It had only been two days since the sudden announcement by Lapis Lazuli Fardom and yet the reactions were mixed throughout each nation. Lapis observed the capitals of each nation through the orbs left behind in her behemoths. Beside her, Hiiro stood relaxed and watched while she rotated between different conversations and video feeds. The hazy mirages shuttered every time the image changed and yet it happened at such a pace, one would think Lapis were just flipping through channels. Though they were in Lapis' control center, Hiiro felt an undeniable sense of pride in place of the woman beside him. Despite scattering thousands of sensors around the continent, she was somehow narrowing down the thousands of feeds to a select few that had important scenes playing live. Unable to hold in his curiosity at the task the woman somehow managed with little effort, he questioned her.

 "How exactly did you manage this?"

Her eyes broke from the flipping mirages and glanced at him once only to pause and return back. Her attention remained on the mirages, consuming the data displayed and audio projected but managed a reply while multitasking. From her pocket, she drew a small orb and tossed it into Hiiro's hands. He raised the object eye level and peered through the small spherical crystal.

 "Do you remember what Aria paid me with after I delivered the first shipment of stone?"

 "Ah, the companion orbs?"

 "That is correct. That Belmore family is quite ingenious. They managed to construct a false persona that was capable of interacting with refined mana, even to the point of constructing and invoking the magic by itself. I reverse engineered their efforts and built a version of my own."

 "That's...impressive."

 "Thank you."

Her curt response left him in an awkward silence whereupon he scratched the back of his head in thought. Two days now, she'd treated him coldly. Hiiro wasn't dense, he knew the reason she was angry but the situation itself couldn't have been helped. Two days ago, Lapis had finished her declaration to the world and upon returning back, she hopped onto his idea of taking a bath and getting rest. While dragging him to the bathroom, Hiiro bailed last minute saying he had to teach the two Beastman children as a weak excuse. He was obviously caught in his lie souring her mood.

The man himself couldn't convince himself it was a good idea to bathe with the woman despite her many claims that she didn't care if he saw her body. In truth, through their travels and living together, he had seen her multiple times already either through her periodic midnight birthday swims or via makeshift bath houses in the woods. He felt they were close, but didn't think they were close enough for such a degree of skin ship.

Throughout his hundred plus years of experience, he wasn't unfamiliar with the female body nor did he lack the sexual experience one might have guessed from his current appearance. Regardless of his experience though, he couldn't help but feel awkward at the age difference between himself and Lapis. Her lifespan might be six to seven times what he could dream of, but her current age of twenty four was just too distant from his. Such a feeling led to his lie which led to her calling him out on it.

Forced to come clean with how he felt, he saw the flicker of anger pass through her eyes. She immediately released him after and walked away as if nothing had happened. Since then, she either avoided him or acted coldly. Frankly, he found the current situation a bother. They needed to remain on good terms with each other in order to properly execute their plans and considering she included and discussed with him the parts that required their cooperation, it wasn't as if there was a specific problem, but even Maria scolded him last night after seeing the two interact. Seeing as how even a child called him out, he felt he should salvage the situation somehow. With that feeling, he pushed forward.

 "Hey, Lapis?"

 "Yes?"

 "I'm sorry. Could you give me a bit of time to settle my own feelings?"

 "Hmmm? What are you talking about?"

 "Huh? Aren't you mad about ditching you for the bath?"

 "No. What made you think that?"

Hiiro trained a pair of curious eyes on the woman who seemed eager to remain fixed at the mirages. He wondered where the disconnect was as he observed her, yet she didn't seem to leak any clues through her body language. While assessing the situation, an unbelievable thought popped into his mind. It was so far fetched, he dismissed it at once and yet he contemplated it once again after considering her age and history. As if to test the thought, he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, slipping between her wings and pulling her back to rest against his chest.

Silence.

He felt her body tense up for a moment, but relax soon after. The impossible thought he once dismissed suddenly held water to his amazement. Either she was dense due to being denied relationships since an early age, or she wasn't aware of her own actions. Riding the side of his face, his mouth nearly met with his ears at the oddly innocent woman who displayed such bravado despite appearing nude in front of him repeatedly. He slipped the companion orb into her pocket and withdrew his body from hers only to stand at her side once more. At glance, her typical white cheeks radiated a crimson hue which he chose to not to taunt her with. He learned something interesting today.

 "No. Nothing. Anyhow, how'd you manage to do this after building your own?"

 "N-Nothing fancy. I used a false persona to filter the feeds until it recognized something as important. If I can not view it live, it will preserve the record and consolidate with related recordings for future review."

 "...Wow..."

 "It is not that impressive. It is just an expanded application of the Belmore family's technology. I really must thank that man at some point. I somehow feel I keep losing the opportunity to."

 "No, no, no. It's plenty impressive. You managed to condense an entire Combat Information Center into an automated system. In my world, something like this would've had the ability to disrupt entire wars. Also, I don't think you'll have a chance to thank that kid any time soon. Unless he realizes it himself, he will probably be our enemy in the end...Speaking of, why'd you limit him to this Zone only?"

 "That man and his team are highly capable. I believe they will become a forerunner with proper guidance."

 "Who's going to be guiding them?", Hiiro glanced down at her once more only to meet her gaze.

