Chapter 75 (1 of 2) A Nefarious Gathering + Authorizer Regretting Life Choices Ver. 2 (Patreon)

A stern-looking man with greying sideburns and dark hair rubbed his temples. He was sitting at a circular table that contained a strange black box in the centre. There were four armchairs around the table, three of which were occupied. Besides the first man on his right was a pasty-looking man in his 50s, staring off blankly out of the window of the skyscraper floor they were in. On the man’s right was a blonde-haired man in his early thirties, rubbing the back of his neck as he gazed at the table.

The black panels sectioning off the room from the rest of the floor slid apart to reveal a bearded man in a black suit. A white and purple emblem was embroidered on his pocket, depicting the signature design of the double-helix Esper Union tower. He had a solemn expression as he walked up to the table. The panels slid closed behind him.

“When you told me that something major had occurred, I was not thinking along the lines of a potential alien invasion being in the near future,” the unfamiliar man stated flatly.

Marvin Goldcroft didn’t address the statement. “You’re late, Harold.”

Harold McGuire, the president of the Esper Union, frowned at the conglomerate owner opposite him, but Marvin swiftly moved on, waving at the empty chair. “Never mind, we have better things to discuss. Harold, take a seat so we can begin the discussion.”

The brown-haired man sighed but sat down in the armchair and looked at the other two. “Fine then, Marvin. I know who your secretary is, so why don’t you introduce me to this other individual?” He gestured to the blonde-haired man.

Marvin rifled through the documents in the drawer he pulled from the table. “I told you to read the whole message about this meeting.”

“I- look.” Harold pinched his nose bridge. “I did. But as the president of the Esper Union’s British Branch, there still needs to be some formality when I meet new people.”

Marvin clicked his tongue and ignored the president as he turned to his secretary, Max Stallen. “Max, where did I put the USB stick?”

The middle-aged man continued to gaze blankly out the window. Marvin frowned and rapped his knuckles on the table. “Maximillian!”

“Huh? Wha? Ah, right. USB stick.” The CEO’s shout brought Stallen back to alertness and he fished through his suit pocket to retrieve the small device. “You gave it to me for safekeeping, sir. Here it is.”

“Right, I forgot about that,” Marvin muttered. He took the USB stick and plugged it into a port on the table.

Harold raised an eyebrow at Stallen when he noticed the man had returned to gazing out of the window with a thousand-yard stare. “Marvin, I’m a little concerned about your subordinate’s state of mind. He was like this when we met yesterday as well.”

“He’s fine,” Marvin stated shortly. Blue lights danced across the black metal table to form a keypad, which he quickly accessed. “He’s just dealing with the after-effects of learning about my niece’s adventures yesterday morning.”

“…ah. You didn’t tell him earlier?”

“Stallen faces severe anxiety issues combined with choice paralysis so I took it upon myself to fast-track his recovery by dragging him along to the meeting,” Marvin stated curtly. “But we’re getting off-topic. Harold, have you understood all the memories and read everything I sent you?”

“Yes, but I would still like to know who our fourth member is,” Harold retorted.

“Uh… sir…” The blonde-haired man slowly raised a hand. “I’m… one of your employees. Stephen Lawrence, an Elixir Agent. I was sent to deliver Lucille Goldcroft her elixir in July.”

Harold paused and studied Stephen in greater detail. “…yes, I faintly remember seeing your profile when the disappearances came up. I recall you were a key witness and potential suspect in the case.”

Stephen grimaced. “Yes, that’s correct.”

“Quit yapping Harold,” Marvin stated sharply. “This isn’t some happy meet-up event with your precious celebrities and politician chums. Earth might be going to hell in less than a year and if that happens you can bet I’ll be blaming you for it with my last dying breaths.”

Harold scowled. “Why did I ever let myself reach a first-name basis with you?”

“My money,” Marvin stated blandly.

The three other men stared at him, but Marvin ignored them and pressed one final button on the table. The black box in the centre began to buzz and a blue laser display began to shine from it. The four men watched as a holographic projection formed in the centre of the table above their heads, showing data and details.

