Palace of Demeter - 6th Floor (Sunken City)

Central Spire – Treasury exterior

Day 1 - 2:16 PM Demeter Standard Time

Arriving on the 6th Floor, the two looked through the large glass walls that made up a big chunk of the Central Spire.

Out through the glass, they could see the pitch-black water that existed all around them. Rather than being a terrestrial Floor like the others, Goren decided to make this one into an undersea one.

Pods of fish POPs and other aquatic creatures swam by them, with large sea monsters occasionally making an appearance.

“I think you made this place specifically to fuck with me,” Asriel said.

Goren chuckled.

“I don’t know what you mean~,” Goren said in an innocent tone.

“I’m sure you do. I told you I had submechanophobia sometime back.”

“So you automatically assume I used that knowledge against you by making this Floor?”

Asriel shrugged.

“It certainly feels that way.”

Goren shook his head.

“I promise you that I did no such thing. I made this Floor an undersea place because I thought it would be cool. It’s as simple as that, I promise.” Goren put a hand to his chest.

Asriel sighed.

“I believe you. Still, this place gives me the creeps.”

“You can put on a blindfold if it’ll help,” Goren smirked.

Asriel shot him a glare.

“I’ll punch you if you tease me again.”

Goren chuckled.

“Understood, Guildmaster.”

Having concluded their observation, the two made their way to the Treasury.

They arrived at the Treasury Gate, a large golden door guarded by Kashi, its Area Guardian. A level 100 Night Lich who wore an ornate golden robe and had gleaming silver bones, it bowed to the two Players as they approached.

“Greetings, Supreme Ones. How may I serve you?”

Goren and Asriel nodded.

“Hello. We need to speak to Drasavus,” Asriel replied.

Kashi nodded.

“Understood, Lord Asriel. Please, scan your Rings of Chiaroscuro by the door to enter,” He said, pointing at the scanning devices on the walls.

Goren and Asriel went over to separate sides of the door, and each placed their ring over the scanner. After a few seconds, the golden door opened.

They nodded to Kashi.

“Thank you. We will be on our way.” Goren said.

“It is an honor to serve. Have a most blessed day, Supreme Ones.”

The door closed behind them as they made their way through the Chamber of Mist. It is an unlit room filled with mist that made seeing with Darkvision and Blindsight impossible. At each of the walls stood several golems with the appearance of nutcracker soldiers, half of which are armed with magic guns while the other half had swords. The golems would attack any who entered the room without a Ring of Chiaroscuro. The door at the far end, that lead deeper into the Treasury, would only open if one squeezed one of the clown noses located on the faces of one of the golems. However, because of the hostility of the golems and the darkness of the room, this was very difficult to do.

For Goren and Asriel, however, the door was open. They had entered the correct way, and so they were not impeded by the defenses of the Treasury.

Leaving the Chamber of Mist, they entered the Hall of Blindness. Unlike the previous room, it was blindingly bright. The entire corridor was made of polished gold, which the overhead lights made extremely bright by the light reflecting off of it all. POPs such as Fire Spirits patrolled the corridor, burning intruders with their fiery abilities.

Halfway across the corridor, they were greeted by Hestia, the level 100 Mephit who served as the Area Guardian.

She bowed as they came closer.

“My Lords, I welcome you to the Hall of Blindness. How may I assist?” She asked, excitement in her voice.

“Thank you. Unfortunately, we only need to speak with Drasavus. Perhaps next time we will call upon you.” Goren said with a sympathetic expression.

The Mephit’s shoulders fell.

“Oh, I see. I shall await the time, then. Good day.”

Exiting the Hall of Blindness, they arrived at the Waiting Room, the final room before one arrived at The Vault, the place all of the guild’s gold and items are stored.

Looking up from her desk, the level 100 Dragonoid named Contina smiled as she saw her masters approach.

She straightened her back and folded her hands on her desk, giving off the impression of a professional secretary.

“Welcome to the Treasury’s Waiting Room, my Lords. What business do you have with Floor Guardian and Vault Guardian Drasavus?”

