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"I will need some time to think about it." Zola answers simply after Krobelus left, she asked her many questions and seemed to be satisfied with the explanations.
"That's fine, just let me know if you decide you want to." She nods and I stand up.
"Well, I guess since you are here I can show you around. I am sure you looked around while you made your way to my workshop, but I can show you some of the better spots around the estate." She also stands and we head to the door.
----
"This is horrible." She observes the different magical enchantments I set up what feels like ages ago in the casino.
"Come on, give me a break I didn't have the time to make anything better." That and I didn't know how to at the time and just didn't feel the need to update this place after Phenex tears hit the market. The coins roll in so fast that I can't spend them quickly enough, good thing I can store storage devices in my inventory and double compress everything.
"I have seen you make better protections to keep me from peeking at your progress in my lab with just a few moments. This looks like a child did it and did a horrible job of it while they were at it." My heart stings at the criticism and I have to walk it off.
"Well feel free to fix it if it's going to bother you, I just wanted to show you some of the games in here I thought you might find one to enjoy." She waves her hand and ancient runes sequences engrave themselves into the surface of most of the tables. My old protection breaks like brittle glass and all the work I had to put into them originally is erased permanently.
"Much better and more efficient. Where to next, this wasn't much to be showing off if I am honest." I feel a headache coming on and ignore her weird sense of entertainment. I debate just going ahead and showing her Olympus, I know she won't want to leave once she sees it. It is a treasure trove to her and making progress in making her kingdom. With Olympus being an artificial kingdom she might make some progress if she studies it.
"Screw it, I know what you will like but it isn't here." If she ends up camping out in Olympus more power to her I guess, after the wedding, I want her to tag along to crystal valley. But letting her know Jacob the crystal dragon is there should be enough to break her away from any studying she could be doing.
"Where at?" I step toward her and summon a magic circle.
"I will show you." With most of the lamp spirits active she wouldn't be able to resist them if they all debuff her at once. I would be able to toss her out easily as well so there isn't any harm in showing her.
----
"What is this place?" We appear in a huge room that has been set up for the Gremlins to study various things. They are mainly repairmen and tinkerers but they can work on most projects I give them if there is a good enough outline and enough materials to experiment with.
"This is the room where the magic happens, well the magic that includes my future merchandise. Let's take a walk around, I want to see if you can identify what this place is." She frowns obviously feeling like I am taking a dig at her intelligence and I can tell she is scanning everything around with a fiery intensity.
"These people aren't devils but they also aren't demons." I hear her mumble to herself as I lead us to the gardens that I had rebuilt and I brought plants in, the artificial environment making a beautiful scenery. But it also has an otherworldly feel to it that I think will give her a good hint, I won't teleport us around to extend the time she can try to figure it out alone.
----
"A different world? But it doesn't feel as different from the human world to the demon world. Did you make a pocket dimension like my own?" I shake my head and she looks even more confused before her eyes widen. "It shouldn't be possible but could it be a kingdom?" I knew she would figure it out after seeing the gardens, the artificial nature that is created by the kingdom itself to sustain life down here really gives it an off feeling.
"It is a fake kingdom, it is like a kingdom that was crafted through materials and alchemy versus a kingdom forged through spirit energy." Her eyes still wide she looks around again and slowly nods.
"How did you make this? This isn't how devils go through the higher tiers is it?" Her tone tells me she finds it both interesting and off-putting. It goes against the nature of the current level of technology in this world.
"I found it and passed the test to inherit it, I will still create my kingdom eventually. But in the meantime, I am abusing this one that I came across to improve my understanding of what a kingdom even is." She turns around and looks at me.
"This is what you were going to show me at a later point in time isn't it?" I nod and she crosses her arms. "Well I see why you thought I would spend a lot of time and want to study it, this could help me figure out my next step faster. Even if it is artificial and crafted differently, it could still give some insights." I teleport us to the control room and after two chairs appear I sit and she follows my example.
"I will be blunt and say that I want you to reincarnate as a devil, you are both talented and enjoyable to be around. But I also will need your help with numerous things in the near future and some long-term plans. I understand if you need more time to decide since it is quite life-changing to change your species." I give that a moment to sink in and then continue. "But even if you don't I still want to at least be friends, I will let you study this place to further your understanding of kingdom. I will also help you collect resources with an abundance of elements to help, as a friend I also need you to be aware of something." A video plays Infront of us on a screen, the same stuff I have shown others about the Abyss.
"What are they?" Watching the video she doesn't have any reaction, I take it she is still thinking about what I just said. I am kind of unloading a lot on her at once.
"They are Abyss, they are a faction that seeks to end everything to begin a new cycle of creation. The end for a new beginning to take place, we die so someone else can come and live. They don't take prisoners or show mercy, they just kill and consume and continue until their mission is done." I switch off the video and look over at her again and this time she is looking at me. "I have it on good authority that they will appear soon and attempt to end this cycle or in other words life as we know it." She looks skeptical but still nods.
"And what does this have to do with me, other than I would also be at risk."
"I just wanted to make you aware of the threat and show why I want to reincarnate as many powerful devils and boost up their powers as fast as possible. I plan to win and not have our cycle end. But even if you choose to not reincarnate I will still support you in gaining power so you can help to defeat the enemy that will come for us all." Now that she is up to speed she relaxes into her seat.
"I am not against becoming a devil, but I want certain assurances from you that some things won't happen." Excitement boils inside me but I keep myself cool.
"What would those be?"
----
"And so this is Zola, she is pretty much the strongest person I have seen in the demon world other than Catherine. She is also the one I have been learning ancient runes from, she has decided to reincarnate as a devil and is officially on team Nova." A hand shoots up and I look over at Isabella. "Yes, Izzy?" She smiles sweetly.
"Why is it team Nova? Don't you think you use your name too much to name stuff?" I lick my lips and also notice a few of the others nod. "You named your company after yourself, the team after yourself, also a few of your gadgets that have come out also have your name on them. Aren't you becoming too narcissistic." but it's a good name!
"It might be a bit too much to name so many things after yourself, as they say ' keep everything in moderation. ' it might be best to rename the team." I grit my teeth at Kia's reply, she says moderation but has been completely different when it comes to night activities. She is quite the opposite of moderation!
"Fine fine, let's just put a pin in it for now. I was just wanting to introduce Zola to you all and you have to try and ruin my day by tearing down my good name." After my complaint, they all just ignore me and approach the new devil on their own and I am cast aside like unwanted garbage.
Whatever so long as they aren't fighting or something all will be well.
----
- Raizen POV -
"Father, do I have your permission to compete in the upcoming challenge put forward by the fiancé of the empress of the dark shadow empire." My son Teris bows before me.
"You may if you think it is wise, I see no reason for you to not participate if you have the strength." He has made it to demon emperor recently, breaking a bottleneck that most thought would trap him for the rest of his life and make him a waste.
"I won't disappoint you father." He smiles brightly and I dismiss him and he leaves without further delay.
Something is off about Teris as of late, after his break through he has been acting a bit strange. Nothing major but small hints here and there are starting to add up into something, almost like he is someone else.
"Jario." A man in dark attire walks out from behind the throne. " Follow him closely and let me know if you see anything at all that is off." The man disappears after bowing and I relax into the throne with a grunt.
I need to hurry and break through so I can unify the demon world and pass the empire down to one of my children. I will clear the way for them even if the path is bloody and then they can heal the remains and establish an unshakable empire that will last all time in the demon world. I will make my way through the higher rankings and ward off any threats that may pop up from other hidden powerhouses, I may not be able to interfere directly after stepping away and into the ranks of the true elites, but I can go after anyone who tries to do so themselves.