It has been a month since Lilith and Luke left the Sanctuary and infiltrated the Regulus Empire.
She and six of her guards disguised themselves as performing gypsies who travels around the continent.
Her guards, including Hela was first against it, considering she is their queen and it is their duty to protect her physically but also her dignity.
She can't be dancing while wearing revealing clothes around those filthy humans that tried to lead them to their extinction.
Lilith was too beautiful for that so she proposed a suggestion instead.
"I will be disguised as a gypsy but, I will be your leader and you're the only ones who will for them in public. I, instead will only accept those foolish lustful men that can benefit us for this journey."
Of course, her guards were also against it but, Luke heard their conversation and joined in.
"Wow, mom is gonna dance? I will like to see it!"
He said while clapping his hands with his friends, Aidan and Hestia with eager eyes, who were also with them.
Lilith was so happy to see her child excitedly clapping his hands because he wanted to see her dance so, her guards were defeated and agreed with her.
On that day, they started accepting customers that would to see them 'dance' in private. That kind of lustful will be seen being thrown outside later on.
There are also nobles that wanted to marry Lilith's guards after they saw them dance and resisted until the end. She guessed they just wanted to take her guards and have their with them at their house because they couldn't do it in public.
So, she politely throw them out of their establishment and was later found dead due to suicide at their houses.
Some very shameless people who heard rumors that the leader of the dancing gypsies is the most beautiful woman in the world also came at their establishment and offered a very high price to buy her. That people never been seen leaving their establishment.
So, the rumors of Lilith being the most beautiful woman in the world were shadowed by the rumors of them being witches that lived in the Desolate Zone and hunted for greedy man who can't control their lust.
Although there harsh rumors about them, their business even became bigger in just three weeks and now, the prominent 'Dancing Gypsies' are the number one business in the city that they infiltrated.
"Madam, there's a guest in our lobby that said he wanted to see you and said something strange. 'The lambs must be sheered and the stone must be hammered'."
Minerva, one of Lilith's guards knocked on her door to inform her. She watched Luke circulate his gracia while counting the profits of their business.
And as soon as she heard the strange sentence that the customer said, she hurriedly opened her door to follow Minerva.
'They're here... the other monarchs are here.'
Before they went outside the Sanctuary and infiltrated the empire, Lilith first received a black letter with a golden clover seal on it.
It was given from a scout that the Fourth Elder hired to infiltrate the different surrounding countries around the empire.
She opened it curiously and saw what's written inside :
"To the Monarch of Death, Morrighan.
We would like to invite you for a 'Sabbath' inside Tresna, the red light city of the Regulus Empire. Our cause will be shared with you, may you think of gracing us with your presence in this grandiose meeting of ours. The others will also attend it so, it will be merrier. We will inform of our presence of you do go to the selected place. The words are 'Sheers and Hammers'."
All of this disguise was for Lilith to have a meeting with the other demon kings, inside their respective countries. They went here to talk about something that Lilith will know about later.
Lilith and Minerva went down the stairs to find two guys with distinctive looks staring at them while holding a glass of wine at their hands.
"Well, I expected a beauty but, this is insane! Look at her, Delkira! It was like a goddess just descended to greet us."
The huge guy with dark skin and has a piercing on his ears stabbed his elbow at his friend who had drowsy look at his face.
"Stop it, Norm! I'm concentrating here... Hello, we greet the madam of the 'Dancing Gypsies'. Would you mind if we invite you to a party somewhere else?"
The long white hair of Delkira swayed as he showed courtesy to Lilith.
"I'm not someone who can be invited to an unknown easily, would you like me to invite you upstairs, gentlemen?", Lilith gestured and saw the surprise faces of the noble men outside their establishment.
"The 'Gypsy Goddess' inviting them personally to her own room?! Who is this men?!", Someone shouted and broke the silence at the road.
"Yeah, I even sold my villa just to get a chance to see the goddess and now they're being invited by her?! What is this?!"
"This is a sham! But, I finally saw her, the real goddess, in the flesh!"