 "...", she only returned an obvious silence.

 "I am? Well...Having a swordsman teach a swordsman sounds about right. I'll be borrowing a few of your golems in the future then.", he unilaterally surrendered to her silent gaze.

 "That will be acceptable. There are plenty to spare now that the facility is in full production. The new types are also available as well. I have started embedding false personas into them. It will make them appear more lifelike I think."

 "That's good to hear. Mindless behemoths are easy to tackle after you realize they're mindless puppets."

 "I do believe you are one of the few warriors on this planet capable of claiming such a thing.", she replied with a hint of exasperation.

In order for the first phase of their plan to kick off, they required a reliable delivery mechanism for the messenger orbs. If they were too weak, the orbs would never spread as far as they needed them to and if they were indestructible, it would destroy the very courage and enthusiasm she was trying to instill. Having witnessed the combat methods of the world and executing her own research in conjunction with Hiiro and Zirco, she discovered this world favored explosive and fire like magics in war. That being the case, she designed her behemoths and creatures to instead be weak to the lesser used magics.

 "I'd like to think you've trained-", Hiiro cut himself off at the mirage that flickered into view.

Sensing his pace was broken, Lapis supplemented her thoughts while watching the flowing images.

 "This is Klasika. It seems our prediction was not wrong."

***

 Duke Ryan Hallman, Deliverable Dignitary of Klasika, maintained a sword in hand while rushing through the palace. Each corner he approached with caution, peering around the edge before continuing his sprint. Distant screams and clangs ricocheted through the air as swords collided and innocents were slaughtered. He kept his exhausted breath from leaking too much noise and attempted to find a back exit from the Rose Quarter he found himself it. It had been only two days and yet rebellions cropped up all over Klasika.

 Originally, Duke Hallman remained beside his King and performed his duties admirably. He reached out to distant cities via the communication orbs and issued the King's edicts while gathering reports in tandem. The first signs of trouble came from a distant quadrant of Klasika. It was a small village nearing the populace limit to be considered a city and earning a name for themselves and yet, they failed to respond to his call. After numerous attempts, he reached out to a nearby village and had them send representatives to check out the situation.

 He continued his duties all day reigning in officials and delivering reports until he finally got a response from the active village. The news itself was lacking though. Rather than an answer, it was more accurate to say they contacted him for only a moment before disconnecting. As in accordance with his duties, he reported the odd situation to King Asalerian. His response? "Get in contact with them."

 Such a forced order, but it wasn't anything new for him. Obeying his Liege, Duke Hallman reached out to the surrounding cities only to find he lost contact with nearly half of them. Those who responded to his call reported strange activity from the citizens, but they never returned with a follow up report. As it stood, a major segment of Southern Klasika became silent to his calls. He once again reported the strange situation as part of his periodic update. His King became silent in thought asking him to only return to his duties. As he left the room, he could hear his King calling for the war ministers. Such a thing surprised him as the ministers were already focused on coordinating the elimination of Behemoths that wandered into Inmont.

 Night passed in peace for Inmont and Duke Hallman returned to his position. He resumed his calls and attempted each village and city that failed the previous day. To his surprise, many of the cities responded to his call this time, though his relief became tainted at every reply.

  "This is Bagdoor City. We refuse the King who played with our lives!-"

 It was the worst case scenario for any imperial regime. Though there was little information, what Duke Hallman could gather from the short exchanges he had with the rebellious elements indicated the demonic announcement was shown to the entirety of Klasika. Regions near Inmont remained under control, but distant regions weak to the King's influence claimed lies and abuse of power and resources as their reasons to rebel. It was unclear to him if it was a case of simultaneous revolt, or if there were collaborators against the King to start with and they just utilized the situation to execute their revolt, but the biggest problem had yet to come.

 His ragged breaths emitted a strained wheeze as he struggled to keep his volume low. Rushing to a door, he fumbled with the handle only to find it locked. He pounded the door in frustration, and yet it failed to budge. Turning around, he moved to exit the room and search for another exit. He remained calm, but continued to rush knowing time was of the essence. During his morning duties, he received reports from cities within the Kings influence directly South that an army was approaching Inmont. The moment he went to report to the King, he found the ministers only. Absconded from his role, the King had already fled. As he listened to the ministers arguing amongst themselves, he realized that not only the King, but the Queen and the Crown Prince both had escaped overnight.

 The situation only dwindled from there. Before he could escape, Inmont was already under attack. He attempted to leave the palace only to be turned around by the Knights. Their reason? He was essential for the palace to function. "What bullshit!" were his only thoughts. They didn't need him anymore. He knew it. He and the ministers were locked inside as a sacrifice to appease the inbound mob. No way would he allow himself to be killed by such low born fools. He took action the instant his figure slipped from the Knight's sights.

 Roaming the halls with a feigned calmness, he hunted for his first target. To escape, he needed to find an unprotected route and a weapon for self defense. Each hallway he entered had Knights patrolling in groups of two. He wasn't skilled enough to take down two experienced Knights by surprise and was forced to give way repeatedly until he found a pair of Knights who visited the palace bathroom. Taking advantaged of the Knight who waited outside for his patrol partner, Duke Hallman maintained his demeanor and pretended to walk past the Knight. As soon as he was about to pass, the Duke pulled a decorative dagger from his sleeve and lunged at the throat of the Knight, digging the dagger into the man's jugular. The struggle lasted only a moment as the Knight fell without much effort. The decorative dagger had snapped at its handle, but his goal was to acquire the Knight's sword regardless.

