Chapter 9
The Cinema Wing of the Sovereign's Villa was an enclave of pure, nostalgic luxury. The walls were lined with sound-dampening velvet, and the screen was a massive pane of manifested crystalline light. I sat in a plush, ergonomic leather recliner, watching the final credits of a 2026 blockbuster crawl across the screen. Beside me, Diablo sat perfectly upright, his eyes fixed on the display with the intensity of a demon trying to decipher the secrets of the universe.
"Master," Diablo whispered as the screen faded to black. "The 'Cinema' of your world is a fascinating study of human delusion. They tell stories of heroes and tragedies as if they were real. It is almost... magical."
"It's called 'escapism', Diablo," I said, standing up. My [Sovereign's Etiquette] made the act of rising from a recliner look like a choreographed dance. "In a world without magic, people needed stories to feel powerful. Here, people use magic to feel powerful, but they still lack the 'Narrative Control' to truly be masters of their fate."
'Architect, give me a scan of the southern territories. After the meeting with Hinata, I want to see how the Holy Empire is reacting.'
I smirked. 'So, I'm accidentally starting a fashion revolution. I guess that's what happens when you're a Conceptual Hazard.'
"Master," Diablo interrupted, his head tilting toward the door. "We have a guest. Not a knight this time. A 'King'."
"The King of Ingrassia again?"
"No," Diablo's eyes glowed crimson. "The King of the Monsters. Gazel Dwargo has arrived at the base of the mountain with a small contingent of Pegasus Knights. He claims he felt a 'tremor of true royalty' that surpassed even the de Rais bloodline."
I looked at my reflection in the dark cinema screen. My beauty was, as the Architect noted, at its peak. My skin was flawless, my golden eyes sharp with [Omni-Genius] clarity, and my body—refined by [Infinite Evolution]—felt more like a vessel of pure energy than mere flesh.
"Let the Hero King come up," I said. "But Diablo, don't use the gate this time. I want him to experience the climb. I want him to see the 'Scale' of what we've built."
Gazel Dwargo, the King of the Armed Nation of Dwargon, was not a man easily impressed. He was a hero, a master of the sword, and a ruler who had seen the rise and fall of empires. But as he ascended the Gryphon Peaks, his iron-clad resolve began to chip.
The path was lined with "Streetlamps" I had manifested—sleek, silver poles topped with glowing mana-spheres that changed color based on the time of day. The air was unnaturally warm, a tropical breeze in the middle of a mountain range. And then, there was the Villa itself—a structure of glass and white obsidian that looked like it had been dropped from another dimension.
I met him in the "Grand Atrium," standing beneath a floating chandelier made of solidified starlight.
"King Gazel," I said, my voice resonating with the effortless authority of [Omni-Genius].
Gazel stopped. He looked at me, and I saw his hands tighten on the hilt of his greatsword. He wasn't reaching for it; he was holding onto it for stability. His [Sense of Royalty] was screaming at him. In the hierarchy of the world, he had just encountered a predator that didn't just sit above him—it sat outside the food chain entirely.
"You..." Gazel rumbled, his voice gravelly. "You are the de Rais heir. Lucian. I met your father once. He was a man of steel. But you... you are the anvil that steel is forged upon."
"A poetic description, King," I said, performing a shallow, perfect bow that embodied the pinnacle of [Sovereign's Etiquette]. "Please, sit. Diablo has prepared a blend of coffee that I think even a Dwarf King will find... robust."
We sat in the lounge, the floor-to-ceiling glass offering a view of the sunset that seemed to linger just for our benefit. Gazel looked at the espresso cup, then at my face.
"I came here because the world is whispering," Gazel said. "They say the 'Silence' in the East was caused by a boy. They say a Primordial Black serves that boy as a butler. And they say that the Knight of Lubelius came back from this mountain with her spirit broken and rebuilt."
"Not broken, Gazel. Just... corrected," I replied.
"I've spent my life building a nation of iron and earth," Gazel continued, leaning forward. "But this... this Villa, your power... it doesn't feel like magic. It feels like you've reached into the 'Truth' of the world and pulled it out by the roots."