“I should’ve mentioned this before, but…” Harold glanced at Marvin. “USB? That ancient technology?”

“Far better security than the Network,” Marvin replied with his arms crossed. He watched the files open up on the hologram in front of them. “I wouldn’t trust the Network’s security for one second.”

The president nodded as Stephen Lawrence turned to look at the CEO. “Sir, what did you want to discuss today?”

Marvin moved a hand through the projection and one of the files was magnified for them. “The reason why I called this meeting was to discuss our plans to deal with the arrival of the ‘System’ next year in July,” he began solemnly. “Everyone here is connected to my niece’s ‘Simulacrum’ ability and has the memories. Only Stephen Lawrence and I have met her in the Simulacrum.”

“So this connection to the ‘Simulacrum’ doesn’t need direct contact with the ability user,” Harold mused. “An ability that can propagate… I know plenty of people who would like to research her.”

“Firstly, my niece is not becoming a research subject,” Marvin said while pointing at the man. “Secondly, that is not my point. Harold, you gained access to the Simulacrum because Stallen, who had been given access from me, gave you access when you met yesterday to discuss this meeting. I have been able to determine that you must willingly grant access, just as Lucille told me. That means we can and need to decide who we let know about the incoming System and Tower, and when.”

Stephen’s eyes widened. “You plan on telling more people about this?”

“Of course.” Marvin frowned. “This was my niece’s idea first, however. The reason why she got Stephen to access her accounts was to draw my attention and make it easier for me to believe because he knows details that not even I know.”

“I have begun to understand the main concept of this plan,” Harold replied with a nod. “But will your niece have an active role in this plan?”

Marvin enlarged a file on the projection with his hand. “She will. She plans to organise regular meetings among the major politicians, businessmen and scientific minds on Earth. The meetings will be to prove what she says is the truth, and to give us as much information as possible so we can prepare for this event on a global scale. But only the key figures essential to her plan will know about the System and Tower from the very beginning. The purpose of this secret ‘mind organisation’ is to be hidden until she reveals it to everyone herself.”

Stallen and Stephen stayed quiet as the ones with less power in the situation, but Harold tapped his hands rhythmically on the table. “The most powerful figure you want to know about this?”

“Edison Williams.”

Harold went silent. Stephen and Stallen turned to stare at Marvin.

“T-The President of the World Government?” Stephen asked nervously.

Marvin didn’t immediately respond and checked his holowatch. “Williams is the only one with enough power to move the politicians into action on a global scale. He’s the only one with enough dirt on all of them to get them to move too. Whether we let him know about this or not, he has the most powerful Metacognitive ability users under his authority, so he’ll find out about this eventually. If we let him know now, we’ll have fewer issues later on.”

“And how do you suppose we get Williams to connect to this… ‘Simulacrum’?” Harold asked seriously. “Even you can’t just organise a private meeting with the World Government President whenever you want.”

Marvin straightened his red tie and brought up a new file on the hologram. “I’m going to be hosting a charity that ‘aims’ to locate the thousand missing youth on Earth. As this is a global situation, Williams will be more likely to attend. If he doesn’t, then we’ll have to take it slow and work on spreading the Simulacrum access to those around him.”

“A charity.” Harold rolled his eyes. “Taking advantage of the fact that you know where your niece really is to host a public relations event, I see.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Marvin shot him a look of disdain. “Even if I didn’t know where my niece was, I’d still host this event. A businessman should never give up an opportunity.”

Harold let out a long sigh as he ran a hand down his face, and Stephen and Stallen just awkwardly glanced between the two men. Stephen coughed and raised a hand. “I’m… still not sure how we’re actually going to prove to these people that the ‘System’ and ‘Tower’ exists. Memories can be fabricated and… using an ability that can access their mind isn’t very good at building trust.”

“Lucille has already taken care of that,” Marvin stated curtly. “How, I don’t know. But she told me she has a vast amount of knowledge about the natural disasters, energy phenomena and rift events that will occur during the next year. I believe she mentioned something like ‘Planetary Simulation Viewer’. But never mind that.”

