188 Wordly Matters

The duels were decided though both parties seemed to have gone a little astray from the original purpose of the meeting.

"Then to ensure no irreversible damage takes place, you two should fight within the Z-AXIS. Master, if it is not too much of an issue, I'd like to invite several spectators" Grayfia spoke, deciding to become the judge of this fight while Layla was a little disappointed that her fight with Amaterasu was cancelled.

"Not a problem" Richter didn't know who those spectators were but if it was Grayfia's request, he couldn't decline it.

"Sorry, Richter-sama. The Z-AXIS? what is that?" Amaterasu was confused, it was not every day that she heard a term she was not acquainted with.

"The void world beyond the dimensional gap. You have never been there, have you, Amaterasu?"

"I haven't..." The goddess sighed, she had never left this universe and as far as she was concerned the outside of the dimensional gap was nothing but an endless span of nothingness. Who would have thought that two such entities inhabiting this world were right in front of her? It broadened her horizons.

"We're going to begin our serious conversation now, so... Millicas, how about you take Kunou-chan and Ni Jie to play somewhere?" Layla smiled at her son, subtlety taking him out of the way since the following conversation wasn't for kids to listen to.

"E-Eh, is that okay, mother? I'd like to be involved."

"Not yet... dear, take them and get some ice cream".

"Ice cream?" Let alone Ni Jie even Jie Yuan didn't know what ice cream was.

"You don't need to worry, it is something quite tasty to eat, she will like it" Richter reassured her. He had the chance to taste it himself before, it wasn't bad... but it couldn't be compared to shrimps and cherries.

"Is it tasty?!" Ni Jie got thrilled when the word tasty was mentioned, she was all in to devour anything that looked good.

"It is, Ni Jie" He confirmed.

"Tastier than you, daddy?!"

"..."

"..."

Gazes of disgust concentrated on Richter, even Jie Yuan who was already aware of the situation, couldn't help but throw him an aggrieved gaze.

"Should I call the police?" The waitress happened to hear the conversation and was throwing Richter much the same gaze.

"You're all misunderstanding. She meant my aura! nothing else!"

"I-Is that so? Kunou-chan, hurry up" Yasaka stuttered, hurrying her daughter to leave the premises as fast as possible while everyone else resisted the urge to laugh. Richter's eyebrows twitched.

In no time the 'kids' had left the meeting. Leaving only adults. It was then that Grayfia subtly placed her hand on Richter's lap.

'Master... speaking about rewards and punishments. What sort of punishment will that be? could I get it too?' Her tone contained a little bit of anxiousness and several ounces of expectations.

'Don't worry, Grayfia... you and I have some... bonding to do later'.

'I'm expecting it, master... you left me for three months, I missed you'.

He'd give his mates a proper session of loving soon enough. But now there were some more important matters to tackle.

"I shall listen to this meeting that you had scheduled, but before that. Benneth, tell me what has transcurred during my absence in Draconic Deus, anything worth my attention?" He questioned his 'secretary' the most dependable beauty aside from Morrighan when it came to giving reports.

Benneth smiled and stood up, coughing a little and earning the attention of everyone at the table.

"Yes, master... during your three months of absence there have been many events worth attention. One of them is that your beloved Aphrodite has become a supernatural top criminal sought after by every single god. Her head has a price placed by the Trimurti, the Olympians and also the Kunlun Mountains".

"Oh?~" Richter didn't expect the first person he'd hear about would be his cute pet, 'It seems she's been having fun'.

"Please don't smile master, this is serious... she has started hunting every single god she lay down within the past regardless of allegiance. Her first victim was the god of thunder Thor... her second victim was Ares. Her third victim was the Jade Emperor... all corpses left behind without their heads".

*Phew!*

"Interesting... did she kill Sirzechs?" He then asked Layla who sighed and shook her head.

"No... b-but she left him in a vegetal state. For some reason, the current Aphrodite has become way stronger than she was in the past. We don't know if she obtained powers from Ophis or Great Red but the current her is not someone we can face... she defeated me effortlessly..." Layla's words contained wrath when she recalled that battle which Richter hadn't witnessed.

"Layla..." Richter put her on his lap, this rivalry between them was not one he could do or say anything about, if he did... it wouldn't be fair for Layla whom he preferred over Aphrodite.

"She could have killed me, but said she wouldn't do it because I'm your apostle. That said, she took everything from me, even my maid clothes".

"So, she left you naked..."

"Yes... t-that bitch!"

*RUMBLE!*

All he could do was kiss Layla's forehead to calm her down, the maid cuddled on his chest like putty and seemingly forgot the outrage of the foregone battle.

"I'll have to talk to her later on. She hasn't got any powers from me. Aphrodite is not my apostle so I don't know where this power could have come from, perhaps she got herself a powerful treasure" The Golden Dragon said, 'which she will offer to me...' He thought.

"Aside from the incidents with Aphrodite. The underworld has been closed down and is currently undergoing intense training regime and army recruitment... they're ready to go to war against the Fallen God faction and the way it looks, it seems the council is not willing to fall on its own if the devils lose the rating games".

"I see".

"We are training their heirs as well, as a cordiality of sorts. Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri, Seekvaira Agares, Riser Phenex, Diodora Astaroth, Sairaorg Bael, Zephyrdor Glaysa-Labolas and their peerages are being trained by us and some other ultimate class devils of the underworld such as: Roygun Belphegor, Venelana Gremory, Diehauser Belial, Ruval Phenex... Gabriel got the angels involved and Azazel's Grigori sided up with the devils as well".

"Is there any profit on that?" Richter questioned.

"If they become strong enough to replace the current heads of their families, they could overthrow the council and give the devils, angels and nephilim in the underworld the leaders that they deserve, moreover... they would also pledge themselves to you, Richter-sama... this could drastically the amount of faith that you receive from this world by the end of all this".

"Interesting, whose idea was this?"

"Mine!" Annette and Benneth both uttered simultaneously.

"..."

"Your servants are funny, Richter" Jie Yuan pointed out, amused.

*Cough!*

Benneth threw her sister a sharp glare and coughed.

"The idea was thought by me, considered by Albedo, analysed by Annette, then put in practice by Morrighan. So, master if you want to reward any of us, you have to reward all of us!"

"Very well, what reward do you wish?"

"A baby for each one of us, like Grayfia-sama".

"..."