 Tearing the sword from the Knight's waist and sheath, he began his frantic escape from the Palace.

 Having met numerous locked exits, Duke Hallman was starting to run out of exits he could remember. His fear grappled with his common sense, crippling his logical thoughts and in a fluster, he tossed the sword he stole under a couch snuggled against a palace hallway and attempted to walk naturally. If he couldn't escape now, he reasoned to blend back into the Palace and sneak out with other defectors. He couldn't imagine he was the only one trying to leave. As he turned the corner of a hallway on route to his workplace, a pair of Knights recognized him and called out to him. Thinking he had been blown, he broke into a sprint back the way he came with the Knights chasing after him. Sliding along the ground, he took the final corner at full speed and frantically grasped for the sword under the couch.

  "What?! Where is it?!"

 It had disappeared. No matter how far he stretched his arm, neither hilt nor blade found itself within his reach. The two Knights rounded the bend and upon seeing the Duke's strange behavior, moved to restrain him. The Duke panicked screaming "I didn't kill him!" over and over. Little did he know, the Knights were only there to help escort him from the building due to the potential assassin inside the Palace. Admitting to the crime, the Knights dragged the flailing man to the Palace dungeon and tossed him into a cell.

 ***

  "That's Humans for ya...Collective fear stimulates the herd instinct and tends to induce ferocity towards those who are not regarded as members of the herd...", Hiiro slipped a subtle sense of disappointment into his words.

  "It is a shame. Of the species I have observed so far, the Humans progressed both mechanical and magical technology the furthest overall. I do wish they would settle down."

  "It's needed anyways. King Asalerian wasn't a man of vision. His sense of nationalism would have interfered with the next phase of the plan..."

  "Could we not have to finished him off without involving the masses?"

  "No. Humans will band together if a key figure is assassinated. That banding leads to both isolationism and witch hunts for the short term. In the long term, if a culprit isn't found, they will turn creatures different from them into a straw man and adopt a strong nationalistic policy. Rather than solidify their borders, we want them to open it. It's better to feed resources to collaborators, instill distrust in the reigning Imperials, and collapse the ruling government from the inside. By doing it this way, the government itself will rebuild itself with new elements. Being observed and judged by the citizenry, they'll have to adapt to the current global climate in order to prove their ability and gain the trust of the citizenry. That makes their new laws and government malleable to outside forces."

His explanation was met with silence and yet he felt the woman's eyes observing him as if he were an exhibit. Meeting her gaze head on, he found her eyes studying his figure with a questionable look.

  "What?", he couldn't stay silent under the uncomfortable gaze.

  "I just wonder who you really are some times..."

  "I told ya a while back didn't I?"

  "It is just hard to believe. This certainly provides a level of credibility though. I do not think I would have thought of this without you."

  "It's only common sense. It's more important to out think your enemy, than outfight them. We broke their unifying cause through this. All we have to do now is apply pressure."

  "How did you manage to convince the collaborators?", she asked despite Hiiro's twitching cheeks.

  "You're a cheat, that's how. It costs money to raise an army and sustain it. I delivered portions of the refined precious gems and ores you kept in the facility. The collaborators don't really care where the money comes from, they only desire the money to accomplish their goal. I left a supporting letter behind on top of the chests claiming to be an anonymous Duke. I doubt they believed it, but I don't think it matters either way. They needed the money, they wouldn't reject a chest of it lying in front of them."

  "Oh, those gems...Well, I am glad they have a use then...Oh? Then would those gems act as viable bait?"

  "Yeah, as long as the market isn't flooded with them, they should be compelling to everyone but the Fairies."

  "They do not care about precious gems?"

  "Hmmmm. Rather, I hear they can create the gems without having to mine them. They appear to be of lower quality, but it seems they treat it like an agricultural state treats food exports."

  "We will have to entice them as well somehow."

  "It's fine. From what I gather, they will help after we make our next move. They'll have to if they want to survive."

 Her curiosity sated, Lapis returned to the mirages only to dismiss them a moment later. The floating turquoise sphere that was hidden behind revealed itself as if eager for its next order. She placed her palm near the top of the floating sphere and as if in anticipation, it moved to interact with her hand. Seeing the odd behavior from the side, Hiiro couldn't help but comment.

  "Is it a pet?"

  "It is. I supplied the first created persona to it. It was modeled after the dogs you described to me.", she replied with a smile while rubbing the surface of the orb.

 Responding to her pet, the orb seemed to press and rotate itself against her hand seeking the reward for its efforts. Lapis spent a moment to satisfy it before issuing orders.

  "Petri, it is time to activate the remote zone cores. I will leave overall management to you, but provide full control to Hiiro. He must be able to modify the zones as needed just as I can."

