Time.

It's harder to wrangle than I first thought. I did some discrete research, combing through the Academy library, the Garden archives, as well as the trove of documents we've recovered from the cult. Unsurprisingly, I'm far from the first to venture in this area.

Yet I may not be any more successful than my predecessors. My magic is as potent and precise as ever; I can wield it like a scalpel, or like a force of nature. Space and matter are hardly an obstacle for me. But time…

It's almost as if there's something blocking me.

Or perhaps, someone.

Well, I'm in no rush. I am not yet its master, but I do in fact still have plenty of time. I am sure that all the secrets of this world will be revealed to me, one way or another.

Meanwhile, everything is proceeding according to my design. My shadows are carrying out their assignments exactly as prescribed; the Garden is growing in strength and influence everyday.

I even started building a second, secret-er base/hideout.

Castle Bravo, I've called it for now. Only Alpha knows about it; I may introduce the others after I've filled it with enough priceless artifacts and treasures. I've been using Epsilon's network of nobles, along with Gamma's business connections, to further my own collection of art and valuables.

For diversification and the possession of non-liquid assets—is what I've been telling them.

They don't know I'm doing it just because it's cool.

The attention on me has somewhat shifted away at school; the upcoming Bushin Festival has provided enough excitement, as well as a distraction from my recent fame. My network of acquaintances has expanded greatly, as I now associate with both background and supporting characters. I've found that it's not difficult to blend in with either; my performance in class has increased abnormally, but people just chalk that up to me turning a new leaf for the 'young love' I've apparently developed for some people.

Speaking of that particular devil, the two princesses are still targeting me with precision focus. As much as I've accepted it, I still wish they would give up. But I suppose things can't go perfectly…

At least no one has proposed to me yet. Obviously I would want to say no, but I've decided that I won't. Since I'm going with the 'hiding in plain sight plan', I'll need plenty of different connections, and that includes marriages.

I suppose the only thing keeping the two royals off my tail is my status as the second in line to a back-country barony. Though knowing Rose, she's probably already come up with some sort of idealistic and unrealistic plan to subvert that. As for the Silver Wolf; I'm just waiting for the day that Alexia finally loses her patience and assaults me in the school hallway.

It might sound surprising, but I can see her eyes twitch at an increasing pace when she thinks no one is looking. Now that I think about it, I would probably be doing some poor fool a favor by saving him from the grasp of her talons.

My shadows have been behaving in that regard, for now. They are always hungry for more of my time, but they haven't asked for more than that…Yet. Actually, the one who surprises me the most is the patience of Delta; the absurd number of wives and children she prescribes for me grows everyday.

Well, that's something I'm going to have to face sooner or later. But tonight, I happen to be with the shade who has shown the largest amount of… Hero worship, for lack of better words, toward me.

Silver hair, gentle blue eyes, and a mature figure: Beta, the second of the Seven. She has come a long way from the young, scared elf, who couldn't sleep from her constant nightmares of possession. The one who stands beside me is powerful, decisive, and a devoted subordinate. Thanks to her tireless work, she has an information network that rival's Zeta's, and cultural influence that exceeds Epsilon's.

Tonight, it's just me and her. My shades describe these one-on-ones as 'dates' when they think I can't hear (I can).

But it's fine if they think that. Part of my role does involve romance, for a variety of purposes. I've studied plenty of related techniques as part of my Eminence training, though I've had the least practice with them.

I suppose that's going to change soon.

Beta stands next to me, her silver hair glowing in the moonlight which nearly matches it in color. The image of her silhouette, against the dark night sky and distant forest, is enough to capture my attention fully.

She looks at me, and smiles.

"Is it time, my lord?"

I put my hand under my chin, surveying our target: a mountain outpost, named Base 201 in the cult papers that were recovered. It's not an especially large mountain range; the peaks only have snow during winter, but it's still high enough to be a hike for the average person.

It took us about 6 seconds, I think. This side of the mountain is rocky—large chunks of its side have been carved out, as if a giant claw swiped through the landscape. Green pines and firs compliment the grey and tan rock, though the colors are subdued under the pale moonlight.

