12

Shea approaches me as I am helping Gauss go through some of the items in the storage. the only people left are Gauss her and me and Athena she already dismissed her guards.

"So anything else I should know about?" she looks over all the things we are sorting and picks up some of the coins and idly flicks them back into the pile. after checking Silva he doesn't have a storage item so with there being no banks I can only guess this would be all his funds.

"A few things might be proven that could cause some problems." she looks over at me and I toss her a black badge.

"This should be a pass of some sort to cross the roadblocks set by the so-called bandits along the way to blue lava estate." she looks it over.

"Blue lava estate? there behind this?"

"We need to question Silva further but it seems that the bandits to the south are stationed there by blue lava themself and only allow people to pass if they have that badge. if that's the case it's probably a similar situation with the bandits in the mine and also along the way to town Leia." the temperature drops as Shea realizes that this is a bigger problem than she originally speculated. from her notes and reports, I went through she has been getting reports that it's just random band hits not some huge organized operation. she's not dumb enough to not realize something is going on but she originally probably thought it was bandits kicking dark moon while it's down not blue lava who is on the surface a supporter and one of her dad's allies.

"How sure of this are we?" Gauss speaks up.

"It could be proven pretty easy enough, I could go and look into it posing as a trader and use the badge, and if the bandits let me through its proof there are not bandits but a force operating to smother dark moons trade routes. also from your notes Alan has been sent multiple times to attack the bandits and always comes back not finding them or being defeated. He is probably involved in some capacity and if that's the case it's probably all at the command of regent Obsidian to keep you from growing any power or influence." Shea is practically radiating her anger, she then takes a deep breath and tosses me the badge.

"let's discuss this in the morning I need time to think over our options." turning around and walking out Gauss follows her after grabbing up all the loot, but before she can get far I remember what I wanted to ask her.

"Hey, Shea can I have this building? I want to repurpose it for a few things." She looks around at it before nodding.

"I will have the paperwork written up and you can sign it tomorrow." not wasting any time she walks out. as she does Athena walks over and stands beside me.

"What do you want to use this building for?"

"I want to use this basement for trying to make a still to make some Alcohol from my world but upstairs probably not much till I buy up the surrounding property and repurpose it so I can revamp the whole area." looking over at her she seems to be a lot calmer at this point so I decide to mess with her a bit. "so did you have fun on our date?" She leaps back like a cat who had there tail stepped on.

"Date?! who said it was a date you dummy, I was just helping you look around then take out some scum." she is blushing so hard she might just shift into her demon form.

"Oh too bad, I had thought it was a fun date I guess you wouldn't be interested in going to town yankou with me tomorrow." faking dejection and looking down Athena begins to panic.

"I didn't say that. I was just saying no one ever said it was a date but if you want me to go with you tomorrow then I guess I will go." she fell into it now.

"Awesome now I can plan for what to do on our second date in town yankou." with a cheeky grin all the depressing aura I had is gone. Athena noticed the sudden shift in mode is stunned before she pulls out her sword and slashed at me.

"Dang pervert! I knew something was up you scumbag!" dodging around the room I avoid her angered swipes even if she has a smile I know she wouldn't mind cutting me a bit to quell her embarrassment.

---------

Waking up I begin to immediately sort through all my loot from last night. setting all the Sin-related items out around the room I begin to absorb all I can get.

[Sin absorbed = 2560 ]

[Shop - Sin total = 6810

Tier up - 10000 sin

Contracts advanced - 1000

Magic circles advanced - 5000

Garden - 1000

Temple of Sin - 1000

Evil piece

Queen - 5000

Rook - 2000

Bishop - 2000

Knight - 2000

Pawn - 1000 ]

[ Confirm purchase - Magic circles advanced - 5000 sin ]

[ Confirm purchase - Contracts advanced - 1000 sin ]

[ total = 6000 sin ]

"Confirm."

The now familiar feeling of knowledge trickling into my mind once again threatens to nearly knock me out. briefly scanning through the newly acquired magic and contracts I feel the excitement start to bubble up. long distance teleporting and contract summoning just these two alone can change the entire game in my favor. as long as I have been somewhere and have enough energy I can instantly travel to the location. it can even cross worlds so if I find a way to the human world I can go back and forth. Also some useful utility spells like 'forget me' and also 'do as I say' it won't work if they have strong willpower or are stronger than me but using them to make low-tier mobs not even see me these are perfect. all around my magic just took a huge leap with effectiveness its like I had toy scissors before and now I have the real deal.