 The orb froze at the command. Glowing circuits hidden within emitted a faint glow through the outer membrane and with it, similar orbs across the continent, startled from their sleep, rose into the air and assumed their mass produced personas. Hiiro kept his sights on the black dots laid across a mirage of the continent. The black dots were consumed radially by red dots which eventually turned green. Near him, seven orbs levitated into the air.

 They took a moment to properly engage their specialized persona before embedding themselves into the back of their respective golem. Each orb on contact emitted a faint glow followed by traces of blue radiating from the connection point and with it, the golem startled to life. Curious with the golems that acted less like puppets than he expected, Hiiro sent a questioning gaze to Lapis.

  "Why seven?"

  "I did not have a reason. Do you know what they are?"

  "Mmmmm...Minions?", he replied without much thought.

  "Yes! That is correct in a way. They are the managers of each difficulty. Neither you nor I will have time to manage the thousands of zones. Petri is busy collecting and compiling intelligence to actively manage each independent zone. Thus, I decided to create subordinates for him! Each manager will control a percentile of the zones designated to them based off their assumed difficulties. With this, they can report important changes up to Petri and focus on their specific tasks. It was a good idea, no?", Lapis exposited with an almost obsessed tone causing Hiiro to back off somewhat from surprise.

 Hiiro had forgotten that despite her overwhelming power, her rather mature appearance and typical behavior, the woman before him was indeed a researcher from the beginning. Confused, Lapis recovered her sanity and attempted to smooth the embarrassing moment over with a cough. Rather than hold her to the outbreak, Hiiro just recollected himself and increased the distance between the two. He took the initiative and pushed the topic forward.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "So with this the war begins in earnest. Can production keep up?"

  "*Cough* Yes. It will be difficult if every zone was under attack at the same time, so most of the refined mana will be sent to zones most likely to be invaded first. The current order is for selective zones to overflow soon and draw attention to them as bait. After that, I will allow the managers to take full control over the distribution of refined mana."

  "I'm amazed you built that thing...How's it work anyways?"

  "Originally, I used a custom magic that was capable of fueling itself from mana in the air. Now that it is operating, I improved it with some tricks I obtained from the Belmore family's technology to transmit that refined mana to remote sites. That family is quite exceptional...I would love to talk with them when this is over."

A wry smile spread across Hiiro's face as he thought about the conversation in his head.

  "I somehow doubt they'd be happy to discover that their research contributed to the end of the world...Well, birds of a feather and all that, maybe they'd be oddly ecstatic?", he nearly downplayed her optimism until the idle thought that they may be as whimsical as her crossed his mind.

 It sounded oddly convincing to him...

 ***

  "Sit down please."

  "Thank you." ""Thanks."" "Mmm."

  "Ruby, could you get us some tea?"

  "Yes, Countess Sugimoto."

 Delivering her bow, Ruby left the stone room to fetch a cart and the required utensils. Behind her, the large door that covered the only entrance and exit was sealed with a locking noise. Having waited for that noise before continuing, I addressed the members sitting across from me.

  "Well then, how might I help you?"

  "I'll cut to the chase, are you cooperating with the Demon, Lapis Lazuli Fardom?", Kelvin didn't even bother hiding his disgust and anger in his tone.

 I took the emotions head on with a stoic face since I knew from the start I was exposed. As soon as the meeting between Kelvin and Lapis ended, Lapis sent word that their cooperation was probably discovered, but she wasn't sure to what degree. The team sitting across from me knew Lapis Lazuli Fardom as both the Demon and the Fairy, so there was little I could do to hide the link between the events that led to me coming to power within such a short period.

The question then, was how do I convince these members to join my side. My knowledge on team Satyr increased by a significant degree over the past few days. I had Ruby probe for information in the shadows and Mr. Redmon provided everything else with his connections as a Guild Master. Due to that preparation, I felt I understood the members across from me rather well.

Kelvin Belmore, the second son of Elric and Clarisa Belmore. Not only does his family consist of talented researchers and inventors but they also produce excellent fighters as well. Though their family holds the title of Duke, it seems the title itself is useless in the aristocracy due to a trade agreement with Klasika. The terms, upon first glance, seem detrimental to the Belmore family as it essentially bans them from wielding that Dukedom power in social circles, but due to their technological prowess and the monopoly over the distribution and production of that technology, they actually remain as powerful, if not more so, than other Dukes in Klasika. Even if I were to exclude his lineage, the man himself is nothing to scoff at either. Despite being under twenty five years old, he was blessed with titles representing his talents such as 'The Primordial Magic Swordsman' and 'The Belmore Hero.' Despite his many fights, he reportedly is unmatched in combat but I'm not sure I can trust that considering he was repelled by the Obsidian Knight so easily.

My eyes fixated on the woman sitting beside him. Zeena Halflight of unknown family lineage. Despite such a unknown background, her skills in ancient magic and accomplishments have her treated as a hero in Gilphriya. Despite being an Elf, her temperament is actually closer to that of a Beastman. Rumors of her defeating an Earth Dragon by herself were spreading through the guild for a while now and considering that obscene magic I saw a few days ago, I think I'm convinced. Exceptional talent in magic but holding a modest personality, she is treated like an idol amongst other adventurers. Oddly, information on her background is limited and her reasons for joining Team Satyr are vague at best. Considering the glances I keep seeing her direct at the Belmore child, I can make an assumption...but would someone join a team just for that? I'm not convinced...

