"Where are we heading to now, Lord?" Onus asked, four paces behind his creator.

"Club Hedone," Goren replied, not turning to face Onus, "It's nearby, so we might as well go there next."

Onus nodded. "I see. Thank you, Lord."

"You're welcome."

Passing by several palm trees and ferns, Goren wondered what the NPCs that staffed Club Hedone had been up to.

If the Grey Orchestra guys were doing improv in their free time, does that mean the Nightlives are engaging in hedonistic pursuits?

The thought put an amused smile on his face. The five NPCs that ran Club Hedone were created to manage the various indulgent sections of the area, making sure that patrons could enjoy themselves to the fullest. Of the five NPCs, only three of them were his creations, the other two belonging to Asriel. It made sense to him to believe that they would spend their free time indulging.

Let's see how things are in the den of indulgence, he thought as he and Onus approached the front door of the building. The building had the appearance of a dark red brick manor, with three floors and a triangular roof. Attached to the four sides of the building were four circular towers, each with cone-shaped roofs that were of a lighter shade of red.

Pushing the wooden double door open, Goren and Onus entered the club's reception area. Fancy hardwood with diamond patterns was what constituted the floor, while paneled wooden walls with cream-colored wallpaper made up the middle. In each corner of the room was a white pot filled with orange tulips. To the left of Goren and Onus, two red leather couches stood, while the wooden reception desk stood to their right. Two flower-shaped chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their warm light giving the room a cozy feeling. At the reception desk sat Vemorous, the overall Area Guardian and receptionist of Club Hedone. A level 30 Naga, he wore a white pinstripe suit with golden embroidery. He dipped his serpentine head in a bow to Goren.

"Welcome, Lord. Welcome, Onus. It is an honor to have you visit our humble establishment. To what do we owe the pleasure?" He asked, his forked tongue shoot out from his mouth every so often.

"Sup," replied Onus.

I guess most of them know of Onus. It must be because of the times I had Onus follow me around back in Yggdrasil.

It was the only answer that made sense to him.

Goren nodded in greeting, giving a small smile. "Hello to you too. I'm just here to see how you're all doing. Only the Floor Guardians and the Nonagon were invited to the party in the Dining Hall yesterday, so I've come to find out what you've all been doing."

Vemorous dipped his head again. "It warms my heart to serve a Supreme Being as kind as you. For you to take the time out of your busy day to speak to us is something we don't deserve."

Goren was about to roll his eyes but caught himself. He did not want a repeat of the scene in the Dining Hall.

This is getting repetitive. What can I say or do to make them stop acting like this?

It is something that he will need to ponder for a while.

Taking a breath, he gave Vemorous a small smile. "You're welcome. Now, then: I'm gonna take a look around and talk to the others here. Onus is coming with."

Vemorous nodded, writing down the information in the guest book on the desk. "Understood, Lord. Is there anything I can do for you to make your visit more pleasant?"

Goren shook his head. "Not at the moment. I'll tell you if something comes to mind."

Vemorous dipped his head once again. "Yes, Lord Goren. Enjoy your stay at Club Hedone, Supreme One."

Goren nodded, turning away and leaving the reception room. Before he could reach the door, Onus stepped around him and got in front of him.

"Please, Lord, allow me!" The Shadow Demon insisted.

Goren shrugged. I'll need to keep that in mind, he thought.

"If you insist, Onus."

Onus smiled, then dipped his head. "Thank you, Lord," he said before turning to face the door. He pushed it open, stepping aside so his master could enter.

Inside was the first area of Club Hedone: the Casino. The Casino had a black and white checkerboard marble floor, and black marble walls with bronze and gold ornamentation, contained sixteen slot machines (four near each corner of the room), five black marble poker tables with wooden bases and four chairs each, a bar on the western half of the room with sixteen stools for bargoers to sit at, a roulette table and billiards table at the eastern half of the room, eight white marble columns with black bases and gold engravings that held up the ceiling (with an additional sixteen purely ornamental columns lining the walls), a restroom with nine stalls with white marble walls and black marble floors, a room next to the bar within which the five members of the Nightlives rested when they were off-duty, and modern-looking cast iron chandeliers with warm light bulbs. The place was empty, save for two other individuals.

