King; that was the domain of world-ending calamities. Warriors who crossed the Boundary time and time again to lay to ruin countless worlds. Legend had it that the methods were obtained from comprehending the Nine Pillars of Creation.

"I don't know... if I am worthy of such... Master," Senon whispered.

Ain smiled. "Of course you are worthy, Senon. You are my disciple, after all."

Senon's smile was dazzling in its pride and shyness, the two opposites colliding to create something truly unique on the beautiful boy-- girl's face.

"This is your only opportunity," Ain said, smile faltering. "There is no turning back. You have to decide right now, if this is what you want."

Senon turned towards Ain. "I want it. I want to be worthy... of walking by your side..." she murmured, offering her forehead to Ain, expecting him to teach her the same way he imparted his knowledge to the goblins.

Ain's smile faded away as he nodded. "Very well," he said, sadness coloring his voice.

He reached forward with his hand. Instead of touching her forehead, he placed his hand over Senon's heart. "Meridia," Ain whispered.

A small, tiny magical circle appeared over Ain's hand and it shed a dazzling light. The sky darkened, dark clouds gathering overhead. There was something incredibly profane about that tiny magical circle. The air was charged - electric - with an ominous portent.

The sound of static filled their ears.

Senon's eyes widened in shock. "What are you..."

Ain's hand plunged through Senon's skin, the same way it did when Ain retrieved the Living Word from Def's Source. "I am destroying your Source."

Senon gasped. A sensation unlike any she felt before coursed through her body. It crawled along her nerves like lightning; bursting into kaleidoscope crystals of sensation in her synapses. Her body was frozen and yet on fire. She was dying. It was the sensation of final and complete demise. Nothing can exist without a Source.

Slowly, she felt herself becoming erased.

"I am sorry," Ain whispered, as lightning crackled overhead. Flashes of light filtered through the maple treetops, casting grotesque shadows on the couple.

No one understood better than Ain, the reason why being able to walk at his side was utterly unfair.

No one.

A golden lightning bolt spider-webbed across the sky, like a fracture in reality, and then descended on Ain, striking him dead-on.