Behind those two, my gaze met with 'The Courageous Lion' George Kinner. His home nation Naoki treats him like a hero just as Gilphriya treats Zeena Halflight. His strength is known to rival that of even S class monsters. By focusing his physical talents in martial skills and specializing his magic talent in physical reinforcement, it's said there's no one stronger in hand to hand combat. Known as the champion of multiple renown fighting tournaments, he defended his titles for the past twenty odd years. Though his age is unknown, I suspect it somewhere between forty five and sixty. His personality is focused more on righteous outcomes...In a strange turn of events, he may be easiest to convince in this group.

Finally, my attention turns to Silas Sommes. Right hand man of Kelvin Belmore and a man of mystery. I couldn't dig up much on this man, I should be wary of him. His strength doesn't seem that high, but his motivations, skills and personality are mostly unknown. The only thing that seems consistent is his loyalty to Kelvin Belmore. I'll have to remain vigilant to him, but odds are if Kelvin Belmore is convinced, he will follow. I'll have to bet on that...

I returned my gaze to the heated eyes fixed on him.

 [This man doesn't let up at all, does he? What does that woman see in him? Elves must not have good eyes...]

 "First. May I ask why you suspect my cooperation with the enemy? This is a problem I must weed out before it spreads as rumor. Despite my wishes, this city is unable to survive a coordinated assault fueled by rumor and paranoia at this stage. All of our normal defenses have been destroyed, in part due to your teammate, and in part due to the recent assaults."

Interrupting our conversation, another locking noise signaled the door latch releasing its hold on the stone block. A wheeled cart holding an extra large teapot with steam escaping from holes at the top rolled into the room. I watched Ruby enter only far enough to clear the door before locking it once more behind her. She gazed around the room, locking eyes on Zeena for a moment before continuing her duty. She moved the cart to the side of the table I was at and placed a teacup and plate in front of me. She turned with her back to the guests as if acquiring a utensil and while locking eyes with me, mouthed a warning.

 [Truth Magic.]

Internally, I was startled. I feigned calmness, requesting tea from Ruby and while buying time to think, offered the same to my guests.

 "This tea is delicious, please quench your throats before we continue our talks. I'm sure this will be a long talk, there's no need to force ourselves. My duties for the day are mostly finished, we can take our time."

She must have noticed my intent as Ruby moved with diligent steps, buying as much time as possible for me to consider my next options. To be blunt, I was lucky. I had misread one of these members. My thoughts focused on a single name that acted as an unpredictable element, Silas Sommes. I imagine he suggested it. With Lady Zeena's mastery of ancient magic, she could have invoked it long before entering the room. What a terrifying woman, I didn't notice at all. If Ruby hadn't warned me, this would have turned terrible. My only saving grace was that Ruby returned and noticed before I offered an answer...This will be a hassle...It's too early to reveal my complicit cooperation with Empress Fardom.

 [No choice but to straddle the gray zone then...]

 "Now then, will you answer me please?", I restarted my initiative, preparing myself for the unexpected battle.

 "I've met that woman the first day she arrived. At that time, she appeared from a tear in space and altered her form right in front of us. I know for a fact you lied about who and what you fought against in your speech. Most of all, you two carried the air of accomplices today. Everything went too smoothly. You gave up too quickly. She entered too quickly. And you two exchanged conversation too smoothly. I'll ask you once more. Don't dodge the question this time. Are you cooperating with the Demon, Lapis Lazuli Fardom."

 "Yes.", I didn't even bother hesitating in my reply. Rather, I remained the aggressor and continued.

 "I'm working with Empress Fardom. She conquered this city long ago and I was forced to go along with her plan for the sake of my citizens."

 [...She saved the lives of every member in Profectus during the battle, assisted in evicting the corruption, and provided a future that didn't rely on dwindling good will. Without using force, that woman won her place in the hearts of the citizens as the Fairy, Lapis Lazuli Fardom. Once they discover her other identity, I don't know how they'll react, but for now, it's certainly true that she 'conquered' their hearts even if only a little. This position and role was 'forced' onto me as well, no lie so far...]

My answer must not have satisfied him as his handsome features contorted at my political reply. His tone became more aggressive and he pushed me further.

 "Were you aware she was going to kill citizens as part of your play?"

 [Oh? Is targeting my morals instead of intentions? That's certainly one way to weaken my previous statement.]

 "No.", I kept my reply short.

 [No, Empress Fardom did not kill any citizens of Profectus. Those corpses belonged to Crusaders who massacred a group of traveling beastmen. If anything, the citizens of Profectus owe her gratitude for the act.]

He seemed unable to accept my response, and yet his face remained contorted. He must trust his intuition quite a bit to remain fixated like this. My eyes drew their gaze to the man behind Kelvin after he made a sudden movement. Silas Sommes moved himself closer to the table and received a cup of tea from the tray. His disarmed appearance while drinking the tea unsettled me. I found it strange the man would be so calm under such circumstances and as if to read my thoughts, he directed an inquisitive gaze to me.

 "Countess Sugimoto, please tell us the extent of your relationship with Lapis Lazuli Fardom. I'd like to hear it from start to finish."