Marvin stood up and tapped a finger on the table to draw their attention. “Everyone here will need to be at this charity, and we need to carefully select which targets to transfer this ‘Simulacrum’ access to. Today we’ll go over the most valuable individuals for our cause, and then we’ll discuss how to arrange regular meetings using the Simulacrum…”

__________________________________________________________________________

Lucille whistled as she approached the front of the Aethereal Palace with her hands behind her back. June had been relatively peaceful, as she had received a letter from Annaliese saying the girl couldn’t come during that month due to the Great Sage reacting enthusiastically to the news that Lucy would allow a subdivision of Protection in Gilded Seat. Annaliese was now overloaded with the Sages asking questions and keeping her preoccupied, and so ‘unfortunately’ for Lucille, she wouldn’t be meeting the Prophetess that month.

That suited Lucy perfectly as she had the external debut that was to occur in late June, with incredible amounts of politicking to do. She also intended to search for Malediction Society members during the debut, and Lucy didn’t need a bunch of nobles arriving early just so they might have a chance to chat with the Prophetess and receive some of her Fate essence.

As Lucy approached the door, a strange smirk appeared on her face, and she was let in by the two doorkeepers on either side. It was finally time for her to make her stance clear to the Demon Emperor and see if something about the contract could finally be done.

If it couldn’t… well, she’d eventually find some sort of blackmail material on him. She was nothing if not observant.

…

“Your aide called you depressed.”

A white-haired incognito Demon Emperor raised his neon-blue eyes from his paperwork to gaze dully at the dark-haired woman standing opposite him, likely wondering what rot she was spewing now.

Lucille stared back with wide eyes and pointed at the door behind her. “Count Bentsen said you sleep too much and you’re always annoyed or uncaring. He also told me I was allowed to come in here and poke you awake whenever I want.”

The Archduke continued gazing at her for a couple of more seconds. Then he slowly leaned to the side to direct his gaze to the pair of double doors. Lucy assumed he was trying to think of an excuse to finally fire his aide. He turned his dull stare back to her.

“That last part was paraphrased, obviously,” she added.

He stayed silent for a moment and then intertwined his fingers to rest them on the desk. “…and what possessed you to say this to me?” he began slowly.

That’s rich, coming from a demon.

Lucy blinked innocently. “I thought that you’d like to know if a subordinate was talking about you behind your back. Imagine if rumours began to spread to other nobles of the Aeternus plane that the well-mannered and suspiciously cheerful Archduke was secretly a cranky standoffish tyrant who overworks his subordinates? Better to nip them in the bud and kill them all now!”

The white-haired demon in front of her didn’t reply immediately and instead narrowed his eyes. “Interestingly, I have noticed you’ve become bolder throughout the course of the year,” he stated with a voice filled with ice. “It is almost as if you’ve forgotten who exactly I am and why we are meeting here to begin with.”

“Your Grace, we’re meeting here because of the damned contract you made me sign,” Lucy replied sweetly. “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten that fact.”

His irises gained a bloody hue, revealing his willingness to kill her right there and then, and his expression grew colder. “You really are doing this on purpose.”

“Hm? On purpose? What do you mean?” Lucy tilted her head and leaned against the couch. “Your Grace, I’m not sure I understand.”

“Ha.” It sounded like a laugh, but his expression was just as frigid as ever. “Lucille Goldcroft, there has always been one thing that has irritated me about you.” His hands gripped the edge of the wood of his desk and cracked it. “Why is it that whenever I reveal any hint of just how much I wish to eradicate you, you only act to infuriate me even more? Why is it that you show no reaction to my bloodlust?”

“...your killing intent?” She paused and then shrugged. “I can’t feel anything.”

The Archduke slowly rose from his chair. “Goldcroft, are you mocking me?”

Maybe… I should stop now. Why is he standing up?

“N-No, I mean…” Lucille coughed into her first. “I’m incapable of perceiving killing intent of any kind. I can’t sense it at all. So even if you say that you get angry when I ignore your bloodlust, I can’t just-”

“I don’t recall asking that, Goldcroft,” he hissed through gritted teeth.

