Dona sat on Kojo's lap eating some ice cream he'd made. He sighed. It'd been months since the reawakening of the demon lord. He'd managed to spin a story to the city authorities concerning his relationship with her.
It was more difficult to explain but made more sense than if her just dropped the bomb that she was a demon lord and let panic spread among them. Kojo knew that since Estelle and Dona were friends,the tower leaders would have at least seen her before.
they said that they didn't remember but if they happened to see her again they would know,further complicating things. Kojo didn't know whether he should reveal it or not. Ultimately,he chose to tell them under the condition that no one else would know who she really was.
Next was the old council consisting of Glenn,Jack and Philip. Glenn was busy working with Heinz so he just nodded partially listening while remaining focused on the furnace he was working with. They were taking steel beams to implement a rail plan Kojo had proposed in order to quickly extract Mystium from the caves. The Orcs were working with them acting as both protection from the beasts in the glades while helping with the heavy lifting of boulders which contained the crystal as well as other valuable metals.
Jack was a bit more skeptical. Kojo met him when he and a group of sharplings were hunting down a Mega-Crab that was destroying the farmland plantations he he still managed to convince him after Dona who went with them walked up to a spot and dug her arm into the ground and pulled the beast out of the ground raising it above her head and impaling it with several spikes that shot out of the ground around her.
The Duke on the other hand, didn't believe that she was a relative and mentioned that he didn't think Kojo was into Loli's. Kojo wondered where he'd even heard that word and cursed the writer of his inclusion out loud , surprising Duke Philip. He affirmed that they were related and nothing more.
Dona herself dispite being a deity acted like a big baby, nagging and throwing tantrums. Kojo glanced at Saleem who stood next to him,waiting on her mistress.
He now understood why Saleem was so chiseled.
" Good thing she's easy to please." He thought with a sigh.
(More like she likes food. Your cooking is your savings grace. If not you would have died an estimated 88,970 times already.)
" 88,970?"
( I ran the numbers. Oh and it's not course if Dona. Well She had a percentage in this deaths from killing you accidentally to killing you out of boredom. The biggest percentage out of the 88,970 was a whooping 64%. You know what that is.)
Kojo had no clue. He felt uncomfortable. Not because he'd been sitting with Dona on his lap for the past hour as she ate,but because the girls were glaring daggers at him through the slightly open door.
" What's their problem?" Kojo wondered as the killing intent was almost palpable.
(You have Dona on your lap and your asking that?)
"Hmm? Is that a problem problem?"
Sysia was silent for a bit then spoke.
( I wish you a painless death)
" Uh ..thanks I guess?"
" Hey Kojo" Dina called.
" You want more food?" He responded as Saleem cleaned Dona's mouth with a towel.
" Why don't you make use of this talent." Dona said turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Kojo felt the pressure on him intensify but he ignored.
" You want to make this city better right? So far I've seen the innovations you've introduced. You've restructured that city and had all the building rebuilt with different techniques, reinforcinfbtge walls with iron bars. Then there's that tall thing your building what its called?" She asked
"A scyscrapper?" He responded.
" Yeah that. You've also had more revenue through mining and export of food to markets outside. Don't you think it would be beneficial to also market your food.?" She said.
" Hmmm?" Kojo though about it. " A restaurant. That sounds like a neat idea. I could open branches all over and all.But I'm the only one who knows how to make those dishes"
" Then teach some more people to serve under you and learn the art in order to spread it."
Kojo considered this.He did know recipes that were foreign to this world,being a cook in his previous life. If he was to establish a good chain like McDonald's or KFC in his old world. The money would just keep coming. And then he'd need to do little before ultimately retiring."
( That's your plan?) Sysia sounded disappointed but not surprised.
" Yeah that could work." Kojo responded.
Dona smiled.
" Well I guess I'll need to look for a spot to set it up." Kojo said trying to get up but he couldn't. He felt Dona's arms tighten around his neck.
" You are going to establish one of these restaurants in Seirodragann right?" She asked,her smile turning deadly.Kojo began to sweat.
" Uh,y- yeah I will." Kojo responded nervously
" Promise?"
" Cross my heart and hope to die." He said quickly. Dona returned to normal and leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek.
The killing intent intensified with Saleem joining in with a deadly gaze as she looked down on Kojo in the chair. He smiled nervously.
Cabolt V'ray, once a high-ranking advisor, sat in a languished in a damp, dingy cell now reduced to a pile of bones.
The guards took advantage to mock him, their taunts echoing off the cold stone walls.
"Look at you now, Cabolt," one guard sneered. "Not so high and mighty anymore, are you?"
Cabolt's eyes narrowed, his face pale. "You'll pay for this. I'll—" he began but began to jerk as he coughed. The blow he'd received from Rey had really done one of his cells and he'd been reduced to this sickly state.
The guard chuckled. "You'll what? You're lucky to get life sentenced instead of a noose. You should be grateful."
Just then, a commotion outside the cell caught the guard's attention. He turned to his comrades, only to find them lying in a pool of blood. A figure stood directly In front of him , dressed in a striking white and black suit contrasting itself with black and white . The jesters face was pale painted with a grotesque yet captivating smile, a spade under his left eye and a heart under his right.
The guard's eyes widened as the man spoke into his ear.
"Ah, good sir," he said, his voice low and smooth,
"you seem to have lost your friends."
With a flourish, he placed a card on the guard's neck and sliced his throat. The guard crumpled, joining his comrades.
An explosion rocked the prison outside, followed by shouting and chaos. A man strode into the cell, his features chiseled, scarred, and imposing.
The man , chuckled as someone walked in. " You could've been quieter,Black."
Cabolt's eyes darted between the two men, fear creeping in.
"Who... who are you?" he stammered.
The mans grin broadened. With a dramatic flourish, he introduced himself and his companion.
"Allow me to present the Hellfire, Black Moor, a man of unyielding passion and unwavering dedication. Dedication in slaughtering anyone who opposes him."
Black Moor didn't smile, his dark eyes gleaming he had a huge scar across his face and wore a sleeveless black top as well as metal arm guards on each hand.
"And I," he continued, "am Gran Peirrot, at your service." Gran bowed.
Cabolt's face paled further as he recognized the infamous names.
"You're... you're the ones they call the Clown Lord and the Hellfire," he whispered.
Gran's mismatched eyes gold and purple sparkled with amusement.
Black Moor stepped forward, his scarred body towering over Cabolt.
" Certain individuals killed my brother, Ricchi Moor. And I'm going to make them pay."
Black Moor's gaze narrowed. "It does. Which means you're coming with us."
Cabolt's lips curled into a desperate smile. "I'll tell you everything. Just get me out of here."
Black grabbed Cabolt off the ground and helped him out until the large corridor outside the cell. They heard shouting and heavy footsteps as people ran in their direction.
Gran chuckled. "Well then I'll take my leave, Black. I have... matters to attend to."
With a nod, Black Moor vanished in a burst of black flames.
As the guards stormed in, arrows at the ready, Gran turned to face them. The arrows struck him, but instead of falling, he burst into thousands of cards. His laughter echoed through the halls.
The windows at the end of the hallway exploded, and cards fluttered out, drifting lazily to the ground.
Guards rushed to search for Gran, one catching a card in mid-air. The Tarot card, The Jester, stared back at him, its image sending chills down his spine.