20

Heading into the meeting room I see Gauss and Shea already here, we need to wait for the family heads and joseph and Alan, and then it starts. poor Alan, Shea told me the Mellon family agreed to vote with us for sheriff he is as good as retired. sitting in my seat to the right of Shea and across from Gauss I lean back and get comfortable.

"How are you guys this morning?" I let out a yawn, this morning was pretty good with Kia already having breakfast ready. some questionable burnt eggs that Athena made but I ate them anyway because if someone makes you food you can't be ungrateful. that and she was looking at me like a puppy when she handed me what she made for me, I couldn't just ignore it with the expectant look she was giving. had to clarify for her that next time I like eggs on the softer side and less ' crispy '.

"I am fine sir Nova, I was interested in seeing about getting more moonshine from you. after trying it I find I like it quite a bit." Gauss strikes me as the type who would like it, shouldn't be a problem to give him some I have been trying out flavors and trying to lower the strength from rocket fuel to normal fuel.

"Yea no problem, how have you been Shea?" she twirls the writing utensil I made her in between her fingers like a skilled pro. looking up from the documents she looks at me and I realize she wasn't paying attention so I ask again.

"I am fine I am trying to figure out the best way to use the funds we are expecting from the crops. we are saving half but selling the other half because we need money, as things stand we are near broke." she taps the pen a few times on the table. "look at this and tell me what you think while we wait for the others to arrive."

-- joseph pov --

Arriving at the meeting room I head to the seat on the far side from Shea. Alan is as far as he can get from me and looking at me like I killed his family. speaking of his family my father has already got in contact with me to fix the problem I made or he will let my brother have a try at fixing it. which translates to losing the position I have built in the dark moon and handing it over to him. the heir position might as well be his if I do that. somehow I have to get through to this idiot that it wasn't me or at least appease him so that he will call off his dad. if his dad keeps sending letters to my father then all is lost.

"Glad you could join us joseph we can begin with today's meeting now." Shea's cold voice comes out. looking up at her I see the human sitting near her an idea comes to mind. this human is said to be always following around the lady Athena and that's Alan's obsession. if I can kill his love rival it will slowly mend the torn relationship.

"As you wish lord shea." I sit in my seat and look at Alan before using a special technique for sending messages. I send to him I will help him remove his love rival if he will give me a chance to explain myself. he jolts in his seat when he receives the message, looks under the table, and reads it. then looking my way he gives a short nod but I still see his unconcealed hatred. whatever I can slowly appease this idiot and everything will be fine.

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"And so everyone has given their reports, now let's move on to the voting portion of the meeting." I don't think there is anything to vote on but for some reason, I get a bad feeling all of a sudden. putting the feeling aside I get struck with an idea if I can get everyone to vote to send this human to the mines I can have my people kill him and then problem solved. looking at Alan I give him a signal then I do the same to Lombardo the Mellon's family head.

"Shea I have a suggestion, I vote we appoint someone as the mining officer. as you know since the accident involving the Saiful family's son as mining officer the responsibility of the mine has fallen on me. but I have been too busy to put all my efforts into it and it had poor results. I suggest we appoint a new mining officer that can focus his efforts on the mine and we can start to see results once again." not likely with the Red Devils camping in the mine with their two hundred strong force. this human is doomed the moment he gets sent out there and I send word to my man to go and kill him. "I have a recommendation for the office! I vote we send the human with his fierce character and taming skills he's perfect to take the position." Alan all but jumps up to raise his hand to put forth his vote.

"So both of you vote to appoint Nova officially as the mining officer?" from the slight emotion coming from her I sense confusion. I guess she didn't see this coming, now her pet human is going to die hopefully she gets depressed.

"I support this appointment." Lombardo raises his hand.

"I also support this appointment." old Ford the Saiful family head also raises his hand.

"Well, then it seems we are all in agreement." I look up and see Gauss and Shea also have their hands up. wait what's going on? why would she also want to send her per human to the mine doesn't she know it's a death sentence? looking at the human he also turns and meets my eyes and I feel a chill. he mouths something to me and I begin to shake a bit before I cool myself. how dare this human thank me for this! he will be dead once I tell the red devils to end him.

There has to be something I am missing. why didn't she even try to resist this? the human is as good as dead where is his confidence coming from? even with the taming skills he is still nothing before a higher demon in strength and will be crushed. snapping out of my confusion I hear Shea speaking.

