Demeter's autonomous battle.
In the end, it inevitably drew Persephone into the fray.
Yet, despite facing a weakened Alistair, the outcome was a resounding defeat.
No surprise.
They weren't even in the same league.
The battle raged for a full day and night.
Even with greater numbers confronting Alistair, the God of Darkness, the result was inevitable—utter loss.
The next day, Alistair stood beneath the Dark World Tree, slowly raising his hand.
In an instant, shadowy figures began to emerge, swiftly coalescing into solid forms.
Led by Albedo, the women of Nazarick's Great Tomb materialized.
They remained encased in ice.
Alistair's eyes glinted with dark divine power. With the worlds merged into the Dark World Tree, he held absolute dominion over every life within.
Like a creator god, he could reshape them at will.
In truth, with the Dark World Tree's birth, its hierarchical structure had shifted.
Faith power? Alistair cared little for it. Thus, the faith power from the five Dark Universes was channeled primarily to Persephone.
As for world power, that was different.
Each Dark Universe's growth fed back into the Dark World Tree.
Its growth, in turn, spurred the development of the Underworld and Hell.
The difference lay in management. The Underworld had Persephone, reaping greater benefits. Hell, lacking a steward, grew naturally.
Simply put, Alistair was the patriarch of a vast clan, the Dark World Tree its ancestral estate.
Each Dark Universe was a subsidiary branch or institution, annually funneling resources to the main house.
The Underworld and Hell were like branch families. Persephone, as the Underworld's head, allocated resources efficiently. Hell, without a leader, could not.
This was an intractable issue, resolvable only when Hell gained its own steward.
For now, Alistair gazed at Nazarick's women, altering their essence with a thought.
Crack.
Crack.
The ice encasing them shattered.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Albedo led the group, all kneeling respectfully.
Alistair smiled faintly. "Rise. And…"
He paused, considering, then raised a hand. Kin contracts materialized before each woman.
Without hesitation, they signed, their bodies enveloped in radiant divine power. Their essence, origins, and ranks surged.
Take Entoma Vasilissa Zeta of the Pleiades. Once a bug-like being, her voice and form mimicked through illusion. Now, she had truly transformed, akin to a yokai, her form no longer a facade but a genuine evolution.
"Your Majesty!" Albedo, transformation complete, bowed elegantly. "Albedo, leading all of Nazarick, greets the supreme Majesty!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" the others echoed.
Alistair waved them up. "Enough. No need for formalities."
He surveyed the group. Quite a number.
Albedo and Shalltear were obvious.
Then, the Pleiades: Yuri, Lupusregina, Narberal, CZ, Solution, Entoma, and Aureole.
Albedo's sisters, Nigredo and Rubedo, had also transformed magnificently, their prior issues resolved.
Plus, forty-one ordinary maids and their head, Pestonya Shortcake Wanko.
A sizable group.
"Hmm," Alistair mused, then said, "Albedo."
"Your Majesty!" Albedo's voice dripped with adoration, her eyes gleaming.
If not for the serious discussion, she might've thrown herself at him.
Alistair glanced at her, then turned. "Shalltear."
Albedo shot Shalltear a displeased look, but Shalltear ignored it, bowing gracefully. "Your Majesty, your command?"
"Shalltear, Nigredo, Rubedo. You three join the combat team."
"Yes!" they agreed without objection.
The combat team was just a term; they'd handle fighting duties.
As for the others, Alistair addressed Albedo. "Can you manage Elysium as its steward?"
"Steward?" Albedo and Shalltear echoed, stunned.
Albedo, suppressing her excitement, knelt again. "I will be the perfect steward, handling all matters for Your Majesty."
Alistair nodded. "Very well. Albedo, you're Elysium's head steward. The butler team lacks a suitable leader for now."
"As for maids…" He scanned the group. "Albedo, oversee the Pleiades and Pestonya's forty-one maids. Recruit a maid corps from the five Dark Universes. Target: ten thousand."
