After a short drive Blaze got out of the car, a giant building with massive grounds stretching out before her
"And I thought the Gremory mansion was big" she commented absentmindedly
"Blaze, I am glad to see that you made it" Aremic declared as he walked out of the front doors "and congratulations on your victory"
"Thanks" Blaze replied "this is quite the place you've got here, don't you find it uncomfortable having all of this space"
"Oh there's a reason for my residence being this big" Aremic smiled "come in, you'll understand once you do" he said leading the way
Following him into the building Blaze quickly understood what Aremic was talking about, the place that Aremic had brought her seemed to not just be his home, but also a combination of something that seemed like a zoo and a laboratory
"What is this place?" Blaze asked as she looked around, seeing various animals being monitored through screens with people in lab coats making notes on their actions
"This is my home" Aremic answered "a combination of everything that I enjoy, unique and wild animals, a place where I can study them while allowing them to feel at home and a few personal items in order to be able to relax"
"You really do enjoy documenting creatures as you said during your introduction before the Maou's" Blaze noted, able to see folders filled notes spread across the tables and screens displaying data that she couldn't make heads or tails of
"Yes, finding out the powers of creatures and documenting them gives me a feeling of self fulfilment" Aremic grinned "knowing there are abilities out there that even devils like us could never naturally posses and understanding those powers, it feels like exploring the unknown, and if my research can make the discoveries that I hope, there is a possibility that these powers could be used to make devils even stronger"
"That sounds kind of dangerous, what if your research got into the wrong hands? I'm sure the Khaos brigade could cause a lot of damage if they ever got a hold of your research" Blaze warned Aremic
"There is no need to worry about that" Aremic waved "at this point my research still hasn't managed to find anyway to use a creatures powers without there being side effects, if a creatures powers were to be given to another at the moment it would cause them to mutate and lose control of themselves, even if they were to gain power it would be pointless and they most likely wouldn't live very long afterwards anyway, as such if the Khaos brigade were ever to get ahold of my research they would only ever end up destroying themselves"
Hearing Aremic's words the form of Freed who had been transformed into a chimera appeared in Blaze's mind "I wonder" she thought "did your brother ever show interest in your work?"
"He did come here once or twice, but only ever asked me about whether I had succeeded in using my research to properly empower someone and left when he found out that I hadn't, why?" Aremic responded
"No reason, just curious" Blaze replied with a shrug, internally believing that in the original timeline Diodora must have used half baked data to increase Freed's strength, meaning that in the original timeline Diodora must have killed Aremic at some poijt and covered it up
"Alright then, if there are no more questions could you please take a seat so that I may take a blood sample" Aremic gestured to a chair
"Sure, but one more question, are these guys all your peerage?" Blaze questioned as she took her seat
"Yes and no" Aremic remarked as he picked up a needle "the scientists here are my peerage on paper and help me with my research, but honestly I consider all of the animals that I keep here my actual peerage, the scientists are all beast tamers who each have a strong contracted beast that they can change, that way during my normal time they can help me with my research but in battle they aren't helpful and so that role falls to my beasts who I consider my actual peerage, but unfortunately they are unable to be with me on a regular basis, as such it works out better this way"
"Sounds efficiant" Blaze remarked
"It is, now you will feel a small pinch" Aremic told her as he pressed the needle into her skin "or maybe not" he said as the needle snapped, unable to penetrate Blaze's skin "looks like I'll need one of the stronger needles" he smiled wryly as one of the scientist brought over a stronger looking needle
"So how's it feel knowing that you're finally about to be penetrated" Herm teased
"You really can't help yourself from making jokes like that can you?" Blaze sighed as the new stronger needle finally pierced her skin
As the blood flowed into the needle a faint golden glow could be seen emitting from the vial
"Fascinating, your blood seems to retain your aura even after been extracted" Aremic exclaimed in excitement, placing the vial in a strange looking machine, a stream of data appearing on the screen in front of him causing his eyes to light up even more "incredible, you don't seem to have a blood type making it so that anyone would be able to be given your blood without rejection, and these readings, this could be revolutionary"
Seeming to have gone into his own little world Aremic continued to look over the date on the screen in front of him, his eyes taking on a almost hungry look as his excitement continued to rise
"Is he going to be ok?" Blaze asked a nearby masked scientist
"Oh yes he'll be fine, he gets like this when he finds something that really interests him, unfortunately this does mean that he blocks out everything around him and based on how excited he looks he will be in this state for quite a while, as such I am afraid that he will no longer be showing you around, if you wish I can take up that role" removing his mask
"hang on aren't you his queen?" Blaze queried "you were at the meeting with the young talents"
"Indeed I was, my name is Varyn Moreau, a pleasure to meet you" the man bowed "now then, would you like me to show you the rest of the grounds? It would be a shame for you to have made a trip and for us to not show you the proper hospitality so as to make your trip worth it"
"I suppose I could have a look around, has my bike been finished?" Blaze replied
"The final touches are being made as we speak, a short walk around the grounds should give the researchers enough time to finish everything" Varyn gestured "then if you would like to follow me" walking towards the exit to the lab with Blaze following behind him, the excited voice of Aremic sounding out one last time before the doors closed behind them.