Asriel smiled.

“Thank you. We need to speak with Drasavus about the Guild Weapon. We haven’t yet examined it since coming to this world, so we feel it is imperative that we do so now.”

Contina nodded.

“I see. I shall inform Drasavus about the nature of your visit. One moment, please.” She put a hand to her temple, staring at the wall next to her for a few seconds before lowering it.

She turned back to face them.

“Drasavus will see you now. Please, come on through.” She gestured to the door that led to The Vault.

Scanning their rings once more, the door slid upon and the two Players stepped on through.

Ahead of them, stood the Vault Door, massive round door reminiscent of that of a bank vault’s.

Outside the giant door, stood Drasavus.

He bowed as they approached.

“It is an honor to see you, my Lords. I have been informed that you seek the Guild Weapon, I assume, to examine it for any indications of damage or anomalies?” The Brain Eater asked.

They nodded.

“Exactly so.” Asriel replied.

Goren said nothing.

"I see. Right this way!" Said Drasavus.

The Brain Eater led the two Players to the back of the Vault, to a secret compartment located beneath a marble column. By speaking the code phrase 'Here Be The Weapon Of The Palace', the column would lift to reveal the secret compartment. They did so, opening the compartment to reveal the Guild Weapon. Asriel picked it up, examining it: It was the Sword of Chiaroscuro, the Guild Weapon the two Players crafted back when they left Voidstar to found Chiaroscuro. It was a longsword with a golden handle, with a blade that a white side and a black side, representing the two of them. The golden handle held six gems, each with their own power:

The Black Gem contained the 10th-tier spell Armageddon Evil, which summons an army of demons; the White Gem contained the 10th-tier spell Armageddon Good, which summons an army of angels; the Green Gem contained the 8th-tier spell 'Aspect of Elemental', which grants the user immunity towards bad status effects like poison and disease, and also makes the user immune to critical hits and similar attacks; the Yellow Gem contained the 8th-tier spell 'Energy Drain', which drained the opponent’s levels, granting the user various benefits depending on the amount of levels drained; the Red Gem contained the 7th-tier spell 'Holy Smite', which envelops the target in a column of pure light and also inflicts massive damage if they're evil-aligned; and finally, the Blue Gem contained the 7th-tier spell 'Blasphemy', which envelops the target in darkness and also inflicts massive damage if they're good-aligned.

In addition to the powers of the gems, the blade of the Guild Weapon could do either Holy damage or Unholy damage, depending on whichever element the wielder chose at any given moment.

Giving it a look-over once more and using magic to examine the Guild Weapon more closely, Asriel placed the Guild Weapon back into the secret compartment.

“Satisfied?” Goren asked.

“Yes. There seems to be nothing wrong with it.”

Drasavus bowed his head. “Understood. Thank you for coming all this way, Lords.”

Asriel nodded. “Good. We’ll take our leave, now.”

The two made their way out of the Treasury and back to the 5th Floor using their rings.

Having completed their check-up of the Guild Weapon, it was time for them to unwind. They arrived at the doors to their suites and nodded.

“I’ll see you later.” Goren said.

“See ya.” Asriel nodded.

----------------------------------------

Palace of Demeter - 5th Floor (Aeterna)

Astral Keep - Goren’s Suite

Day 1 - 2:31 PM Demeter Standard Time

Onus Character Sheet.png [https://mywikis-wiki-media.s3.us-central-1.wasabisys.com/chiaroscuro/thumb/Onus_Character_Sheet.png/400px-Onus_Character_Sheet.png]

Stepping inside his suite, Goren breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door behind him. He was starting to feel that his social battery was running out. He was looking forward to some alone time.

“Master!”

That is, before he heard a new voice.

It was male.

And young.

Goren turned, wide eyed, as he saw a figure move quickly towards him from the corner of his eye. The obsidian-skinned figure knelt down on one knee, eyes closed and knuckles placed downwards on the red carpet adorning the floor, dressed in nothing but a black loincloth and golden cuffs on his biceps, neck, wrists, and thighs. His horns were that of a ram’s, complimenting his spiky black hair. His arrowhead-tipped tail swayed eagerly like a dog’s.

