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Chapter 22

It was late in the evening, and Ain was still considering the events of the day. Perhaps instead of calling them events, he should be referring to it as information. However, it all culminated in that moment of clarity, after he killed Jax, when he glimpsed the obscured form of the problem and realized how massive it was. A new Realm appeared. Even Axiom, whom the Auctioneer called an Ice Wyrm was dead. Axiom was no simple Ice Wyrm; Axiom was a guardian - a Living Seal. Of course, the things Axiom guarded were not important to ordinary demons or humans, and no one would have a reason to kill Axiom. Was it a coincidence then?

Not to mention the fact that Agon was alive and creating Pit Fiends. Was that why Humans were invading? Was Agon somehow involved? And why now? That question returned again. Why now? There was no reason to wait until now to do it. Back then, the Human Realm was much weaker. Or is the Calamity Lord's impending death the reason for this timing? That would make sense. One other thing also made sense: Agon also reincarnated.

A knock on his door tore Ain out of his thoughts.

"Master..." Ain heard Senon's voice from the other side. "Are you asleep?"

Ain cleared his throat and sat up on the bed. "Come in," he called out.

The door swung open, letting in the soft glow of the artificial light in the hallways. Ain's room was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight outside. The room wasn't large either - in fact, it was the smallest and likely used by servants only when the mansion still had them. Senon's room in particular was the Master Bedchamber, and even the goblins lived in the lavish chambers for guests.

The person that entered was not the same Senon he left in that hallway. Her hair was black, tied up the way it usually was, but it was different. The color itself was deeper. Her skin was paler too - as pale as the moonlight filtering into the room from the windows. Finally, her eyes were pale blue and her pupil was distorted, almost shaped like a fractal eight-point star, fractured through the connecting sides and the center in which pure blackness existed alone.

Ain sighed. This was why he was against changing Senon, but she wanted it, and he had no other choice.

"You are not a demon anymore," Ain said, voice quieter than usual. "Are you angry?"

Senon shook her head as she stepped inside. She wore a pristine white dress that did not quite match the color of her hair - if anything, it only deepened the contrasting visual of her form. "I am not angry, although I don't understand what is happening to me."

Ain smiled weakly. "You are aligning to the principles that govern the universe; Equilibrium, in particular."

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Senon pondered Ain, her head lowering. After a moment, she sat down next to him. "I saw you... in my vision."

Ain straightened up when Senon sat next to him and he cleared his throat again. "Your vision?" he asked, not directly looking at Senon.

Senon placed her hand on top of Ain's and whispered. "You looked at me, and there was sadness in your eyes. You said: The Self reflects the Nothingness."

Ain's head snapped towards Senon. "That is an Axiom of Reflection, an Ideal of the Universe. You had this vision in your Enlightenment?"

Senon nodded her head. "Master, in my vision, you die." Her hand squeezed Ain's. "I don't want you... to die."

Ain relaxed, heaving a sigh of relief as he smiled at Senon. "Don't worry, Senon, those visions aren't omens. I am not going to die."

"Do you promise?" Senon asked, a touch of faint rose color coming into her cheek.

Ain nodded. "I promise."

Senon lowered her gaze, the little bit of pride demon she had left in her resisting the smile gracing her expression to no avail. "Well, all right then. I... should get going. Unless you want me to stay?"

Almost hopeful, she looked up at Ain.

Perhaps misunderstanding the situation, Ain smiled. "Go get some rest. We are going on a trip tomorrow."

"Ah." Senon looked away from Ain. "As you wish. Have a good night, Master."

"You too."

Senon left in a hurry.

Ain lay down on the bed with a sigh and stared at the ceiling.

"What the fak is wrong with you, Master?" he heard a voice from under his bed. "If Def know he hide here to not die from Master anger, only to be forced to witness this clusterfak of dating, Def take life in own hands and end it."

"Troma no understand why Def drag Troma into this. Troma did not lie to master."

"Shut up."

Ain continued staring at the ceiling, by now used to the goblins. Hiding under his bed was a good idea, he had to admit. That would literally be the last place he'd check.

"Well, Master excuse Def and Troma. Master can punish Def tomorrow when we both rested up, yes? Good. Def happy if Master happy."

"Hold on," Ain said.

Def froze in his steps. The ugly, diabolical goblin reckoned that Ain was in a good mood after that and would be merciful. He had no choice but to make the gamble. He couldn't hide under the bed forever.

"Yes, Master?" Def asked.

"What you did today," Ain began, casting a glance towards the two frightened goblins. "It was actually a really good idea."

Def beamed happily, his smile figuratively more luminous than the sun. "Really? Def so happy he could be of service."

"I told you not to do it, however," Ain said and Def's expression crumbled. "However, consider the matter settled. I did get to see an interesting character today."

"Oh? Who dat?" Troma asked.

"The Maiden of the Blood Sword."

Def and Troma pondered for a moment and shrugged.

"Light blue hair? White dress?"

"Ah, Alevyaela? Def know of her," the goblin said.

Ain nodded. "I want you to inform the Raveners and Realmbreakers that I will consider allowing small parties to use my Teleportation Chamber if they help build it. As for the Maiden - I want you to personally extend her an invitation to this place, for when I return. The Teleportation Chamber - offer it to her if you have to. Emperor techniques, even Heavenly Count techniques... whatever it takes. Do you understand?"

The two goblins nodded. "Understand, Master."

Ain nodded. "Good. You may depart."

They did.