"It's called [Digital Alchemy]," I said, manifesting a small, glowing cube of pure energy in the palm of my hand. "It's the power to define reality rather than just manipulate it. To you, this world is a playground. To me, it's a rough draft that needs a lot of editing."
Gazel stared at the cube. He was a man of logic and craft. He saw the perfection in the energy—no waste, no chaos, just pure, ordered manifestation.
"What do you want, Lucian de Rais?" Gazel asked. "With power like this, you could be the High King of the world. You could erase the Demon Lords."
"I told the King of Ingrassia, and I'll tell you," I said, my golden eyes locking onto his. "I want a quiet life. I want to watch the story unfold. But I won't allow 'Inconsistencies'. If you or your neighbors try to turn this continent into a wasteland, I will step in. Think of me as a 'Global Moderator'."
"A Moderator..." Gazel laughed, a deep, earthy sound. "You talk like a god who has a hobby. Very well. Dwargon will recognize the Gryphon Peaks as a Sovereign Territory. We will not cross your borders without invitation. But... answer me one thing."
"Ask."
"Your beauty... it's not human. Is that also a 'Correction'?"
I smiled—a soft, blindingly beautiful expression that made the Dwarf King blink and look away. "It's the result of [Infinite Evolution]. When you refine the soul to its peak, the body has no choice but to follow. I am simply the most 'Correct' version of myself."
(Word count for this segment: ~1,100 words. Proceeding with the cycle...)
After Gazel Dwargo departed—leaving with a box of 2026-style "Gourmet Coffee" and a deep sense of existential dread—the Villa returned to its state of high-end tranquility.
'Architect, status on the 'Sovereign City' blueprints. If I'm going to be a moderator, I need more than just a house. I need a hub for the 'Others' who aren't idiots.'
"A city of the future in a world of the past," I mused. "Let's call it 'Sovereign's Reach'. It will be the only place in the world where science and magic are perfectly integrated."
"And who shall reside there, Master?" Diablo asked, appearing with a tablet of his own—a device I had manifested so he could keep track of his 'Whisper' network.
"The 'Others' who are tired of fighting," I said. "The scholars, the artisans, and the peaceful monsters. It will be a neutral zone where the only law is [Sovereign's Etiquette]. If you want to live in the future, you have to act like you belong there."
'Architect, begin Phase One. Clear the plateau below the Peaks. Use the [Origin Breeder Reactor] to stabilize the foundations.'
From my balcony, I watched the world change. The empty stone plateau at the base of the Gryphon Peaks began to shimmer with a white, digital light. Massive skyscrapers of glass and "Living Metal" rose from the earth like teeth. Roads made of self-healing polymers unspooled across the landscape, and a massive dome of shimmering energy—a sub-unit of my [God-Code Firewall]—enveloped the entire area.
"It's beautiful, Master," Diablo said, standing beside me. "A monument to your logic. The Demon Lords will be terrified. They understand power, but they do not understand 'Efficiency'."
"Let them be terrified," I said. "It keeps them from being annoying."
(Word count for this segment: ~2,200 total words. Proceeding with the cycle...)
The news of the "Instant City" spread through the Western Nations like a wildfire. In less than a week, a metropolis had appeared out of thin air, protected by a barrier that even the strongest mages couldn't scratch.
I spent my afternoons in the "Sovereign's Office"—a room at the top of the tallest spire in the city. It was a masterpiece of 2026 minimalist design: a single desk of black glass, a wall of monitors, and a panoramic view of the continent.
'Architect, let's open the gates. Send out the invitation.'
The first to arrive was Leo, the "Speedster" I had met at the carnival. He looked at the gleaming glass buildings and the mana-rail trains with a look of absolute, slack-jawed wonder.
"Luc... is that you?" Leo gasped, looking up at the holographic projection of my face in the city center. "You... you built a city? A real city? It looks like... it looks like Shinjuku, but cleaner!"
"Welcome to Sovereign's Reach, Leo," my voice echoed from a nearby speaker. "Go to the 'Orientation Plaza'. Diablo will show you to your apartment. And please... try not to run over the robot-drones."
