72

Walking through the halls I arrive at a very well-guarded door, Isabella told me that the time the elders swapped out was around this time. I scan the area and detect someone inside, the one inside is walking to the door as I stand on the other side cloaked. a different person of equal or greater strength is approaching from the end of the hall I also came from.

The door swings open automatically as the older great demon walks out, once he walks right by me completely unaware I teleport to the end of the room where a pedestal sits. I turn to see the two briefly greet each other and bind the artifact sending it to the temple. with a quick teleport, I am headed to loot the treasury with Izzy and making a break from it.

I wish I had a camera to capture Obsidian's reaction to being robbed blind, oh well I guess I will add it to the to-do list.

[ Congratulations on acquiring the Artifact of Pride! ]

[ Royal Bloodline unlocked - Lucifer ]

[ Trait unlocked - Lucifer - Demonic Brilliance of Evil Light ]

[ Artifact available - Fallen Angel Sword ]

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"Alright I got it." I pull out the sword and let it hover next to me using its Sword Control ability, I could definitely ride this thing if it wouldn't look so dumb. the blade has two marks running down its length and is decorated with two angels facing away from each other. on the end of the hilt is a gem the same color as Lucifer purple eyes.

"Good lets grab- What the heck is wrong with you?!" I spin around looking for anything wrong and seeing its just us in here look back at her like she is crazy.

"What the hell are you on about woman?! almost gave me a heart attack!" I throw the mountains of storage devices filled with black crystal coins into my inventory. later I will get the girls that work the shops to go through and empty them all and I will store just the coins. I can resell these storage devices in my shops for a quick flip.

"Nova? what did you do to your hair?" my hair? I grab the back of my hair where its the longest and brin it around to see.

"What the- oh yea." the Lucifer bloodline seemed to have changed my hair, I pull a mirror out and try to get a good look. light silver hair that seems to even have gotten softer, and to my surprise my eyes are hazel now as well. " my eyes changed as well, I wonder what I will look like when its all done."

"This is permanent?" her voice a bit odd as she runs her hand through my new silver locks.

"Like my ears changed this also changed when I got the artifact, should be permanent." she lowers her hand and pinches the tip of my ear causing a tingle. I playfully smack her hand away and she grins seeming to have found something interesting.

"I guess that tickles huh? I will keep that in mind for later." I double take at her as she summons a circle beneath her. "you coming?" I step onto the circle after putting away my new sword and she completes the teleport sending us off to who know where.

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"This is?"

"Cloak us so we won't be seen please, this is one of the elder's family's residences. we are going to steal their money as well. this way when Obsidian starts to demand aid from the families to pay for the upkeep of the empire he won't get any. he will be forced to ask the estates and then they will be displeased with him and will be more likely to accept Shea taking the throne if only to get back at Obsidian for taking from them." not a bad idea, I like money either way and this way when we do take the capital the elder families will be itching to make some. they will jump on any deals I give them to rope them faster to get them to fully support Shea instead of trying to push there own ideas.

"They keep all their money here?" I ask as we make our way inside.

"They surely have some stashed elsewhere but this should be the majority." I nod as we make our way through the halls with her leading

I should open a bank soon, I can store all the coins people give in a place no one can reach like Paglio's cave or maybe a pocket dimension like Zola's rainbow valley. then I have a teleporting circle at a halfway point where the devils working at the bank can go to deposit or withdraw customers' funds. plus I got a ton of coins to do loans and stuff and get some business running, advancing the semi-back water world could backfire on me if I go too far but this is pretty basic stuff.

We arrive at a huge metal door, I slide it open easily enough and we empty it before going to the next one.

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"That's a ton of money." I look at all the storage devices piled up that are all individually filled with crystal coins. not all are black coins; some even have gold coins, but my employees will get it sorted and I will store it all. just the storage devices will likely pull in another mountain of coins once sold off.

"It is, what are you going to do with it all?" I store it all once more and look over at Izzy who is lounging on my couch in my workshop. dropping in on the one across from her I shrug.

"A lot of things and not much, most will go toward making more and the rest will go too slowly building up reserves of weapons for the future to outfit armies to fight Abyss."

"Probably a good idea. you doing anything else after this?" I shake my head, I could go ahead and do some productive stuff like look for the crystal kingdom, a giant AI-piloted flying city that is currently buried. I could also approach Zola and try to get her on my side and progress my magic massively with her help. but I kind of want to finish today off being lazy or doing something fun, they say too much haste makes waste.