…uh oh.

“M-my apologies, Your Grace-”

A loud crash made her flinch as his desk was thrown against the side wall before her accelerated thoughts and perception could even pick up on anything. Pages fluttered to the ground and pens rolled across the ground as the angry white-haired demon marched up to her. She jumped back as he shoved the couch over with one hand and it fell to the ground mere inches from her feet. With a one long stride he stepped over and gripped her suit jacket as he lowered his face to meet her eyes.

“You are walking a very fine line here, Goldcroft,” he whispered. “If you get out of my sight within the next ten seconds then maybe I won’t kill you. If you don’t…”

“…then you’ll kill me?” she finished quietly.

He gazed coldly at her when she replied but before he responded, Lucille grabbed his other hand and placed it on her neck. “Then Your Majesty… kill me,” she stated expressionlessly.

The Archduke stared at her. “What-”

“Isn’t this what you wanted to do ever since our first meeting?” she continued, not blinking as she gazed into his eyes. “Well? Can’t you do it? I’m sure I’ve angered you enough to kill me. So why aren’t you doing it?”

His face showed no change in expression besides the slight twitch of one of his eyebrows, which quickly turned into a scowl when Lucy gained a strange smile. “Or perhaps… you can’t?”

“I can,” he hissed.

“You can? Really?” Lucille tilted her head. “But… Your Majesty. I think you’re lying.”

She dropped her hand from his wrist and his hand fell away from her neck when it was no longer held in place. Lucy smirked and leaned against the second, untouched couch behind her. “Surely there are other things you can do to threaten me into submission, though. Physical pain? Mental domination? Are you not allowed to do that either?”

He didn’t say anything as he continued to stare expressionlessly at her. The fake smirk on Lucy’s face disappeared as she turned her expression regulator off again.

“…you’re not allowed to harm me in any way then. I see.” Lucille walked up to the Archduke and ignored his towering height. Her expression just as cold as his, she looked up and gazed intently at him. “Your Majesty, I want the System contract to be altered.”

“…all of this just because of that?” He barked a harsh laugh and turned away to walk over to the desk. “No.”

Lucy was undeterred and followed. “I know it can be altered by you because you were the one to give it to me. You were also able to give me that strange orb that allows us to communicate through the System.”

He ignored her and just snapped his fingers. The desk teleported back to its spot in front of the window, with the pages and stationary neatly laid on top. Even the damage done to the desk earlier was repaired. The toppled couch was likewise fixed and Lucy followed him back over to his desk.

“I’ll correct myself then. I want the contract to be completed.”

The incognito Demon Emperor paused just as he was about to sit down and stared unblinkingly at her. “It’s as completed as it can be.”

“Your Majesty, I am supposed to receive Quests from you with rewards in return for helping you prevent the realms from falling into total war and annihilation,” Lucy stated with irritation. “This is not the collaborative agreement I’m sure the contract was intended to be.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. They were still ruby red. “Don’t presume to know what the contract was intended for.”

Lucille crossed her arms as she gazed at him with wide eyes. “And don’t presume I’m as useless as you seem to think I am, Ancient Daemon.”

It happened before she could even react. His gloved hands were around her neck again and she was kneeling on the ground with the air kicked out of her. She couldn’t speak due to the immense pressure descending on her.

The Demon Emperor, because it was clear to Lucy that there was no ‘second personality’ or ‘second consciousness’ being used alongside his Alter-Ego, was staring at her with maddened wide eyes. Nothing could be seen on his face and he gazed silently at her.

“Y-Y-” She tried to say his title but struggled to gain air as she could feel herself being choked. The mark on her left hand burned.

“I am not as lowly as an Ancient Daemon. You know nothing, mortal.” he threatened quietly.

Then before she could blink she let out a gasp as her body crashed into the back wall of the room. Her body was wracked with pain as she drew in deep breaths and shuddered. She wiped her mouth to get rid of the blood from where she bit her lip and looked up at the white-haired demon.