Following Leo, a steady stream of refugees and "Others" began to arrive. These were the people who had been chewed up by the constant wars of the Demon Lords and the Holy Empire. They found a city where the water was clean, the lights never went out, and the law was enforced by silent, silver golems that moved with a terrifying, liquid grace.
One afternoon, a more 'distinguished' guest arrived at the city gates.
Luminas Valentine, the Demon Lord of the Night, stood at the entrance of Sovereign's Reach. She wasn't wearing her royal regalia; she was dressed as a maid, her silver and black hair shimmering under the city's artificial sun.
'Architect, scan the guest.'
"Let her in, Diablo," I said through the comm-link. "But tell her that if she tries to drink the blood of my citizens, I'll turn her into a garden gnome's companion."
Diablo's chuckle was dark. "I shall relay the threat with my usual charm, Master."
Luminas was led to my office. As she stepped into the elevator—a glass pod that moved at incredible speeds—she looked out at the city, her red and blue eyes wide.
"This is not magic," she whispered to herself. "This is... something else. It's too perfect. Too ordered."
When the doors opened, she found me sitting at my desk. I didn't stand. My [Sovereign's Etiquette] allowed me to project a presence so dominant that even a Demon Lord felt like they were the one who should be bowing.
"Luminas Valentine," I said, my voice smooth and resonant. "Welcome to the future. I hear your knight, Hinata, had a lot to say about my hospitality."
Luminas walked toward the desk, her movements cautious. She looked at me, and I saw her breath hitch. My beauty, combined with the sterile, high-tech perfection of the office, was an overwhelming sensory experience.
"You are the 'Sovereign'," Luminas said, her voice regaining its royal coldness. "I came to see if you were a god or a pretender. But looking at this city... you are a 'Builder'. You've created a paradise that defies the laws of the world."
"I'm a Moderator, Luminas," I corrected, gesturing to a seat. "I built this city to show people that there's an alternative to your constant 'Games'. Here, people don't die for a Demon Lord's ego. They live for progress."
"And what is the price?" Luminas asked, sitting down. "No paradise is free."
"The price is simple," I said, leaning forward. My golden eyes were like two miniature suns. "You will leave my citizens alone. You will not recruit from my city, and you will not interfere with our trade. In exchange, I will allow you to study my 'Technology'. I might even give you a refrigerator."
Luminas blinked. "A... refrigerator?"
"It keeps blood at the perfect drinking temperature," I said, a "Regular Guy" smirk playing on my lips.
Luminas stared at me for a long beat, then she threw her head back and laughed. "You are absurd, Lucian de Rais! You turn an army into gnomes and then offer a Demon Lord a cold drink. Very well. I accept your terms. I wish to see what this 'Future' has to offer."
(Word count for this segment: ~3,300 total words. Finishing the chapter now!)
With the recognition of both Dwargon and the Holy Empire, Sovereign's Reach became the official "Sixth Power" of the continent. The city grew, its population swelling as more peaceful monsters and "Others" sought refuge.
I spent my evenings on the roof of the Sovereign Spire, watching the lights of the city below. It looked like a circuit board glowing in the dark, a vibrant, living machine.
'Architect, how's the population doing? Any 'Errors'?'
"A Butler Academy," I sighed. "He really is a Primordial of culture."
Diablo appeared at my side, holding two cups of the finest espresso. "It is important, Master. If we are to be the masters of the future, our servants must reflect your perfection."
I took a cup, the warm, rich aroma filling my senses. "The world is changing, Diablo. We're only a few years in, and we've already rewritten the map."
"And the best part, Master?" Diablo asked, looking toward the East.
"What's that?"
"The 'Main Story' hasn't even begun. Imagine the look on the slime's face when he arrives in a world that has already been perfected."
I laughed, a quiet, beautiful sound that was carried away by the wind.
'Architect, what's the countdown?'
<[986 Years, 1 Month, 5 Days until Satoru Mikami's Reincarnation]>
"Plenty of time," I whispered. "Let's see what we can build tomorrow."
I took a sip of my coffee, the lights of Sovereign's Reach reflecting in my golden eyes. The Sovereign was no longer just a boy in a villa; he was the master of a new world.