"We're colleagues now, aren't we?" Bethel said with an uncertain tone, reaching out to ruffle Antigonus' furry head. "Nice texture. No wonder Lucifer's so fond of you. I'm starting to like you to."
"..."
Glaring, Antigonus shook off his hand. "What's with the petting? Don't just go touching people's heads for no reason."
Antigonus had his pride. Being treated as a pet by the great demon king Lucifer was one thing, but Bethel, though stronger, wasn't that much stronger to make him willingly play the part.
"You," Bethel said, chuckling and shaking his head. He didn't linger on Amon, instead turning to Alaric, who was gleefully watching the scene. "Is that alright?"
His question was vague, but Alaric understood instantly, nodding. "Go for it, Bethel. Give that cocky brat a taste of Mr. Door's shock!"
Bethel turned to Amon. "This place isn't ideal. Shall we go somewhere else?"
"Sure!" Amon adjusted his monocle without hesitation, then glanced at Antigonus. "You coming?"
"As long as you're not afraid of getting thrashed," Antigonus shot back, head high. Then, belatedly, he looked to Alaric for approval.
"Go ahead. Besides beating up Amon, you can spar with Bethel too. It's been ages since you've both had a proper fight. A little practice won't hurt," Alaric said, patting Antigonus' head with a smile.
He could tell Bethel's move wasn't just about avenging his colleague Antigonus... it was also about training. Bethel hadn't had a serious fight with a peer in ages, and Amon was a perfect sparring partner.
The three Kings of Angels of the Lord of Mysteries pathway thus went off to brawl, leaving Alaric behind, curiously eyeing Sasrir, who was reading a document.
"Not joining the fun?" Sasrir asked, setting the file down, surprised.
From what he knew, Alaric loved a spectacle.
"If I go, they'll hold back, and a straight-up fight isn't that interesting," Alaric explained with a grin. "But you... already diving into the reform work?"
Indeed, the document Sasrir was handling concerned the border cities.
"Most of the work here is done, and Klein's swamped, so I've been helping out," Sasrir said, rubbing his temples, his weary expression betraying how long it'd been since he last rested.
It was only natural for Sasrir to be in contact with Klein. Besides managing City of Silver and Moon City, he was set to oversee the border cities' affairs. He was also drafting rules to be implemented and had begun initial rule promotion in pilot areas.
"Not bad!" Alaric gave Sasrir a thumbs-up, impressed. He'd seen slacking employees, but never one like Sasrir, who actively sought out more work.
"Maybe take a break? I'd hate for the great Dark Angel to keel over from exhaustion under my watch," Alaric suggested, a rare moment of genuine concern.
"No need to worry. I can handle it. There's still much to do," Sasrir replied, his gentle but firm gaze dismissing the idea. "I'll rest when I need to."
"Alright, if you insist," Alaric said, shaking his head. With an employee like this, he couldn't push further. He shifted topics. "The initial rule promotion is going well. I can feel we're close to establishing them. In a day or two, those two rules we drafted should take effect in the pilot areas."
Enacting city-wide rules wasn't easy. Currently, only a few border cities could be used for promotion. Even if most people believed in the rules, the population was still insufficient.
But there was no helping it... rule activation required high thresholds at this stage, and Sasrir couldn't promote in unconquered cities. Implementation was naturally challenging.
Once the reforms fully launched and more regions were secured, things would get easier.
"Thanks to Antigonus," Sasrir said with a smile. "That kid's been diligent and serious about the rule promotion work."
Sasrir genuinely appreciated Antigonus. The demonic wolf was obedient, following instructions without causing trouble... unlike certain Kings of Angels he'd managed in the past, who stirred up chaos every other day, leaving him to clean up.
"Sounds like you're fond of him," Alaric said, grinning.
"He's a good kid," Sasrir confirmed, nodding. He then briefed Alaric on his recent tasks.
With Sasrir, the Dark Angel, in charge, the residents of City of Silver and Moon City were well-organized. Quick learners were already helping build new homes, while slower ones grappled with external languages and customs. Barring unexpected issues, they'd integrate smoothly and create a better environment for future migrants.
"There's one matter you need to decide," Sasrir said, finishing his report on City of Silver and Moon City. He handed Alaric a list. "Colin learned about the border city project and, after discussing with Moon City's leader, provided this list of people willing to contribute to our cause. I'm not sure if we should accept."
Alaric raised an eyebrow, scanning the list. He recognized many names, including a certain Mr. Sun.
He knew Sasrir wasn't unsure about accepting but couldn't make the call himself... City of Silver and Moon City residents were Alaric's followers. Even though Sasrir now worked for him, it wasn't his place to decide.
***
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