Chapter 96 - Escalation

It didn't take long to sort out my new summons with temporary tasks until I could think about a more permanent role for each of them. For Sebas it was easy enough to name him my butler and head of staff, then to call the head maid and have her show him around. He didn't need any supervision, he was perfect at his job.

Gaping dragon would have to wait for another time and would be put in a similar role to oars as more of a siege weapon and terror tactic since there was no way he was joining the royal huntsman. With his size, he'd be seen and heard from miles away.

Lelouch, I sent off to find Esdeath to sort out the military with her. Of course, I would speak to him alter and get some of his advice on things but for now, that was fine.

As for the rest, well Morrigan didn't seem to want to leave my side and I didn't mind for today, and Megumin had been given the day off while Hector had been given access to the palace forges and any materials he would need to forge a hammer for his devil forging, leaving Misaki to tour the palace, more importantly, to get a read on everyone in the palace. She would report back to me at the end of the day with what she found, and that would clear up the palace and my security very nicely.

I had a lot to get sorted and a dozen more plans to make now that I had new summons, especially summons with a lot of abilities that were very useful and could be used in a wide amount of ways. In all honesty, sometimes it felt like things were moving too fast and that by the time I settled down into one thing another thing was happening or more changes had occurred. These summons would change a lot of my plans and some plans would have to be scrapped altogether.

Escalation, that was the best word to describe. A constant form of escalation, which I should have seen sooner. I had a leveling system that involved summons from fiction. I wasn't like those MCs from novels, where my abilities were simple. I could literally get a summon that could change how I did everything or cause me to throw out an entire day of work because now it was useless.

It was hard, but I could get through it, especially knowing what awaited me at the end. I didn't really think about it much, the pinnacle, but after hitting level 10 and with the way, I experienced the world now? Well, it was harder to keep out of my thoughts. I was the type to focus on the present and near future rather than the distant future because what would be the point? I could get a new summon that could change everything and with the level of power increase I got weekly, there was no point in trying to look and map out that far ahead.

It was best to stick to the present and continue to do what I'd been doing, and sure it was hard, but it would be worth it in the end. Power and the ability to see them again, my family. That was another thing I tried not to think about, but it was hard, no matter how much I enjoyed this new life, because I did, and to deny it was to lie to myself and I was past that. My family was my family and despite what had occurred right before this had all happened, I still loved them, although my idea of returning had changed to just visiting when I needed to see them.

I could never return to my normal life on earth, not after everything that had happened here.

King, summoner, on the path to true godhood.

As if I could ever go back now.

The rest of the day flew by quickly, with more work to be done, and more plans to be made, although the visits from the riders did help a lot. As I was working late into the night, I finally got the call that I'd been expecting.

I glanced over at the glowing orb-shaped crystal that stood on a pedestal. It was flashing every second, a sign that someone was trying to link with it. I placed a hand on it and focused.

A moment later, Leone's voice came through. "Boss, it's done. The heads have been cut off and almost all of it is in the processing of being bagged and tagged, though a few places ended up to badly damaged."

"Anyone hurt?"

"No, we're all good. They put up quite the fight, but with the ambush and our level of power, it didn't last long for them. What do you want us to do now?"

"Make sure everything is stable then return back to the capital. I've used some more tokens and I'm revaluating how I'm going about things because I'm starting to realize that I'm treating this too normally and that I'm moving too slow, and ignoring a crucial fact."

"Got it, boss," Leone said. "I... miss you."

I smiled at the soft tone she used and leaned back in my chair. "I miss you too, truly. Get done quick so you can get back quick, Ill see you soon Leone."

The orb flashed then went dull, leaving me in silence.

"Escalation," I muttered. "What was that one saying from that tv show. Chaos is a ladder?"

I had a few ideas and thoughts, but I needed some time to think about them because they depended on factors that I didn't have a lot of control over, but that hadn't disappointed or failed me so far. It was time to come at things from a different angle and one that hopefully would make things easier, though that would remain to be seen.