Word count: 1400 words
---------------------------
The Baharuth Empire's capital had changed... Slightly.
In the very heart of the bustling city, where merchants and nobles alike once flaunted their wealth, a new structure had risen, black and imposing, like a monument carved from the night sky itself.
The locals whispered about it, calling it the fortress of the Obsidian Chains. Its walls shimmered faintly as if the stone itself drank in the sunlight, refusing to reflect back anything but shadows.
The branch was enormous, far larger than any base Meliodas had established before. Towers jutted upward like sharpened blades, while the central hall stood as wide as a cathedral, adorned with carvings that seemed to shift under the eye. Where others built to impress, this was built to dominate.
Inside, the air was different. Cold, disciplined. The echo of footsteps carried for long stretches, and every torch burned with an unusual black flame, casting the halls in a steady twilight no matter the hour.
At the very center of this fortress lay the meeting chamber.
A long obsidian table stretched across the room, polished to a mirror sheen, so dark it reflected the faces around it like water at midnight.
Meliodas sat at the head, relaxed but unmistakably in command. At his side, Rem stood dutifully, her blue hair neat, her maid uniform pristine, ready to serve him before he even asked.
To his right, Makima sat with her usual poise, fingers steepled beneath her chin, her piercing eyes watching everything as though she already knew the outcome of the meeting.
Ayanokoji leaned casually back in his chair, expression unreadable, his mind calculating a thousand silent variables.
Senku's eyes gleamed with restless excitement as he tapped a rolled-up parchment against the table, already itching to reveal his latest work.
Robin sat with a composed elegance, hands folded on the table, her gaze calm but sharp, the picture of quiet confidence.
Outside the chamber doors, two silent figures stood guard. Yoriichi, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword, radiated an aura of calm lethality, like a drawn blade that never dulled. Beside him, Mahito leaned lazily against the wall, a playful smile tugging at his lips, though his eyes glimmered with something dark and unpredictable.
After the Angelia mountains mission, the Obsidian Chains had formally allied with the Emperor of Baharuth. Together, they had constructed this monumental headquarters, a stronghold that dwarfed every building Meliodas had overseen before in Re-Estize.
Meliodas leaned back in his chair, relaxed yet unmistakably commanding. His hand rested on the armrest as Rem, ever diligent, poured a deep crimson wine into his goblet. She set the bottle down without a sound, her movements as graceful as flowing water, before retreating one step behind his chair.
He raised the goblet, swirled the wine once, and took a slow sip. His eyes flicked toward Ayanokoji and Senku. "Well then… tell me. How's our little 'bus experiment' faring in Re-Estize?"
Ayanokoji sat upright, fingers laced together on the table. His tone was calm, analytical, carrying no emotion. "The system has been established in the major cities, five bus lines per city, with an average of twenty-five buses each. The routes connect key districts, marketplaces, guild branches, residential quarters, and the royal road." He paused, letting the data settle. "At present, an estimated five to six thousand people use the service daily across the capital. Smaller cities average between two to three thousand."
Meliodas' smile widened faintly. "Not bad… for something no one here had even imagined before."
Senku chuckled, leaning forward with parchment in hand. His spiky hair caught the flicker of the torchlight. "That's the beauty of it. People here are walking miles every day, wasting hours. Once they see the convenience, they latch onto it fast." He tapped the parchment, eyes glittering with excitement. "In just the first two weeks, revenue has hit nearly one hundred thousand gold coins in the capital alone. And that's after deducting for maintenance and staff pay."
Robin arched an eyebrow, her lips curving into a small, approving smile. "A hundred thousand gold in two weeks… For commoners and merchants, that's extraordinary. The nobles must be watching this closely."
Ayanokoji's gaze shifted toward her, then back to Meliodas. "Indeed. The nobles see potential profit and potential control. Some are already attempting to influence the routes. We've kept them at bay through legal contracts tied directly to the Queen. For now, they cannot interfere."
Makima, silent until now, brushed a strand of her copper hair behind her ear, her golden eyes fixed on Meliodas. "But they will interfere. You're introducing something disruptive, Melidoas-sama. That always breeds resistance. Expect bribes, sabotage, even assassinations of drivers." She said it not as a warning, but as a certainty.
Meliodas chuckled lightly, setting his goblet down. "I don't think they would try that." His smile turned sharp. "The queen wouldn't let them, she can't afford to make us act, can she?"
Rem, listening intently, refilled his goblet before the wine even ran dry. Her gaze flicked briefly to Ayanokoji, then Senku, then back to her master. She said nothing, but her presence was a constant reassurance at his side.
Senku leaned back, folding his arms. "Projected growth is strong. Within six months, we should expect a daily ridership increase of at least forty percent in every city. That means the capital could see over ten thousand passengers a day, and the smaller cities five thousand. At current fare rates, we're looking at at least two hundred thousand gold coins monthly from the capital alone by then."
Ayanokoji added smoothly, "And if the system is expanded beyond Re-Estize, say, to Baharuth, for example, the numbers multiply exponentially. The Emperor himself will see the value." His eyes narrowed slightly, thoughtful. "However, expansion too soon risks overexposure. Better to wait and gather leverage."
Meliodas drummed his fingers lightly on the obsidian table, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then he grinned. "So… one more month of results. If the growth trend holds, we will expand to Baharuth. I'll give our Emperor friend something new to boast about."
Robin's voice was calm, deliberate. "And the people will adore it. Commoners will see you as a savior of their daily lives, while merchants will depend on you. Control the roads, and you control the flow of the kingdom."
"Not just the kingdom," Makima said softly, her eyes flickering toward Robin. "The world."
The room fell quiet for a moment, the weight of her words pressing against everyone.
Rem stepped forward, gently placing the wine goblet back in Meliodas' hand.
He took it, sipping slowly, his gaze fixed on the flame of the torchlight. His mood seemed lighter, satisfied. "Good. Very good. You've all done well." His tone carried an edge of cheer, but beneath it was steel. "The Obsidian Chains aren't here to play petty games. We're here to carve our mark so deep this world will never forget us."
Ayanokoji's eyes closed briefly, hiding his thoughts. 'At this pace, the empire will be dependent on us within a year or two.'
Robin leaned slightly forward, her voice quiet but resolute. "Then our next step is clear. Consolidate in Re-Estize. Expand to Baharuth when the time is right. And after that…"
Makima finished for her, lips curving into the faintest of smiles. "…The world bends, or breaks."
Meliodas laughed, a light, almost boyish sound that contrasted with the heaviness of the room. He raised his goblet, crimson wine catching the torchlight like fresh blood. "We still have Ainz Ooal Gown to worry about, but if I keep summoning more powerful people, eventually he will not be a threat anymore."
Coincidentally, a few notifications rang in Meliodas's ears. He immediately went to check his system.
[NEW GENERATED MISSIONS]
[GET YOURSELF A WORLD ITEM] NOT DONE YET[REWARD: SS-RANK SUMMON]
[GET YOURSELF A PET]
[REWARD: DEPENDS ON THE PET]
[DEFEAT/KILL/SUBDUE PLATINIUM DRAGON LORD]
[REWARD: SS RANK SUMMON]
"Ok..."
TO BE CONTINUED —→