Although there was effort put into its location, I can easily pick out the trail leading up to a cave like entrance. It's been warded with high level illusion magic, but they might as well have left it fully exposed for all the good that does them. I close my eyes for a brief moment, focusing entirely on my sense of magic.

23 targets, though the base reaches so deep into the mountain that not even my powers can see its entirety. My survey finished, I decide to reply.

"It's time. The moon lights our path. Such fools; they cannot fathom what monsters await them." I turn to her with a slight smirk.

"Let's give them a warm welcome, Beta."

"Yes!"

Since I'm with Beta, I'm feeling oddly… Inspired, I suppose. It's a good night for references, I think.

"What plan would you like, my lord?"

"Execute attack plan: Charlie Foxtrot."

The elf clasps her hands together with a joyous expression. "Oh, yes Lord Shadow! It shall be a wondrous night. When dawn approaches, our enemies will lie broken and bloody at our feet! If only there was a way to record it…" She sighs, before shaking herself out of it.

"I shall begin immediately, my lord." The elf bows, and takes off ahead of me.

I watch her disappear into the darkness with my hand on my chin. I still have a few words left to say, afterall.

"Broken and bloody indeed, my loyal knight. For it shall be a sword day; and tomorrow, a red day, ere the sun rises."

A light breeze blows around me, causing the trees to sway and the leaves to rustle gently, but otherwise my words are met with silence.

Hmm, I think… I like it better when there's someone around to hear me. Well, time for the real fun to begin.

The attack plan I ordered—only one of many for Shadow Garden—calls for split maneuvers, and then meeting up at the boss to take them down together. For pathetic plebs like the ones we're facing tonight, we don't have to take them remotely seriously; but it is more fun to have a plan and then act on it. Since Beta is already working over the guards, pathetic excuse that they are, at the main entrance, I'll sneak around through the secret side entrance.

Well, I don't see one at the moment, but there's always a secret side entrance—I just need to sniff it out.

Hmm, maybe I should have brought a beastkin. But then again, I need to practice that part of my senses anyway. I bend my knees, and leap through the air. The forest blurs around me as I land on the side of the mountain.

With an invisible thud, my boots touch solid rock—at a nearly 90 degree angle, so I have to put a little effort into maintaining my balance.

Oh, there's a mountain goat here.

"Shoo."

It looks at me, bleats, and then continues to munch on a small patch of grass.

Huh, I guess even my power can't conquer everything. Well, it is just a goat. I doubt it can comprehend power levels, or realize exactly what is going on around it.

It's just a simple creature, living on in blissful ignorance.

… Now that I think about it, that kinda sounds similar to my own recent situation/discovery. Perhaps ignorance is my own greatest weakness?

No, that couldn't be.

Discarding the visage of the chewing goat, I inhale deeply, giving my sensitivity an extra boost with a little magical assistance. My lungs fill with cool mountain air as I sort through the different scents I detect.

Developing a perfected sense of smell will give me even more options for how to play things. It'll also help with more accurately differentiating my shadows—ah, not that it's important or anything.

Beside the natural things I can smell, the wood and stone, there's a slightly foul odor that's obviously out of place. I tune my senses further, finding the invisible trail it took to reach my nostrils.

Ah, there it is: a large boulder, shaded by a few towering pine trees. I approach the secret entrance, noting the worn, gravel-like path which stops just in front of a large crack, shooting vertically up the side of the large rock.

My eyes flash red as I peer into the magical world, instantly sighting the small, triangular symbol, invisible to the naked eye.

I press my finger against it, releasing a small pulse of magic, and the boulder crumbles and disintegrates, revealing a dark passageway into the unknown.

… Oops. I think I broke it.

With a shrug, I descend into the lair, my path being illuminated by torches which ignite in front of me. I follow the noise of a grindstone being used, entering a side passage which apparently leads to the armory. Soon I arrive to the first baddie; a person who's dressed rather casually, his white shirt unbuttoned as he sharpens a red-stained blade.

At his side, in a pool of dried blood, there's a bunch of torture devices and tools, some of which catch my interest—but hey, could this situation get anymore cliche?

I intentionally stub my boot against the stone floor, creating a loud echo which finally catches the attention of the cultist, who stands up with panic in his eyes.

"You?! Who are you, and how did you get in here?!"

