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I knew that this was a lost cause, so I closed my eyes and prepared my mind for the worst. ‘Big…Sis?’

“Mhm, not bad. Not bad. How about another one?” Came Ferti’nier’s alluring voice.

‘Big Sis…’ Ah, something broke inside me…

“Hohohoho, remember now, you have to address your sister over here as Big Sis from now on. Little brother, you mustn’t be so rude in the future, addressing your sister by her name directly like that, got it?”

‘I feel so ashamed…’

“Hahaha, that’s the look. That’s the look your sister adores.” Her laughing continued for a good long time while I quietly waited for her to laugh herself to death. Unfortunately, that hope would be dashed as well.

A while later, and because I didn’t try to throw a jibe at her like the past, she got bored and nonchalantly told me how to create a golem core. Having listened to her explanation, I finally understood why the exoskeleton required the skeleton of a titan inside it…the golems were actually a form of undead…a conclusion I should have come to earlier… the core that moved a golem was actually Necromancy…

The method was to use the Gem of Authority to invoke the undead summoning. Should the summoner’s mana be insufficient to invoke a Six-stars or even a Seven-stars undead, then we still had another method available to us: a refined soul.

My own Necromantic talent wasn’t all that outstanding. Even though I had the mana of a Six-stars, I wasn’t able to cast Six-stars undead magic. Because of that, I couldn’t activate the golem by invoking an undead spirit. As for Mo Na, she was a Four-stars baby. The most she could command was the mana of a Four-stars. Her talent in this field was outstanding, to be sure, but that didn’t change the fact that her body wasn’t up to the task.

With that option out of the question, the only other method was to refine souls.

With regards to soul refining, I couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive. It was just that the thought of eating a soul that had been refined struck me as…evil…well…this time it won’t be used for eating.

Using the Gem of Authority as a medium, we should be able to refine countless souls into one composite soul gem that could run a golem. In other words, refining multiple souls till it reached the level of a Six-stars.

However, that was easier said than done. The amount of souls required would be massive. After all, it wasn’t like the quality of the soul was improved in the process, refining merely combined more souls into one. Furthermore, ordinary refined souls weren’t enough to control a golem.

That last fact was a fatal flaw in the production of golems. The Gem of Authority had to be used as a supporting medium. Its use was to absorb the composite Six-stars soul gem, and then tune it within itself. It was precisely this function that made it possible for the Gem of Authority, otherwise also known as the Blackstone of Authority, to control the golems.

Mo Na attempted to use the Gem of Authority to produce a Six-stars soul gem, but that ended in failure. The reason being that the amount of souls we brought back wasn’t enough; the resulting soul only came up to Five-stars…

“Mama, the soul gem isn’t strong enough. The Gem of Authority is rejecting it…” Mo Na complained with a pouting face. She then handed me the thumb-sized black pearl-like object. “A failed product…nothing else to do with it except eat it.”

“…Daddy doesn’t eat this stuff, how about you have it.”

The moment I recalled that spine-chilling shriek I heard when Mo Na refined her souls, I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Eating something like that was just… an affront to myself…

“You sure, Mama? It’s really good.”

As if to tempt me, Mo Na waved the soul gem in front of my eyes. Barring other concerns, that deep black luster it possessed, and that alluring scent that only a soul could emit… No. No. Putting that in my would make it shriek like before… There was just no way I could ever picture myself munching on something that shrieked so horrifically while I was savoring it…

“Baby, how about we take a stroll outside.” I immediately redirected the topic away from eating the soul gem. There was no way I would ever eat something that disgusting.

To be perfectly honest, my suggestion of taking a stroll wasn’t just motivated by that. It wasn’t like the golem would just manufacture itself just by us staying in the factory. We would be better off just taking it easy, while getting some flying practise at the same time.

“Okay.”

Mo Na didn’t object to my suggestion. She stooped down to pick up a bored out of her doggy mind Cinderel and jumped into my arms. With practised ease, I caught the two scamps and left the factory.

But that was truly a head scratcher we had on hands… for the golem manufacturing to prove so difficult… Putting aside the complexity of manufacturing the outer shell and the inner exoskeleton, just the amount of souls we needed to create a golem was already enough of a headache for us.

Naturally, it wasn’t like we didn’t have a plan to tackle those. But the feeling of one’s own inadequacy halting research really didn’t sit well with me.

“Let’s go have a look at No.6’s progress with the recruitment zone, then we can look around the safe zone as well.”

I brought the two little scamps to the northern gate, stumbling onto Big 4 in the process. Looking at us, he immediately knew we were about to go on an outing, so he instantly put on a sad face.

This time, I didn’t give him all that much chance to feel wronged, agreeing to him following us in an instant.

“You can come along as well.” Leaving him behind all the time to guard our home was rather pitiful after all. And the safety of the capital wasn’t really a pressing issue either, given the special circumstances surrounding this area. As long as the golems were here, it wasn’t necessary for Big 4 to stay behind.

“Master…you finally brought me along!”

Ignoring his shameful crying, I habitually picked out ten Winged Abyssal Golems and left for the safe zone.

“Master, wait for me…”

The trip was an uneventful one as I practised with my purple wings from time to time to acclimatise myself with that feeling. Even though my flight wasn’t steady yet, it was only a matter of time before I broke free from the chains of the earth.

In less than half a day of travelling northward, we first came upon No.6’s recruitment zone. This was his most important task at hand. Unlike the last time I came, construction had already begun as per schedule.

Seeing the work he accomplished, I had to admit that No.6 did possess a talent for construction. He knew to use the golems to harvest stone blocks, then use the weaker Devils to pile up the blocks, just like how the ancient Egyptians built their pyramids -though it had to be said that the current progress was that of a foundational stage. Still, I could tell that No.6 was planning something big just based on what I saw now.

Because of the soul pact we shared, and because I wasn’t actively trying to block it, No.6 could sense my arrival beforehand. He brought two ordinary golems and a few Three-stars to greet us. Falling to one knee, he shakily said, “Master, what’s the purpose of this visit?”

“Nothing in particular, just thought I should have a look.” I swept my eyes over the bustling construction site then said in an even voice, “Have you made arrangements for the other teleportation zone?”

“Your servant has already sent someone to guard the area. Once the recruitment zone’s construction is settled, your servant will personally visit the area.”

“Mhm, and how’s the safe zone? It’s our supply of food after all, is it alright?”

“The safe zone is being handled by No.3. But just digging a tunnel is a simple task, plus the golems can be used to dig as well, its progress is much faster than the recruitment zone. According to your servant’s calculations, the safe zone should be able to support the daily consumption of thousands of Devils.”

“Very good. Right, how many captives do we have right now?”

“Reporting: our captive number is approaching 1500.” No.6 promptly said. Seeing that I was silent, he worriedly added on this, “My sincerest apologies, Master, I haven’t found another talent we can use…”

At that, I blandly stared him in the eyes. His frail body immediately began to shake, and his lips started to quiver.

‘Don’t tell me that this fellow was afraid that I would try and replace him so he tried to get rid of all the competition? Judging by how he’s acting, it might just be that. Still, I can’t push him too hard, but neither can I let this go on.’

“I need more talented Devils, understand?”

I emphasized that last bit. Hearing that my tone hardened, No.6’s body immediately stiffened up. Based on that, I could tell that he must have done something while I wasn’t looking. Even so, I had no intention of pursuing this matter further.

“I’ll let it pass this time around, but don’t let there be another.”

“Yes…yes…your servant understands…”

“Right, what about Sinmosa and Sasani?”

“The Hellhound couple brought some Winged Abyssal Golems along with them in their hunt for the fugitive Devils. Normally, their excursions wouldn’t exceed one hundred hours. Based on that, they should be back soon, does the Master wish to wait for them?”

“It’s fine. When they return, just tell them to find me in the capital, and bring along some Devils.” Having said that, I glared at No.6.

“My goal is to subjugate the entire kingdom, and not just some tiny corner. Widen your horizons, as long as you perform your job well, I won’t mistreat you.”

