Chapter 54

[Third Person's PoV]

Shadow sat on the throne, overlooking all the members of Shadow Garden who knelt by the steps. Seeing them, he decided to be a bit generous since he was still feeling pretty good about showing off.

Shadow held out his hand slightly in front of him and started gathering magic power from this world into it. He compressed that magic power to the point it glowed a bright purple color; at this point, it looked like a literal star was being held in his hand.

"I saw how well each one of you fought back there. So seeing just an excellent display, this shall be your reward," Shadow declared.

He then blew on the glowing star that was his magic power and sent it towards the middle of the group. Once it was in the middle, the star exploded, showering them with his magic power. 'So Warm' was the thought everyone had when they felt his magic enter them. Feeling their magic, they then all grew teary-eyed and shouted at the same time.

"WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR YOUR GRACE, MY LORD!"

'All I did was power up their magic up to one percent,' Shadow thought while giving them a weary smile that couldn't be seen due to his hood.

Shadow reached out his hand once again and summoned the head of the guard Zeto had killed, and offered to him.

"Come forth, Zeto," Shadow demanded. Zeto, a bit nervously, moved toward the front of everyone, seeking reassurance from Zeta. She smiled and nodded, encouraging him. Seeing her approval, Zeto nodded as well and knelt down.

"You, being only 5 years old, managed to achieve your first kill against a cult member, and not only that, you offered it to me. Congratulations on officially becoming an honorary member of Shadow Garden. Such an occasion deserves a special award."

Shadow's voice reverberated throughout the entire throne room. "Arise." A black smoke started manifesting from the head in his hand, slowly forming into a shadow soldier.

"This is an additional award for you—your very own shadow soldier, the same one you previously killed."

Zeto looked up in amazement as the shadow suddenly sank into his own shadow and reappeared next to him. Zeto thanked Shadow profusely. "THANK YOU, ANIKI-SAMA."

Shadow just nodded as he smirked. All the members of Shadow Garden started clapping their hands and congratulating him. It was evident that due to his young age, Zeto was loved and pampered by all members of Shadow Garden.

Once Shadow finished, he dismissed everyone. "That's all for today. You're free to go about your business. Once again, good work out there."

They all placed a hand over their hearts and nodded graciously before slowly departing. Zeta called Zeto over, saying, "Why don't you go out and train with your new shadow soldier?"

Zeto nodded seriously and left the throne room, leaving only the seven main members along with Claire.

They all then gazed at Shadow with lust, which only made him shake his head at their antics. Standing up from his throne, Shadow changed back to his normal attire.

While still shaking his head, Cid remarked, "You girls really are insatiable. Come along now, follow me."

Excited, the girls followed Cid, who led them back to his bedroom in the castle—a room with a bed large enough to accommodate several people.

Upon entering, they locked the door behind them and began removing their slime suits, leaving them completely naked.

Seeing this, Cid smirked as he sat on the bed and asked, "So, who's first?"

...

Iris looked around in shock. One minute, she was ensuring everyone's safety, and the next, she found herself teleported to the edge of the city.

As darkness enveloped everything, she feared the worst—her thoughts racing to the idea of her demise and the ruin of her kingdom. But amidst those dire thoughts, her foremost concern was for her sister.

"Alexia, I hope you've survived," she thought.

When normalcy returned, she realized she wasn't alone; others had been teleported with her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Frantically scanning the surroundings, Iris muttered to herself, "She must be here. If not... I can't bear to entertain that thought. If anything happens to my sister... Shadow Garden, you'll pay."

The absence of her sister threatened to trigger a panic attack. She then turned her gaze toward the capital and noticed a significant portion missing. "It couldn't be, could it?" she muttered under her breath.

Determined, Iris sprinted towards the capital. Upon arrival, she found Alexia standing before a crater, visibly stunned and in disbelief.

Rushing forward, Iris enveloped Alexia in a tight and reassuring hug. "I'm so incredibly relieved you're okay," she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of concern and relief. With a careful touch, she examined Alexia, making sure she wasn't harmed.

Alexia, in response, allowed herself to be held, tears silently streaming down her face. The overwhelming emotion of safety after the harrowing experience gripped her, and she found solace in Iris's embrace. "Thank you, Iris," she managed to say through her wavering voice.

Feeling the tremble in her sister's embrace, Iris realized Alexia might still be processing the trauma of her abduction. Holding her tighter, Iris spoke gently, "Can you please tell me what happened? Who was behind your capture?"

As Alexia began recounting the terrifying sequence of events and the turmoil surrounding their surroundings, knights arrived on the scene, their vigilant eyes scouring the area for any traces or clues.

Among the rubble, one vigilant knight unearthed a mysterious necklace, an object of interest. The necklace was adorned with intricate runes encircling a radiant red jewel at its core. He carefully approached Iris, holding out the artifact. "Princess, we found this—a curious artifact amidst the wreckage," he reported, his tone laced with intrigue.

Accepting the artifact, Iris examined it closely, lifting it towards the sky to catch the light. Simultaneously, Alexia joined in, adding her insights, "This artifact—it must have belonged to the Diabolos Cult."

"The Diabolos Cult," Iris echoed, her voice carrying a blend of curiosity and concern as she focused intently on the enigmatic object before her.