Hi guys! It is Author-sama, and this is Chapter 10 of Master of Dungeons!

I hope you enjoy!

In this chapter I introduce a few new characters, along with another potential woman for Edwin. Hehehehe. Let me know what you think!

On to other news, the first of which is that I recently started my new job as a Minit Mart cashier on 3rd shift, working from 10PM to 6AM. It is a full time job, of which I'd just worked 6 days in a row on. To say that I'm actually quite tired and sore would be an understatement. Ugh.

My paycheck is also still two weeks away, so I'mma going to ask for some more help here while I have the chance.

One of you guys made a donation of about $22 late last month, and then canceled it at the first of the month. I'd already used the money to pay my part of the household bills, and now Paypal keeps trying to dock my bank account for it. Every time it bounces I get hit with an overdraft fee, which has already reached almost $60 in debt. It will continue to do so until the account is terminated, and I cringe every time I get my morning email from them.

By the time I get paid on the 16th, it is likely to be all used up just clearing the debt. It is quite the hassle, and more than a little annoying to think about that it has gotten that bad, but I really haven't had any time to sit down and write to continue getting the support from the RRL community.

I'm now on my weekend though, so I'm posting this chapter here, and I plan on writing up and posting another Universe Online short story tomorrow as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

If worse comes to worse you guys may not hear from me for a while, and if so I apologize in advance for that.

However!

I've recently started a Twitter account in which I plan to post almost daily updates on what I have going on as well as the development of Master of Dungeons and Universe Online. You guys that hang around there can find me at @VikenHenning.

As always, feel free to leave comments, suggestions, or criticisms in the forum here!

Also, I do not plan to end the volume here at Chapter 10, and will continue it until I feel satisfied. So what other types of women would you enjoy seeing be added to the story? We got a Princess Priestess now... along with an upcoming half-Spectre in the works. I was thinking of a witch next; but what do you guys think?

Let me know!

-|- -|- -|-

The public announcement that Edwin was awake and already back to work was greeted with a lot of enthusiasm in Jottenhiem, as nearly the entire population boiled out of the rapidly rebuilding city to cheer at the gates of the Citadel. It also brought some other attention in his direction, not the least of which was the leading group of the Adventurer's. Their presence at the gates of the Citadel didn't go unnoticed either, but they were denied entrance all the same.

It infuriated a few of them, but as Adventurer's they were treated as guests without any official capacity. Not even the Princess could assert her authority while being registered in her Adventurer party. That was only able to waylay them for a short time however, and after Lucien told him that they'd be back Edwin could only agree.

After that, it was another matter entirely and one that was most significant to Edwin personally.

Miss half-Spectre had arrived the evening before and had begged off for a full nights rest before finally meeting Edwin. Down in the dungeons, below the Citadel itself. A place even Lucien hesitated to take him long enough that it was easily noticeable by Edwin.

“What has you so jumpy, Lucien? Usually you are much more direct and efficient.”

Edwin's words earn him a scowl before it melts off the older Goblinoids face with a rueful look before he blows out a breath. He stops his slow, if steady pace besides Edwin and turns to face the dangerously weakened Demon Lord.

Edwin had been able to manage getting around on his own, for the most part, but he is damned slow at it and still sometimes gets tripped up over his own two feed. But the constant glide across most even surfaces is surprisingly easy. Just slow.

“The dungeons we are going to isn't just a prison built underneath the Citadel. It is a proper Dungeon, the first of them, actually. Back when the magic wasn't as structured and codified as it is now, lots of people had to be used in its construction while its Heart was magically bound. For the most part is it secure, but its Dungeon Heart is still active, if greatly weakened over time. It can be dangerous, and I do not like putting you so close to it if there was any other choice.”

Lucien's voice and tone is more than a little candid, and even Edwin is surprised by the admission. Less so about the personal danger he may be in, and more so about Lucien's over-protectiveness. Always before Lucien had been a paragon of efficiency and driven to do whatever it took to succeed in his goals. For the most part they coincide with Edwin's own, but not always or in the particulars of it.