He gave the directive after a moment's thought.
"As you command, Your Majesty!" Albedo rose gracefully.
"Do it well. I trust you," Alistair said, then departed.
Albedo turned, addressing the group. "You heard His Majesty's orders. Yuri, Lupusregina, Narberal, CZ, Solution, Entoma, Aureole, Pestonya—take the maids and recruit from the Dark Universes. His Majesty set a goal of ten thousand, but I demand strict selection. No unfit candidates."
"Yes, Lady Albedo!" they replied, dispersing.
Albedo glanced at Shalltear, head held high, wordlessly claiming victory.
Shalltear's face twisted in fury. Now a true vampire, free of her former quirks, she seethed but could do nothing. She wasn't assigned this role.
Nigredo and Rubedo exchanged a look and left. This wasn't their concern. They'd serve if commanded, but otherwise stayed out.
In his study, Alistair found Persephone poring over the Fire of Humanity and system codices.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
Persephone explained, "Dust, I'm considering whether to merge the Fire of Humanity and system codices into the Dark World Tree."
"Into the Tree?" Alistair rubbed his chin, intrigued. "Worth a try."
"The Fire's uncertain, but the codices could work."
"Integrating them into the Tree means future worlds won't need guided development. With suitable codices, the Tree will naturally foster growth, boosting worlds and yielding world power."
"No starting from scratch."
He picked up a codex. "Let's test it."
He merged it into the Dark World Tree.
Feedback came swiftly.
"As expected," Alistair said, nodding. "The Tree adapts systems to each Dark Universe's needs, developing them naturally without our intervention. Over time, it'll refine them further, creating a virtuous cycle."
"Good," Persephone smiled, stowing the Fire of Humanity for now. Its use was unclear.
As they chatted, Albedo arrived, bowing. "Your Majesty, Lady Underworld!"
"Your Majesty, I've sent the Pleiades and others to recruit the maid corps."
"Well done," Alistair nodded, pleased with Albedo's efficiency.
She was ideal as Elysium's steward.
"Beyond the maid corps," he added, "manage the races now in Elysium. Their numbers are small, but ensure no issues."
"Understood!" Albedo retreated to handle her tasks.
She was determined to prove herself, to outshine her—and perhaps secure a place closer to Alistair.
"Albedo's reliable," Persephone noted. "Elysium won't falter under her."
Alistair agreed. "Indeed. This time, Elysium's races have grown."
"Vampires, elves, beastmen, dwarves, goblins, dragons. Plus Nezuko's demon race."
"Seven races now."
Persephone nodded. "Elysium's diversifying."
Alistair was satisfied. These were his chosen kin.
He'd stratified his contracts. Divine and kin contracts remained standard, but vassal contracts varied.
Albedo, Shalltear, and the Pleiades signed true vassal contracts.
The forty-one maids, however, signed a lesser tier—more akin to divine servant contracts, weaker in scope, like those of the Butterfly Mansion trio and the "canaries."
Alistair didn't mind the disparity, but he considered his kin's mindsets.
Why should a hard-working vassal share equal status with a pampered "canary"?
Such sentiments weren't yet evident, but Alistair planned ahead, creating the servant contract tier for non-combatants. No issue there.
"Elysium's poised for change," Alistair said, gazing out the window with a smile.
"With everyone on break, if all goes well, transformations are coming."
"That's fine," Persephone said, her words warming Alistair.
The greater the change, the better.
Demons, vampires, elves, goblins, dwarves, dragons, beastmen—all now in Elysium, sparking inevitable shifts.
"Hmm," Alistair mused. "We could grant permissions. The Tree's world seeds are plentiful. Let them develop freely."
"Make Elysium the center, with each seed world orbiting it."
Persephone chuckled. "Dust, you're always so keen on infrastructure and growth."
Alistair blinked, then grinned. "Building, nurturing—it's in my soul, I suppose."
Some instincts, etched deep, never faded. An eternal imprint.
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL