Chapter 033

With bulk summons taking place every ten days, Leon had Azuki and his other attendants set up a 'processing station' that included pamphlets, a basic outline of Purgatoria's rules, and a changing station where Wil and Wakana could take people's measurements to provide them basic clothes and equipment. As for his role in things, Leon's presence was required for the summoning and upgrade processes to function, so he remained in the summoning chamber to identify and greet new arrivals.

Unfortunately for Subaru, while he and Petra combined their earnings to scrounge together an orange crystal, the person they summoned was the golden-haired loli thief, Felt. She had apparently been assassinated while Reinhardt was busy dealing with the Witch's Cult, but she didn't seem too bothered. If anything, she was more bitter that Subaru failed to conceal his initial disappointment at her summoning, her mood worsening further when she found out he was hoping to summon another girl.

Lucky for Felt, Mordred was in the market for someone with her particular set of skills. Felt's [Blessing of Wind] was nowhere near as powerful as it had been in her previous life, but her street smarts and agility made her a perfect fit for scouting and infiltration.

Following Subaru, the second person to perform a summoning was Azuki, Leon's Head Maid. Her penultimate goals were to summon her Master and re-establish the Kuki Clan in Purgatoria, but since acquiring fragments on her own was difficult and time-consuming, she hoped to call some of her former subordinates to make the task easier. The only issue was that she knew 'a lot' of people, so even with ten red crystals, she only managed to call a few low-level employees from the Kuki Corporation, most of whom had no desire to enter the Tower and imperil their lives without a benefits package or the promise of land and a title. As a result, all but two of them settled in the east, persuaded by Yamato to help re-establish the society and culture they were familiar with.

With eight additional members to their workforce, nearly doubling their current number, Yamato talked to the members of his group before they collectively agreed to give the crystals they had assembled to Leon. The sooner they could be free of their debts, the better. So, while Azuki was miffed that her investment had gone on to benefit someone else, Yamato and the members of the Kazama Agency were in high spirits.

"I'm a little nervous..." said Wil, standing before the summoning crystal after most of Yamato's group had departed, leaving only Yamato himself behind to see who was summoned.

"You could always stockpile your crystals for a higher-tiered summon in the future," contended Leon. "That, or save them to upgrade your or Aht's potential. Maybe if she were orange or yellow, Aht might be able to regain her human form."

"Yes, I considered that..." replied Wil. "But since I'm unable to enter the Tower as often as I'd like due to my workload, I concluded this was the wisest course of action..."

Without further hesitation, Wil placed a bright yellow crystal atop the altar preceding the giant crystal, hoping to summon his wife or one of his more capable allies. As usual, the summoning itself was lackluster, but when he saw who appeared, Wil's jaw practically hit the floor. Instead of one of the allies he had fought alongside and even prevented a war with, the person who appeared was a remarkably mature woman with waist-length, silvery white hair, sharp blue eyes, and a voluptuous body adorned in white, red-and-gold trimmed, kimono-like robes and a purple sash that coiled around her body and framed her head as if she were a Goddess.

Freeing Wil from his stupor, the woman's eyes widened slightly before a naturally alluring smile developed across her inordinately beautiful face. Then, with a voice that could send shivers through the body of any man, she mused, "It appears that voice was telling the truth. It's good to see you again, Magnus Wil. Have you been well since your untimely demise? Your passing shook the city quite a bit, you know? We even went to war."

Surprising nearly everyone but Leon, Wil took a knee and bowed his head as he replied, "It's good to see you as well, City Lord. Please allow me to apologize for any difficulties I caused you and the City of Yuidora with my passing..."

Waving her hand dismissively, the woman, Rosana Leviela, famous in her world as the Lord of Yuidora and one of its greatest Alchemists, stated, "Enough, Wil," before pointing out, "I am no longer a City Lord. And after the past few years, I never want to become one again..."

Directing her gaze to Leon, who stood out quite a bit in his kingly suit of armor, Rosana offered a very slight bow as she said, "My name is Rosana Leviela. May I be so bold as to request your name?"

Placing his hand over his chest but remaining upright, Leon replied, "My name is Leon Asheford, Lord of House Asheford and the de facto ruler of this island and its Tower. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Leviela."

"My, what a gentleman~" mused Rosana, raising her head and narrowing her eyes slightly as she asked, "Would it be too pertinent of me if I were to ask my Lord to excuse myself and Wil from this assemblage? While not particularly pressing, there are matters I would like to discuss with him in private."

"You'll need to undergo processing, same as everyone else, but you're free to do as you please after that," answered Leon. "Though, once you're done, I would appreciate it if you joined me for dinner and an after-meal chat at my estate. I imagine there's much we can discuss."

"I am honored by the Lord's invitation and delighted to accept," replied Rosana, offering a slightly more courteous bow, causing her voluminous cleavage to appear as if it were about to burst out of her dress. Sadly, it didn't, but that was probably for the best...