This though was something else, and Edwin takes a moment to force his body into immobility so he can raise up a ghostly fog arm and push it through the empty 'sleeve' on the right side of his long robe, slowly making a familiar 'go on' motion. It was so damned slow compared to the instantaneous signs and body language others are able to do without conscious thought, but he can do it with enough time. It just takes a long time for him to channel his mana into pushing his amorphous fog-form into doing what he wants.

For Lucien's part he doesn't even blink an eye at Edwin feeling the need to communicate physically without saying anything.

“The Dungeon is still active, in a limited fashion, my Lord. Those creatures and others the first Master of Dungeons bound to it are still there, reviving over and over again as they are perished. The Dungeon sustains them, but it is slowly losing its power and going... feral, in a sense. It is difficult to explain, because I do not have the skills to interpret what is going on. Most of it is safe, and we've added the traditional prison dungeon as our needs required, but even now it is only lightly patrolled and I do not like the idea of yourself being in a place that we cannot secure.”

Edwin is silent for a long few minutes before he bobs his shoulder.

“Nothing we can do about that now. I may be able to do something about it, but not now. I need to meet this trainer you sent for, and she all but sent Alissa packing up here with that ultimatum that I have to come down there. There isn't any real choice in the matter now.”

He starts gliding forward, although he does crack a slight grin, even if it is hidden behind his thick hood.

“But if that Dungeon is still active, it is possible that I may be able to use it instead of building an entirely new one from scratch. That is appealing, due to my limited skill in that.”

Edwin's suggestion is brilliant, and it catches Lucien off guard for a moment before he gives a slight chuckle and cracks one of his rare smiles.

“It would at that, my Lord. To my knowledge it has never happened, but none of the previous Demon Lords saw fit to destroy or remove it, either.”

“That's because they all used it for various things,” the drifting voice of Jottenhiem says, although the usual glow of her crystal is hidden behind Edwin's thick robe. “Some of them used it for storage, others for training. They fed it raw mana over time to keep it active and ready for whatever use they may have of it. Compared to the later Dungeons, which were crafted properly through the Dungeon Magic, the Jottenhiem Citadel Dungeon is much more primitive. It is also unique, and actively hides itself from my and all other attempts to view its depths.”

It takes Edwin only a few moments to figure out what is wrong with that, cause he'd yet to delve that far into his own abilities of crafting a dungeon. Both something that Lucien said as well as something Jottenhiem let out on, but for a long moment he cannot figure out what exactly it is. When he does it nearly knocks him off his feet, figuratively, as it were.

“Wait a minute. You said this dungeon has a Heart. Mine don't. I control the area of the dungeon and everything inside exclusively. That was all part of what I learned when I gained the Dungeoneering skillset from that tome. There wasn't one thing in it that ever mentioned a Dungeon Heart.”

His sudden question startles both Lucien and Jottenhiem, and Lucien blinks a moment before a look of confusion crosses his face. But his next words only increase the confusion and sudden tripadation that Edwin has.

“Dungeon... Heart? Yes, I... I did say that, but I do not know why.”

Lucien suddenly looks lost, even though his brow furrows in rapid thought. Jottenhiem, on the other hand, 'hmmmms' and digs into that herself. Even she hadn't caught the slip that Lucien made or the reason he seems unable to remember its significance.

Edwin however doesn't miss it, and like a light-bulb going off in his head it strikes him.

“Oh... It is a Heart Crystal placed at the center of the dungeon.”

He would have facepalmed, if he could have. It was obvious, once he thought about it. Jottenhiem herself is one such crystal, a sentient thing like a computer. If one was magically bound to a dungeon, it could potentially do all the same things that a Master of Dungeons does now, except without requiring constant oversight.

Lucien also stops along with Edwin and his face twists up. The old goblinoid should have known that, or be able to put the dots together, but for some reason even thinking about it is hard, as if actively resisting being brought to the surface. Subconsciously he knows, but he doesn't know that he knows, and the nagging feeling inside of him causes him to grimace.

Jottenhiem, on the other hand, has gone very quiet although Edwin could feel her actively probing with her own senses and power. So much so that he can feel her drawing upon his own mana to try to push it. He didn't know much about Heart Crystals, nor the relevance of what they are or why one was placed in the heart of a Dungeon, but he does understand one thing.