"I'm Shadow, and I'm Shadow."

"?!"

They don't have much more to say after that.

Because they're dead.

I continue on, making my way through the living quarters, dispatching the various enemies I come across; I mostly give them a quick death, since there isn't an audience for me to perform for yet.

Finally, I arrive at what is clearly the boss arena; it's a large room, lit with perfectly dramatic lighting in the form of candles and torches lining the walls. Hanging from the ceiling are cloth banners depicting demonic symbols of the cult, along with the mythical Diablos, adding to the smokey, mysterious atmosphere.

There's a long table in the center, around which are a few NPC's—but at their center is a named enemy, who stands a head taller than everyone else, with an oddly out of place wide-brimmed hat above their head.

Something moves in the dark corner, and I am surprised to see Beta. On the ground.

Tied up.

Oh. She… Prefers that sort of thing?

Her blue eyes blink rapidly at me.

Master, they think I am the only attacker.

And I just finally learned Morse code a few days ago. Perfect timing, me.

They are completely vulnerable for your attack, Master!

Well, Beta didn't actually blink the exclamation point at me, but I could infer that from her enthusiastic head bobbing. The weak piece of tape over her mouth almost slipped off; I'm surprised she hasn't accidentally broken the ropes just by breathing yet.

It's a nice idea Beta; but taking them all out at once, with not even a few words beforehand—wouldn't that just suck all the fun out of it?

With a pulse of magic, I announce my presence as I step foot into the dimly lit room. The men around the table react immediately, drawing their swords with swears and huffs. Some of them speak, their cliche words sounding like music to my ears.

"Oh no Boss, there's another one?!"

"This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them!"

The especially large man—who's wearing a tanktop—steps forward, pointing toward me with a booming, boisterous voice.

"OHOHOHO! So, it is you who has come, the Phantom Pain."

… The what? Come on, it's just one word: Shadow. Well, at least he didn't use one of my earlier, prototype titles. That would have been really embarrassing.

The giant enemy boss beats his chest.

"I am the First Child, Rodan, mi amigo!"

… Huh?

"Help me master Shadow, you're my only hope!"

I glance to the side, where Beta is shooting me a pleading look—her bonds are in shambles, and she's barely containing her excitement for my presence.

Beta… Your acting skills need some serious work. Actually, is she trying to reenact a scene from one of her novels or something?

Well, now that I can respect; so, let's help her out a bit. I 'draw' my sword, brandishing it toward the cultists while posing awesomely.

"My name is Shadow; you killed my father. Prepare to… Die."

I raise my blade.

"Yahh!" With gusto, one of the cultists charges toward me with a rapier.

I side step him and let his body crash into the wall with a loud smack. Another leaps toward me, swinging their blade far above my head as I crouch down.

For whatever reason, it seems they're content on attacking me one at a time. Well, whatever.

Should make things more dramatic, if nothing else.

The cultist's blade passes over my hood almost as if it were in slow-motion, such is the skill level of my opponents.

"Guess you just couldn't… Cut it."

I wave my blade, slicing one of the seven cultists in the room in half. Blood splashes through the air as his remains collapse onto the floor with an almost comical–sounding splat.

The rapier-wielder charges at me again, his blade aimed square at my back.

Oh no… This can't be.

I have all the time in the world to dodge!

Whatever shall I do?

"Oh sword of truth, fly swift and sure, that evil die and good endure!"

A smooth, oddly sensual voice cuts through the chaotic air, and out of the corner of my eye I see Beta stand up and throw her sword as a spear, skewering my attacker like a kebab.

Nice one, Beta!

In the background, I see my Second Shade face her next opponent, while I turn my attention to my own. His hands are empty handed and balled into fists; this appears to be a monk-class that I'm dealing with. I dispel my slime sword, eager to see what is in store for me.

Upon seeing my willful disarmament, the mustached–man before me smiles, his voice tinted with an accent I can't place.

"Fool! Everyone in the cult knows kung fu!"

With that odd declaration, he swings his leg up in a kick, followed by another, and another as he twirls his body around in a whirlwind of attacks aimed at me.

As I dodge his first attack, I shrug.

"We can dance if we want to."

