‘As if a Devil would know how to construct buildings right from birth, silly me!’
In truth, I had a dire need for just such a person right now. After all, with how the entire capital was half ruined at this point, some sort of city planning was needed, assuming I wanted to turn this area into my main base of operations. At the very least, I needed to build houses. Based on how often these Devils were popping up left and right, it wouldn’t be long before our headcount crosses the ten thousand mark, or even more… Furthermore, by having a building that was grandiose and towering would give the impression to the newcomers that this area already had an Overlord.
There was no doubt in my mind that, even if these newcomer Devils weren’t willing to submit to me, they wouldn’t try to oppose me at the very least.
Naturally, all that was contingent on me having the ability to construct said building.
‘So the biggest problem is me then…me, being a collective term that includes my subordinates as well…none of us knows how to construct a building…damn it, now I really wish I was an architect in my past life…’
All that was just to say that me asking this Small Imp about constructing buildings wasn’t mean spirited, it stemmed more from a dire need within me.
Yet not long after that question left my mouth, the still immensely confident Small Imp standing before me nodded his head and, without any hesitation whatsoever, said: “Esteemed Fallen Angel, your eyes are as sharp as your blood is noble, this one does, in fact, know the art of building.”
“You don’t huh…such a sham—what did you just say?”
‘That wasn’t just me imagining things right?’
The Small Imp smiled humbly before bowing: “Honorable Excellency, this one is confident in his construction skills. May this one know what is needed of him? Constructing a Palace? A wall? Or just some ordinary houses?”
‘He really can do it then?! No way! How can some random architect just pop up in front of me like that? That’s even less likely than me striking the five million dollars lottery! And judging by that unfazed look on his face…don’t tell me he is some kind of high level architect…’
“Enough with the jokes, how could a Devil like you, who only knows how to talk, ever be able to satisfy the Master’s needs!” Hearing the Small Imp reply so confidently, the ever annoyed by him No.3 immediately snapped back at him: “You’re just trying to attract the Master’s attention, that’s why you are lying about your capabilities! In fact, you don’t know it at all, do you…you’re just a liar who is good at talking!”
“This one wasn’t lying.” Faced with No.3’s angry accusation, the Small Imp calmly tried to explain himself to me: “To be honest, this one can’t lie about this at all. Because even if this one lied, it would be easily exposed right away. Rather than lie, it would be better if this one was honest from the start since lies are the most unreliable form of communications.”
“More lies, even after all that you are still trying to lie! I just hate Devils like you, always hiding something behind that smiling face of yours!”
As the serious and honest potato that he was, I could fully understand why he would despise a glib-tongued Devil who smiled all day. In his eyes, that annoying smile of the Small Imp was nothing but a challenge to him. So, without any surprise on my part whatsoever, No.3 raised his fist once more and tried to pummel the Small Imp. Unfortunately, my words were there to stop him.
“Calm down, No.3.” I called out to the Devil before turning my eyes towards the Small Imp. I gave the little Devil a slight praising look but just as he expected me to commend him, my tone took an abrupt turn: “You are very clever, and interesting, but should you really be provoking my subordinates like that?”
“Honorable Excellency…this one realizes his mistake.” Having said that, the Small Imp bowed in apology towards No.3 “Sorry…”
‘This fellow…he’s really quick to react, isn’t he…I have to say, he’s really smart and adept at this. He instantly understood the hidden meaning within my words without any difficulty…’
In truth, my words were a reminder to him. As long as he was capable, becoming my subordinate was an easy matter. But for him to antagonize No.3 before becoming my subordinate…perhaps No.3 wouldn’t dare hit him since I was there to stop him but what if I wasn’t? There was no way a Small Imp like him could ever stand up to No.3, a Five-stars Infant Flame Devil. By that time, did he expect me to punish a loyal subordinate who had been with me all this while for the sake of a corpse like him?
“Hmph!” No.3 turned his head away from the Small Imp. However, I could tell that he had basically accepted the Small Imp’s apology.
Now that this little spat was over, I lightly coughed: “From now on we are all on the same side, try not to argue over the littlest of things.”
Both of them honestly accepted my instruction at which point the Small Imp bowed to me once more before asking for instructions: “Esteemed Fallen Angel, your wish was for this one to employ his construction skills, yes?”
“Mhm. About that…that area where you just came from happens to be a teleportation zone. While the exact area might shift from time to time, there will definitely be a large number of Devils being teleported there. I wish to construct a building that will show off our strength, I want those who see it to willingly submit to me. Simply put, I want that building for recruitment purposes.”
