[Third Person's PoV]
Lambda rested on Cid's chest, her expression brimming with satisfaction and ecstasy. Bite marks adorned her body. She looked up at him, noting the faint look of pride on his face.
"My lord…" she murmured in a breathless, whimpering tone. "I… I don't think I can walk. I can't feel my legs."
"Oh, stop it, you~ You're going to make me blush," Cid teased with a smirk.
"My lord, I'm being serious," she replied pitifully. "I used nearly all my magic just to stay conscious and keep up with you. I can't even heal myself."
"Oh… Sorry about that," Cid said, a bit embarrassed. He placed a finger along her spine, using his magic to restore the feeling in her legs.
Lambda chuckled softly, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "There's nothing to apologize for, my lord~ I had a fantastic time. I'm truly grateful for my reward."
With her strength returning, Lambda wrapped the bedsheet around her body and walked towards the bathroom.
'I love my life,' Cid thought with satisfaction before deciding to get up and ready himself.
---
Cid strode into the meeting room, where the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Heavenly Virtues were already gathered. The long rectangular table seated seven on one side and seven on the other, with a larger chair reserved at the head of the table.
"Look who finally decided to join us," Alexia scoffed disdainfully.
Cid walked past her and knocked on the top of her head with his knuckle. Alexia winced, rubbing her head and glaring at him.
And as he walked by them from the laps of Aurora, Beta, and Alpha; Celeste, Lorion, and Loriel, were raised and made to follow after him .
"No!" Beta cried, reaching tearfully toward Lorion.
Cid reached the head seat and spread his arms wide. "Come here, my little toe munchers~"
"Please don't call them that," Alpha said with a faint chuckle.
The twins climbed onto Cid's lap while Celeste perched on the armrest, wrapping her tiny arms around his and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Now then," Cid began, addressing the room, "let's get this meeting started."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"First, we need to discuss the reconstruction of civilization. These people have little to no knowledge of magic, and its sudden introduction might overwhelm them. Since there are seven continents, I'll be assigning each of you to oversee one. You'll be responsible for its governance and development."
Alexia raised her hand, prompting Cid to nod at her.
"But there are more than seven of us here," she pointed out.
"Astute observation," Cid replied dryly.
"You know what I meant!" she snapped, glaring at him.
Cid nodded. "I know. It's not entirely fair to make some of you rulers while others aren't. However, this is why I'm assigning only the Seven Sins as the primary rulers of the continents."
The group murmured, and a few opened their mouths to object, but Cid raised a hand to stop them.
"Hear me out," he said firmly. "There's a good reason for this. It's because the Seven Virtues all have other responsibilities."
He gestured to Claire. "For example, Claire is already the Demon Queen and oversees the Demon Realm. Alexia and Rose are princesses of their respective kingdoms, so they'll naturally govern those territories. As for Sherry…"
Sherry looked down, her face reddening slightly.
"…throwing Sherry into the role of queen of an entire continent would probably give her a heart attack," Cid finished with a smirk.
Sherry nodded timidly, acknowledging that ruling wasn't her forte.
Yukime raised her hand, and as Cid patted Lorion's head, he nodded for her to speak.
"So, I take it you have plans for the rest of us Virtues?" she asked. "Even if we're not technically queens, I assume we'll be overseeing roles that place us just as high in importance?"
"You'd be correct," Cid replied with a nod. "Let me give you an example—Aurora. I plan to appoint her as the headmistress of all academies within each kingdom. These institutions will teach and advance the use of magic for everyone."
"I'm going to be what?" Aurora asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
"As I mentioned before," Cid explained, "this world was once devoid of magic. Many of its people only gained the ability to wield magic half a decade ago. Their knowledge of its applications and proper use is severely lacking. With your thousands of years of knowledge and experience, you're the perfect person to guide and advance their understanding."
"And why would we even want to do that?" Aurora asked, her expression skeptical.
"How else are our forces supposed to grow?" Cid countered. "Some of the students you teach might even go on to serve as my guards—or take up similar roles."
"Ah…" Aurora and the others murmured, understanding his intent.
'Since they'll be serving him, it makes sense to make them stronger so they can be of use.'
"WHAT?!"
Everyone turned toward Delta, who had stood up and slammed her hand on the table.