He was the level 100 Shadow Demon he had created to be his personal assistant. His name was Onus.

“Welcome back to your quarters, Lord Goren!” Onus said as his light gray eyes shot open and he smiled at his creator.

“I hope you enjoyed your walk! I made sure your quarters were in perfect condition for your return!” He said, his eyes full of unconditional love and admiration for the being who had given him life.

Oh my god. I completely forgot you were the Guardian of my quarters. I’m never gonna have any alone time, am I?

Goren groaned internally. He couldn’t bring himself to express his frustration externally. It would make Onus feel guilty for burdening his master with his existence.

Goren took a deep breath to calm himself. He had to talk to him without frustration being audible in his voice. As he did, he took a look around his - or more truthfully, their - room, and took it all in.

The room hadn’t changed structurally or aesthetically, but it did look much cleaner. Not that it was filthy before, it just seemed even more spotless than before.

To the left of the suite's door was a black marble table upon which stood a television screen and some consoles he had bought. In front of that table stood two leather chairs for Goren and any guest (mostly Asriel) to sit in and game. The TV and consoles were introduced with the Fall of Valkyrie expansion, which introduced all sorts of sci-fi items to the game in the hopes of bringing in players of sci-fi DMMORPGs to Yggdrasil Online. The consoles were parodies of ancient consoles from a century ago, but no mainstream games could be played on them, due to copyright law. As such, one could only download and play public domain games from the internet on them.

What a shame. So many games, unplayable…

The red carpet that adorned the light-brown wooden floor was decorated with images of stylized demons of various kinds.

The walls were made of black marble. The center of the room was lined by six wooden columns, painted red and gold. Each column was spaced twenty feet apart.

Red curtains hung from curtain rods installed above the windows. The curtains were made from high-quality silk obtained from a quest Goren and Asriel went on, which involved killing a horde of car-sized spiders.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The windows were default windows Goren had chosen from the in-game Dungeon Creator interface. He always thought the default ones looked best.

If one looked out these windows, one would see the ethereal realm that was the 5th Floor.

The Alaskan King-sized bed looked much comfier than ever, standing at the center of the far side of the room. Its silky red covers and plush pillows were very appealing. The two nightstands, one at each side, contained books he was planning to read, within their drawers.

Hm, maybe if I try sleeping on it, it could possibly wake me up for real? I doubt I’m actually dreaming, but I should try it regardless.

Moving his eyes away from his bed, Goren looked up at the ceiling. Up above hung chandeliers made of flaming crystals. The fiery crystals didn’t produce sound as the flames burnt, and neither did they produce heat. But they lit up the entire room perfectly by themselves, which made them perfect as a chandelier.

Finally, Goren turned his attention to the two doors inside his suite, one leading to the bathroom and the other to his study. Each was a wooden double door with a golden frame and a bronze, round handle.

Having finished looking around, Goren clapped his hands together, putting on the best grateful-looking face and voice he could muster before speaking.

“Thank you, Onus.” He began, “For taking your duties so seriously.”

He placed a hand on his creation’s head and ruffled his spiky hair gently.

It feels like real hair. Another point towards this being reality.

Onus’ face blushed, not red, but grayish-black. Shadow Demons have black blood, after all. His eyes widened, and his smile grew.

“T-thank you so much, my Lord! I’m unworthy of your praise!” He stammered.

Goren pulled his hand away.

“You’re welcome. And no, you’re not unworthy of anything.” He said.

Onus’ eyes widened again, as did his smile.

“You are very kind, master.”

Goren smiled at that.

‘Master’, hm? That will take some getting used to.

“Thank you, Onus. I appreciate it. Now then, on your feet.”

Onus beamed at his creator. He had successfully complimented his master. He obeyed his Lord, and stood up on both feet.

“I’m gonna take a look in the mirror. I must examine this body of mine.”

He said, gesturing to it in the corner of the room.

