"Alright," Alistair said, clapping lightly and sitting up with a smile. "The second phase's five worlds are in your hands now."
"Albedo, let's go."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" she replied, bowing slightly.
Persephone chuckled softly, covering her mouth. "That's so like Dust."
Demeter sighed, her tone lazy yet resigned. "Throwing work at me again. Daughter, this…"
"No slacking, Mother!" Persephone interrupted, grabbing her arm with a grin. Laziness wasn't an option.
Demeter followed reluctantly.
Meanwhile, Alistair and Albedo arrived beneath the Dark World Tree.
He reclined on a lounge chair, stretching lazily. "With more subordinates, I can delegate everything. Quite comfortable."
Albedo's eyes gleamed with a rosy hue, her smile widening. Alone with her Majesty—practically a monopoly.
Her excitement grew.
Alistair sensed her thoughts without looking. As expected, she pounced.
He didn't move, letting her take the lead.
At the Hell Council, now relocated to a world origin, figures swiftly entered and took seats around the massive round table.
Persephone and Demeter sat on either side of the main seat, reserved for Alistair.
Pandora arrived, bowing. "Lady Underworld, Lady Demeter."
"Sit," Persephone said.
Pandora nodded and took her place.
Others followed: Sayuri Sawamura, Akane Kosaka, Hiromi Kato, Lana, and Kalji.
Persephone smiled as everyone settled. "We're all here. Let the Hell Council begin."
"Here's the data on the second phase's five worlds."
She distributed the information, including Alistair's recent insights.
The women fell silent, carefully studying the materials.
Though not ordinary, they took their time, knowing a single oversight could be costly.
Hours passed—three, then four.
Demeter lounged lazily, while Persephone sipped tea, smiling. She loved tea.
Finally, Akane Kosaka set down her documents, and the others followed, looking to Persephone.
She exhaled softly, setting down her tea. "Have you all reviewed the data?"
The six nodded in unison.
"Any thoughts?" she asked.
Akane spoke first. "Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru and Highschool of the Dead aren't worth much discussion. They're simple worlds. Once the teleportation gate's ready, conquest will be straightforward, with minimal impact and likely low returns."
She paused, thinking. "Beyond standard gains, the biggest prize might be Saeko Busujima. Like Esdeath, she's a genius constrained by her world. Freed, she could grow rapidly."
The women considered this.
Pandora waved a hand, summoning a transparent screen via the divine network system, marking Saeko as a priority.
The system, inspired by Alistair and developed by Persephone, was a divine chat platform, database, and memo hub, tied to Alistair's contracts. All knowledge and records were stored within, centered on the Dark World Tree.
Beyond the main group for all kin and subordinate gods, smaller chat groups existed, like the Hell Council's.
Pandora uploaded the discussion notes.
Lana spoke thoughtfully. "I disagree. The zombies in Highschool of the Dead have an odd origin—sudden, not human-made. They could stem from the world itself, offering greater potential gains."
Akane nodded. "I overlooked that. You're right."
She noted it down.
"Akane and Lana are correct," Sayuri said, propping her chin. "Highschool of the Dead needs further study, but Yahari is a slice-of-life world, like mine was—perfect for vacations, not conquest."
The women agreed.
Persephone sipped tea, smiling, content to observe. As the Hell Council grew, it would handle world exploration and strategy, her role diminishing to oversight.
Kalji, for instance, was learning from Kirari to spread and manage faith, building divine nations.
"The key worlds are Onmyoji and Kyokou Suiri," Hiromi Kato said, adjusting her glasses, her secretary-like demeanor mirroring Pandora's. "Even Saintia Sho pales in comparison."
The women pondered her words.
The door swung open.
Alistair entered, smiling, Albedo absent—defeated again, resting on a lounge chair.
He waved off their attempts to rise, taking his seat and pulling a drowsy Demeter into his lap. She adjusted comfortably, half-asleep.
"How's the discussion going, Pandora?" he asked.
"Your Majesty, I'll send you the notes," she replied, transmitting them via the divine network.
Alistair skimmed them rapidly, then leaned back, holding Demeter, offering no input.
The women, familiar with his style, resumed.
"Hiromi, I disagree," Lana said. "Saintia Sho, though a singular universe, has Cloths and an Underworld. We could absorb its Underworld, have Dark Cloths consume its Cloths, or assimilate its 88 constellations. Those are massive gains."
Hiromi shook her head. "Those are significant, but only part of the picture. The Dark World Tree will grow over time regardless. Onmyoji and Kyokou Suiri offer greater potential."
Lana frowned. "Hiromi, Saintia Sho's strongest is Apollo, a half-step God-King. It's complex but conquerable, with high returns."
She wasn't wrong. Saintia Sho was a tempting prize—its Underworld, Cloths, and constellations promised immense gains, easily within reach.
But Hiromi countered with two words that stunned the room: "Yama."
Silence fell.
They realized she was right. Onmyoji featured Yama, a pivotal figure for the Dark World Tree.
Persephone managed the Underworld, but Hell needed a ruler. Yama was the perfect candidate, potentially evolving into a figure like Taishan Fujun.
Lana rubbed her brow. "My mistake. I didn't study that world closely."
Hailing from a Western fantasy world, she was less familiar with the spectral intricacies of Onmyoji's yokai-filled realm.
Akane mused, "The Takamagahara pantheon, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons…"
She exchanged a glance with Hiromi, both saying, "Izanagi!"
Sayuri elaborated. "In Japanese mythology, the primordial gods include the creation deities, followed by the Kotoamatsukami and the seven divine generations. Izanami, a mother of gods and ruler of Yomi, is central."
Akane shook her head. "That's full mythology. Onmyoji's setting differs. Izanami is both a destroyer and a world-mother."
The women dove deeper into Onmyoji's data, their expressions growing serious, then elated.
The second phase's potential was staggering—almost unreal.
***
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