After a nice chat, a delicious lunch and a good cry on Anya's shoulder, I'm feeling much better. The Rainbow Mage has always had a way with words and never fails to raise my spirits when I need her too.

Before leaving, I quickly pop in to see Tilly and the head Doctor Mage informs me that they need more healers. I'm not surprised as the current staff only use up a third of the building's space. The Royal Halls of Regeneration is absolutely massive and shouldn't need another upgrade for quite some time. That said, I summon another hundred Magus to help lighten the load of the frequently busy workforce and head out.

As I skip down the street toward my mountain, my Core is full of joy. More so than earlier as I always feel better after a chat with Anya, not to mention her famous best friend hugs.

"Abi!" I hear my name being called and it pulls me out of my blissful trance. In front of me is an elderly woman dressed up like one of my Assassins. In all black, the only visible part of her is the crow's feet around her eyes. Until she unmasks herself, that is. "What do you think? I look good, right?"

The elderly lady is none other than Marie the thieving Space Mage. Ever since I contracted her to the dungeon, all she's wanted to do is go out on missions with the Assassins. Ignoring the fact that she's probably over a hundred years old, at least her sticky-fingered shenanigans have finally ceased.

I watched over her for the first month, replacing whatever she took at no significant cost to myself. After she had amounted a nice hoard, the wily woman just went cold turkey. Plus, it's not like she stole any children or anything of significance.

She might be going senile? Who knows? One thing is for sure though, Marie definitely isn't going to be sent out on Syndicate business. She might forget why she's there!

"You look pretty damn cool, Marie. I was speaking to Mystique over at the Academy yesterday and she was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing some teaching? What do you think?" I offer the unemployed Space Mage an opportunity in hopes of deterring her from asking a question I'm going to reject. on the end of her tongue. However, the look on her face says my efforts are futile and she asks anyway.

"But I want to go out with the others. You can't keep an old bird caged up, you know? These wings were meant to fly." Not that I want to be mean, but saggy skin doesn't make wings. Not the type she's referring to anyway. Either way, her self-deprecating joke is a heart-felt jab and I'm already on the back foot.

"You're our only Space Mage though. Until the Mages Guild gets its shit together and stops making everyone Necromancers, that is. What would I do without you?" I try to win her over with reason and a bit of pity at my sorry excuse of a guild. I mean, I don't even know why it doesn't create regular magic classes. Other than Anya being the exception, every other Mage, High Mage and Magus, has become a death-wielding Necromancer.

It's a good job I've already got the Lord's permission to operate in Ishda. Otherwise, we might have become known as the city of death. Not that many people actually die in Varona and the ones that do most certainly deserve it. Even then, it's certainly not the Necromancers, but the shadow-slipping Assassins that hand out my justice.

In all fairness, Necromancers actually make great doctors and the townsfolk love them. That might be something to do with the fact that every single one of them is easy on the eyes and has a fantastic physique, but who knows? They're certainly not your regular, pasty, sleep-deprived, dead-looking Necromancers. That's for sure.

What's worse part is that the ridiculous Mages Guild only seems to be biased toward my family members. Regular Tiroians who applied for classification have all come out with an actual speciality. Fire Mages, Wind Mages, Dark Mages, all sorts. The only thing they're missing is a Necromancer. Not a single one has been found among my human population.

"I can take care of myself, I'll have you know. I have been doing it for... Let's just say a long time now, so you don't need to fret over me." Cursing the Mages Guild as I listen to Marie, a sigh escapes my lips. She doesn't want to let up and as reluctant as I am to add her into the Syndicate's roster, it's not as though the Space Mage is going to slow the Assassins down. If anything it could even end up being the opposite way around.

"Ok. But... You have to wait until the right mission comes up and until that time, I would really appreciate it if you go and give Mystique a hand. Maybe even drop into the Mages' Guild and have a look at their equipment. I know that's not your thing, but you've probably seen some stuff in your time. Hopefully, you can help me out." I give in to what she wants and persuade her to help out while she waits for a mission.

Now I just have to decide who to send her with. Dum and Dee would probably be red-faced the entire time if she were to join them so that's out. Noir and Carrie? No, that's not the best fit for someone's first mission either. The Ice Queen would be fine. It's Prince Loudmouth that's the problem. As strong and confident as Noir is, he's not the best example of what an Assassin should be.

He's like the world's deadliest fog horn and is definitely not what fresh eyes need to witness. Not unless he's the last person they're witnessing at least

There are a few other candidates that I could send Marie out with. The Sweets spring to mind, but then so to do Veris. After she's had her own fill of the outside and experience, my Boss let's the other woman do their thing. Although, I'm not sure I want Marie hanging out with that crowd either.

Instead of them, or any one else for that matter, I suppose I'll stick with what I know works. What never fails and who always seems to impress; Light and Dropper. I almost feel bad for the two, hardworking Assassins. They've already contributed so much to Varona's development yet they always seem to get lumbered with my extra problems.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Poor guys. I'm not looking forward to that conversation. I'm sure Prince Sillybollocks will have something to say about it. If not him, Sophie is almost guaranteed too.

"I doubt I'll be much help in the Mages' Guild, but I will give my best at the academy. Those children won't know what hit them!" Marie has a mischievous look across her face, one that fits the elderly lady's persona and I can't help feel sorry for the students.

"Thank you and try not to be too harsh at the Academy, please. We don't want to deter people away, after all. Not that it would happen with the low prices we've set. But still, it's nice to be nice. That and all you actually have to do is lecture them." It's not like I'm expecting her to start knocking out Space Mages' like there's no tomorrow.