Onus nodded enthusiastically.

“Splendid idea, my Lord! Take as much time as you need!”

Onus stepped to the side, so that his master could pass by unobstructed.

Goren made his way to the mirror, his focus set on one thing: proving (or disproving) if this is some kind of new world or not.

Arriving at the mirror, Goren gave his reflection a complete look-over. He examined his front, sides, and back (as much as he could see of his back, that is).

He brought a finger to his left cheek and poked hard. The pain he felt definitely felt real.

He grabbed onto his cheek and pulled gently. It felt exactly like it would have had he did the same back on Earth. He let go of it, allowing the cheek to return to its former position.

That feels real enough.

He lifted his wrist to chest-height and placed two fingers on the back of it. He felt his heartbeat. He brought those two fingers to his neck, and felt his heartbeat there too.

This as well.

His skepticism had nearly faded. He was almost sure this was his life now, that it was all real.

But he still needed to test a few more things to settle it once and for all.

Goren took a deep breath and exhaled.

Onus took notice, his smile replaced with a frown and eyes filled with worry, and spoke up.

“My Lord, is something the matter?” He asked.

Goren turned to face his servant.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ve had an interesting day, that’s all.”

“Oh?” The Shadow Demon asked.

Goren nodded.

“Yes. It’s two things: Firstly, my illness has vanished. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m not coughing anymore.”

Onus nodded.

“That’s wonderful news, master! If I may ask, what illness were you suffering from?” He asked, his head tilted to the side a little.

Goren brought a hand to his own chest and slowly rubbed circles into it.

“I was terminally ill. It was something I could not fix, and it was something that would have killed me had it not suddenly vanished.”

Onus’ eyes widened.

“Master, if I’m not mistaken, aren’t you immune to disease as an Arch-Devil? Shouldn’t such a thing be impossible?” He asked, his eyes focused on his master’s.

Goren shook his head.

“It wasn’t… the regular kind of illness.”

He struggled to think of what to say next. He didn’t want to reveal to his minion that he was born human, that is, if all of this is real. He wasn’t sure how he would react to such a revelation.

“It was an illness that attacked the soul, which in turn resulted in damage to the body.” Goren lied.

Onus’ face paled.

Goren noticed his servant’s expression and panicked internally.

“B-but I’m cured now! The damage it had done to my body and soul has been reversed! I’m fine now!”

Onus’ expression relaxed slightly, but not fully.

He bowed his head to his master.

“I’m relieved, master.”

“There’s also the second thing.” Goren said.

“Oh?” The Shadow Demon listened intently.

“Yes. Asriel and I fell unconscious on the surface.”

The moment those words left his lips, Onus’ whole body went rigid.

“My Lord, are the two of you alright?!” He said frantically, his fingers erect with anxiety.

Goren slipped his hands into the pockets of his robe. He did not know what else to do with them.

“Yes. It was disorientating, but nothing beyond that.”

Onus shut his eyes tight.

“But that doesn’t change the fact that none of us were able to cure you of your illness, or prevent either of you from falling unconscious. Especially me.”

Onus brought his right hand to his throat, his sharp fingernails touching the skin.

“My failure to protect you twice is inexcusable. I am unworthy to serve you. May my death serve as my apology.”

What the fuck are you doing?!

Goren screamed internally.

Before Onus could slit his own throat, Goren’s reflexes kicked in, grabbing the Shadow Demon by the wrist and drawing it away from his throat. Onus’ eyes shot open and moved to meet his master’s in surprise.

“Death is not the answer!” Goren shouted, holding firmly onto Onus’ wrist.

“It wasn’t your fault, or anyone else’s!”

Onus cast his eyes downward, his mouth shut.

Goren took a deep breath. He recognized the expression Onus wore. It was one Goren had many times when being yelled at by his boss.

He placed a hand on Onus’ shoulder, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

This caused the Shadow Demon’s gaze to return to his master.