“Understood…” No.6 gingerly nodded his heads, legs shaking profusely. Whether or not he even understood me at that point was a mystery. Still, the sight of his quivering form made me lose the mood for a leisurely stroll around the safe zone.

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When we passed the teleportation zone, we just so happened to encounter a few more Devils wandering around, needless to say, they were all captured and brought back to be slaves, naturally.

While I did call them slaves, I was actually saving them, since there was no food around this area at all. Who knows, they might have even bumped into one of those old golems, or the only other edible source of food nearby, the Black Blood Ants. But in a match of ant swarm versus a few wandering Devils…who would end up on the dinner plate might not be as clear cut.

Based on where we met those Devils, it was certain the teleportation zone was here. Unfortunately, I had no one dependable Devil to hand this task off to… Don’t ask me why I won’t use those four cowards… with the bravery of a chicken, there was just no way I could ever hand them power, in fact, how did they even survive up till now?

With that in mind, I turned my eyes to the four Large Imps who were the first to be captured by us. At the level of an Imp, it was basically impossible to discern their gender physically. That was because a Devil’s gender was determined by their soul. That was also why I constantly emphasized that I was a man, yet those potatoes of mine kept treating me as a female Devil… In the first place, all of this was because my soul had a certain freeloader staying inside it!

I gave the four Large Imps a closer look. It was then that I realised that those four Large Imps were actually female… in other words, these four were that recently deceased Head Imp’s harem… and since I slew him, I automatically became their master…

Based on how they were now, and if they were ever fortunate enough to evolve to Five-stars, they would definitely end up as Lust Demons of the Carnal branch, Devils who could only survive by serving someone stronger. That was because they were just weak.

Now as for the problem of managing the teleportation zone, my plan was to head back and inform No.6 of the situation, he could come up with something then. Whether he chose to come here personally or delegate the task to another Devil, that would be his decision to make. After all, the gift of five hundred golems wasn’t a small one; he had better earn his keep.

After another day of travelling, we were now in viewing distance of the half collapsed wall of the capital. The first Devil we saw near the city gate was Big 4, scanning his surroundings like a hawk. Upon noticing our return, he came flying towards me like a dog that had gone missing for over half a month. “Master…you’re finally back…”

‘This potato…he’s just so clingy, like a dog…’

I lifted my foot in a blocking stance. Seeing that, Big 4 knew roughly what I meant by this, having followed me around for some time already. He promptly stopped and maintained a respectable distance between us.

‘Hmph. Touching reunion my foot, I just have two words for you, dream on.’

Perhaps Big 4 had gotten smarter in the time I was gone or he just had nothing else to say, he actually knew to break the awkwardness with a situation report. “Master, nothing unusual to report while you were gone, don’t worry, the city is fine.”

“That’s good to hear.” I nodded my head then pointed at the dozen or so Devils marching behind me whom I captured from that teleportation zone. “Bring these Devils to No.6, then tell him that I found another teleportation zone. I need him to take a look as soon as possible, best he sends someone to guard the point…” I blandly stated.

“But Master, you still haven’t told me where the teleportation zone is.”

“…” I sighed. “Just tell him what I told you, you don’t have to bother about the rest.”

“Understood…”

I handed him some other instructions then sent him on his way. Before leaving, he made sure to give me a wronged look, the kind a puppy would make when its master abandoned it… let me tell you, that sort of innocent of look doesn’t suit you at all… an Infant Flame Demon is already ugly enough, so please have some respect for your terrifying looks and not try to be cute!

Having sent them off, the only Devils left were me, Mo Na and Cinderel.

Because I was still fixated on the construction of more golems, I brought the two little scamps right away to the underground weapons factory while I had the golems move the required materials to the warehouse where we kept the titan skeletons. Then, our research began in earnest.

“Mama, if it’s just piecing together the golems, it’s not that difficult.” Mo Na quipped as she simultaneously commanded my Shadow Demon Guardian while referring to a book. “But there’s one thing Mo Na doesn’t understand, why can these golems move?”