I step backward in time, and with our synchronized movement it really does appear as if we are dancing.

This continues for a few seconds, before I decide to give him something to chew on, my fist extending into the path of his face.

As soon as I make contact, his face—and head—is gone, the momentum of his decapitated body carrying him well past me like an erratically twitching zombie.

Well, I never much cared for dancing anyway.

The next disposable piece of trash charges toward me with a raised axe; he's asking for a sword block, but I think I'll use magic for this one.

I point my finger.

"Confringo."

My magic lashes out like a lance, striking the man and setting him ablaze. The fire has an unnatural purple hue, but it's still nice to see; like a special effect from a movie.

These guys definitely aren't worth using my ultimate moves on. Although…

I wonder if I could pull off an atomic breath? I'm already halfway there anyway. Well, I'll save that for something truly monstrous.

"Boss… We've gotta get out of here!"

One of the now two remaining regular bad guys turns toward their leader with panic in their voice, while Beta smoothly disembowels her attacker with grace and finesse—if you overlook the sheer brutality of it.

"Urghh, they played us like a damn fiddle!" The tall, sombrero–wielding man slams his fists against the table—before shoving his minions aside, stomping toward me with clear 'final boss encounter' intent.

I glance at Beta and nod, letting her take care of the rest of the small fry. I extend my hand, beckoning my opponent forward with an open palm.

"Come; give stimulation to my existence."

The badguy—err, Rodan, I mean—gives me a smirk as he comes to a halt a dozen feet in front of me, before suddenly widening his stance, gathering an aura of blue magical energy around him.

… He looks like a main character from an anime powering up for their main attack.

"With my strongest, I will defeat your strongest!"

Hey, at least he's interesting. Kinda familiar though…

"Were it so easy…" I say, and I push off from the ground with my boots, flying toward him.

There's a tremendous gust of wind which follows my passing, the candles snuffed out as the banners flutter above us.

I'm left standing behind him, holding something in my palm.

It's a pinky finger.

Rodan's, to be exact. His hat slowly falls to the ground, revealing a shockingly shiny bald head. The hulk of a man turns slowly, raising an eyebrow as he faces me, before seemingly realizing something due to my lack of movement, and his own continued existence.

"I see…" He huffs, and then laughs—though it sounds forced. "You're not after me; you want The Amulet of Kings!"

Oh? Tell me more.

Almost as if he can read my thoughts, the mountainous man begins to pontificate on what is supposedly a legendary artifact: a beautiful red jewel passed from king to king of an ancient land, serving as proof of their birthright, as well as protection from otherworldly, demonic threats. Rodan continues, declaring that the priceless amulet is in a safe location, and that unassailable measures are in place to prevent me from getting my hands on it. He's explaining with surprisingly politeness for someone who's missing a finger—though he has yet to notice that, or the fact that he's the only cultist left in the room. Gradually, his echoing, vainglorious speech winds down as he catches his breath, and the only sound in the room is that of blood dripping from the ceiling, as Beta watches patiently in the background, the grisly remnants of her foes scattered hither and yonder.

"... So, you'll never get your hands on the treasure of my ancestors, Boogieman," he says while puffing out his chest.

Behind him, I can see the flash of Beta's sword, a dark look in her eye as she teeters on the edge of attacking. I shake my head slightly; I have something else in mind for this guy.

I wave my hand, reigniting the candles and torches in the room with a brilliant, gem-like purple hue. "... And who exactly will stop me?"

His grey eyes widen as he takes in the sight of his massacred subordinates, before whipping back toward me with a snarl.

"Damn you, Phantom Menace!"

His hand moves into his pocket, before he disappears in a flash of smoke. I'll give credit where it's due; if I had the sight of an ordinary human, I would have no idea where he is.

Unfortunately for him, said magic smoke covers his massive frame, but not the sound of his thudding, spur–clad boots.

Fortunately for him, his successful escape is exactly as I wish. Oh, but he won't be escaping for long—I'll put Delta on the trail.

He should lead her to another outpost she can have fun with.

"All too easy."

"A beautiful performance, my lord!"