"I can finally die happily after this"
All the men outside caused grumbled at the scene they saw. But, their attention were caught by the black man that towered on all of them laughing loudly.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
They covered their ears to ease the volume and saw the man approached Lilith and lifted her chin. Lilith's veil lifted up a little because of the huge hands of Norm.
"What are you looking?! Can you pay four million gold just to get a night with her?! Because I can... and you will just be jealous. Hearing just her moans will definitely arouse you all, so go away from here before I am done with her or else I will slay you all!"
The other nobles were taken aback but, their genitals are definitely hard for what Norm said. They probably have a scene to dream tonight.
"You, we will be back!"
"This is so unfair!"
"Shit!! If I ever had that much money, I would have screwed all the lower wenches here!"
They shouted while running away from the establishment.
Lilith then grabbed Norm's hand with a shattering grip and stared grimly at him.
"If you touched me again, this hand and your dick will never grow from you!", Lilith warned him and climbed up on the stairs.
"I'm sorry about that, madam. I will behave myself from now on."
Norm bowed while covering his manhood as Delkira laughed at him while climbing the stairs.
After climbing the stairs, they turned left and walked through the hallway with red lights and rooms that has no doors but woven red curtains instead.
When they reached the end of the hallway, Lilith stopped and turned to her visitors.
"Don't do anything stupid in front the person inside or I will kill you both even if I have to lose an arm.", Lilith warned them again.
This time, her stare was different. Her red eyes glowed threateningly as the two took a gulp.
'Was this woman not the 'Monarch of Death'?!', Delkira thought, he looked more awake now.
'I shouldn't have done that thing downstairs. If this person inside were to be her husband, I'm a dead man!', Norm shivered a little.
Lilith entered her room, moving away the red curtain at her door, the two are behind her.
Then, the men saw it! The person inside was a ten year old boy, circulating his gracia while sitting cross legged at a corner.
'Whew! I'm saved!', Norm took a sigh of relief.
Delkira and Norm sat on a comfortable sofa made from soft cotton and wool. They calmed their selves down as they felt relaxed.
"So, what time? Where to go? And how will I get in?"
Lilith asked them with a serious tone. The way she spoke made the two demons realize that she really is the current 'Monarch of Death'.
"The other monarchs will arrive at sixth the turn of the clock at dusk inside a establishment named 'Burbon's Cup' near the center of the city tomorrow. There will be a barrier made secretly inside that does not accept humans to enter."
Delkira discussed the information to Lilith as Norm's attention was attached to Luke.
'There's something strange about this kid. I can feel it in my skin.'
"Norm!..", Delkira called out as Norm was pondering about that strange feeling.
"Oh, I'm sorry... Where are we?", Norm turned to Lilith while rubbing his hands to each other.
"We're supposed to formally introduce ourselves...", Delkira whispered to him while also looking and smiling at Lilith, he looked like an expert puppeteer on that.
"Oh, yes, yes... *Ehem* My name is Normalogius Brandt, I rule the demons at the Kongol Plains, the southwest side of the continent, and I am the 'Monarch of Scorch'.", Norn stood and bowed slightly.
"I am Delkira Morsel Belphegor, I'm ruling the Overgrowth Forest of the Eastern Empire, Mirai. I am the 'Monarch of Pestilence'."
Lilith looked at the two monarchs of their respective territories slightly bowing. She would have believed that they were investors with their formal clothes if it weren't for their overwhelming presence.
' They're probably at the peak of [Saint Rank] based on their auras.', Lilith thought while she stood up and also formally introduce herself.
"I am Lilith Amrita, the queen of the Sanctuary of the Desolate Zone, the largest part of the continent and the wife of the current 'Monarch of Death', Luciel Dolos Amrita. I'm acting as his substitute for this 'Sabbath' as he is currently doing something important."
Lilith took a quick at her child as she said the last part of her introduction. That the two guys look at her son too.
As Luke felt some people were staring at him, he felt uncomfortable and stopped his circulation. He probably had no problem levelling up as his mother stared at him while he stood up.
"Luke, please introduce yourself at the two demon monarchs in front of you.", Lilith ordered her cute son as she watched him bow politely at her visitors.
"It's nice to meet you, demon monarchs. My name is Luke Azrael Amrita, I am ten years of age and I'm the son of the most powerful mother in the world!", Luke jest on the last part but, that made the two monarchs more curious about Luke's power.
