Chapter 2

[Laplace POV]

I do my best thinking when training...or gambling...or after a good fuck that PNC was like an epiphany. I ducked under a few shadow bolts while charging one of my jesters. I twirled the spear behind me deflecting the knife thrown by another of my jesters. I jumped up spun in the air and used the momentum to slice the magician jester in half.

I leaned my head left and dodged another knife while going with the motion spun left entirely and then broke into a sprint. The jester cackled without fear as he threw more knives, which began to ricochet off each other changing the trajectory of his attacks. I smirked but didn't stop charging in. The scythe changed hands continuously as it continued to rotate and deflect knives from all directions. 

When I was within range, I got lower and swung the scythe up impaling the laughing jester through the torso. I pulled out the scythe and it dropped to the floor.

"That's 13" I ran my hand through my hair as I looked at the corpses of clowns laying across my dojo some missing limbs, some embedded in walls, and some bisected. My scythe vanished and I clapped my hand and all the corpses turned into cards and flew into my hands.

"Good job today guys"

The cards vanished. I exited the dojo. Outside the dojo was a hellhound with white fur and black hair, she wore a black blazer and mini skirt with net sticking and heels. She was built like an Amazon, with thick thighs and a toned stomach. 

A sigh escaped my lips as her arrival meant it was back to work.

"What is it Venelana"

"Sir with all due respect. I know you're an overlord and don't require protection. But not informing me of the meeting when I'm your head of security makes some feel...inadequate."

I paused my steps. No one would expect such words from a 6'3 Amazonian hellhound. I run my hand through my hair. Then resumed walking. She matched my pace as she followed closely behind.

"There was nothing to talk about. It is a meeting with other overlords. You'll escort me to the location via one of the more armored cars in case someone gets frisky and then you shall wait in the car"

"But si-"

The glowing of my eyes cut her off, my pupils gave off a menacing glow that dared her to continue. My right pupil was O-shaped and my left was X-shaped (Like the GOAT Shinmon Benimaru). The air warped around me, the floor splintered and Venelana began to shiver, which I noticed.

I clicked my tongue and recalled my aura. I spun on my heels and continued walking towards my office. At the entrance to my office, an imp is waiting with a tray in her and a stiff drink. This brought a small smile to my face.

My employees do get me. I spin my chair and gaze out the window. This was one of my main buildings. I had some small gambling dens and strip clubs that I owned. But for the big casinos like this one, I had 5. The casino and hotel made up the 30 floors. The other 20 was where my employees sleep and 5 of that 20 made my accommodation. Pool, house, dojo, servants...simple things I'm sure every overlord needs. 

Hellhounds both pure-blooded and hybrid make up my security for all my establishments, with Venelana as my head of security. Imps make up my servers and most of my regular staff with Raynare as my chief of staff. And the rest of my workforce are succubi and sinner demons. The succubi are the girls in my strip club and also the showgirls in my casino...pretty faces give bums with shit hope.

My jesters are in the shadows at all my establishments. They act as stand-in management. They also act as back for the hellhound guards. And my eyes and ears throughout my businesses. 

The door to my office opened, but I didn't turn as I sensed who it was.

"More work Rayare"

"Something like that sir"

My my left eyebrow rose but I didn't turn my chair and savored the view. She knew that my silence was her queue to continue. 

"A demon incured a dept. Now usually that would mean they signed the soul over to you and serve until they pay back the dept"

"But," I said.

"But...someone already owns his soul"

"Ohhh~" now my interest was piqued. A demon whose soul was owned. Usually, such demons serve the person who they are owned by...unless this was a spy, but if that were the case they wouldn't gamble to the point of being caught...perhaps a trojan horse...or an addict.

"Hmm," I swirled the drink in my glass and took a sip. 

"I'm assumed he's been restrained by the hounds and you came to me for advice on what to do?"

"Yes sir."

"Do we know who owns his soul?"

She gulped loud enough for me to hear. Well, now my interest just increased. Raynare has been with me since the beginning and has the best idea of how powerful I am.

Most of my employees can only speculate from rumors. And yet she's still fearful of this being. Which means it's a demon of some renown. So other a fellow Overlord or...a Goetia demon or...one of the Sins. 

"Hmmm...well don't keep me waiting who is it."