Beta clasps her hands together, the sight of her adoring expression somewhat spoiled by the severed limbs by her feet. "You've set up the trail perfectly, we've gained additional information, and that named child can lead us to the next cult outpost, or perhaps even the location of the Amulet of Kings itself!"

Well, all in a day's work.
"We'll leave the cleanup to the numbers," I say, deepening my voice to emphasize how generous I am for letting the newbies of Shadow Garden help us out—Though in reality, I just don't want to subject myself to the tedium of sorting through endless scrolls and papers to find information actually useful to me.

The two of us make our way back outside, exiting via the main entrance, which has now been redecorated with grotesque creativity by the surprisingly bloodthirsty Beta.

… Or maybe she just wants to show off for me. Well, I suppose that's fine too; those who willingly join the cult of Diablos deserve neither pity nor mercy, afterall.

As we walk out into the soft light of the moon, I notice the elf beside me has her head bent down, her hand gripping a pen with righteous fervor as she scribbles in her notebook.

"... Working on your next story?" I ask; since our job is done, and I feel like some small talk is needed to counter-balance what we just did.

Beta glances up from her writing, her silver braid fluttering in the midnight air.

"Not exactly, my lord. I am simply detailing every single thing that you did tonight."

I pause, raising an eyebrow instinctively. "I understand recording our battle and triumph, but every single thing?"

My shadow nods, closing her notebook with a snap as she deposits it into her slime suit.

"Lord Shadow, it is my solemn duty to record your magnificence for all man, beast, and elfkind. Someday, when you finally reveal your magnificence to the world, I can show the truth, and others will finally realize that they have been living an unexamined life, not worth living without your grace and power."

Beta's blue eyes are genuinely sparkling as she proclaims this fealty to me. There's a gentle breeze in the air, the dark green needles of the pine trees around us swaying gently, though everything is cast in the ghostly white tint from the brightly shining moon above us.

It's a delightful, striking atmosphere, but I feel something strange stirring within me due to my loyal elf's words.

I place my hand on my chin, while Beta tilts her head slightly, watching me with a curious, yet confused look. The night is quiet after our midnight slaughter, but I can hear my conflicting thoughts echoing in my head. I turn toward my second shadow, cloaking my hesitation in the deep drawl of my eminence voice.

"Beta… Do you truly believe I am without flaw?"

The silver-haired elf stares at me for a moment, blinking a few times. She steps closer, her hands clutched over her spacious chest.

"Lord Shadow…" Her voice comes out as a murmur; a faint breath of air into the cold night.

"I know that you're human—and no human can truly be perfect…"

She draws even closer, and I am captivated by the gravitas tinting her blue eyes, swirling with determination and feeling.

"But it doesn't matter to me whether you are perfect," Beta declares. She's now standing only a few feet away from me.

"You're you, Shadow. You saved my life; all of our lives, and you gave us knowledge, power, opportunity—more than any person can expect in their entire lifetime. And you gave it without asking anything in return…"

She shakes her head, the white moonlight reflected in her shimmering gaze. "I believe in you, my lord, with all of my being. My life belongs to you; and nothing else matters to me."

Her silver hair and blue eyes fill my vision. I find myself unable to look away.
"Beta…" by unconscious thought, my hand reaches up, stroking the side of her cheek.

"I admire your loyalty. You have risen above the shackles of your past, and grasped the power which has always lurked inside you. I merely showed you the way; you seized the opportunity yourself, and refused to give up…" I feel my lips twitch, remembering many long nights in the past. "Even when sleep was a torment for you, you refused to give up. Beta, you are strong."

The elf reaches up to touch my hand, which still rests against her cheek—she closes her eyes for a moment, her deep breaths visible under the pale moonlight.

"Lord Shadow," she murmurs, her gaze fixed on mine. "May I…"

Her gaze darts to the side, her white teeth flashing as she bites her lower lip.

"... May I hug you, my lord?"

Hmm. I almost thought she was going to ask for something else. Still, I open my arms, letting the elf embrace me, the warmth of her body akin to standing in front of a fire after a cold night.

"Thank you, Cid…"

Her voice is but a whisper in the dark, brushing softly against my ear as she inhales deeply, her arms wrapped around my torso.

I pat the elf's shoulder, my gaze fluttering up to the jagged mountain peak above us.