"Your mother is definitely powerful but, you're powerful too, right?" Norm leaned his head down to talk with Luke.
"Mom, can I answer him?"
Lilith watched her son become a little troubled by the black man in front of him. He was too cute for her to disapprove his request.
"Go ahead.", Lilith gestured a wave while smiling at her son.
"Thanks mom... You're right, what else do you want to know?"
Luke talked with the black skinned man in front of him and seemed not to be bothered at all.
"What is the name of your star soul? What type is it? Is it super strong?"
Delkira pushed aside Norm to bombard Luke with questions.
"Four hundred thousand...", Luke answered him.
"Four hundred thousand what? Is it the age of your beast soul?"
Delkira asked Luke excitedly.
"Four hundred thousand gold per question. You have asked me three questions so that will sum up to one million, two hundred thousand gold.", Luke answered him with a lecturing look.
"What?..", Delkira was speechless by what a kid just did to him.
Luke cleared his throat and released his star cores, there are three of them, the last one is currently colorless and the other two are glowing green.
"My mother said that I can't just give information about my star soul. But, seeing you two, I can give it to you with a price."
"What about one hundred thousand...?", Norm offered.
"Nope"
"Two fifty, that's the highest I can give!", Norm frustratingly blurted out.
"Then there's the door for you, sir. We don't want poor people involved with our transaction.", Luke gestured to the door while keeping his poker face.
Lilith chuckled to what her son said to the black man, bigger than the Second Elder.
"Argh! God, damn it, this kid!!", the irritated Norm just sat on the sofa, humiliated.
"Three hundred thousand gold... That's my highest. I can't go anymore than that.", Delkira offered his storage ring where the gold was located.
"Thanks for your patronage, my dear customer... Then, due to your payment being lacking, I will deduct some questions for me to answer."
Luke took the storage ring and pocketed it.
"What?! But that's not fair! I gave nine hundred thousand gold. Don't you already feel grateful about that?", Delkira asked him frustratingly.
"Mister, in business, being fair is an unspoken word. You offer me less, I will give less, too. Isn't that logical enough?"
Luke sat on the floor in cross legs again. He just wanted to have a comfortable space.
Seeing that Luke sat, the speechless Delkira sat, too. Maybe he got the point of what Luke said to him.
"You have asked me three questions but, you're payment is lacking. But, since I'm a generous person, I'll give you three answers this one time."
Happiness filled the two demon kings' faces but didn't get what Luke did to them.
'This kid. He just swindled nine hundred thousand gold from them and now he's being generous. He grew up well, Luce... our child.'
Lilith thought while watching the two tricked monarchs, eagerly leaning to what her son has to say.
"So you asked my star soul's name, what type is it and if it's super strong. My star soul is a beast type soul and it's definitely super strong, according to my mother. And it's name..."
Luke released his beast mark and an ethereal body of a black snake with red eyes and a sinister aura in it. The room trembled by the force of release and the two demon monarchs didn't know why.
Usually, when a soul master in [Heroic Rank] releases his or her beast soul and mark, it can't create a phenomenon like this.
"Heaven Swallowing Snake.", Luke said with a calm face.
'What is with this beast soul? It's like death is staring at you in this sort of oppression.', Delkira gulped at the sight of the beast soul.
'This kid! His beast soul can already be seen in ethereal form, even though it's only possible when it awakened! This is definitely a strong beast soul!' Norm looked at Luke's eyes and the snake's eyes, they were identical.
The both of them were amazed at the genius kid in front of them. But, they're admiring time was broken off when Luke retracted both his beast mark and the huge body of his beast soul.
"Right... Mom, I levelled up just now. I'm [Level 30] now."
Luke stood up and approached his mother.
Lilith, seeing her son waited for a pat in the head like a cute puppy, wasn't able to resist anymore and hugged him.
"I'm so proud of you...", Lilith brushed Luke's hair while swaying him like crazy.
A minute passed and Lilith has calmed down, Luke was in her lap now.
"So, we will be meeting you both at the location tomorrow. The others will be happy to see a kid like him.", Delkira stood up together with Norm. His normal look, the drowsy face has gone back now.