“Isn’t it normal for them to move?”

While all that happened, I made a mental note to myself to have some of the stronger Devils come assist Mo Na. The golem exoskeletons were all too heavy to be moved, while the golems themselves were too clumsy for such precise work.

However, there were no such Devils available right now so I could only call for my Shadow Demon Guardian to work. That also meant that I was now very free even though I was supposed to be busy. With nothing to do, I spent my time playing with a certain energetic Hellhound while chatting with Mo Na from time to time.

“It’s not that, Mama, don’t you find it weird at all?” Upon having the Shadow Demon Guardian mount a basic shoulder part, she stopped the Shadow Demon Guardian for a moment. She then walked over and flipped open the black leather book she was referring to. Her slender finger pointed at one of the pages. “Look, Mama, this page has the entire process recorded down, but the last step is missing…”

‘The last step?’

Looking at the half assembled exoskeleton before me, and looking at the completed golem guarding outside, I could roughly guess what she meant.

If these golems could be seen as robots, then what moved them was a source of power and programming. Because of their own unique traits, the golems had no particular requirement on the power front, but in order to make them move, what we really needed was the programming… because the black leather book made no mention of such a thing…

“Little brother, are you in trouble again?”

Just as Mo Na and I were stumped, Ferti’nier, ever one to show up whenever I was stuck, chimed in to offer her help, or should I say ‘help’. Either way, she was a bit of a mixed bag for me. At times, I wanted her to come out for some casual chit chat, at times I absolutely hated that she came out to bother me. Such a mixed bag…

“So that’s how you view your sister over here. Hmph.” Her little endearing act instantly dispelled my annoyance… Truly, there were times when I really wanted to give her a good spanking!

“Heheheh, so our little brother has that kind of f*tish.” Able to read my mind, she naturally knew about my desire to discipline her. Yet she wasn’t angered by that, in fact, she seemed a little expectant. “Wait till your sister over here gets a new body, then our little brother can have his way. Now, the question is where to hit. Over here? Or maybe here?”

‘This demoness…I just can’t win against her in an argument. Why can’t she be a little more reliable, she’s at least ten thousand years old by now.’

“Your sister has so said many times already, she isn’t ten thousand years old yet.” Having said that to my exasperated face, she continued, “Alright. Alright, enough fun for now. Your sister knows what her little brother wants, and she even knows the method of creating a golem core.”

‘So she does know the method, no wonder people always say that to have an elder in the home is to have a treasure!’

‘Quick, tell me already!’

“What do you mean elder? Your sister isn’t that old yet!”

‘Yes, yes, yes. Our Ferti’nier is forever eighteen, forever our invincible eighteen year old sister, always the prettiest.’

“Hohohoh, our little brother has really gotten better at his words recently. Whenever there’s trouble, he’s always at his most obedient, always so adorable.” She teased me for a moment.

“Well, it’s not like your Sister can’t give her little brother the method, but she has a condition.”

‘I knew she would say that…there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world…but it’s not like I have any choice either.’

‘Alright, what’s your condition…and let’s be clear, you’d better not ask for the stars!’

“Listen well, what your sister wants is that whenever her little brother addresses her from now on, it will be as “Big Sis”. Got it?”

‘Big Sis? That was unexpectedly simple…by the way, why did you come up with such a strange request all of a sudden? Isn’t it a waste? You could have asked for something difficult.’

“But my dear little brother, as you are right now, what can your sister ask of you anyway?” Just as I was questioning her motives, she took this opportunity to ask me something I had no way to answer. “Has my little brother gotten strong enough that he can help his sister reform her body? Or perhaps he has some other method?”

‘I…don’t actually have that ability…’ It was at that moment that I felt an unprecedented sense of defeat. Even so, I still hoped that she would have asked something more difficult of me. Because such a nonsensical condition was just a reminder of how weak I actually was…

“Relax…relax… your sister had no other intention. You’re still in your growing phase, being weak is unavoidable.” She actually comforted me, but that was only a prelude to her checkmate. “Well then, are you going to say it or not?”