Chapter 008: Information Gathering

As if life couldn't find itself becoming more unusual; currently Elizabeth found herself sitting at a nice if simple garden table with a cup of tea & a few pastries in front of herself.

Facing her was the most handsome man she had seen in all her life. That includes the half of her life she spent as a noble's daughter as well as a member of the extended royal family. What she could comprehend was that it was merely the human form of what seemed to be a literal hamster.

All around her were the former members of their little death star cult - they never actually gave it a precise name since they were meant to be secretive. If they had a name it would have been easier for the authorities to find them. At least that was the thoughts their ex-leader had.

While they at least had some necessities in its previous iteration… One could hardly call them wealthy due to the heavy restrictions they were under. Most jobs required one to showcase a gift that could reasonably help in it; there were a few who managed to upset beliefs about their abilities but that was separate.

No one in the kingdom would ever hire someone with a curse rather than a gift - the most likely result was that the member would get executed to appease the truest god.

So obviously they could only manage "alternative" means of making money. Ones that she would have found to be disgraceful seven years ago, when she was a noble girl not needing to worry about when she'd get to eat, but she could hardly complain now. As such they were barely above thugs.

Although she could hardly recognise them as such. Now each wore high quality fabric tailcoats (whether man or woman) that made them look like the servants of high nobles. Those uniforms didn't even come across as being off the shelf - like many of the less fortunate nobles - each perfectly tailored.

Their movements weren't any less graceful than those of the servants she remembered having from her highly regarded duke family. Not even her few visits to the palace with her mother had the ability to show up in front of her. Making her wonder just how the archdemon had managed all of this.

He didn't seem to even take note of his worries as he took a sip of his cup while reaching his other hand to his side where a document was handed to him.

His eyes travelled across the document.

"The numbers are wrong on the 23rd so those rats must have gotten peckish… Cut them off without saying anything and they'll come back with what they dared pilfer. As for the rest; they seem to be behaving after the last lesson so you can tell them to reduce their tariff. "

Passing the document back to the death star member without even looking at him - that fully grown man just nodded happily.

At least she thought it was a "him" until she saw the face at which point she realised it was actually a rather beautiful if flat woman at least twice her age. That made her embarrassed so she just retreated into her cup of tea. Almost as if she was trying to become small enough that no one would notice her.

Of course she could be as small as an ant and the demonic sage across from her would still be able to easily find her. His gaze turned towards her with a gaze that held obvious questions. Eyebrow raising with his expression being far from amused at her behaviour.

"Do you know that a gerbil is not the same as a hamster."

Those words caused her to cough up the tea that she was silently sipping; the feeling of boiling liquid exiting out her nose being far from pleasant.

"So you are all racists."

"*cough* S-sorry I didn-"

"You didn't know, right? That is the problem people often have whenever they try to do anything - they assume they are knowledgeable enough so make plans around what they believe is true. A fallacy of ignorance that has toppled entire civilisations."

Shaking his head while taking a break from his lecture to take another sip.

She quickly realised that he wasn't exactly telling her off but instead teaching her something very important in a way she certainly wouldn't forget. As such she stopped trying to hide her already small if shapely body. Instead her full attention was drawn to that wise ancient entity.

"For that reason you should never rush into a situation or make assumptions as chaos will always be present no matter the situation."

Nodding along however she quickly grew confused about why he was saying this.

Additionally she couldn't help look over her shoulder where the ominous black tomb was present and still fully adorned in menacing demonic chains. Various weapons pierced through the links of those chains to keep them firmly in place. Her mind went back to what happened when she just woke up.

Pondering just what that terrifying entity really wanted from her that it would break from its own sleep just to tease her. It was horrifying as well as a little aggrandizing. Having a being so strong - that the truest god himself had to personally take her down in a one versus one fight - personally gives her attention.

Though, with her mind on this and going through the lesson she just had, she couldn't help ponder what the intentions of that divine demon really was.

If they truly were the divine demon of myth.

She assumed that its intentions were malicious because she had grown up all her life believing that demons were creatures who took sadistic pleasure in others' pain. Yet the ones who taught her that were those belonging to the church. Could she really say that those of the church were truly better?

If the monsters among them claimed someone else to be the true monster; who could she truly believe to find the truth?

Was the suffering she went through not caused by their supposed gracious god?

Then… Why should she not agree to burn down this world with that demon?

Shaking her head with closed eyes as she turned back to look towards the archdemon of… Well he never actually got to finish his announcement since she passed out. As such she didn't actually remember what concepts he ruled over yet it could be considered rude to ask someone like him to introduce himself.

Letting out a sigh in defeat which that the prime arch-minister simply didn't pick up on due to not caring enough to pay attention to all of the human girls little ticks,

"Thanks to me not being able to trust the information all of you have provided, I will have to gather it myself or visit someone I can rely on. As such I have decided to visit a… Family friend. You will come with me as I have no idea what their reaction will be upon meeting me."

Placing his cup down as he abruptly stood up causing her to scramble to do the same. He didn't even wait for her as he was already down the steps by the time she pushed her chair in. She was happy to be in a dress again but it had been so long since she wore heels that it took some getting used to.

She enjoyed the sudden influx in "wealth" (even if she didn't know where from) as she wore a beautiful white dress with pink inlining as well as the edges of her ruffles . Specifically sitting at her chest, skirt and wrists. A nice cutesy dress that she would have enjoyed wearing despite her father's disgruntlement.

At least her father ensured she knew how to walk in heels from a young age which allowed her to quickly get used to them again.

Catching up to the demon as he finally stepped out into the sun once more.

"W-wait, why don't you know how they'll react?"

"Because we had a bit of a war with her."

"When did the demons go to war?"

Confusion on both of their faces as they looked at one another.

"What nonsense did they tell you… You know what, it doesn't matter, I just need you to talk to them in my place as I do not want to deal with them personally. Consider this your first assignment as you pay back the mighty divine demon for rescuing the lives of your servants."

"They aren't my serv-"

"They are now."

Gulping as that demon didn't even let her correct him on his incorrect assumptions - kind of annoying considering the lecture she just received.

Sadly she was far too shy to actually vocalise her displeasure.

She couldn't even ask why they were walking in a massive circle yet it seemed that caused the brow of that ikeman to slowly grow more & more taught. Soon clicking his tongue so loudly that some of those watching them couldn't help scurry away. Quite a lot of people were obviously watching these "nobles".

Not that they planned to ambush them since nobles equated to power in this kingdom.

"First it was the cat and now it's this brat; what if with that monarch of mine recruiting these submissive kids like they were candy…"

Another thing that came to mind was how she preferred him when he was a hamster.

"Nine rotations around the block is the requirement to reach our destination."