"Can I really take him? Won't he be lonely there without other kids to play with?", Lilith said while hugging Luke at her lap.
"It's fine! I will also be taking my daughters there tomorrow. The other five monarchs will surely take their heirs, too. It's to make the next generation make connections with each others."
Norm walked out the room first while talking, Delkira behind him.
"Thank you for seeing us today, Monarch of Death.", Delkira bowed and left the room.
Lilith waved her hand and kept a smiling face as they walked out of her room. She then immediately turned Luke to face her.
"When this is over, we will go home and kill a beast for you to absorb, okay?", Lilith said.
"Okay, Mom! But, what about Aidan and Hestia? Will they go with us tomorrow?", Luke gave her a quick thumbs up but, put it down when he asked his mother.
"I'm sure the other monarchs will take their guards as well, so we can take Hestia and Aidan too.", Lilith kissed her son's forehead and let him down to move around her room.
"Yes! I'll go say it to them immediately!", Luke ran outside the room.
"Hey, wait... He ran off"
Lilith just sighed and looked at the windowsill behind her.
The glass is reflecting the red lights of the street below and the shine of the moonlight above.
'I wonder how will this moon look like in the Desolate Zone.', Lilith thought, reminiscing her memories with her husband.
She remembered their first night together, Luce first kissed her under the shine of the moonlight, and lifted her right to the bed with gentle hands.
She remembered his eyes, shining with a purple glint due to the moonlight, staring at her every parts. Seeing his black hair gave her a sense of peace, just seeing it felt like Lilith was always safe because the love of her life is with her.
They made love that night, it was the most memorable moment with just Luce. But now, the man that she love is with her but, it never felt like she was in peace, not even once.
Luce escaped with just his soul because his body was so weak due to countless torture the empire had done to him.
Her son said that when he first saw fist father, he was in a very dark place and the smell of blood filled the air. Luke found him laying in the darkness, chained and battered up, cannot move and barely able to speak.
That gave Lilith more determination to destroy the Empire, the one who made them suffer for all this years, the one that separated her family.
Lilith became more focused to achieve her goal that night. She layed on the bed, thinking of different plans to finally burn down the ground that she was walking now.
She gave Luke a kiss on the cheek and stared at him. Luke showed a recognizable growth at his intellect and strength, and his features were looking more like Lilith every day.
'Dont worry, Mommy will protect you. No matter what.'
Lilith thought before sleeping.
The morning came and the city of Tresna became lively again. The voice of women, inviting men echoed throughout the streets.
"Madam, shall we open the store?", Hela, in her red dancing costume spoke behind the curtain door.
"No, we will pack up everything after I settle the matters here. Tell Minerva and Nora to burn all the evidence they can gather. I don't want the empire smelling us even here."
Lilith stood up naked on the bed and put on her morning robes.
"Go prepare a bath for me first, we will have to pack up everything in the afternoon.", Lilith's curves can be seen through her robes. Her plump breasts peeked under the dress.
"Yes, my queen.", Hela bowed before leaving to get the bath ready.
Half a day quickly passed after Lilith woke up. She bathed with Luke at the morning and then helped closing their business.
The people who saw them closing and packing up were devastated. Some even came that early just to get a reservation for the night.
In the afternoon, Lilith and the others rode in their covered carriage when they made sure that no clues were left behind and headed towards the center of the city.
Despite being a red light city, Tresna is considered one of the biggest city in the Regulus Empire. The city lord here never mind the criminal transactions that were being done here.
When the clock turned six, Lilith and her guards, together with Luke, Aidan and Hestia headed towards a liquor establishment named "Burbon's Cup".
Lilith wore a black dress with dark purple lines to give it more style that matched with Luke's attire. When they are about to enter the said location, they were met with an old man, at his fifty's with a bartender attire.
"I greet our honored guests, may I have your invitation before you enter our building?", the bartender bowed lightly.
Lilith handed the black invitation with a golden clover seal. The bartender took it and smelled the invitation like he was admiring a cheese.
That made Lilith's guards furious but, Lilith stopped them. Lilith can see the bartender's eyes not leaving her and checking her every curve.