"THOSE WEAKLINGS CAN'T BE YOUR GUARDS, BOSSU! THEY'RE… THEY'RE… WELL, WEAK! IF THE BOSSU EVER NEEDS PROTECTING, LEAVE IT TO ME!" Delta exclaimed, pounding her fist against her chest with determination.
Cid smiled indulgently. "I'll be counting on you then."
Delta's chest swelled with pride as she sat back down, grinning triumphantly.
Zeta glanced at Cid, her face puzzled. "Would it truly be wise to let this idiot oversee an entire kingdom?"
Judging by the expressions around the table, the others shared her concern.
Cid chuckled awkwardly. "Just make sure to help her out when she needs it."
Everyone sighed exasperatedly but nodded in agreement.
"So, if Aurora is handling education, what about me? The economy?" Yukime asked, steering the discussion back on track.
"That's right," Cid confirmed. "You'll oversee the economic sector. Your job is to rebuild and stabilize the economy, ensuring commerce and the distribution of goods return to normal. You'll have help, of course, but it's a big responsibility."
He then turned to Elisabeth. "You're the one I've had the most trouble deciding on. For now, I want you to work alongside Sherry."
Elisabeth and Sherry exchanged confused glances; the pairing was an unlikely one.
"To clarify," Cid added, "Yukime is also going a part of this but more towards the end. Sherry, I'd like you to develop an artifact that can help food and plants grow and last longer."
"Couldn't I do that?" Alpha interjected. "I have plant magic, after all."
"You could," Cid acknowledged, "but how often would we be bothering you for it? I'm looking for something more permanent. Food is currently scarce worldwide due to monster attacks, and we need a sustainable solution. Sherry and Elisabeth will work together on this, and once it's ready, Yukime will handle its distribution."
Everyone nodded in understanding. Elisabeth rested a hand on her chin, tilting her head in amusement. "Did I only get this role because of my title as the Virtue of Temperance?"
"Yes," Cid admitted, grinning. "Food and moderation—it fits. But this is just until we find something better for you or you decide on something yourself, like rebuilding your Vampire Kingdom. If that's what you want, tell me, and I'll help you."
Elisabeth smiled warmly in appreciation. "Thank you."
[Third Person's PoV]
Cid and the others continued their conversation for some time, to the point that it lulled the babies around him to sleep. They all rested peacefully, their expressions serene. Celeste, hugging Cid's arm with one hand and sucking her thumb with the other, was no different. The twins leaned against Cid's waist, also sleeping soundly. The women watched them with endearing expressions, continuing their discussion in low, soft voices to avoid disturbing the children.
Suddenly, Cid's head turned to the side, his face contorting in confusion, which the others noticed. The monarchs in the room exchanged puzzled glances.
"Who…" Claire began, but Cid held up a hand, signaling her to wait. His shadow stirred, and from it emerged three figures: Beru, Igris, and Bellion.
"Put them to bed," he ordered.
The three nodded, carefully prying the children away from Cid's body. Though the children stirred and groaned, they soon disappeared into the shadows.
"What's going on?" Alexia asked, a sense of unease creeping into her voice.
"We have a visitor," Cid replied, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Who is it?" Aurora asked, scanning the area. "I don't detect anyone."
Cid didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the door. A moment later, the door opened, revealing Akane standing in the doorway. Everyone looked confused.
"Akane?" Aurora called out, noticing Akane's golden hair and eyes. For a moment, she thought Akane had gone berserk, but she quickly realized that wasn't the case.
"That's not Akane," Cid said, stunning them all.
"And you would be correct, Ashborn," 'Akane' retorted, her tone and demeanor noticeably different from the usual. The air around her felt distinct, unfamiliar.
"Zeraphiel," Cid addressed her. "Have you come to join me now that we're at war with the other monarchs?"
"I'm afraid not, Ashborn," she replied softly.
"I'm sorry, but what is going on!?" Alexia asked, clearly confused.
"I share Alexia's sentiment," Rose added, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at 'Akane.' "Who are you?"
"As Ashborn just referred to me, I am Zeraphiel, the Ruler of Light," she introduced herself. Angelic wings unfurled from Akane's back, taking them all by surprise.
"So, she's a ruler…" Claire muttered, her suspicion growing.
"If you aren't here to join me, may I ask why you are here?" Cid asked, raising an eyebrow.