And it changes their current plans.

“Lucien, go round up a squad of guards. Send word to Cormic, Cernette and Deloria and have them come here along with Alissa. We have to deal with this first. Send a message to the trainer down there and tell her we are coming, but not to train. If there is a Heart Crystal down there we need to get to it, fast. It has been alone for a long time, without the same range or power that Jottenhiem has had.”

It only takes a bare moment for Lucien to jerk up in sudden understanding, and he nods before quickly trotting off, his long strides carrying him away far faster than Edwin could move at present. Heart Crystals are rare and innately powerful, but they are bound to their position and whatever task is set to them. They are however truly sentient, and as such require connections to others. Conversation and the like, just like any person.

Edwin suddenly fears what a Crystal Heart could become if it had gone insane. That would be a very, very bad thing, and he forms a sudden queasy feeling in his gut.

“LUCIEN! Call those Adventurer's here, too!”

-|- -|- -|-

The throne room hasn't been used even once since Edwin had claimed the city as his own. It had been kept ready for just the chance to be put to use, but the large hall was almost awkwardly bare. It is a vivid reminder of the hard times the Demon Lands have gone through in recent years. Once, there were hundreds of tapestries, banners, and pieces of art scattered around and even a handful of precious treasures set out on display for all to see. Now, the room barely has a handful of banners remaining and only threadbare rugs on the cold stone floor.

The throne itself though hadn't changed, being a massive edifice carved out of black obsidian and stone that has been left spiked and jagged on the top, depicting nineteen points that jut upward into the air like the points of some ornate crown. The glossy reflectivity of the stone causes the whole construct to shimmer a little in the torch and candle light; although it is only an optical illusion. Thankfully the seat itself is padded, but nowhere near enough to be considered comfortable for any length of time.

Edwin doesn't have a problem with that currently, however, given that he cannot really even feel the seat beneath him. His mist-form is barely sensitive enough to feel the hard stone, but there isn't any real sense of pressure or hardness to it. Just a sense of presence that he isn't able to penetrate.

It did leave him grateful about getting off his 'feet' for even a short while, however. Gliding around without any legs is quite arduous all by itself, and his inherent lack of coordination and balance only makes it worse. A person is not meant to be only half-solid, after all.

However, most of Edwin's attention is on his guests, which had shown up quite rapidly at his summons. The stocky and dour dwarf Cormic, the rambunctious and industrious iron pixie Deloria, and the flirty lamia Cernette. Lucien and Allisa are still seeing to the other matters, but the group already assembled are sitting in chairs provided for their comfort while Edwin outlines what he found out and what he feels that he needs to do.

“We have a rogue Dungeon underneath the Citadel, and we need to get to its heart as quickly as possible. I have reason to believe that there's a Heart Crystal in the center of it, sealed and left captive by some sort of magic. If this is true then it is a serious problem that needs to be taken care of.”

Several of the others flinch at the thought of what Edwin was explaining, and for several long moments none of them utter a sound. At least until Jottenhiem herself speaks up from Edwin's chest.

“Heart Crystal's are born when an area accumulates enough mana, either through natural means or through the advent of sentient people all living in an area. When a crystal first forms it isn't sentient, and merely reacts to outside stimulus out of impulse. Call it instinct, if you'd like. As it draws in more mana and grows larger, it gets smarter until it forms a complete individual. The size and structure of the crystal itself depicts what sort of personality it gains, and it can both grow and decline over time as circumstances change.”

That was a bit of information that gets everyone's attention, including Edwin's. He'd known that most people didn't even know as much about the Heart Crystals as he did, but he hadn't expected for Jottenhiem to reveal any more without quite a bit of prodding. But Edwin soon realizes the downside to such an existence, and his worried look is mirrored on the others faces; although none of them can see his through his enchanted hood.

“You mean that the reverse process is also true, right? If there isn't enough mana to feed the Heart Crystal, it'll slowly grow weaker and less intelligent until it loses it's ability to think?”