Goren inhaled the scent of the Casino that wafted through the open door. The place smelt of lemon, mandarin, rose petals, tobacco leaves, warm leather, black pepper, crisp calone, and alcohol. He had never smelled anything of the sort before. He knew they were there, as he was the one who added them in the first place, in form of scented candles that were purely visual objects in Yggdrasil, but actually getting to smell them now was a new experience.

I never thought a room could smell so good!

Goren scanned the room upon entering, taking in all of the sights. He had been in the Casino countless times before, but seeing it now felt different. It felt like a new place.

"Lord Goren! Onus! It is a pleasure to see you here at Club Hedone!"

Goren turned towards the source of the greeting, a male goblin in a black pinstripe suit by the name of Glint. A level 15 Goblin, he was created by Goren to serve as the manager of the Casino of Club Hedone. The short Demi-Human dipped his head in a bow to his creator and flashed him a bright smile.

"Likewise," Onus replied.

"Thanks," Goren answered, "for the warm welcome, Glint. How have you been? I hope you're not upset that you weren't invited to the party in the Dining Hall yesterday." Goren had a sad smile on his face.

Glint shook his head. "I'm not upset at all, Lord. Although this is my first time hearing of such a party, it is not my place to be disappointed by such a thing."

Goren stared at him for a moment, pondering his words before answering. "No, I suppose it isn't. Anyway, how have things been going around here? Hopefully the absence of visitors hasn't made you watch paint dry all day."

Glint dipped his head in a bow once more. "No, Lord. The lack of visitors has done nothing of the sort. You created me to manage the Casino, and I take pride in doing so, even when there is no one else around."

Goren nodded. "I see. Great work, Glint. I am glad to see you doing your job so diligently." He reached down and placed his hand on Glint's bald green head, patting it a few times. Glint's face turned reddish-green as a smile formed on his face. Behind Goren, Onus frowned for a second before composing himself.

"T-thank you, Lord Goren! I'm glad I met your expectations!" The goblin manager grinned ear to ear.

"You're welcome," Goren replied, retracting his hand. "I have one last question to ask you before I go on with my business."

"Anything, Lord! What question would that be?"

"What kind of person am I, in your opinion?"

Glint didn't hesitate at all. "You're the kindest and most powerful being in existence, Lord! Nobody can compare to you, in wealth, intelligence, or creativity! W-well, except for Lord Asriel, but you're still a step above!"

I do feel wealthy, but not intelligent or creative. I wonder what Savore would have to say about Glint's comment about Alexander. He's the only NPC crafted by him who works here. It's a good thing he's over at the Dance Floor in the other room instead of here, overhearing us.

Goren's face lit up in a mixture of amusement and embarrassment at the praise. "Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate it."

Glint dipped his head. "I'm glad you're glad, master."

"Now then, I'll be speaking to Bobik. Is he still at the Bar?"

Glint nodded. "Yes, Lord. He is."

Goren smiled. "Great. I'll be going there now. Carry on."

Glint dipped his head. "Your wish is my command, Lord. Enjoy your stay!"

With that, Goren walked off towards the Bar, its full name being 'Dionysus Bar and Brewery'. Located at the western half of the Casino, it consisted of a black marble table in the form of an upside-down, square 'Libra' symbol, sixteen stools for bargoers, a rack filled with 480 bottles of various alcohols, and six kegs where fresh alcohol could be brewed. The place was manned by Bobik Chainheart, a level 15 Dwarf who spoke in a Scottish accent. He had red hair (even his beard was red), green eyes, and wore a solid black, long-sleeved top, black trousers, and black non-slip shoes. The dwarf looked up from the bar he was wiping down, smiling at his creator.

"Welcome tae the bar, Lord. Aye, I see ye've brought Onus wi' ye. Hope the two o' ye are haein' a grand day the day."

It took a few seconds for Goren to process what Bobik had just said.

God, I forgot I programmed him to speak with that accent. This is gonna be tricky.

"Good to see you too," Onus said, nodding at the dwarf.

"Hey, Bobik. How's the Bar treating you?" Goren asked, sitting down at one of the stools.