As I write up a new contract to hand over to Shea I give as much freedom as possible while binding us to keep each other's secrets. with this signed, I can let her know of my long-distance travel so I can utilize it to its max and effectually set up a teleport system to all the other towns and estates so we can trade with people as easily as supplying a circle with energy. this is going to be a huge part of all my future ventures being able to ship to anywhere I have been will make trading a breeze. but ultimately this is still a far-off idea at only demon king level strength if someone notices something and figures out anything I could be picked off.

knowing the only one who is ever at the meeting room this early is Shea and maybe Gauss I Warp into the meeting room Shea's head shoots in my direction and then she recognizes me and calms down. looking at me with some curiosity I just smirk and sit in my seat.

"What was that Nova how did you sneak in here like that?" she seems to be in a better mood than yesterday.

"Sign this and I will tell you." she frowns and reads it over before signing it and it bursts into flames. she then looks at me and frowns a bit.

"Was that necessary? I already know a bit about your unique magic."

"Yes because I want to explain further and clear up confusion."

"Alright but let's speak of it quickly in a few hours I have to get dressed up I have to attend the potion master challenge. are you going to watch it or are you going to be doing something else?"

"Are you asking if I want to go? if not I probably won't go." She looks at me sternly.

"What are you saying, I was merely asking if you were already planning on going not asking you to go or anything."

"Alright alright I get it, let's talk about some ideas I have then I will set off I want to make it to town yankou today." She nods but still has an odd look as we converse she slowly loosens back up and converses like she normally does when it's just us.

---------

"Alright, that's all I have planned or ideas I have at the moment what is your opinion?" Shea thinks for a bit and looks down at the notes she has taken on some things she will later try to get started.

"I think most of what you are going to try will change the demon world in its entirety once it starts to spread. like sports tournaments and broadcasting, a fighting league will be massively popular with the general populace. I am just confused about why you are still willing to work with me and support me in reclaiming the thrown from my uncle. if you took this to any of the emperors you would be massively rewarded and able to start most of this now instead of slowly over time."

"Because I want to for one I don't think I would survive in most courts with my current strength but above that, I just want to help. it's not like I am losing out on anything I would still have to take it slow with most plans, if I dumped everything on the market at once it would not do as well as slowly and surely taking over piece by piece." she smiles just a bit and looks pleased with my answer.

"Ok well that's enough for today when you return from yankou let's talk about it some more." standing and about to walk out because I can't just teleport into the middle of the training grounds on the off chance someone other than Athena is there. just as I reach the door she calls out. "if I asked if you wanted to go to the potion master challenge before you left what would be your answer?" that's a bit odd of a question, turning around to look at her she seems to have the ever-present ice-cold persona but this time there is something just a bit different.

"If your asking I guess I would say yes." her lips curve just enough to notice. " is that you asking?" and it disappeared, dang I messed that one up.

"No I don't have time to waste asking questions like that." but didn't she just ask? oh man, I can't help but feel like I made a big mistake. "Your dismissed Nova."

-- Shea pov --

"Your dismissed Nova."

seeing him dejectedly turn around to leave I can't help but be a bit amused. I feel a bit better seeing him look sad after he missed a chance at going with me. but why did I ask that anyway? I am the heir to the thrown the rightful ruler I don't have time to mess around with silly things such as this. after all my father did to groom me to be an emotionless perfect queen to take back the throne after his failure. I didn't think I still cared about things like this. I guess all along it was just I hadn't met anyone who I took interest in. but that's all it will ever be a slight interest, I can't waste time worrying about a relationship I can better use my time on other things.

I do enjoy when he spends hours just talking and making plans with me its very different from talking with Gauss. if he really wanted he could have a much better deal with just about any other lord or king even the great Catherine my idol in the Dark Shadow Empire. but he stays here he's not stupid he knows what he is doing maybe he also has some strange feelings. even so I cant think about this anymore at least till I get the throne back then I can worry about it. but if I feel like inviting him to do something it shouldn't be to big a deal its not like where getting married.

unknown to Shea she has one of the biggest smiles she has had since her father killed her friends. Gauss coming in to report seeing this quietly left her to enjoy what ever she was thinking about and decided to report after the potion challenge.