Cernette is the one who finally speaks up, and causes the others to stir visibly even as Edwin hears the crystal buried in his chest give out something like a sigh.

“That is correct. It is why larger and more powerful Heart Crystal's seek out and make contracts with strong beings within their area of influence. It allows us to access our contractor's internal pool of mana, which continuously regenerates over short periods of time instead of simply trying to draw in the ambient mana that exists in its raw state. It isn't nearly as powerful, but it is a constant source of energy that is far more preferable. Wild Heart Crystal's never get as large as myself for that reason.”

“That said, the more beings and creatures that live within our area of influence the more mana we can gather. All living things produce mana, and all of them generate it. What they cannot collect in their internal pool is released into the ether, like a mist that slowly works itself into the raw form we typically draw from. Plants, animals, monsters, humans, demons... It doesn't matter who or what is there. Just so long as there is enough living presence we can at the very least maintain our state at that time, if not allow further growth no matter how slowly.”

Edwin nods his head in a visible bob that catches the others attentions. He'd noticed whenever Jottenhiem pulled from his own mana, although it was never as much as he could do himself, but the information she'd just provided made a lot more sense now. That also meant that they may have a serious problem in the dungeon beneath the citadel.

They aren't able to continue the conversation however, cause the large set of iron-bound double-doors at the end of the hall are flung open suddenly with a violent crash and several people are seen marching in. It was quite the entrance, but it caused more than a few scowls to form as Edwin and his group of friends and confidants turn to find out what all the ruckus was about.

The Adventurer's had arrived.

At the front of their group of twenty five is a blonde haired man wearing an innate set of silver armor that is so shined that it is almost possible to use it as a mirror. He's carrying a pack on his back, and a helmet under one arm. His other hand however is resting upon the pommel of a rather thin sword, almost looking to be a rapier sheathed at his waist.

He has nearly sky-light blue eyes that don't seem none too friendly, and an arrogant, twisted air of a noble who was born into everything he has and believes he deserves every bit of it. In a word, he's a typical prick. Edwin wasn't usually the sort to make that sort of judgment, except for the smirk on the human man's rather pretty-boy face.

It made him want to punch that look off of it himself.

It is the woman walking to his right and just behind him however that really catches attention. A beautiful young woman with straight black hair and gorgeous gray eyes. She's wearing a priestesses robes, marked with one of the myriad of gods that Edwin hadn't yet had the chance to learn about. Her hair is tied back in a long ponytail that hangs around her mid-back, but upon her brow is a tiara with a single large green gem in it.

That alone marks her as the Imperial Princess, Angela Harper Steele.

Like the others she's also carrying a pack and has a long staff strapped to her back. Edwin does notice that hers and the others are quite a bit larger than the front man is carrying, however. But unlike him she and the others appear to be much less inhospitable.

The other twenty three carry an assortment of weapons, gear, and armor. They all look professional and strong, but at the same time there's a look of eagerness there that is usually missing from professional soldiers and guards; like Cormic's own men. They are also young, and Edwin doubts if they'd ever really been bloodied before.

However, the fact that they are all human does quite a bit of a stir, especially for Edwin. He'd been a demon so long now that he hasn't even noticed the fact of just how different he is now compared to what he'd been like before. Seeing these humans marching down through the throne room brings that back into focus, and he grimaces a little.

There's a lot of bad memories there, most of which he has to push out of his mind in order not to get angry. Rather that is with himself or these in front of him, he cannot really tell though.

Thankfully Edwin spots Lucien and Allisa coming up behind the group of adventurers, looking harried and hurried. Allisa herself looks ready to go run and hide, but Lucien seems rather livid, his face flushed along with the angry look in his eyes that Edwin doesn't miss.

It seems inviting the Adventurer's had caused quite a bit of trouble, although as of yet Edwin doesn't know in what form.

He isn't even sure he wants to know at the moment.

He doesn't really get the chance to not learn when the group finally reaches them, with the blonde man stepping forward only to spit on the floor.

“Have you finally decided to take up our challenge, o' Demon Lord? Or have you summoned us here to tell us off like your lackey's have been for weeks?”