"It’s been fairly quiet, for the most part. Now an’ again Glint an’ the rest would pop by an’ get a drink, but mostly I’ve had naething tae do," replied the bartender, wiping the counter clean with a rag. He pointed to the bottles of alcohol sitting in the rack behind him.

"Kin ah get ye anythin’? It’d surely mak yer visit all the better, aye."

Goren turned to Onus, who shook his head.

"I... I guess I'll try something. What do you recommend?"

Bobik's eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape.

"Ye’ve niver haen a drink afore, Lord? Forgive me for sayin’ it, but that’s gotta change! Whit are ye lookin’ for, when ye usually haud somethin’ to drink?" Bobik placed both hands palm-down on the counter, leaning towards his creator with curiosity in his eyes.

Goren made a 'hm' sound as he pondered the question. What did he look for in a drink?

"I've heard that alcohol is an 'acquired taste', so I guess I want something that's easy to drink," he said as he took off the Greater Ring of Poison Resistance that he wore on his left hand, placing it in his Item Box so that he may enjoy his alcohol the way it is meant to be enjoyed.

Bobik snapped his fingers, grinning, "Aye, ye've got it, Lord Goren. Ah'll find ye whit ye're wantin'." He reached under the counter and grabbed a tall mug, placing it on the counter. It was a wooden mug with golden ornamentation, crafted from the wood and gold that was collected from Alfheim, the former home world of the Palace of Demeter. Goren had several dozens of these crafted specifically for use in the bar.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The dwarf spun around and scanned the rack for several minutes, looking over dozens of bottles before finding the one he was looking for. He took it off the rack and removed the cork, filling it to the top.

"This here is called 'A+ Alfheim Ale', M'Lord. Ahope ye like it," the dwarf gestured to it.

Goren grabbed the mug with both hands, inhaling the aroma that it gave off.

"It smells great," he said, before giving it a taste. His eyes widened as the mouthful of ale went down his throat. Smacking his lips, he gave it another taste.

"How's it?” Bobik asked, a gleam in his eyes.

"It's good. Pretty carbonated," Goren said, taking several more mouthfuls of the stuff. He belched, an embarrassed smile on his face.

"Excuse me," he said, "I couldn't help but burp."

Bobik waved his embarrassment away. "Nae worries, Lord. Ah've got nae right tae tell ye hoo tae behave. Ye kin belch as loud an' as much as ye want!"

"Thanks for saying so," Goren replied, before his embarrassed smile transformed into a small frown. "I like the ale, but it's not really what I'm looking for. I'm looking for something sweeter."

Bobik's heart sank, his shoulders slumping.

"Aye...Ah see. Ah'm sorry for letin' ye down, maister," the dwarf's eyes turned away, not able to look his creator in the eye.

Goren reached over, putting a hand on Bobik's shoulder, his tone warm. "It's fine, Bobik. It does not reflect negatively on you. Just because this wasn't the drink for me doesn't mean that you failed. You have plenty of bottles back there, you'll find something more to my taste."

Bobik's eyes met those of his creator once again, his expression improved significantly. He straightened his back and re-equipped the smile from before.

"Cheers, maister, fer the kind words. Ah'll try harder tae find the drink fer ye!"

Bobik spun around faster than before; the speed of his movements much greater now as he was determined to find precisely the kind of drink that his master could enjoy drinking for long stretches of time. He spun back around shortly after, bottle in-hand. He grabbed another mug for Goren and uncorked it, filling the mug to capacity.

"This here is Asgard Golden Cyser. It should be much mair tae yer taste, M'Lord."

Goren inhaled the sweet aroma that wafted into his nostrils.

"Mmm, this already smells like something I'd enjoy," he said before lifting the mug to his lips with both hands. Taking a mouthful, his eyes widened significantly, much wider than when he had tasted A+ Alfheim Ale.

"This is way sweeter! It's delicious!" he exclaimed just before he tilted the mug all the way back, chugging the entire thing in a matter of seconds. Having emptied it, he slammed the mug onto the counter, though not hard enough to shatter it. With a satisfied smile, a small belch escaped his lips.

"This is the best drink I've had yet! Pour me some more of that cyser!" He demanded, a toothy grin on his face.