“If you don’t treat me with the proper respect next time we meet, our blood pact will be terminated and terms regarding this ‘Hero of Light’ will be rendered null and void,” he informed her with indifference as if he hadn’t just attacked her. He straightened his gloves and pointed at the exit. “Leave. Now.”

She shakily got up and rubbed the back of her neck. Dammit, the demonic contract is important. His Disorder essence is the best counter to the ‘Causality-distorting’ abilities of the Hero. We’re really at a stalemate now. I need his help, and he can’t harm me in any way.

“Fine then, Your Majesty,” she replied with a voice dripping with acidity. “I hope we’ll be able to meet with cooled heads two months from now. And I wish that the rest of your day is just as lovely as this meeting.” She walked towards the door and paused to glance back at the disguised demon standing in the centre of the room. “I don’t know how you expect to survive the following four years if this is how our meetings always turn out.” She left, shutting the door behind her.

__________________________________________________________________________

The Archduke was still standing in the centre of his room half an hour after Lucille had left. His arms were crossed and he was scowling at the door.

“…blighted woman.”

[Careful now. You’ll start sounding like those misogynist members of Olden if you keep speaking in such generalities!]

He pinched his nose bridge and began to head back to his armchair behind the desk until the voice inside his head said something else.

[But really, you do need to learn to cool your head. I know you wouldn’t want to listen to Lucille Goldcroft ever, but she’s right this time. I mean, the whole reason why you’re angry at her is because you found out that all the stressful work that you’re doing right now was already completed in the former timeline and just got erased! How is Lucy supposed to do anything about that?]

The white-haired Demon Emperor frowned at the notification box hovering before his face. He took another step towards his desk.

[It’s not like she had any control over whether the timeline would reset once she died, right? She’s the completely wrong target for your anger!]

“Then who would be at fault for this?” the Archduke muttered.

[Well, if you think about it, the only thing that could've possibly had the power to rewrite the timeline would’ve been me, right? So in fact, it’s all my fault you have to repeat all your work!]

The Archduke stared at the notification box.

[Essentially Alectis, stop blaming Lucy for all this and instead blame- oh.]

The Archduke continued to stare at the notification box.

[Uh, wait, that wasn’t really- hey, I don’t remember doing that so it doesn’t count, right?!]

Silence was the only response.

[…is it too late to say sorry?]

__________________________________________________________________________

‘Not as lowly as an Ancient Daemon’… did I get it wrong? I thought he was technically an Ancient Daemon because that was the only way that ‘Tiamat’ and her mate would’ve been able to be ‘severed’ by him as they’re primal beasts, one of the enemies of Ancient Daemons… but then what is he?

Lucille rubbed her temples and rested her head against the back of the carriage.

You know what, forget it. I don’t want to think about him for a second longer. I’ve had enough of Mr. Grumpy for the rest of the millennium, let alone two months. Let’s just think about something else.

The carriage pulled up to the Aurelian Commission Headquarters and Lucy checked her pocket watch.

I need to meet with Hargrave before Vincent abducts me to discuss the debut for the rest of the day.

To anyone else, it would’ve looked like Lucy was very, very suicidal. Antagonising the Demon Emperor like that, trying to provoke him… but it was all a way of ensuring that he wouldn’t just ignore her. The Archduke had the power to just brush off her requests and complaints whenever he wanted and only reply to what he cared about. But by making him angry, she could ensure his indifference broke and that he’d take her seriously.

That didn’t stop Scytale from screaming in her head the whole week before she visited him that what she was doing was a very, very bad idea. In this circumstance… maybe her bond was right.

But she now had something else to discuss with someone, as a certain wanted ex-mercenary had just walked into her hallway. She gestured to him. “Hargrave, could you come with me for a second, please?”

He paused when he heard her and nodded, then hesitated when he glanced at her neck. “Is that… a bruise?”

“It is, but never mind.” She waved a hand to dismiss the question and gazed seriously at him. “Hargrave, are you ready to hunt your first draconic monster?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

I just realised that this is technically the halfway mark for the second major arc.

Also, this apology of Dion's is the resolution of a teeny tiny minor plot point from all the way in the prologue :)