 [Is he trying to bait me?]

 "Sir Sommes. I recognize your party, Team Satyr, as reliable adventurers. However, that trust is entirely my own perspective. My history with Empress Fardom can be summarized as an unwitting victim kept in the dark. Your team has already sowed the seeds of distrust with her due to your actions earlier and earned a degree of her contempt. If you ask me if I'm afraid of her, then I will answer yes. I fear both her power and my lack thereof. In concert with my fears, until you can prove you have the capability to defend Profectus City from such an overbearing creature, then I will refrain from divulging any information that may project disloyalty towards her."

 "In short, you admit that you're on the side of Empress Fardom and yet claim you're an unwilling victim."

 "Both Profectus City and myself are victims in this affair.", I stated resolutely.

 [After all, everyone was tricked by her appearance. I was even tricked into this role. If I'm not a victim, then what would I be? Conspirator? I decline such a charge. Though I may work together with her, our plans are not equal and our methods do not align properly with each other. She merely offered a role I was unable to decline and I took the opportunity to establish a base for my citizens. Our goals are too different for us to be conspirators.]

Even I understood my thoughts were straining definitions and exaggerating circumstances to fit my needs, but truth magic was such a fickle thing. It was best used when the other party was unwitting due to the ability for humans to smear truth across a range of 'truths'. My answer seemed to displease Kelvin once more, but he withdrew the hostility he'd been projecting until now. He relaxed in his seat and reached for the tea, taking sips as if to collect his thoughts. His team seemed to follow his example leaving us in an odd moment of silence. The clanking of his cup to the plate signified the next round of questions, though their content surprised me.

 "I'll trust your answers for the moment so what's your plans from now on? Since you were forced into the role, do you intend to follow the rules issued by Lapis?"

 "If I'm issued orders, I will implement them in the most harmless way possible, but as of now, no orders have been issued. It seems to me, Empress Fardom has no intention on reneging her words from earlier. From the moment we were conquered, she hasn't once directed any part of my governance.", I replied with a hint of surprise.

My curiosity was perked by his question.

 "Sir Belmore...What is your plan? Empress Fardom explicitly limited your freedom to Profectus City's zone. Will you disobey her?"

 "..."

 "I'm sure I don't need to mention this, but she has both the ability and will to reinforce her orders. Will you test those waters and make yourself an example?", I negged him subtly. 

 "We will stay in Profectus City...It is closest to that woman and if what she says it true, this city will be the best place to get stronger at. We'll play her game and use it to tear her down from those lofty heights!", he slammed the table with a fist.

 "I'm surprised...I thought you were on better terms with her?"

 "We were never on good terms. Maybe neutral, but never good. Ever since we first met her, I've seen nothing but alterations in ecosystems and destruction spiral around her. Now that she's slaughtered innocents, I see no need to hold back anymore. Speaking of, where are the zones she mentioned? Did she give you any information?"

 "No...I suspect I know where one might be though. Empress Fardom had been building her place to stay since we first met. I predict that is the Profectus City zone..."

As if on cue, I witnessed Zeena light up like she recognized the location.

 "That zone...Is it in the mountains and colored pitch black?", she questioned me with eager eyes as if she were locked onto it.

 "Yes. I imagine so. I've not been there myself though, so I'm unable to verify it. "

Such a reaction could only mean they've already seen it. I was curious, but held my tongue. Despite the lax conversation, I couldn't afford to relax myself too much. Until the truth magic was no longer in play, every word I utter would be analyzed and potentially used against either my or Empress Fardom's plans. I owed her far too much to do such a damaging deed so rather than question Zeena further, I merely remained silent and listened to their group discussion.

It would appear, they've decided to prepare themselves and travel to the zone. I couldn't help but reveal a small, satisfied, smile.

***

Three carriages were loaded with food, camping and basic support equipment. A fourth wagon lead the three carrying team Satyr and a group of support members. They had passed the crumbling Northern rampart yesterday evening and had finally traveled enough to bring their objective into sight. Hinting at its enormous size, obsidian walls tapering into a rounded top carried itself through the intermittent gaps of the leaves. Even team Satyr, who had seen the structure at distance previously, wasn't immune to the awesome sight.

The tower grew in size at they neared, but was lost behind the cliffs after a certain point. The group understood implicitly that their destination was was only moments away. Kelvin halted the group and issued orders to the support team to setup camp and scout ahead. The group was long experienced with traveling and camping within Lore Forest so the new forestry surrounding the cliffs did little to provoke their fears. Rather, they understood their roles and acted the moment the caravan stopped. Their camp site founded itself within the half hour and a patrol was set up for the final night.

The crisp morning air that carried with it the warmth of changing seasons waltzed through the campground. Beams of sunlight tracing through the gaps of leaves illuminated portions of the site to include a wide stump formed into a makeshift table. Surrounding that table, team Satyr analyzed the map drawn by the scouts. It confirmed, in general, what they had seen from the crest of the hill when arriving at Profectus City, yet the dimensions of its base exceeded their imaginations. Despite the tapering top of the structure, the base widened rapidly and expanded to cover the majority of the lower terrain.