'This old man, he's testing me.', Lilith thought.
She then released her scarlet red aura and took a glimpse at the old man's aura too. And she was shocked on what she saw.
'This old man is a [Demi-god]!'
Lilith said to her self in a tensed tone while seeing the crimson aura that the old man releases. He's not hiding it and just showing off his powers to everyone who can see his aura.
"Oh, you know how to see the flow, Monarch of Death."
The old bartender said, his grey eyes never left her.
"Not everyone is ignorant of the world's secrets.", Lilith said, not surprised by the old man mentioning her title.
"Haha! Don't be so vigilant, little girl. I'm friends with your parents. How's Barbara? I won't ask about Vlad, that guy won't die easily.", the old bartender laughed and spoke with a casual tone.
"Even if you knew my parents, I won't let my guard down with you.", Lilith stayed vigilant.
"Oh come on now, don't be like that. I can even be your uncle if Vlad introduced me to you twins when you're a kid.", the old bartender felt sad about Lilith being careful around him.
"So, if you're my Mother's uncle, then you're my grand uncle! My name is Luke Azrael Amrita. What's yours grandpa?"
Luke took the initiative to introduce himself despite the commotion.
"Hoho! What a lovely child! Your name is Luke, huh? Then, you can call me your Grandpa Modu.", Modu kneeled to clearly see the face of Luke who was behind Lilith.
"Please, get in first so you can enjoy my wine that came from the north. The other guests are inside too."
The old bartender gestured to the door of his building. The building is quite big for a bar so, Lilith guessed they also gives services like the inns that Lilith saw coming here.
Lilith entered the barrier while holding Luke's right hand and they passed through it. The guards also passed through but, Luke turned back and saw Aidan and Hestia, being obstructed by the barrier.
'Oh no, I forgot that the barrier won't let humans enter it.'
Lilith thought in frustration while she watched her son being worried about his friends.
"Grandpa Modu, what's happening? Why can't my friends enter the barrier?", Luke tugged his grandpa's pants.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you that humans can't enter this barrier array that my people made. Maybe I can make my employees accompany them.", Modu leaned down to see Luke thinking about something.
"If I destroy the barrier, will you mad?", he watched his grandson looked up at him.
"Hoho! Why would I be mad? You can't destroy the barrier using your power anyway. But, if you made a dent to it, I might let them in."
Modu gave him a false hope. The barrier will never break except something strong enough to pierce several layers of metal were to hit it.
"Okay then, I will take that offer.", Luke said while walking close to the barrier. He touched once and the nodded.
Luke pulled his right fist and took a deep breath. Modu watched him do it while talking to his mind.
'What is he gonna do, punch it using his fists infused with gracia? That's ridiculous.', Modu let a grin of amusement.
But Modu and everyone in there never expected what happened next.
[FIRST STAR CORE - CORROSION]
Luke released his first star core ability then a glowing green core appeared above his head. The glowing energy then flew down to Luke's swinging fist.
BLOOP...
Luke's fist made contact to barrier but, the force of his punch bounced all through barrier. It flexed like a bubble and turned back to its normal state.
"That's enough, Luke. You can't break the barrier. Let my people take care of them and play with the kids inside here. They're all friendly and my grandson is in there, too."
Modu patted the lowered head of Luke, he thought that made him sad so he comforted.
"It worked. It really works, hehe." Lilith and Modu heard his mumbling.
"What?!", Modu looked up and saw something he never expected would happen.
The part where Luke punched the barrier showed a little hole and it slowly became bigger until it was big enough for Hestia and Aidan to go through.
"Yey! You're so awesome Brother Luke!", Hestia went in first and hugged Luke tightly.
"As expected of my lord.", Aidan also went in and got close to look, his black hair matched Luke's color a little.
"How can this be?!", Modu said, while his mouth agape.
"He's the son of a demon king, of course it's possible.", Lilith patted Modu in the shoulders.
"Congratulations on having a monstrous grandson, Uncle."
Lilith passed behind Modu and hugged her son proudly.
Modu and the other monarchs saw what happened, too. The son of the 'Monarch of Death' just did an impossible task, possible.