Even with the frail light, it's still a magnificent sight.

I suppose I can keep looking at it for a while longer.

It doesn't take us too long to arrive back at Alexiatropolis; the shadow city is absent of any particular noise, but for the distant clang of someone training through the night. We are greeted at the outskirts by a pair of dark-cloaked figures, who then escort us silently to the inner castle. I notice that Beta's cheeks are flushed, even though the run home should have hardly exerted her. The elf meets my gaze almost shyly, before bowing and heading off to rest, the clack of her boots echoing loudly in the grandiose hall.

I doubt she hardly needs it, but it is about four o'clock, so I should probably get some sleep myself. I rarely get to make use of the extravagant living quarters the shadows arranged for me, so I'll take advantage of that. As soon as I take a step toward the living quarters, I sense a strong presence make a beeline straight for me.

A black shape comes barrelling down the hall, running toward me on all fours. At the last possible moment, I smoothly step to the side, letting her crash through the space I had just occupied.

"Bossbossboss-bossman!"

"Hey Delta."

She takes her miss in stride, kneeling at my side with her hands up, like a dog standing on its hind legs. I reach over and pat her head.
"Good girl."

"Yes!"

If her tail wags any faster, Eta will be able to use it as an airplane prop.

"I've got a special present for you, Delta." I take the severed finger from out of my slime suit, presenting it to her with an open palm.

The wolfgirl tilts her head, her long ears flapping in the air.

"... A snack?"

I smile, hiding my chuckle with a cough. "No, though it might lead to one. This is from a target that I want you to track down tomorrow. They should be holed up in a cult safehouse."

Delta nods wisely, sniffing out her new objective as I continue.

"I trust you know what to do there. Have fun."

"Yes! Rip and tear, until it's done! Delta loves hunting!"

I bob my head, before turning to walk down the hall, the beastkin following, her arm wrapped around my side.

She sniffs my clothes, apparently finding my scent satisfactory.
"Where are you going?"

"My bedroom."

What are you going to do?"

"Sleep."

"... What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"Conquer the world."

"... Oh." Delta gives me the classic puppy dog look. Fortunately, I am immune to such looks.

"Don'tcha wanna come along with me, bossman?"

"I have my own plans, Delta; you'll have to accomplish this mission yourself. Unless… You think you're not up to handling it alone?"

She growls. "No way! I got it, I got it, alright! Jeeze…"

Her ears flop down as she pouts.

I reach over and rub her head again.

"Oh, Delta. Wanna take a nap with me?"

"Yes! Score!"

The wolfgirl is practically fused to my side as we arrive at my quarters, an entire suite which is accented with gold leaf and some of the rarest paintings in the world. Even though I'm rarely here, there's a personal maid on duty 24/7. I've heard that some of the named numbers were fighting for the position, but Alpha put her foot down and told them they had more important assignments they were needed for.

I still leave day to day management of Garden personnel to her and the shades, though I will give my own input and advice on occasion. It's enough to satisfy my craving for giving orders for secret missions and the like. Though if I am completely honest, a part of me is proud at how well my shades have managed things. If they weren't so focused on me and fighting the cult, they could be close to taking over a large chunk of this world.

Well, the way things are going, it looks like that's going to happen anyway.

"Welcome home, Lord Shadow," a maid bows as she leads us into my chambers, smoothly ignoring the glare Delta is shooting her way. The maid reveals everything prepared for my arrival, including some freshly baked snacks, fruit, wine, new clothes, and… Is that a massage bench?

Mmmh, maybe another time. The maid disappears as me and my dog settle in, Delta scarfing down the snacks while I sip on a glass of wine for a bit, watching her destroy the carefully, artistically arranged platters of food.

After undressing and taking a quick shower, I settle into the massively oversized bed, which oddly seems designed for about eight people…

Well, me and Delta should fill it just fine for now. She does tend to kick in her sleep a lot, but that hardly bothers me.

Fortunately, she doesn't have an aversion to water—unlike some cats I know—so she showers after me, plodding out of the bathroom with only the barest amount of slime covering her body—though much of it is hidden by her wet, shaggy hair and tail, water drops forming a trail on the lush carpet as she approaches my bed.