“Listen, Onus. I’m not angry at or disappointed with you or anyone else. It’s not something that could have been healed in Yggdrasil. There was nothing any of us could do about it, and that is okay. Same goes for the both of us falling unconscious. It was unexpected, but it did no harm to either of us. It’s not an indication of failure or inadequacy on anyone’s part.”

He gave his shoulder another squeeze.

“Besides, if any of you do kill yourselves over every mistake, who would be left to serve us?”

“You could always create more servants, my Lord.” Onus said quietly.

“Nothing would fill the void left by your absence. We made you all for a reason, and we intend to keep you at our side.”

Onus’s face brightened slightly as Goren let go of his chin.

“I understand, my Lord, thank you. But I would still like to ask for your forgiveness.” He bowed his head.

Goren sighed internally.

“If that is what you want, then you have it. I forgive you, Onus. I forgive all of you. Completely.”

The Shadow Demon’s smile returned to his face.

“Thank you, master. Your kindness and understanding know no bounds.”

He lifted his head.

“You’re welcome.”

He gave Onus a smile.

“There will be a party later today. The Ennead are throwing one for me and Asriel to celebrate our good health. You can come with me and participate, if you’d like.”

Onus grinned.

“I’d be honored, my Lord! I am looking forward to toasting to your good health!”

“I’m glad.” Goren said as he took his hand off his servant’s shoulder.

“I’m a bit exhausted, though. I would like to rest until then.” Goren said to his creation.

Onus nodded enthusiastically, still smiling.

“Of course, my Lord! Resting your glorious form is always a good idea. Where will you be resting?”

Goren thought about it. He had yet to try the bed.

“I would like to lay in bed.”

Onus’ tail swayed lazily.

“Would you care for a massage? It would definitely enhance your rest!”

Goren looked to his bed.

“Sure, why not?”

If it helped him fall asleep faster and check if this was all a dream or not, then sure.

Onus grinned with excitement, his hands balled into fists.

“Understood, my Lord!”

Onus said. But before Goren turned away, Onus spoke up once more.

“Master, before you rest, could I make a request of you?”

He said, his hands fidgeting.

Goren looked back at his servant.

“What is it?”

Onus looked at the floor.

“If I may ask, could you ruffle my hair again, my Lord? I really enjoyed it.”

Goren chuckled softly. He didn’t expect that.

That’s actually adorable.

“Of course, Onus. I don’t mind.”

He said, bringing his hand up to the Shadow Demon’s head and ruffling his hair for a whole minute.

Onus shuddered with delight. He was being touched by his god, his creator, his father. It was something he craved. It was something all the NPCs craved.

Goren removed his hand from the head of Onus and returned it to his side.

“How was it?” He asked his servant, curiously.

Onus bowed his head.

“It was very enjoyable, master. Thank you for indulging me, I greatly appreciate it.”

Goren chuckled softly once more.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Now then, off to bed.” He replied before he strode over to it.

He stripped himself of his casual attire, known as the Devil’s Bathrobe, and let go of it. Before it could hit the ground, Onus swiftly swiped it out of the air and folded it neatly, before setting it onto the nightstand beside the bed.

Goren laid in bed on his stomach, his head resting on his forearms, which he brought up to his head to give himself some room to breathe.

“Full body, right, master?” Onus asked.

“Yes, Onus.”

“Understood, Lord Goren!” Onus said, cracking his knuckles before setting his fingers upon the flesh of his master’s back.

As Onus did his work, Goren felt pleasure course through his body. A feeling that greatly surprised him.

It was better than any back massage he had ever gotten in his life. Whenever he felt some pain in his back on Earth, he would ask if Asriel could please give him a back massage. The times he actually did oblige provided some relief, but due to a lack of experience, did not provide as much as he would have liked.

This, on the other hand, felt divine.

This is incredible! Is this a result of the character settings I wrote for him? If so, then I really did make him the perfect servant.

The tension he had built up earlier in the day was leaving him bit by bit, as Onus’ fingers worked every muscle in his back.

I can actually feel the muscles in my avatar’s back. I can even feel the warmth of his fingers.