Their scouts described spiraling paths that wrapped the base circumference and what appeared to be large doorways wide enough for entire carriages to easily traverse etched into it. As it was described, they air of the camp turned curious more than anything else. Demon Lord Lapis Lazuli Fardom hinted the zones as areas of conflict, and yet the elegant descriptions and descriptors coming from the scouts seemed to appeal it as a more friendly location.

 "We'll just have find out more after we enter. We'll move slowly and take it easy.", Kelvin remarked with a hint of exasperation.

He expected a graveyard like location or slaughterhouse, but found a serene, obsidian, castle instead. He couldn't help but be confused at it. The team took to their equipment for a final check and established a time line with the support team before heading out. It took them only thirty minutes of travel before they found the split in the cliff that provided a path into the inner basin. They climbed the oddly well worked path and followed it until they came out into view of the obsidian tower. Exercising extreme caution, the team tested every step for traps and maintained the highest degree of alertness as they pushed in.

While team Satyr was exploring the site and progressing in, Hiiro and Lapis were delivering their final instructions to the two nervous beastmen. They had been in training for weeks now and managed to act their roles well with practice intruders, but their nervousness couldn't be helped now that their first real intruders were visiting for the first time. Maria was rather excited with her tail swinging back and forth, belying the stoic mask she equipped for the job. In contrast, Shino's face was twitching with a fake smile with his tail wrapped under him, nearly curling through his legs to the front.

Though Hiiro and Lapis were providing them instructions, it was more accurate to say they were attempting a final encouragement for the two children. They weren't too worried as Zirco was nearby and would step in when needed, but they hoped the children would be able to step up without him.

 "Hiiro, it is time. They will be here soon. Let us withdraw for the moment...Shino, this is the first step to protecting your sister. It is fine to make mistakes as you will not be punished, but remember that your desires can only be accomplished with your own hands. At most, I can only lend you opportunities. Maria...I trust you to deliver. Just as with Shino, I can only offer you opportunities."

 "I understand, Ms. Lapis. We will do our best!"

 "Y-yes...Good luck you two.", Lapis hesitated at the ambitious reply.

Hiiro and Lapis felt the presence of a particular team nearing and withdrew from the venue. The two cubs took their positions and awaited the inevitable. Though team Satyr were moving with caution, their experience in traveling enabled a rather fast pace despite the added caution. It took them only five minutes to reach the base of the tower after Lapis and Hiiro absconded. They slowed their pace further and approached the first massive opening. They held their position at the edge of the wall and Kelvin peeked around the edge to scan for danger.

He only took a quick glimpse and returned to his hiding position, yet his face scrunched up in confusion. Expecting literally any response except confusion, the other members of team Satyr became confused as well. Their leader performed a series of glimpses with each one lasting somewhat longer than the last, until he stepped out from their spot without warning. Surprised at his actions, the other members moved to cover him and yet froze upon sight.

Within the base of the tower, a series of tables and stools built from an assortment of stone were spread out neatly. They arrived at what appeared to be a wagon stop as the opening was wide enough to fit nearly three wagons side by side through the entrance alone. Within the space, a road passed straight through to where they could see light at the other end. The through tunnel resided next to the tables and seats but further in, a series of counters ran along the entire length.

The team broke from their trance and followed their leader in while maintaining caution, but surrendering portions of their alertness to curiosity. From the venue, a series of pitter patter steps reached their ears. The team took a distance from each other and formed a defensive line with practiced speed. The steps were quick and gradually gained in strength until a small beastman entered their view. The creature was recognized on sight as the same beastman nearly killed on the makeshift stage. Kelvin remained vigilant and signaled his team to cover him as he moved forward to meet the young boy.

It took only a few moments for the two to enter conversation distance and upon reaching that point, the young beastman spoke up first with an obvious nervousness mixed into his voice.

 "W-W-Welcome in-in-invaders t-to Z-Z-Z...Zone Folkvangr! P-P-Please f-follow m-me!"

Team Satyr watched the back of the nervous young beastman as he walked away. Each of them communicated through their eyes until landing on Kelvin finally. With a nod of his head, he called out to the boy.

 "Hey kid, last time I saw you, you were ten centimeters from death. Why are you here?"

The young boy seemed to take a moment and think about the question. His innocent and unprotected movements suggested his lack of fighting capability or experience and yet the team somehow couldn't drop their suspicions. Removing his hand from his chin, the boy only shook his head.

 "I can't answer you. This way please."

Kelvin understood the implicit meaning behind the boy's words. 'I have nothing to say about that matter.' Such an interpretation only reinforced his original theory about the excessive showmanship and partnership between Profectus City and Lapis Lazuli Fardom. Oddly enough, Shino only replied as such since he was never trained to answer questions like that. Rather than make a mistake, he chose to not answer lending an unforeseen hint to team Satyr.

Kelvin accepted the answer and lowered his guard a bit. He gestured to his team and they trailed behind the young boy. His small steps and wagging tail filled with excitement belied the overt pressure exuding from the obsidian environment. The strange mix of innocent and power filling their senses drew the team into an odd state of semi alertness. They continued to memorize and internally map the building as they followed behind the boy until they approached the inner venue where another young beastman stood. Kelvin immediately recognized her.

 "Tsk...Another one? The hell's going on here?"