After dealing with a persistent Marie, I come face to face with another strong-willed, white-haired woman. This one's hair hasn't degraded from age, but it naturally came that way through the summoning process. The outfit she has on, if it can even be called that as there's more skin showing than garment itself, makes my cheeks flush.

Worse yet, the Boss of my Dungeon is running down the road towards me. "Boss! I have an awesome idea!" Full of gusto, Veris screams from one end of the street to the other and my heart drops. My embarrassment over her choice of outfit flies out of the window as an strangely-familiar concern takes its place. The feeling that someone is about to ask for something you don't want to hear and you have to try your best to decline their wishes.

Whatever the reason may be.

"Well, I was thinking that seeing as how Sweet C and a few of the others are enjoying a good paddling, I was wondering if we could do something like that up here?"

"I'm... Not sure, Veris. What if someone manages to force you into submission? Will that count as them defeating the Dungeon Boss? That's a bit of a risky gamble." After listening to my sneaky objection, Veris frowns before bursting into laughter.

"Ha! Good one, Boss. Someone forcing me into submission? You had me going for a second there. Pain is the name of the game in my room!" She boasts loud and proud. Worst of all, I can't even deny her statement.

I've caught a few glimpses of Veris dishing out what-she-calls punishment over the last few months and the whole shtick is just fucking strange. She warms herself up by giving the recipient, usually Sweet C, a good paddling. Then, in a bizarre turn of events, Veris forces the other party to carry out the act on her in a complete role reversal.

How do I know this? I might have watched for too long one time, but I haven't made a hobby out of it or anything. I just like to make sure my family is doing ok, even the weird ones. Even the weirdest of the weird needs monitoring now and then.

"Yeah, I know." I quietly agreed. After seeing her in action first-hand, I doubt any regular Tironian could force her into submission either and once again my own words leave me feeling a little silly. Not only does her body ripple with lean muscles under the small leather straps, but Veris is also the fifth strongest being in my dungeon.

The fact that my Boss Monster ranks fifth on overall strength is another awkward quirk about my dungeon. Usually, the last Boss would be the strongest. In my case, Light and Dropper are still levelling up like there's no tomorrow, placing them firmly in first and second place. It's ridiculous! Then you've got myself and Me, rocking our almost God-like bodies. Our levels don't compare to that of my Assassins, but the power we contain is unbridled.

After us, you've got Veris. Leaving a very sour Noir ranking sixth, just in front of his partner. Anya would be up on the board, but she has zero intention on fighting anyone ever again and I don't blame her. She doesn't even visit the Coliseum. Still, if she did level up, I don't know where her stats would end up. She's the only Rainbow Mage we have so far and no one has ever heard of another person with that class.

"Well!? What do you think? People will love it, right?" Veris' smile is as innocent as a child's. Below that heart melting act, however, is a sadistic and masochistic presence that not even The System could endure.

"But... You don't even have a feature." As I squirm at the thought of a Veris running a brothel in my city -even though that's not technically what she's about- another great thought hits me. "The Pleasure Palace is your Boss Room. It's the feature of the room itself. I'm sorry, Veris, but I can't recreate that."

Inwardly pumping my fists, I congratulate myself on a job well done. That was quick thinking for me and I'm rather proud of that one. It's indisputable for one and I'm certainly not placing the Boss Room out here in the middle of Varona. I may aswell be begging for trouble. Veris is already as mischievously inclined as they could, I dread the thought of unleashing her dark side on the general population.

I'm not going to tell her that thought as it will only hurt her feelings.

"That's okay, Boss. I'll just use a house or something," Veris shrugs nonchalantly while still holding the same heart-melting smile and I crumble. Sighing, I return her smile with one of my own.

"Okay, Veris. But! There has to be some very strict rules on what you can and can't do. I doubt anyone will be able to hurt you, so that's fine. It's you hurting them that worries me." All I have left to go with is my honesty. I should have just started with it to be fair as Veris isn't one to give up easily.

"Yes!" she starts jumping up and down in the middle of the street before catching me eyeing her. Composing herself, she says, "I mean... You have nothing to worry about, Boss. I'll just be there for show. Like an ornament or something. Only unbreakable," Veris throws me a winks and I shake my head, already regretting my decision. It's her eyes. Every time. They sparkle with such hope and anticipation.

"Is it okay if I let them punish me? If they hurt themselves in the process, that would be their own fault, right?" Her shrewd words out wile my own and I nod along in defeated resignation. Fist pumping the air openly, Veris has won the war of pleasure and I can't help but love her for it. The growth of every single person and creature that I've summoned has been phenomenal.

"I suppose so, but I'll create your building near Tilly and Anya's Halls. Just in case." We've long surpassed the targets and guidelines of what Me thought possible. At this point in time, he has absolutely nothing to compare our growth against and has given up trying. Hence why he's on the search for Doctor Mages.

"You're the best, Boss!" Veris grabs me in a bear hug and instead of pain all I feel is love. Her love. My love. Every thing's just love at the minute. I don't know what's coming over me, but I can't say I dislike it. Everything is great. Everyone is happy. Life rocks and so does my body. Best of all, I get to see my best friend every single day.

How could I not be happy at a time like this? I swear to the Gods, any shit-hitting plans that turn up better come equipped with Lucinda's Magic Deodorizer or else they'll be in for a whole world of trouble.