This was further proof that this was no game or simulation. Not enough proof to settle it once and for all, but almost enough to erase all doubts.

The longer Goren lay there, the more his body relaxed, and the more he drifted closer to sleep.

This… bed is so comfortable.

The mattress was exceptional. It was merely a prop - along with the rest of the bed - back in Yggdrasil, but now it felt realer than ever before. What made it even better, was the fact that it was enchanted to allow for easy sleep.

Not that demons need to sleep to survive. It was one of the basic racial traits that all demons share. But that does not mean that demons cannot sleep.

I don’t… want this to… end, was Goren’s final thought, before he fell into the sweet abyss that is sleep.

As the sound of snoring filled the air, Onus smiled.

I’m glad you’re comfortable, Lord Goren. You deserve nothing but the best. And I will make sure you get just that.

He continued his movements, taking care to massage every single muscle in his master’s back. When he had completed his work on the back muscles, he then moved on to his neck, arms, hands, legs, and feet, in that order. He had to make sure everything was free from tension.

Having massaged every limb’s backside, Onus surveyed the glorious form of his creator. He placed a hand on the middle of the sleeping Demon Lord’s back, and rubbed small circles into it, feeling it rise and fall as breaths came and left his master. He sat there for several minutes, listening to the music that was his master’s snoring.

I am honored to have been given the privilege of massaging your splendid form, Lord.

Onus gently patted his creator’s back, making sure not to wake him. He carefully made his way to the other side of the bed and laid onto his back.

Onus sighed quietly, placing his right hand on Goren’s shoulder. Giving it a gentle squeeze, he slid his hand back onto Goren’s back and began to rub circles into it again. He moved his eyes to the ceiling and stared, waiting silently for his master to wake on his own.

----------------------------------------

Palace of Demeter - 5th Floor (Aeterna)

Astral Keep - Asriel’s Suite

Day 1 - 2:31 PM Demeter Standard Time

Shutting the door behind him, Asriel took a deep breath and exhaled. He was finally alone. He could rest and relax until the party began.

“Lord-Senpai!”

That is, until those words reached his ears.

Asriel turned to the source, seeing the form of a beautiful girl running over to meet him. She had long, blonde hair, and was clad in short shorts and a tank top that covered her stomach. On her feet, she wore flip flops.

She knelt on one knee, her faces pointed downward and eyes closed.

Lord-Senpai?

“Ah, uh…”

He was briefly unable to remember her names.

“Uh, please remind me: What was your name again?” He asked bluntly.

Her face rose, her eyes meeting her creator’s. She had an ‘O’ shape for a mouth.

“I am Savina, my Lord.” She replied, cocking her head to one side, "Is everything alright, master?"

Asriel quickly nodded his head, his face turning a pale shade of red.

“Uh, yeah! Everything’s fine. I was just having a strange day. A long, strange day.”

Savina blinked, "Strange? How so?"

Asriel put his right hand on his scalp, rubbing it in thought.

“Honestly, I don’t feel like talking about it. I’m tired. Mentally, I mean.”

Savina shot up like a rocket.

“I’m so sorry for adding to your mental exhaustion, master! I was so inconsiderate of your mental state. Is there anything I can do to help?” She looked at him with worry, eyebrows scrunched.

Asriel thought about it.

Then, the idea came to him.

“Actually, yes. Could you come with me to my study?”

Her face lit up.

“Of course! Your wish is my command, Lord-Senpai!” Savina replied.

With that, the two made their way to the study.

Asriel’s suite was the opposite of Goren’s. Instead of an aesthetic that matched the rest of the guild base, it had more of a 21st century luxury condo look.

The white carpet that adorned the white marble floor was decorated with images of stylized angels of various kinds.

The walls were made of white marble, with golden marble columns instead of red ones. They, too, were spaced twelve feet apart.

White and gold curtains hung from curtain rods installed above the windows. The windows provided a view of the 5th Floor, and were more modern in appearance.

The Alaskan King-sized bed had silky white and gold covers and pillows.

That looks pretty comfortable, but I don’t feel like sleeping. I’m going elsewhere.