"And so because Alan is unfit for service and leading out forces I put to vote we appoint a new sheriff, if only till he heals and can resume his post." there's no way they would ever give it back to him. I snort this is a reckless power grab now Alan's rage should focus on her. "I vote we appoint Kaguli as the new sheriff." three hands go up, wait three? oh the new mining officer, she was willing to send him to his death so she could have his vote on the sheriff it seems I played into her hands, is what I would say if I didn't have four votes on my side there is no way more people vote for this.

"I support this appointment." old Ford raises his hand. What?! why did he do that now it's as good as gone!

"I also support this appointment." Lombardo raises his hand. glaring at the old man he doesn't even flinch or look my way. how? there is no way Lombardo would defect to the dark moon. even if the dark moon is where his family is located all his money and resources come from the red spirit estate. that's it! it must be my brother's doing he is trying to do this to rile up Alan more so I lose my position in the dark moon and he can take over and then the heir title is his!

"Well it seems we agree, there are no further matters I have to put to a vote, we will end here with the appointment of Nova as mining officer and Kaguli as the new sheriff there is much paperwork for me to do." everyone stands and leaves leaving me with Alan who physically can't stand. I feel a gaze full of fury coming from my left and Alan is near frothing at the mouth.

"You planned this! there is no way that the family heads under you would do this without your word! you want to separate me from the dark moon so you can solely have it! well, I got just the thing for you!" he pulls out a paper, I begin to dread as I now know why I had such a bad feeling earlier. on the paper is my brother's stamp. "I am officially your brother's ally from today on good luck to you sir Joseph. TIMOTHY! come carry me back I can't stomach being in this person's presence anymore." a demon walks in and carries Alan off and I can't even move or react, where did everything go wrong?

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-- Nova pov --

"Well, that was easy." I didn't expect Joseph to push for me to get a mining officer we have barely interacted so I wasn't expecting him to try to kill me in such a way. but it doesn't matter I can handle the whole of the red devils on my own. the leader of it is only an early devil king and then there are four higher demons. the rest are intermediate, it will be a slaughter. and that's if they group up half of them usually are in the town Leia and taking a break and they swap out now and then. I will walk all over them and then get all the Sin from the mine I can without going into the deep parts. then I will head to the town Leia and try to save that girl roman left to die. she had the ring that increases 'libido' but its secret function is related to a treasure map and I want to get it from her.

"Yes it was, I wasn't expecting to have Joseph indirectly help us. Alan is probably blaming him, thinking it is some big scheme by Joseph to steal the little control he had. I have to thank you, Nova, with the Sheriff position and the training plans you have given me we should be able to shape up the estate forces to a whole new level." just some basic military practice I remember from earth nothing that can bite me in the butt. but if the dark moon's forces shape up I may craft them some equipment that will allow them to face the force regent Obsidian is sure to send in the future.

"No problem Shea, hey by the way what kind of training do you do?" if I remember right she is extremally talented but never actually trained. she inherited all her power from her dad passing his down in a kind of inheritance stone.

"I don't have that much time to practice I usually practice in the afternoons if I have time." hmm she needs to change that, if she has to delegate more work so she can focus on improving herself then that's just what she has to do. personal strength is everything in the demon world after all. she should be peak great devil king, that would be useful for me to face.

"How about we go get some sparring in? I may be a bit weaker but I have my ways to make it a challenge for you. you need to start focusing a bit more on yourself if you ever want to face obsidian and win." she looks at me in surprise then she looks out the window to her other side.

"I suppose you are right, I haven't had the time or opponent to face to refine the last of my father's inheritance. if I ever want to beat obsidian I will have to get stronger. thanks, Nova I have been so pressured with all the small and big problems that I haven't been able to focus on my training. I was always aware I needed to get stronger but I never had an opportunity, Let's head to my training yard and we can start."

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"Alright let's do barehanded and magic so no weapons." She nods, she looks good in her training attire, it gives a whole different casual feel to her appearance that is usually so serious.

Her eyes seem to glow as beautiful black wings appear behind her. she covers her hand in black flames as she swings at my head. I snuff out her fire with worthless an act that cost more demonic energy than I would have liked. speeding myself up at the same time as slowing her down I duck under her fist. she throws her knee out at my chin. rolling out the way I have to keep avoiding as she pressures me with quick attacks. casting almost everything at my disposal I realize that if I want to win I will have to outlast her, and her base stats far outrank mine as she is a tier above me almost breaking through to being two tiers above me. it was at this point a slight regret at my eagerness to train with her formed.

"I should have waited till I had promoted before offering this." She pauses for a second before laughing and continuing to pressure me and slowly making contact more and more. well, it seems I am in for a beating, I need to hurry to the mine and get enough sin to promote so this can be more productive.