"Delta…"

She stops, but apparently misunderstood me completely; the beastkin stretches out, and suddenly shakes her head and tail, flinging water in every direction, the droplets flying almost as if in slow motion, aimed directly at the most valuable, priceless objects which litter the large bedroom.

Well, that's no trouble for me.

I extend my hand, shooting out a wave of slime, while making it thinner than a sheet of paper. I wrap the slime around Delta and her expanding orb of aquatic chaos, collecting each drop like a spider's web. I then collapse the sphere, condensing it into a small ball of water.

Using my knowledge of chemistry—and the way of the atom—I release the water into a cloud of vapor, which disperses into the room.

Delta watches this with a curious look, her head lopsided. I did do it rather quickly, so I wonder if even her senses could catch what I was doing.

"Eheh, sorry boss…" she chuckles nervously, pushing her fingertips together.

I wave her off.

"It's fine. Just be mindful of your surroundings, even when you're not in combat."

"Right!" She shakes her head up and down, walking over to the bed as I gesture for her to join me. The beastkin crawls across the sheets, sitting on her haunches as she stares at me.

"... Do you see something?"

Delta shakes her head. "Nah, I just like looking at ya."

Ah. I've been letting myself go recently around the shadows, so she must be intrigued by the magical power leaking from my presence. I pat the space next to me; Delta responds by moving closer, scooting into my side as I lean against the headrest.

"Bossman, do you think you've got enough power to take over the world yet?"

"Yeah. Don't you?"

She thinks it over for a moment. "Probably; but I guess there could be things out there that Delta doesn't know about."

"Hmm. Perhaps. Perhaps."

She gazes at me with a smug smile. "Maybe there's something out there that could survive more than one attack, huh?"

I smile in response. "More beings like the mist dragon? Speaking of, I think I'm about ready for a rematch…"

"Now you can totally kill him forever, boss! You got the power!"

Hmm… Power.

"That's true," I say, my focus drifting to the decorated wall across from us. A trail of gold leaf rises up the wallpaper like a pillar, leading my gaze up to fresco–covered ceiling.

Delta leans closer, her bright, amethyst–colored eyes examining me.

"... What's wrong, boss?"

I'm impressed she noticed. But then I suppose I have been more expressive lately.

"Power is power." I shrug. "I cast away everything I did not need to accomplish my goals; but now that I have, I've realized…"

"Power isn't everything."

Delta tilts her head. "But you're strong enough to do whatever you want, boss? What more could'ya want?"

"Delta…" I think of a way to explain some of my recent thoughts.

"How do you feel about Hunting alone? No one to share the glory of your kill, the celebration of your feast. What are your amazing feats, if you have no one to tell them to?"

"..."

Delta stares at me for a moment, not saying anything. Her right ear flickers, but her expression is otherwise blank.

Hmm, perhaps it went over her head–

"Oh!" She suddenly shoots upright. "That's what mates are for! Boss, the sooner you get started, the more babies we can make—"

I cover her mouth with my hand. That hardly stops from continuing, but at least I can barely hear her crude speech. After a moment, I can feel her tongue darting out to lick my palm.

I sigh, though I can hardly be upset with her and the smile in her eyes.

"... Do you understand what I was saying, Delta?"

I remove my hand, the beastkin closing her mouth as she scratches her head. Her eyes roam over the bedsheets for a few audit moments. as she thinks over it quietly.

"... I guess so? Boss, you're really smart. I'll believe whatever you say. But understanding it…"

She shrugs her shoulders.

"I'll try." Her hand reaches for mine. "Now give me headpats. My brain hurts from all the thinking."

I move my hand to rub her hair, occasionally reaching up to massage her ears, causing the wolfgirl to shudder as she closes her eyes.

"Hmmm… G'night, Boss."

"Good night, Delta."

I sink into the covers. Delta moves next to me, rotating a few times before curling up into a ball at my side. I pat her head, and soon fall asleep to the feeling of warm fur surrounding me.

Split this chapter since it was getting too long… Again. Since Beta is a bit of a plagiarist, I decided to do a 'fight scene' that's utter nonsense. If Shadow's fighting, there's not going to be that much tension anyway
Well, maybe if I get to the Sherry chapter