Lamps like ones you’d find in a hotel adorned the walls. They emitted warm white light, just enough to light up the whole room.

Asriel’s ‘living room’ area had a glass table with a golden couch, from which he could play the console hooked up to his flatscreen television. He could either play the games on it, or watch the videos he and Goren had recorded in-game and stored within the guild base’s file system. There were also public domain documentaries they could watch.

Now that I think about it, having game nights would be awesome. We could play splitscreen!

It was then that Asriel arrived at the door to the study. He turned the golden doorknob and swung the door open, waiting for Savina to step through before closing it behind them.

Savina bowed her head.

“Thank you very much for holding the door open for me, Lord-Senpai! I don’t deserve your kindness.”

Asriel rolled his eyes.

“It’s fine. All I did was hold the door open for you.”

She kept their head lowered.

“My Lord, you showed me your compassion with that single act. You could have let me open the door for you, and yet you chose to do it yourself, and hold the door open for me.”

She put her hand to her chest.

“I speak for all of us when I say we are grateful, from the bottom of our hearts, to be your servants. We are blessed to have been created by such a kind and considerate Supreme Being, the one we eagerly serve with every fiber of our being.”

Asriel could only stare at them in confusion.

What are you talking about? How does holding the door open for you make me some kind of god? This is ridiculous!

Asriel cleared his throat.

“Yes, well, I… thank you for your devotion.”

He managed to stammer out.

This made her smile.

“Such kind words! I thank you in turn, my Lord.”

She gave another bow.

Asriel nodded.

“You’re welcome.”

He needed to change the topic. He did not want to end up in an infinite loop of giving and receiving thanks.

He took in his surroundings.

He was in his study - or, as he called it, his sanctuary - a room that looked like it was a glasshouse. The walls were entirely glass: they provided a view of the Surface, the land surrounding the guild base. They were not actual windows. Instead, they were video screens that streamed live footage of the outside world. He always wanted to have his sanctuary built at the top of a tower, but since guild bases did not allow Players to customize their exterior appearances, Asriel had to settle for this instead.

He took in the view they provided. It was stormy outside. The dark clouds showered rain onto the world outside, the rain drops falling onto the invisible security cameras that provided such a view. The tiny beads of rainwater that appeared really gave one the impression that those raindrops were right outside the walls of his suite.

Asriel watched the rain fall for some time, enjoying the simple act of observation.

I only ever saw putrid acidic rain back home. Looking at the rain here, it is cleaner than any rainwater I have ever seen.

He continued to watch the rain fall onto the ‘glass ceiling’ of his sanctuary, forgetting the rest of the world for some time.

It was only when Savina spoke up that Asriel was brought back to reality.

“My Lord? Is something the matter?” She asked sweetly. She could see her master was entranced.

“N-no, it’s nothing.” He said, “Just admiring the rain.”

She bowed slightly, "Understood, Lord-Senpai.”

Asriel made his way to the recliner by the fireplace. He saw Goren’s study, and decided he wanted a fireplace and recliner to match.

He, too, had his own bookshelves. They were filled with various books he was planning to read, but never had time for back on Earth.

He looked through them for several minutes, before finding the book he was itching to reread for ages: ‘The Art of War’.

He pulled it from the shelf and took it with him to his recliner. He plopped down into it and, before he got to reading, he looked up to see Savina smiling, waiting for orders.

“Could you… give me a foot massage while I read?” He asked, sheepishly. He had always wanted one after reading about them in various books.

She clapped her hands together and smiled.

“Certainly, my Lord!” She said before kneeling down. She carefully removed her master’s shoes. He wore no socks, as the shoes he wore were comfortable enough to wear without them. Finished preparing, she began kneading her master’s feet.

A sigh of bliss escaped Asriel’s lips. He sat there, in paradise, for several minutes before he opened the book in his hand and began reading it.

I wonder what James is up to. I hope he’s enjoying himself as much as I am.

He smiled, chuckling silently as he read the book he was looking forward to re-reading for a long time.