“Your Excellency, how tall do you wish for this building to be?”
“How tall?”
I paused for a moment. That was actually something I hadn’t considered up till now. The only thing that I had in mind was, the bigger it was, the better it would be.
“So you wish for it to be as tall as possible then?” Even without me saying anything, my hesitation was enough for that Small Imp to understand my intentions.
“Mhm, that’s about right. I wish for those who lay their eyes on it to be awestruck.”
“…is that so…this one understands.” The Small Imp paused for a couple of seconds before giving out a confident answer.
“Well then, what kind of help do you require?”
“The more Devils I can get, the better. If possible, I would like those big lugs to help as well.” Without even a second of hesitation, the Small Imp pointed towards the Elite Abyssal Golems who were still guarding over our new captives.
“Wretched thing, don’t even think about pushing your luck any further!” For someone like him to ask for the golems so casually, No.3, who had just suppressed his anger not too long ago, immediately flared up once more: “A newcomer needs to understand his place as a newcomer!”
“I can’t give you the control rights over these golems.”
Those golems were terrifyingly powerful; there was just no way I would ever hand that over to someone who had just joined us.
“Is that so…what if this one surrenders this to Your Excellency then?”
Clearly expecting that response from me, he calmly reached for his bald head with his right palm. Seeing that, I could already guess what he was up to. A red glowing mass began coalescing in the palm right before my very eyes and before I could even identify that mass, I found that Small Imp kneeling before me with one knee on the ground. With both his hands raised reverently, he presented that object to me…a soul shard that was no longer than 3cm in length.
It was a red soul shard that resembled a little broken chestnut shaped gemstone. As he presented the soul shard to me, I could see the grimace on his face. Without a doubt, this soul shard had to be his.
Under my disbelieving gaze, the Small Imp grinned: “Will Your Excellency…no, will Master believe in this one then…”
“Yes, as you are now, I can trust you.”
I accepted the soul shard from his hands which promptly caused the shard to meld into my own palms. From that point onwards, as long I willed it, his life was completely under my whims. It was, for all intents and purposes, a slave contract…
“From now on, you may refer to yourself as No.6.”
“This one is honored to receive a name from the Master.”
The Small Imp, or rather, No.6 continued kneeling before me obediently. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but compare him to my other subordinates who often acted in a careless manner before me…
Yet underneath all that, while my eyes weren’t on him, No.6 would quietly throw a glance at No.3 As the two of them locked gazes, he would suddenly toss No.3 a taunting look. A taunting look!
“Hmph!”
Before I could even understand the meaning of that harrumph, No.3 knelt down and presented his own soul shard to me as well. In the most reverent manner possible, he lifted up both of his hands and said: “Master, please accept No.3’s soul shard.”
“That…”
I was stunned. In all honesty, his loyalty wasn’t in doubt at all. More than anyone else, I was certain that he wouldn’t betray me thus his actions simply caught me off guard.
“Master, please accept No.3’s loyalty!” No.3 glared at No.6 who almost seemed to be mocking him at this point. “In terms of loyalty, there is no one more loyal than No.3…”
Disregarding No.3 obstinance for now, that Small Imp was actually winking at me right now, as if he was offering up his accomplishment…
To be perfectly honest, until their soul shards were presented to me, there would always be that possibility of betrayal by any Devil, no matter who they were. In that sense, No.6 goading No.3 into presenting his soul shard was a way of preventing any potential trouble, even though I had no doubts about his loyalty…
‘Ahh, what a headsplitter…perhaps taking No.6 in is a mistake after all…he’s a little too smart for his own good…his personality seems kinda twisted too…’
‘Well, since he’s so confident in matters other than combat, I should get him started on those then.’
“No.6”
“This lowly one is ready.”
“I’ll leave the task of persuading the newcomers to you.”
“Understood.”
Having accepted his mission, this little twisted Devil actually flashed No.3 a taunting look. Because the latter had just given up his soul shard, there really wasn’t anything to afraid of now…
“Blast it!” No.3 was basically gnashing his teeth at this point. However, there was nothing he could do about it.
‘Well whatever, I’ll just leave them to work this out amongst themselves. Time to settle our food problem instead.’
With that in mind, I waved to the not so distant Mo Na who was currently playing with Cinderel. “Sweeties, come over here for a second.”
“Mo Na will be right there, Mama.” Hearing me call out to her, she immediately flew to me with Cinderel snugly hugged within her arms: “What’s the matter, Mama?”