Both Bobik and Onus smiled. Bobik filled Goren's mug back to capacity, who soon after emptied the thing once more.

"So, Bobik. I'd like to ask you what you think of me. I'm asking all of my creations the same question."

Bobik's expression turned contemplative, quietly pondering the question for several moments as he readied himself to pour Goren another cupful of cyser.

"Lord, yer a carein' an' kind-hearted lad wi' fine taste in drink an' design. Jist lookin' 'roun' this braw place, ah kin tell ye're the best designer in the Chiaroscuro guild an' a' the world."

Goren relaxed some more, slouching in his seat, as he thought over Bobik's words. A belch escaped his lips as he did so.

"I see, thanks. Now, get me another, please," Goren demanded, the grin not leaving his face.

Again, Bobik filled his mug to capacity, and again Goren emptied.

A warm and cozy feeling spread across his body in short order. The large mugs held enough liquid equivalent to that of three-four standard drinks, so drinking the entirety of three such mugs would no doubt make one drunk very quick.

Another belch, followed by a hiccup, escaped Goren's lips. He leaned forward, onto the counter with his forearms, mug held up towards Bobik.

"This sh-shit is the b-best," he slurred, "Get-get me another."

Bobik filled the Demon Lord's mug to capacity, but had a slightly worried expression on his face.

"Lord, ye sure ye want mair o' the booze? Ye might poison yersel’ deadly if ye keep goin' at this rate."

Goren waved Bobik's worries away with his mug, booze spilling with every motion.

"Don-don't tell me-e what to d-do," Goren slurred, annoyance slightly audible in his tone. "I-I'm tryin' to en-enjoy myself her-here."

"But Lord," Onus added, "You've removed your Greater Ring of Poison Resistance before you began drinking. You've already received a debuff from the alcohol. The bigger the debuff gets, the likelier the chance it could kill you." The shadow demon said, scooting closer to Goren, a concerned expression on his face.

Goren emptied the mug once again, then pointed it towards Onus.

"I-I don-don't think it w-will," he slurred, his half-lidded eyes meeting Bobik's, "An-other."

And so, the scene repeated itself up until his seventh drink. Without his Greater Ring of Poison Resistance, there wasn't anything to stop him from getting wasted or dying from alcohol poisoning. Thankfully however, Goren completely passed out before the latter could happen, snoring face-down on the counter, causing the two NPCs to exhale in relief. The drool that flowed from his open mouth accumulated into a puddle. Bobik continuously wiped the drool away with his rag, whilst Onus sat patiently beside his master, waiting for him to wake on his own. The shadow demon smiled warmly at the sleeping form of his creator.

"Ah'm chuffed the master enjoyed hisself. It’s a blessin’ he passed oot before the debuff could get too bad," he said, putting Goren's mugs away. He placed the half-finished A+ Alfheim Ale into storage, in the hopes that he'd finish it later. "Ah've nivver seen him go sae wild afore, especially not tae the point o' keeling o’er at the counter."

Onus chuckled quietly, "Yeah, it's been a good two days. Lord Goren's been trying all sorts of things. I gave him a full-body massage, he and Lord Asriel had something to eat at the Dining Hall, then he had a chocolate milkshake, listened to some music at the Amphitheater, and finally he came here."

Bobik nodded, turning to face Onus.

"It sounds like he’s been busy, as ye’d expect frae a Supreme Being. How’s Lord Asriel been? Ye mentioned he an’ Lord Goren had a bite thegither."

It was Onus' turn now to nod.

"Yeah, the Supreme Ones had some meals together. Lord Asriel's gone outside Demeter to visit a city nearby. It's in ruins and ruled by some lower lifeform, an undead."

Bobik raised an eyebrow, leaning on the counter on his elbow.

"Aye? Whit made him decide tae go tae a place like that?"

Onus shrugged. "It must be part of some grand plan they've come up with. Only the Supreme Beings could know for sure what their objectives are," he gestured for Bobik to pour him a bit of what Goren had. Bobik complied, taking out a fresh mug for him and filling only a quarter of it with Asgard Golden Cyser.

Bobik nodded.