"To warn you," she said, her tone tinged with apprehension.
"I'm already aware of the other monarchs preparing to go to war against me, but I appreciate the heads-up," Cid responded with amusement.
Zeraphiel let out a heavy sigh. "No, Ashborn, you don't understand. This isn't a warning about the Monarchs; it's from us, the Rulers."
Cid sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "I understood why you were here the moment you arrived. However, it seems you fail to grasp the opportunities I've laid before you."
Zeraphiel's eyes widened slightly before she relaxed. "Why do you have to be so difficult, Ashborn?"
Noticing the confusion on everyone's face, Cid motioned with one hand. "Just go, make your request. Let's make this official so that when you go back, you can tell the others that you at least tried."
Zeraphiel's eyes twitched. "You have become a bit arrogant, have you not, Ashborn?" She shook her head. "Very well... Ashborn, stop having any more children, and just so we're clear, this isn't a request."
"WHAT?!?" they all exclaimed, hearing the absurdity of her statement.
The look of displeasure on Claire's face grew as she snarled, "Who do you think you are to intrude into our place and make such demands?"
Zeraphiel looked at Claire coldly. "You're all young, unaware of the ways of the universe. Ashborn knows what he's doing is wrong, which is why he knew of my request before I even said it."
They all looked at Cid in confusion. Cid just scoffed at Zeraphiel. "I knew what you were going to say, not because I know it's wrong, but because I know how you all would act. You're just a bunch of cowards, which makes you all predictable."
Zeraphiel's gaze grew colder. Already knowing what the others were going to say next, Cid continued, "You're all scared—scared of more monarchs popping up. The so-called 'Darkness can never overpower the light; otherwise, it would plunge the whole universe into darkness,' or some bullshit along those lines. Right?"
Cid sneered disdainfully. "I'm sure you understand how unreasonable your request is and why I'm going to decline."
Zeraphiel looked irritated. "The issue isn't just you having children. Although you have 'defeated' some of the monarchs, the number of them remains the same as you're merely passing along their powers to your wives. In fact, the number has increased by one, and your two others are soon to awaken, increasing the number again. Aren't you already happy enough with three children? For what reason could you possibly need more?!?" she asked in exasperation.
Cid's expression grew cold, his voice sending a shiver down everyone's spine. "What I do or what I want isn't any of your concern. If I wanted to have a thousand more children, it should be of no concern to you. This is merely a war we've all been fighting for millions of years. You want it to end, yes, but you want to be called and labeled the winner."
Zeraphiel narrowed her eyes at Cid. As she opened her mouth to speak, Cid interrupted.
"I will not be discussing this any further, Zeraphiel. My stance is final. However, I'm not an unreasonable person. I'll make one final proposition to you." Cid raised a single finger. "Let me finish my war with the Monarchs, putting an end to the million-year war you all crave. When it's over, I'll swear to you that I won't bother with any of you and will just continue living my life in peace. In this scenario, we all win. Isn't that what you want?"
As Zeraphiel sighed and was about to shake her head, Cid's cold voice cut through again.
"You would be wise to take this final chance I'm offering you. I won't be making it again." Cid's half-lidded eyes glowed ominously purple.
"You really are a stubborn person, Ashborn…" Zeraphiel said, shaking her head. Her eyes also grew half-lidded, glowing molten gold. "You leave us no choice. Consider yourselves warned, Ashborn. Although this was a last resort, we will be joining the other Monarchs in their battle against you."
An explosion of mana spread through the room as the girls took their seats. Their faces were shadowed, only their glowing hateful eyes visible, expressing their intensity.
However, Zeraphiel paid them no mind. Akane's eyes rolled to the back of her head as her hair returned to its black color. Zeraphiel stopped possessing her, and she was about to collapse when Cid motioned with a finger, using Ruler's Authority to stop her.
A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the squeaking of Cid's chair as he stood up. He beckoned Akane into his arms and began walking away. "This meeting is adjourned until further notice," he said in a cold, emotionless voice, his eyes still half-lidded and glowing an ominous purple.
"What are you planning to do…?" Beta asked softly.
Cid didn't turn around as he continued walking. "I'm giving them what they want. They want to end this war? Fine. It's going to end... but it's going to start with their graves. They won't be alive to see it end"
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