The man is smirking and his tone is more than just rude, it is right out obnoxious. The man shows no sense of formality or hospitality, much less offers any respect. It instantly causes the others with Edwin to tense up, but Edwin cuts them off by clearing his throat audibly.

Instead of replying, however, he lifts one of his 'hands' and uses it to pull down his hood, forcing himself to hide the grimace as pike strikes through his flesh as the firelight within the room starts to make him feel as if he's being badly sunburned. Or rather baked.

It isn't enough to cause him damage, however, so he puts up with it as he turns his gaze away from the man.

“I am Edwin Cast, Demon Lord of Jottenhiem, and I formally welcome Princess Angela Steele of the South Land's Imperium.” Edwin calls out in a clear, strong voice, hiding his growing angst and pain while the blonde man gapes at Edwin's red skin and horns. It seems to take him moment's to realize the snub Edwin had just set in front of him, and blushes furiously.

Thankfully he is cut off himself before he can make any further retort. This time it is from his own companion, who'd stepped up beside then in front of him.

The Princess has kept her face carefully blank, but there is a hint of amusement in her eyes as she sweeps herself into a deep curtsy.

“I thank you for your graceful welcome, Demon Lord Edwin. I have heard a great many things about you since we came here, and I have seen first hand how you've been working to set your own kingdom back on the path to prosperity. Please forgive my... cousin, for his tongue is often too sharp for his own good.”

Edwin simply waves his hand again, albeit slowly.

“Please, you do not need to curtsy to me. I am not as stiff and formal as other nobles. As for your cousin, his insults are his own; so you have no need to apologize for them yourself. He is noble born, as are you, but your status is greater than his own, therefor my greeting goes to you instead.”

This causes the blonde man to blush even more so, but Angela cuts him off with a short look over her shoulder. The others in their party however aren't particularly quiet as they start whispering amongst themselves. Edwin cannot hear them, and yet Jottenhiem can and she starts to whisper him their conversation herself.

It seems that the blonde man is Angela Steele's second cousin, and was sent with her as her chaperone. Their parent's are also considering a marriage between them, which he's tried to take advantage of several times. Only the support of her older brother, the Crown Prince has given her the ability to resist the political force pushing her to do so, even though she'd devoted herself to being an Adventurer and a Priestess in her own right.

It is also revealed that the Imperium is quite the chauvinistic society, where women were looked upon as second class citizens at best. That in itself makes one of Edwin's eyes twitch.

“My... That is quite the divergence from the norm. Most rulers prefer to deal with my cousin instead, including several of the lesser Demon Lord's we'd met while journeying through the Northern Lands.”

Edwin picks up the humor in her tone and returns it with a slight smile before shrugging.

“The world I originally came from had a much more open view concerning things like women's rights. I don't have a problem with treating women as peers, equal, or even as superiors. So feel free to take this as my invitation to relax and do as you will.”

His words cause a bit more ruckus, but he can see the fleeting smile crossing Angela's face for a bare moment before it disappears back into the mask she's been wearing ever since he'd first seen her. Off to his side both Delora and Allisa are blushing, and Cernette is nodding her own head. All three of them had experienced that viewpoint of Edwin's personally.

He'd never once mistreated Allisa, regardless of her status as a servant. Cernette had gotten every respect she was due when she was teaching him. Delora on the other hand had learned the hard way that while he will treat her with respect due to her skill and knowledge, he won't be bullied into accepting any reverse abuse from her or anyone else.

The interplay between the three women at Edwin's side isn't missed by Angela, although she isn't able to figure out what had gone on between them. All she knew were the rumors of a fight between Edwin himself and Delora, who runs Jottenhiem's mining operations and had been involved in the accident that struck Edwin potentially impotent.

And yet the Iron Pixie isn't in chains or in jail, which Angela considers more than a little odd. She doesn't appear starved, beaten, or otherwise harmed. If anything Delora is missing the rambunctious nature she'd heard so much about from the gossip.

There was definitely more going on than just what the rumors had reported, and it made the Princess quite curious as to what it was.