"Right enough. It’s bound to be somethin’ grand. In time, we’ll find oot whit scheme the masters are brewin’ up," he said, a smile on his face as he turned to look at their snoring creator.

Onus smiled, taking a sip from his mug. He turned to look at Goren as well.

"Absolutely. It will be something amazing," the shadow demon replied.

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

Inveria - City Outskirts

Approaching the gate of the ruined Southern District

Day 2 - 12:33 PM Demeter Standard Time

The sound of feet crushing gravel and stamping dead cracked soil could be heard as Asriel and the NPCs he brought along made their way towards the ruined city. Their journey was a quiet one, devoid of conversation as the group refused to lower their guard. Even with all of the information that the Elder Lich provided them as it observed the city using Skin of Gaia, and the horde of minions sent ahead of them to scout for hostiles, they could not be sure that they were safe from potential harm. Vigilance was important, especially in unknown lands.

Asriel looked up at the overcast sky, something that had not changed since their arrival. Having never seen the sun in-person in his life, he was curious what it would be like to see it and feel its rays. Sure, he had spent a bit of time in Demeter and felt the rays of the some of the Floor's skyboxes' artificial suns, but those were different from a real, natural sun.

The rays in Demeter felt warm. Will the rays of this sun feel warmer or cooler? Does it even matter? Actually, why is the sky like this? Is it because of magic? If so, maybe using something like 「Control Weather」 will fix this. If it doesn't, then we'll have to investigate.

"Lord?" A voice beside him whispered.

Asriel turned to the source of the whisper. It was Savina, who was walking right beside him, the blade of her gladius resting on her right shoulder.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I've been wondering," she said, "Where did you and Lord Goren go when you're not with us? Back in Yggdrasil, there would be times when the two of you would suddenly disappear for long periods of time before returning to Demeter."

Asriel froze in place. It was not a question he had expected to answer. Nor did he expect any of the NPCs to notice such a thing.

How do I even answer her? What do I say? That me and him were human once and that we couldn't stay logged-in 24/7?

Asriel took a deep breath and exhaled, then turned to face her.

"...we would visit other worlds to... entertain ourselves. Yggdrasil was...was but one of many that we could travel to," he replied.

The three NPCs' eyes widened, stopping next to their creator, 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' of wonderment leaving their lips.

"Oh, I see! As expected of the Supreme Beings!" Savina squeaked, her eyes sparkling.

"That's so awesome!" Malacus cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

"Just like Lords Asriel and Goren," Zuriel added, grinning.

Asriel could only shake his head internally. He had only told them part of the truth. He felt guilty for doing so, but doing otherwise might complicate things. Like James had told him yesterday, it would probably be best if they played along with the sky-high expectations that the NPCs had for them.

The four resumed their trek towards the gate of the ruined city.

"Speaking of other worlds," Zuriel said, "How many worlds did you and Lord Goren travel to?"

"I don't have a number for you," Asriel began, "But it's probably more than thirty. Every year, several new worlds would be created and made available for visitation."

"Ah, I see," Zuriel replied, bowing her head. "Thank you for answering, Lord."

Asriel nodded, "You're welcome."

"Lord, do you any favorites? Worlds that you visited, I mean," Malacus asked, rotating the halberd in his hand to keep himself busy.

The question was one that he should have seen coming, but for whatever reason, he didn't. Though, it wasn't an unwelcome question.

"Hmm. Well, the first one that comes to mind is Quasar," Asriel began, "it's one in the 4X genre, where the objective is to build a galaxy-spanning empire."

His NPC companions nodded their heads in approval.

"What does '4X' mean, master? And what do you mean by 'genre'?" Savina asked, leaning towards her creator a little as they kept walking.

"We... categorize the worlds we visit and their... objectives into genres to make it easy for us to find the ones we enjoy most. As for 4X, it is an abbreviation of the four core aspects of the genre, each of which have the letter 'X' in them. These are 'Explore', 'Expand', 'Exploit', and 'Exterminate'. You explore the regions to discover resources and territories, expand your empire, exploit the resources at your disposal to develop your economy, and exterminate your opponents by either conquering them with military force or by forming alliances with them. But in Quasar's case, you do all of that in one big galaxy, and the territories you discover are planets and star systems. I played that one a lot and built many empires," Asriel answered, a smile on his face as he thought back to his time in that DMMORPG.