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With their residents more than doubling, the village, which had come to be known as The Town of New Beginnings, Neo Genesis, was in a festive mood as the former residents welcomed the new arrivals. The reality that they had died still weighed heavily on the minds of many newcomers, but with a welcoming community, a wide array of delicious food, and a host of new opportunities for growth and success, many more were excited.

"Is what Wil told me true...?" asked Rosana, standing behind the seated Leon as she 'inspected' the craftsmanship of his armor. "He said, back in your world, ours was merely a product of fiction, a game you could play at your leisure..."

"It's true," replied Leon. "From what we've been able to extrapolate, the summoning process uses the memories of the person performing it to link to realities where the characters they're familiar with are living, breathing people. But that mostly applies to me. Those summoned, at least thus far, have only been able to summon others from their world..."

"I see..." muttered Rosana, tentatively resting her breasts against Leon's back and shoulders as she whispered, "Your Knight, Sir Mordred, seems to think I would make a suitable Queen. But, as I'm already well past my prime and quite weary of managing others, there's another I would like to suggest as a replacement..."

"Are you referring to Emelita...?" asked Leon, causing Rosana to tense, albeit briefly.

"I take it that Lord Leon is aware of our connection...?" asked Rosana.

Nodding, Leon answered, "I can't recall the specifics, but I remember it being revealed that she was your daughter."

"Then...what do you think...?" asked Rosana.

"I think she's cute but far too petite for my tastes," replied Leon. "More to the point, while I appreciate the attention, I was just a normal guy before I was brought here. You don't need to 'persuade' me to win my favor and ensure your daughter's livelihood. I know you're both capable individuals, so as long as you're willing to become members of my faction and future court, I'll provide you with funding and the resources you need to perform your respective duties."

"What would have me do...?" asked Rosana, releasing Leon and moving around to sit on the lounge opposite his own, separated by a luxurious, rectangular coffee table.

"Well, you're an Alchemist," said Leon. "I was originally going to have Wil become my Chief or Royal Alchemist, but I think he would be happier as a prominent fixture in the town, not my future palace. If you're willing, I can appoint you to the position, or, if that's too much trouble, I could have you teach others your craft, kind of like a Royal Tutor."

"What about my daughter...?" asked Rosana. "She can be rebellious and a troublemaker, but she possesses tremendous magical aptitude. Once she matures, I believe she would make an excellent Court Mage..."

"Not to be rude, but I believe that's something Emelita should decide for herself," said Leon. "I empathize with your desire to protect her, but part of growing up is learning to make decisions for yourself. She might make a few mistakes, but I doubt your past is devoid of errors in judgment. Mine sure isn't..."

Closing her eyes and exhaling a tired sigh, Rosana conceded, "As much as it vexes me, Lord Leon is correct. Trying to affect her life even after death will likely cause Emelita to hate me even more than she already does, so I will take a step back and hope she makes the right decisions..."

"You're mistaken," said Leon, shaking his head and stating, "While I can't remember the specifics, I know for a fact Emelita doesn't hate you. Once she's summoned, the two of you should really consider having a heart-to-heart. Carrying baggage with you into the afterlife is meaningless. Just be happy you have the chance to be together..."

Rising to his feet, prompting Rosana to do the same, Leon gestured to the door and said, "It's getting late. I took the liberty of having Azumi prepare a guest room for you. Take the next couple of days to get your thoughts in order and familiarize yourself with the village and its people. We'll discuss the specifics of your employment once you've gotten your bearings."

"Then, before I depart, allow me to, once again, thank Lord Leon for his time and forbearance," said Rosana, bowing low and respectfully. Leon's head didn't move in the slightest, but he got an eye full of the beautiful and mature woman's cleavage. As she departed, he also took the liberty of admiring her large, perfectly sculpted ass, justifying the act by telling himself it would be an insult to the forces that gave her form not to admire such a refined piece of art...

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'You ready...?' asked Leon, his voice echoing in the mind of the Eevee he was possessing. The eldest, male Eevee had unfortunately imprinted on Wanko, Mordred, and several others, who lost their shit due to how cute it was, so while it was a little awkward, Leon was possessing the marginally younger female, hoping to develop it into an Umbreon by taking it into the Tower when it was dark.

'Ready...!' replied the Eevee, pouncing out of the bush it was hiding like a bullet, ramming the body of an unsuspecting Mankey that could very well be its father. All of Leon's personal stats were applied to the Eevee while he was possessing it, so it was much stronger and faster than the average Pokemon wandering the Floor.

Still alive despite being blasted back several meters and impacting a tree, the Mankey pushed itself to its feet with a murderous gleam in its carmine eyes. Unfortunately, it took more than anger to overcome the inhibition of multiple broken bones, so it was practically helpless the Eevee laughed, materialized several shimmering stars, and sent them slicing through the Mankey's body like shuriken, courtesy of the move Swift...

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