“I had heard that you were a summon, but I hadn't realized that you'd retained your memory of your former self and home. It does please me however to speak thus, so I shall accept your hospitality gratefully. We do have business to discuss, however. My cousin spoke poorly, but we are interested in what you have to say regarding the challenge we seek.”

Angela brings the conversation back around, and Edwin nods and gives her another slight smile before using his magic to pull his hood back over his face, once more secluding himself in darkness and almost instantly getting rid of the pain the light had continued to cause him. It is such a sudden relief that he almost sighs from it.

“Very well. Currently I am unable to construct any new dungeons. Jottenhiem does not have the resources to construct even a small, simple one; much less one that'd challenge your party's skill. Beyond that, I have also been greatly weakened due to a magical mishap, which is why I have not been able to greet you all personally until now.”

This time he causes quite a bit of derisive motion in the group, including from Angela's blonde cousin who is grinning almost triumphantly, as if he'd just won something quite important. Edwin just rolls his eyes, hidden from view as he is at the moment.

“However... There is a Dungeon already here, underneath the Citadel itself.”

This time silence falls at the end of his words, and many of the adventurer's start looking both eager and worried.

“I have only just learned of it myself, and it does not have a Master. From what the records say, the Citadel Dungeon was the first Dungeon ever constructed, before the skills and magic was developed to create Master of Dungeons. Instead a Heart Crystal was bound to the construct artificially. We have come to believe that it has become wild due to isolation and abandonment. Which is why I've called you all here.”

Edwin sits up a little straighter on the throne, to add emphasis to what he is saying.

“To this end I am calling upon your party of Adventurer's to help us conquer the Dungeon and retrieve the Heart Crystal. All of us here, including a gathering group of armed and armored guards are going to descend into the dungeon to do this single task. The bounty for this task will be split from loot gathered within, split between our two groups at a 60/40 rate, with your party taking the greater.”

This definitely gets their attention, and even the blonde man's look has turned from being disgusted to being outright greedy. The others behind him likewise start to talk amongst themselves over the prospect, but Angela doesn't join in. Instead, she's looking at him and the others gathered with him, and seems to share the same sort of worry Edwin's own companions are expressing.

She knows the power a Heart Crystal can contain, and how it can use its own abilities within the territory it controls. An unbound, wild Heart Crystal could be capable of anything, no matter how dumb or weakened it is. Their power rivals that of the gods themselves, from what she has heard.

“We do not have a map of the Dungeon, nor any way of knowing how big it has grown without oversight. We likewise do not know what sort of creatures or monsters have been summoned, therefore we cannot accurately judge the strength of this dungeon. I am requesting that we work together to do this, and am offering to open our stores to your party at only a quarter of the price for any and all equipment, arms and armor we can provide.”

“We will only wait for another day before launching our assault. Take your time and prepare as you may in the meantime.”

Angela is able to see what Edwin is doing, and only responds with a nod while the rest of her party has grown animated and quite loud as they talk over each other; although it is obvious what the consensus would be.

The Princesses' cousin steps forward and is openly grinning.

“We accept.”

Angela doesn't even bother looking at him and simply nods again. Edwin returns the same and holds up one of his robed hands again.

“Lucien, see to it that the Adventurer's are roomed here and instruct them to where they may purchase whatever they require. Cormic, make sure your men are ready to head out at that time. We have a Dungeon to raid, and I will not delay.”

“”Yes, my lord.”” The two of them echo together, although they both share a weary look that Edwin doesn't miss.

-|- -|- -|-

“That was well played, Edwin Cast.”

The soft voice from behind causes him to turn around only to find Princess Angela herself standing there at the doors to the balcony, with him only feet away, looking over the railing to the glowing outline of the city beyond.

Night had already fallen, and it is dark enough for him to go without the hood. He'd also relaxed his hold on his mist, which has left him shrunken a couple of inches even as it spread out from under his robe, making him appear half-obscured in blackness. Not that many could see it in the darkness of the night, with only a few spots of light from the city below to dispel it.