"Probably going to relax today and start up some important stuff tomorrow, getting the artifact and the coins were more than enough for today, even if it was a cakewalk." she sits up.

"Let's go shopping then, you got plenty of money to spend." I roll my eyes but honestly am kind of looking forward to doing something casual.

"Yea yea let's go shopping, if you spend more than an hour in a single store I will leave you there though." she laughs as she walks over and teleports us.

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- Obsidian POV -

"What do you mean it's gone?! HOW CAN IT BE GONE?!" this useless trash, I fly off to verify this news myself.

In only a moment I arrive in the artifact room and see the pedestal empty, my knees feel weak. I bite my lip and stand strong as I run through ideas on how this could happen, only the elders guarding it could have gotten in here. unless they let someone in or took it themselves, yes that's it they are staging a coup.

The elder arrives behind me and I leap at him with my full power unleashed, grabbing his throat as his power unleashes saving his neck from breaking. I slam him into a pillar and restrict his movements.

"HOW!? only you and the other elders who stand guard could have done this. so if it wasn't you it was them, tell me why you took the fallen angel sword." he looks shocked at my accusation and would fool me if I wasn't so sure that it had to be one of them, he's in on it.

"Why would I steal it!? I have always been loyal to the Lucifer family and have even stood guard over the artifact since it was first stored here!" I snort and drop the fool.

"Then who could of do-."

"It's terrible!" a shout from the door and I quickly spin to see who it is.

"Legu? what is terrible?" the Finance Minister drops on his knees, slams his head on the ground, and begins to plead for his life. "Quickly spill it, what has happened." I feel my rage surging seeing the groveling idiot, where is Isabella when I need her to control this idiot?

"All of the coins are gone!" he shouts as his face pales even more than it already was.

"All gone?" I feel the room start to spin, the traitors took the money as well! WHO IS IT?!

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- Catherine POV -

Hmmm, this looks good, I wonder if Nova would like this dress? he surely would like the way it hugs my hips with how much he looks at them.

"Her Majesty." Tara enters the room and bows, what is she in such a rush for?

"What is it, Tara?" I spin in front of the mirror and notice the dress might be a bit too tight on the backside, hmmm.

"An emergency report from the fallen angel capital, The Lucifer family artifact has been stolen and they even looted the treasury as well. they got the news killed fast and only our closet spy was able to send this report. he will have to go in hiding for the time while Obsidian roots out the culprits." The fallen angel sword? who would- Nova. that man went ahead and looted the capital treasury as well, his greed for coins is almost cute. what am I even thinking?!

"That's fine." Tara looks Startled.

"That's fine?" I nod.

"It's fine, how do you think this one looks on me? does it hug too tight in some places? I have always tried to lower my attractiveness in public but for this wedding, I want to stand out as much as possible." hmmph let's see how the others react to our wedding.

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- Raizen POV -

"So their capital got robbed huh? double security on our treasury."

"As you order." the demon bows and leaves me alone with my thoughts.

My two sons are on the verge of causing a civil war, Aleus and Edmund are at each other's throats. troops have been rallied and lines have been drawn, it's only a single incident before blood is drawn.

I guess that means I need to hurry and break through, after that, I can take the already rallied forces and press to conquer the whole demon world. too bad I will have to see one of my boys die for this, I am not cut out for this kind of problem. give me a war and battlefield before these tedious family matters.

I have tried everything to make them form peace with one another but they just won't settle down. too worried about who will sit on the throne after me when I am still very much kicking and swinging myself. idiots.

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- Isabella POV -

That looks super good on him, the silver hair and those captivating eyes stepped up his game. he already was attractive but now it's amplified to a new height, plus the way those pants squeeze him looks very good.

"How is it?" he asks with some uncertainty, cute.

"Horrible, I would try these other pairs to see if it will look better." he lowers his head saddened, ahh it feels good poking fun at him. his reactions are always nice to see, I spot the shop worker approach as he slips into the changing room again. good thing it is soundproofed. " I want to put all these on check out they all are good." I smile thinking about what store to go to next, we should go pick up Krobelus as well. she could do with some new dresses and I know she would like to spend his money

I have never seen her react to anyone the way she does with Nova, she is usually defensive and standoffish. since I have known her she only has pushed away people after stealing a few items from them. but it's good that she has a nice impression and attitude with Nova since I want her to become a devil. that way she will still be with me and I won't lose my only real friend here and from the past hundred years.

"How are these?" he comes out in a pair not too different from the last. very good, Izzy likes.

"Horrible." I smile.