Shino approached the counter and as if he were regurgitating a memorized line, introduced the team to his sister.

 "Sister, I've guided the invaders. Please provide them basic information about the zone. I'll return to my duties."

His tail whipped left and right from the excitement of delivering the lines perfectly. Maria's face twitched slightly at the over zealous 'praise me' attitude he exuded. She reached her hand over the counter and brushed his head lightly with a smile.

 "Good job, Shino. You did well. I'll handle it from here."

After delivering a heartfelt congratulations to her brother, the sisterly smile faded and was replaced by a businessman like smile. Her attention diverted to the team and she seemed to asses them one at a time before speaking.

 "Welcome to Folkvangr. My name is Maria. You may consider me similar to the adventurer guild's counter attendant. This facility represents a neutral ground in zone Folkvangr. You will not be attacked at this location unless you break the rules, so please do hold any questions until I finish. The rules are really quite simple and are limited to three. First, violence of any sort directed towards employees representing Folkvangr is strictly prohibited. Second, Folkvangr counter attendants have final say in all matters related to the zone to include reward distribution, punishment deliverance, and ranking assortments. Finally, your life is your own responsibility. Entering Folkvangr is your own decision regardless of how you were convinced to enter. If you're killed the zone will recycle your corpse and equipment leaving nothing behind. Please be aware of this. Do you have any questions so far?", she finished with a tilted smile at the wide eyed group.

Recovering first, George took the lead and asked the first few questions that popped into his mind.

 "Girl, why are you and the boy here? Did you escape from your shackles or have you been enslaved?"

 "I'm afraid you have the wrong person, Sir. Oh, and also, it's against the rules to ask personal information about our Folkvangr's employees.", she returned a perfect business smile along with her retort inserting an unexpected unease on George's expression.

Pointing to his nose, George pushed the issue further.

 "Girl, I'm just like you. I'd recognize your scent easily. Do you plan on denying it?"

 "As I've said Sir. You have the wrong person. If you have no further questions related to Folkvangr, please continue on your way. You're delaying the line."

 "The line?", he curiously responded before turning around.

George's eyes turned wide and his figure froze in place. The unusual reaction drew the rest of the team's attention as well. A series of figures were being led by the boy to the counter in similar fashion to them. The boy seemed to be in conversation with the group and yet neither George nor the rest of the team could hear their approach in the slightest. Kelvin gestured for his team and they assumed combat positions.

With his vast combat experience, it was impossible for Kelvin not to recognize the mana signatures approaching him. Though they were unfamiliar signatures, the mana itself was common amongst the demons he'd fought in the past. Despite the strange discontinuity between the obvious strength of the individuals and the lack of presence, he leaned towards caution at first glance. Walking beside the boy was an athletic man exuding a regal bearing.

He was shorter than the two following beside him, but he could tell he was the group leader by how they remained nearly a step behind him. Two blackened horns extruded from his forehead growing to the sky. The pair of silver wings lined with black drew a stark contrast to his otherwise normal outfit. As if he finally noticed the group ahead of him, his eyes turned from the young beastman to stare directly at Kelvin. The serpentine eyes filled with green and brown luster seemed to pierce through him. From the glance alone, Kelvin knew he wasn't their opponent. His mind flickered from fight to flight and he started calculating who to sacrifice to keep the rest of the team alive. The last time he felt this way was when he first met the demon Lapis Lazuli Fardom after she left the rift.

The demon continued to follow the boy holding a subtle smile as he approached. He seemed to realize something and with a motion of his finger, the air around the group shimmered. Slammed by an imperceivable pressure, Kelvin locked up. He knew the pressure was extremely similar to what Lapis used to freeze them in place. Though his body was frozen, his mind remained sprinting. The fact they approached this close without his team realizing it meant the demon concealed their presences somehow. The young boy seemed unaffected by the pressure suggesting only Kelvin and his team were being pressured.

As they approached closer, the young beastman glanced at Kelvin and his team with a look of curiosity. It seemed as if the boy didn't realize what was happening to them. The fear in Kelvin's heart seemed to grow in the fact of the existence, but he gathered what strength he could and started battling the pressure back. He couldn't allow his team to be slaughtered so lopsidedly. He had already experienced the pressure once before and thought how to beat it the next time.

Originally he felt he couldn't, but it seemed this pressure was less domineering than the one he experienced in the past. That disparity of feeling something far more oppressive gave him a sense of confidence. He continued to collect strength and force it throughout his body. He couldn't tell what it was he was collecting. It was different from mana and didn't seem to align well with anything else he knew, but at this moment, he could feel it penetrating his frozen limbs.

Kelvin continued to collect and push the mysterious feeling harder and harder until he managed to secure feeling in his limbs. His intense concentration made the attempt seem like it took minutes while in reality, the demons had only just released their concealing magic. His newfound freedom drove Kelvin's hand to his blade in preparation. His sudden movements drew a surprised reaction from the demon. The two remained a fixed distance from each other with only the young beastman glancing at the two curiously.

 "I am Arakis Nul Dieth, the one you commonly call the Demon Lord. I applaud you for breaking free of my seal...I see, so this is what that woman wanted...I was baited spectacularly!", he spewed out his name and complemented the man with a hint of admiration.