Chapter 6 - Silver's whim

"Well~ this is interesting~ hello to you too, her majesty the Queen ~" Argent said with a smirk.

The faces of the three women were filled with despair.

As Argent said, the woman - the queen - is currently standing in front of him.

The queen is in her mid-twenties. A few inches below Argent's height. She has blonde hair below shoulder length. Her proportions are well-balanced, anyone would know why the king married her.

He heard their plot against the king. And as someone who followed his orders, they think that they will be killed.

"Now, now, don't worry I won't tell anyone. I'm no longer in a contract with him. So, I could care less what happens to him." although he said that he wouldn't mind telling it to the king, with a price of course.

They didn't believe him, all except the queen.

"Will you really not say it? In exchange for what?" the queen asked suspiciously.

She knew that demons are beings that do things for a price or compensation. They won't meddle with you, if, you don't interest them.

They will only do things that benefit you, if it benefit them as well.

"Well, I really won't tell the king... But I guess this is fine as well." Argent said, thinking of a price for this information that he has.

Truthfully though, I really don't care what they were plotting with the king.

"This bookstore who owns it?" Argent said pointing downward. He is quite curious of the information and knowledge of humans.

"T-that would be mine." the woman who has been shivering the entire time raised her hand.

She is a head smaller than the queen, with blue short hair and a petite body. If one would guest her age it would be around 16 to 18 yrs old.

She is hiding behind the last woman in the room. This one had short brown hair, appearances wise you could tell that she is a soldier. Age wise maybe early twenties.

A tone body fit for combat, her height almost the same as Argent. And the way she positioned herself protecting the other two. Confirms it.

"Then will you let me take about 10, no 15 books in here for free?" Argent asked with a smile. This smile not threatening at all just someone who is excited to obtain something he likes.

"Eh..? Um.. Y-yes! Sure take 15 books! Pick which ever you want." the blue haired girl quickly answered.

"Great! That's all I want." Argent quickly turned his back and started looking at the books in the bookstore.

The three stood still.

That's it?!?!

"Wa-wait up." the queen ran to where Argent was. He already has three books in his arms.

He grinned internally.

"Yes? Anything else?" Argent asked tilting his head.

"That's all?! No magicules, souls, corpse, or whatever?" she needed to make sure. She couldn't believe it. Such a simple compensation for such a big secret.

"Well yes that's right. So you guys do what you want I'll just ignore whatever I hear." he continues to survey the shelves while talking.

"Are you fine with those kind of compensations?" she asked more calmly, thinking of a plan.

Argent realized this but played dumb.

"Yes, yes, of course it still depends on the compensation but I take books, knowledge, magicules, souls, materials or whatever that I think has value." he gave her a side glance.

So as long as it has value for him anything can be use as payment...

"Your majesty?" the two people looked at their queen. They knew that look, it was the look that means she is plotting.

"Demon. Would you be willing to make a contract with me?" she finally made her decision.

""YOUR MAJESTY!?""

"well, I don't mind. What's the request and the payment?" internally Argent was grinning.

Hook, line, and sinker.

After, destroying the rebels with the king's request. Now, I am siding with the rebels to destroy the king.

I can't get enough with the material world. Unlike in the underworld where only fights occur.

Hahaha! Now this truly is interesting. VERY INTERESTING!

"Killing the tyrant king as well as his loyal vassals. State your price we'll discuss it." the queen said with confidence.

"Hmm~ price huh~ well now I wonder what would be good~" Argent is purposely prolonging it to mess with them.

"Well first and foremost are souls and corpse counted as price?" Argent asked.

Of course he knew it's not counted. After all, the point he tried to make by showing interest to books is to make them use other means of payment aside from those two things.

"If possible, they aren't counted as price. Something that is not alive ideally...! And, NO! corpses aren't counted either." the queen replied.

"Well useful and interesting books, information should be good too. Oh! Recipes for foods too." Argent counted the list of the possible payments.

"T-then this entire bookstore! Is that enough?" the queen said spreading her hands. She also took a glance to her blue haired companion, who nodded her head.

The demon glared.

"The entire bookstore does sound appealing. However, it's not enough. The king was willing to offer a hundred slaves to eliminate his brother and the others.

The quality of your offer should rival that of a hundred souls. Besides, the king's offer was to eliminate a 'prince' your offer is to eliminate a 'king' the payment should be higher as well."

The queen took Argent's words seriously. Thinking of anything she could offer to get the demon's cooperation.

"The castle has its own royal library its quality and quantity should be hundred times if not a thousand times what you see here. there are different types of books. From historical records, famous magic researches, theories, well known novels, and many more. You could have them all."

that was all she could think of, truthfully other than that, she couldn't think of anything else besides a living sacrifice.

She was even prepared to offer herself if someone really needs to be sacrifice.

"Sure let's go with that." he replied so casually.

The trio felt that the tension in the air was ruined.

"Do I do it now or what. Personally I don't think it would do you good to kill him just yet." he advice.

"Why do you think so?" the queen asked curious.

"First things first, the prince and his group are dead. Which means the nation's military, economy, and nobility have empty slots in them. If you kill the king and his followers, the nation will collapse. Because, they won't have a leader and will have few people to manage the nation." Argent explained.