She took a breath."The demon we have imprisoned is named Husk...his owner...is the Radio Demon...Alastor."

I stopped working on my drink and finally spun my chair around to face her. But what the look she saw on my face wasn't what she expected. 

Raynare expected to see confusion, concern, no fear...Lapface felt no fear, caution, yes but not fear. He'd always tell her fear solves nothing. It muddles the mind and leads to panic and a panicked mind is a mind not at its best. Caution is got, fear is useless, unless it's paired with respect and used to rule others.

She saw a Chesire-like grin on his face. And she knew he was amused and happy. Oh how he loved chaos causing it, reveling in it, chaos is nearly an opportunity if you know to ride the flow and see the path within the storm. Never try to control the chaos or you will suffer retribution he once said to her. 

"HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE"

His eyes started glowing, his shadow began to stretch and cover the room.

With the shadow mouths manifested and joined in the laughter.

His horns grew upward and then curved forward. A black ink-like substance started leaking from his mouth as the chuckle got louder.

The very air began to vibrate, and the walls of the room started fracturing. The chuckle began echoing. Also, she felt fear she knew she had to snap him out of it. If he fully transformed into his true demon form his power would extend to the area surrounding the rebuild and that's just his aura. His chaos-inducing arua. She could see that pandemonium, after all, she'd witnessed it before. 

As his jacket began to extend downward. She swallowed her fear and fought against the pressure of the aura that she hadn't realized brought her to one knee.

"S...Si...Laplace....LAPLACE"

"Huh" he focused his attention on her and although the transformation slowed down it stopped. The air stilled. She knew she had to choose her words carefully. 

"You need to cal..to calm down sir. If you don't you'll destroy the building."

His head tilted in confusion.

"The building that contains your stuff...your possessions...yours"

His eyes slowly began to regain clarity. She breathed a sigh of relief. Laplace was possessive of his thing. Who wasn't? But his greed was on a level that almost rivaled the Sin himself. Then again he owned all the casinos in the Pride Ring. He feed on and used the greed of others to his advantage to get stronger. It might not be his only but she's certain it was his greatest.

His shadow shrunk, he contained his aura and she could finally breathe again.

"Apologies luv. I got a bit..too excited"

He appeared in front of her and helped her to stand. He petted her hair, just the way she liked as he embraced her.

The embrace reluctantly ended when she stopped trembling.

"Alastor huh...the Radio Demon has been M.I.A for some time. This...Husk was it?...his presence here at this time could be a genuine coincidence...those are rare but they happen. On the other hand, creatures of habits are easy to predict and soul contracts can be tweaked.

He could be Alastors eyes without being non-the-wise. But my sense for chaos says that this upcoming meeting has something to do with Alastor. "

She raised a brow but she'd seen his...senses at work he just knew how to...for lack of better words...stir shit up. He had an incline to know which domino to topple to start a chain reaction.

Laplace sat back down and outstretched his left hand. His drink which was levitating and protected by his magic through his episode fell right into his open hand. (Man's got his priorities straight.)He swerved the chair back to his view.

"The TV-headed cunts hate boner for Alastor is well known. He can't find him...to hurt him physically and regain his respect for almost losing to him...so that leaves hurting his reputation in some way. HMMM~"

He took a sip of his drink and exhaled with contentment.

"This meeting just got more interesting."

He started swirling liquid in his glass once again. Seeing him fully...mostly calm.

"What should we do with Husker."Huh...keep him contained. The punishment he'd receive from his owner for going into debt and costing him one of his eyes should be enough. Ward the room, make look like a convini-. Have you ever read The Picture of Dorian Gray"

Although she was confused by the question. She answered."No, sir"

"That's unacceptable. It's a fantastic read. The a copy in my library."

"Very well Sir"

He snapped his finger and a surge of power filled the room before a blank portrait with and black and gold frame covered in symbols appeared in front of her. 

"Have him look at that. It will do rest."

She grabbed the portrait, bowed, and left. Finally alone he snapped his finger twice. A bottle of whiskey appears and topped off his glass. Soon after instrument appeared above him with a faint black glow surrounding them. He leaned back into his chair to get more comfortable. 

The instrument then began playing Antonio Vivaldi's - Storm.

"Let the games begin" he says to himself as he savours the symphony.