The stars however are quite bright, and he's been relishing just looking up at them. One of them, somewhere, may have even been the star Sol, around which his old home, Earth, orbits. Too bad that no one here even realizes that there are other planets out there, much less other suns and perhaps species far more alien than just humans and demon-kind.

“Thank you, Princess Angela. Your cousin is quite the glory hound, and the others are greedy enough to jump at the chance to tackle possibly the most difficult Dungeon ever built.”

His words are serious, but there is enough humor in his words to make Angela crack a slightly bitter smile of her own.

“Believe me, I know. When I originally started as an Adventurer, I joined a group that slowly disbanded as the money dried up. This one is mostly paid by my family, mostly because I relish the chance to go out and see the world instead of being stuck as a Princess at home.”

Her words were candid enough to catch his attention, but he nods all the same before he nods out to Jottenhiem beyond and below with his chin.

“Responsibility isn't for everyone. It is far more work to take care of a thousand people than it is for only yourself. I'm attempting to do that here, working with the rotting remains of what had once been a great empire. It is no easy task, and my reach has yet to go out to all but the closest of the neighboring villages. But I imagine that I have far more help than you have had. People I trust to do the jobs that need to be done instead of just those seeking to forward their own positions and wealth.”

Angela snorts at that, but soon follows it with a nod as she walks out onto the balcony with Edwin and looks over the dark outline of the city below.

“I have heard of your fight to win control of the city, and what you did with the nobles afterwards. I wish I had such an option. If anything, I'm amazed you've gotten as far as you have without noble support. The Imperium is full of bickering and infighting between allied families, most of which only seek to forward their own agenda.”

This time it is Edwin's turn to nod, although the motion is caught halfway on the back stroke when he realizes that he has an itch on his chin that he cannot scratch without rubbing his face on his robe, which is much harder to do than one would think.

“My old world was like that. Countries filled with differing political parties and groups that wanted nothing more to advance themselves at the expense of others. It is part of why I refused to allow it here. I killed them all, and confiscated everything they owned. Their families survived, and several of them are still housed here in the Citadel as my guests. Several of them were much like yourself, the wives and lovers of nobles who used their position to keep them caged. They're some of my best advisors, actually. The others have been exiled of their own choice.”

“You are far more generous than I would have been. At the same time I look out at what you've accomplished and cannot help but be impressed. You have taken only months to do what it would have taken another noble or ruler twenty years. Your farming efforts alone are more productive than any twenty villages right now, and I heard they are only continuing to get larger.”

Edwin smirks at that, but shakes his head a little.

“Don't look at me. I left Cernette in control of that aspect. She's done great things with training new farmers and making sure we have enough crops and produce for the population. The excess is sold on the open market for as cheap as we can make it, which makes the people both happier and healthier. We also give out meals at all the work sites, free of charge, in order to make sure our workers can actually work instead of withering away. That has increased productivity greatly. My old world learned long ago that you can feed a person for a day by giving them a fish, but training the same person to fish for himself and he could not only feed himself, but his family and others as well.”

Edwin knew he butchered the old saying, but it didn't make it any less true. Angela however seemed surprised and turns to look at Edwin, this time with her mask falling just enough to let him know. Thankfully she didn't leave him guessing at to what she's thinking.

“How odd. Most of the Demon Lord's we'd met on our journey were savages. Personally powerful, but little smarter than a rock in some cases. People flock to them out of protection or greed, hoping to be rewarded for being good lackey's, but here you are, with holdings already far larger and more advanced than their own because you are both strong and smart.”

Her words were derisive, but it wasn't pointed toward him and her wondering tone does make him break out into a grin.

“Stick around, Princess. There's a lot more where that came from.”

Her own words make her snort, but soon enough the expressions leave her face once more a blank mask and Edwin could feel the heavy atmosphere that sudden falls over her.

“You know this quest you set us on is going to get us all killed, don't you?”

Her question was spoken softly, and for a moment Edwin wasn't sure he'd even heard her right as he turns to look at her again. Her face is the same...

… Except for her eyes, which has turned golden in color and glow slightly in the darkness.

He doesn't say anything for a long moment, before dropping his head in a nod that is followed by a sigh.

“I fear so, yes. Goddess Urmis.”

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