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Morning.
Topaz straightened her attire and stood quietly at the door to Sol's room.
She glanced at the time. It was only 6:10 AM.—a full two hours before the agreed-upon eight o'clock.
After all, she was war reparations, now under Mr. Mercer's command.
For her boss's first assignment, arriving two hours early to await orders was basic respect.
And truth be told, even if she had to arrive six hours early and wait in his bed, she would find it difficult to refuse.
It was all Aventurine's fault. They had agreed to make a grand move in Penacony—she would temporarily use her Cornerstone as an investment to earn merit and return to P45, the rank she lost after the Belobog incident.
Instead, the investment failed. She and her superior, Jade, both became Sol's property.
This was likely the greatest loss of her life—an investment so disastrous she lost herself in it.
When others are fearful, I am greedy… This was probably the fate she deserved.
Fortunately, her new boss, Sol, seemed decent enough—powerful, high-status, and easy to get along with.
Thinking of the true culprit, Aventurine, gave her a small measure of comfort.
Jade and she retained their original positions, even seeing some improvement. The only risk they bore was possibly being "eaten"—which, realistically, was hardly much of a risk.
But although Aventurine was spared from marrying a man thanks to Sol's mercy, he would likely become a humanoid document processor from now on. Without great merit, he would probably toil like a workhorse for life.
And he still had to maintain a female body for several months. What if someone drugged and devoured him?
Unlike her and Miss Jade, who retained their Cornerstones, Aventurine's had already been reclaimed by Director Diamond. He was fragile now—his original strength likely no more than March 7th's aboard the Astral Express.
Today, Lady Aventurine would begin working with Sunday, handling Penacony's backlog of troubles.
That proud fellow appearing as a woman before a former rival—it would certainly be amusing.
Just imagining it eased her mood as a "victim."
Creak—
Topaz dispelled her malicious thoughts toward her colleague and immediately stood straight, her expression turning serious.
She looked at Sol, her eyes lighting up. "Good morning, Mr. Sol."
She recognized that outfit.
An extravagant ensemble built without regard for cost, designed by ten top masters.
It possessed defensive capability rivaling a starship's secondary cannon, paired with flawless top-tier aesthetics. Naturally, it also came with a terrifying price tag of twenty billion Credits—leaving the merchant a modest profit of 19.9 billion.
Even she had never indulged in such luxury. Though with her former authority, halting a project would have been enough for someone to deliver it to her doorstep.
And seeing it on Sol—
She could only admit her heart stirred slightly. Hanging him in her room as wallpaper would be quite the delight.
Sol looked at Topaz in surprise. "Morning to you too. It's only about 6:30, isn't it? You're a bit early."
He had thought rising after finishing a bout with Sparkle was already early enough. Yet Topaz had come before five to cosplay as a useless husband waiting at the door.
He had risen early to renew Acheron's treatment. Topaz had likely come early to curry favor with her boss.
No wonder she reached P45 at the IPC—her grasp of social nuance was maxed out, and she worked ridiculously hard.
Topaz smiled brightly. "This mission is very important. I assumed you might have additional matters to attend to, so arriving early allows me to await your orders at any time."
"Very thoughtful."
Sol nodded and shot her an approving glance. "As long as you've prepared yesterday's matters, there won't be any issues. We'll stop by Acheron's place first, then head to the space station."
"Understood!"
Topaz didn't ask further, simply reporting, "The relevant resource transfer documents are fully prepared. We're just waiting to confirm with the space station."
"I've cooperated with them several times before—they're quite straightforward."
Unbidden, she recalled that bold pink-haired girl.
Though petite, she had been incredibly domineering when settling trillion-level bills with a wave of her hand.
This time, instead of collecting debts, she was delivering resources to Herta Space Station. How peculiar.
"That's exactly what I value about you."
In a good mood, Sol drew a carrot. "If the meeting at Herta Space Station succeeds, you won't need to rely on the Cornerstone's power anymore. I'll upgrade you."
If nothing unexpected occurred, the geniuses he would meet would make immense contributions to his path to Aeonhood.
When that time came, even the chickens and dogs would ascend to heaven.
The two little black cats in his house would have to be upgraded into chief inspectors.
"You are undefeated—you will surely succeed!"
Topaz's eyes shimmered. "Dressed so magnificently, even geniuses will be captivated by your presence."
She did not chase uncertain promises, but the information revealed was critical.
If he could strengthen her beyond dependence on the Cornerstone, then this meeting of geniuses likely involved an Emanator-level major project.
And rightly so.
Screwllum was the third Mechanical Emperor, though unlike the two Ruperts of previous eras, he did not seek to dominate the universe.
In terms of power, he surpassed even a Lord Ravager by several magnitudes. The previous Mechanical Emperors had records of destroying half the universe—compared to them, the Lord Ravagers' exploits were child's play.
Figures like Miss Herta and Miss Ruan Mei were also formidable beings with whom the IPC sought equal partnership—equally unfathomable as Screwllum.
Multiple Emanators more terrifying than Lord Ravagers gathered together—what an astonishing network.
It was a circle she, even as a P45 executive, could never access. And now she had a chance to glimpse it.
"This was a gift from Herta."
Sol tugged lightly at his outfit. "Feels a bit too flashy."
He usually dressed low-key—simple casual wear.
Natural beauty needs no adornment. Clothes were merely decoration.
Unlike Big Herta, he wasn't overly concerned with appearances. He valued essence more.
For instance, he thought Big Herta looked perfectly fine even without clothes.
Soon, Topaz halted before the room of the Nihility Emanator, Acheron.
After she stood guard for an hour, Sol emerged briskly.
An impolite thought surfaced in her mind.
Acheron, Emanator of Nihility, and Big Herta, Emanator of Erudition, were both among the strongest below the Aeons.
Her new boss seemed to be offering his body to two such powerhouses in exchange for their friendship.
Even though Sol himself had defeated the Lord of the Eternal Day, she couldn't help thinking this way.
Her new boss truly possessed a certain alluring beauty—and seemed to be seeking something from Miss Herta.
"What are you thinking about?"
Sol looked at the distracted Topaz, curious.
"..."
Topaz jolted and sighed. "I was thinking how wonderful it must be to be strong. The strong always obtain what they desire."
She was not strong enough—that was why she had become part of the compensation, now under Sol's command.
Miss Herta and Miss Acheron were strong enough to press Sol beneath them at will.
When would she become that strong? To go from being the one subjected to Sol's unspoken rules… to the one setting them?
"..."
Sol's lips twitched.
Did she think he relied on brute strength to do as he pleased with Herta and Acheron?
Absolutely not. He was sincere. It was mutual consent, all right?
Even with Nekomata—he had fed her for two months before half-persuading her into accepting him.
"I reward those around me who perform well. You'll grow strong," Sol said, patting Topaz's shoulder. "But once you grow strong, you must restrain your desires. Otherwise, you'll do things you regret and ultimately become a beast."
"You're right."
Topaz nodded, inwardly alert.
She could sense that these were Sol's heartfelt words, spoken from experience.
Perhaps this was insight gained after being ravaged by the desires of two Emanators—a warning to others.
An Emanator of Nihility, with thin emotions, might do anything in pursuit of stimulation. The rumors online about steel wool balls were likely just beginner-level.
Emanators of Erudition were often research fanatics—their methods only more extreme. Perhaps even altering genders for amusement… The thought made her cheeks flush and her heart race.
"..."
Sol shook his head, suddenly speechless.
He had merely meant to emphasize the importance of cultivating one's mind. Why was she blushing like that?
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