The NPCs all made 'ooo-ing' sounds at his explanation.

"I would expect nothing less of a Supreme Being!" Said Zuriel.

"Such a monumental undertaking would no doubt be sufficiently amusing for a glorious existence such as yourself, Lord!" Added Malacus.

"Amazing, Lord! What are some of the empires that you built?" Savina asked.

Several moments passed in silence as Asriel recalled all of the empires he had created over the years. Once he had compiled a mental list of the ones he had the most fun with, he spoke.

"One of them was the 'Terran Solar Empire', a human nation. Another was the 'United Republic', a human-led nation that ruled over many alien races."

"Of the two empires, which one was the biggest?" Zuriel asked.

"That would be the United Republic. It was the first one I ever created, far before the Terran Solar Empire. I believe that the UR had one hundred and eleven star systems, thirty seven habitable worlds, and seventeen orbital settlements. I gave up eventually on that one due to a lack of interest."

"Impressive, master! Yours must've been the most powerful realm in the galaxy!" Savina said, wonderment audible in her voice.

I wouldn't call it the 'most powerful' or even 'powerful' really. I had to deal with all sorts of people invading me constantly.

"I suppose, yeah," Asriel lied.

Malacus had a bemused expression on his face. "Forgive me for saying so, Lord, but why humans of all races? Why choose to build an empire with such disgusting vermin?"

Zuriel and Savina shot him glares. As the two of them had positive karma scores, they did not enjoy hearing such things from those with negative karma.

"Did you forget that I am human?" Savina said, shaking her fist at the demon.

Malacus rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, you're not the same as all the other humans. You're immortal for one, and you were created by a Supreme Being, which makes you better than them."

It was Savina's turn now to roll her eyes. "That may be true, but I still don't like the fact that you said that."

Zuriel nodded her head in agreement.

Asriel couldn't help but frown. Though he was no longer human and no longer felt any connection to them, and though there are plenty of humans that he knew of that were awful people, he nonetheless did not like hearing others trash talk them.

Keeping our human origins a secret might not be possible. I don't think I can do so if I have to hear them say such things all the time.

Taking a breath, Asriel stopped in his tracks and turned to face Malacus.

"Malacus... I was born a 'disgusting' human," he said, his face serious.

The three NPCs looked amused for a second, assuming their creator was joking, but the expression he was making quickly made them realize he was telling the truth. Their eyes became like saucers, their mouths agape as silence filled the area.

"L-Lord A-Asriel... You-you were once human!?" Malacus nearly shouted, his voice shaking. His grip on his halberd loosened, causing it to fall to the ground with a thud.

Asriel slowly nodded; his expression unchanged, "Yes. As was Goren."

The three NPCs stood in shocked silence for several moments before Asriel saw one of them move. It was Malacus, who dropped to his knees. He clasped his hands together in a begging gesture, his head lowered and eyes squeezed shut, unable to look his master in the eye.

"Forgive me, Lord! I-I did not mean to imply you or Lord Goren were disgusting! Please, execute me for letting slip such terrible blasphemy!"

Zuriel and Savina looked at the kneeling demon, stern expressions now adorning their faces, seemingly agreeing with his suggestion of punishment.

Asriel shook his head.

Ugh. What is it with death and you people?

He reached down and grabbed Malacus by the wrist, pulling him to his feet. Malacus' eyes opened in surprise, making contact with those of his creator.

"It's fine, Malacus. I just don't want to hear any of you insult humans ever again. It irritates me."

"But-"

"Don't contradict me. If I said it's fine, then it is," Asriel said firmly.

The three NPCs dipped their heads in understanding.

"Yes, Lord," they said in unison.

Asriel nodded. "Good," he said before walking once more.

The rest of the journey to the city gate went in complete silence. Nobody wanted to speak a word after that shocking revelation. Asriel tried to think of ways to fix the situation, but nothing came to mind.

Why did that have to happen? This awkward silence is getting to me.

Asriel gave up attempting to remedy things, deciding instead to focus on the things to come.

Let's see how the city looks in person.