The Queen was thinking, Argent was right. More or less half of the nation's important figures were killed. If they kill more, no one will be left to lead the nation.

"Then what do you suggest?" the queen was genuinely asking a demon for advice. Argent couldn't help but grin.

"If you can be patient, kill the king after a year or two years. Rebuild the nation's military ranks and economy first." he said.

"I have a skill that can somewhat manipulate or give suggestions to a person's mind. I can turn some of the king's followers to your side." he added.

"And then we kill him." the queen finished for Argent.

"That's right! What do you think? The payment stays the same. Don't worry." he reassured her.

"Then why are you going out of your way to give me these advice?" the Queen was looking at him suspiciously.

"It seems more fun than outright killing them all." he said plain and simple. A way to prolong the contract. To have something to do, to have something to not be bored. That was the only reason Argent needed.

"Alright, let's go with that." the queen shook hands with Argent.

"Well then let's start this shall we."

And for the next few months albeit slowly, the nation's military and economy returned to normal.

Corruption still lingers though, people that the queen and Argent deemed unnecessary were killed by 'accidents' and 'sickness' while they keep the useful ones in check.

Manipulating their minds. Blackmailing them by taking their families hostage. Giving them threats anything to keep them in a leash.

Of course this is all happening without the king's knowledge. In his mind he is still living the life of a tyrant, a tyrant with no one that will be a threat to him.

He would never have guest that his wife - the queen - is the person that is a threat more terrifying than his younger brother.

One third of the workers in the castle are already on the queen's side. It was easier than a person would think.

Only those who are benefited by the king's tyranny would side with him willingly of their own free will.

Other's are force either by literal force or to submit to stay alive.

Ones they heard about the assassination plan for the king they immediately joined.

A year later the king was finally announced dead. The reason being, he died of a serous illness.

No one really believed it, but no one can really complain the death of a tyrant.

With the queen as the nation's new leader she plans on fixing her beloved nation with the help of those people he place on power.

As for Argent well...

"Here you go, take it all." the queen directed Argent to the royal library on the castle.

Inside it was a giant library it has two floors all the walls covered in shelves and books.

There was more than a few thousands of books. And, they all belong to him now.

He then placed them all to his stomach, he previously also had Spatial storage that he learned from Vert.

However it merge with stomach of Predator which increased the storage space of the skill to 2x the original size.

It barely took 1% of the space inside his storage to fit them all.

"Well then, it was fun scheming and rebuilding a nation with you guys. But, it's time already. This body will disperse in a few days." Argent said his farewell to the queen and her entourage.

"Remember I only took your request without souls because I had more than enough to last me a year here. The next time, if you do Summon me again, souls and bodies are required. Or else, I won't be able to stay in the material world." he said waving as he disappeared.

Argent finally returned to the underworld. The place still looked the same. The ground having cracks from battles, the time of day always looked like dusk.

Structures could be seen. The beings living in there are the greater demons and archdemons who are strong enough to have followers to order around.

Argent traveled around. Waiting for the next time he gets summoned to the material world.

In his journey, he encountered Blanc. It was in a dark themed castle. He sensed her there, he then met an Archdemon, in front of the castle.

It was a young boy, he has ash-grey hair. Age wise he looked like a 10 year old boy.

Contrary to his appearance, his strength is no joke. He could give Argent a good fight, though, Argent would still win.

"Argent-sama, Blanc-sama wishes to meet you." he bowed his head. Even though Argent was a stranger, he showed respect.

He knew that, Argent was someone who Blanc - his lord - knows.

"I see... Very well take me to her." Argent replied.

The two walked inside the castle. As they walked the corridor, Argent scanned the surroundings. The walls were built with precision. The decorations were of amazing quality.

They then pass through a grandiose door. Inside the two saw, Blanc. She was reading a book while drinking tea.

The scene in front was beautiful. No, it was more than beautiful, no words could express the beauty that Blanc showed with her surroundings, only emphasizing her more.

Although, for Argent he is already used to seeing her. He walked inside the room taking a seat in a chair, on the opposite side of the small circular table, placed between the chairs.

"I guess, I should say long time no see? Fufufu." Blanc started.

"Well it has been a long time huh." Argent replied.

"Well, I just wanted to say, that, I finally went to the material world." Argent boasted.

"You should try it too. It was fun, the human souls were delicious. Ah! Also here you go. I know you like books as well." Argent placed more than ten books in the table.

Each book looks expensive, from the covers to the papers used. And, not mentioning the contents inside.

Confidential forbidden magics that were in the royal library as well as other magic theories about manipulating souls.

"Why thank you Argent-chan, maybe I'll try that. I'm bored here as well, when I'm not fighting anyone. books are the only thing to pass the time." she said. Grateful for the gift that she received.

"By the way did you know? Bleu and Vert died about a month ago." Blanc said while bringing her tea to her mouth.

"!!!... They died?!" Argent was surprise. He wouldn't have guess that they would die.

The demon trio - Jaune, Violet, Blanc - are the demons he expected to one day die. After all they fight constantly. Even if Bleu and Vert die he expected only one of them would actually die.

The question comes, who killed them? Noir? The demon trio? Or someone he doesn't know?