The Demon Monarch System

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"Why the sudden questioning? If I give you my word, then you shouldn't doubt it," Apollo responded, looking at Odessa with a displeased expression. Although she wasn't wrong because Apollo's presence around the academy had been sparse, he wasn't prancing around.

In the time that he was gone, he was undergoing rapid and extensive changes. First and foremost, he collected a significant amount of pieces on this trip back to the Nihilistic Rings. Consequently, this also allowed him to experience extremely quick gains.

If he didn't seek out Furcas and Valac, there was zero chance of him reaching his current level in such a short time frame. First, to elevate beyond the Spirit Apprentice threshold required a substantial amount of energies to strengthen the mind.

Absorbing this energy by itself, which was the natural route of advancement, was much longer than extracting the purified energy from a similar being's core. Thus, when it came to the benefits of disappearing from Astarat and staying within it, there was no deliberation needed, it was simply a brainless decision.

"Sudden questioning? It's not sudden. It's been months since we had a conference and Nadida told me she had seen you. What am I, air?" Geneva grumbled with a frown, a tinge of hurt appearing in her eyes.

At first, Apollo was speechless but then he recalled the relationship festering between Nadida and Odessa, 'I should have known. Nadida has a tendency to blabber and it would seem Odessa is the jealous type.'

"In my defense, I didn't approach Nadida, she came to me. If you did the same, it would have resulted in the same outcome," Apollo shrugged. Now that he was strong enough to match a bonafide Spirit Warrior, he felt there was no reason to act reserved before Odessa.

"That's not the point," Odessa's frown deepened, clutching the side of her shirt.

"Then?" Apollo inquired. If she didn't open her mouth, how was he to know the issue plaguing her mind?

"Tch, it's Alistair. He'll be in the sub-realm as well! And, now that my aunt is aware of your presence, she won't tolerate it if you deflect to his side. So, I have been under a lot of pressure to make sure you stay by my side. But, with you missing, that was impossible!" Odessa blurted, catching Apollo off-guard.

However, deep down he felt relief, 'Dodged a bullet there. For a moment, I thought it was something dumb like silly infatuation,' Apollo mused. At the same time, as this thought crossed his mind, he also glazed over Odessa's body with a cursory glance.

Yet, due to his refined senses, he noticed more than he let on, 'As she advances, it seems her vessel is becoming more refined as well. It's just a shame she isn't a demon. I feel no carnal attraction to her, or maybe there's a more meaningful answer behind this?'

In the presence of Tirasha, the Royal Demon, Apollo felt a small stir within him. This meant that unless it was a Demon, he wouldn't feel any urges. For now, he wasn't sure why this was the case.

According to Azridan, he had mingled with various women of different races. Nevertheless, perhaps it was due to the lack of Luxuria circulating in his system.

One must remember, as far as demonhood went, he was still in his childish stages. Only once he reached the Greater Demon level would he be introduced to a whole different world of temptations.

"There is no need to hold such worries. My word is bond, for without word what is man?" Apollo responded with a small chuckle. Afterward, he attempted to enter his residence, but Odessa's hand stopped him in place once again.

There was an odd look on her face as Apollo turned back. It looked like a mix of bashfulness as well curiosity, "Why...are you so weird?"

In response to her question, Apollo raised his eyebrow. Truth be told, he wasn't sure in what context she was speaking. After all, there were a lot of things he partook in that normal humans wouldn't. Hence, there was a selection of choices to choose to verify his "weirdness."

"In what way do you mean?" Apollo questioned, slightly intrigued by Odessa's remark. Such behavior was out of the ordinary for Odessa. Typically, she was more confident and straightforward. However, this situation was different.

Not only was there was a small stutter in her voice, but her eyes also avoided contact at all cost. Something extremely odd for her. On the other hand, since Apollo was unfamiliar with this type of behavior, he couldn't really comment on it.

"I mean...e-err, you know weird. You're not like the other individuals. I have so many suitors chasing me, pleading to get my attention, yet whenever you're in my presence, it's as if you can't wait to leave. Do I...lack charisma?" Odessa muttered. Towards the end, her voice lost even more confidence, falling to a whisper.

As a Paragon, she was used to being pampered for most of her childhood. But different from those who were fortunate enough to gain the same abilities, she didn't allow it to swell her ego. Hence, why Apollo decided to side with her.

If her ego was unbearable, then once they clash it would be a terrible sight. With Apollo's ruthless behavior, one could only imagine the mess he would create as a result of his actions. Especially so, when going up against Paragon.

Each one of them was treated as a golden existence. After all, at the height of their abilities, they possessed the strength needed to combat Disasters. While one hadn't been born for quite some time, the future was an unpredictable matter in some cases.

There were too many coincidences, probabilities, and potentialities to account for. A reason why each of the Paragons was treated as a contingency for another. No efforts were spared in raising them.

Furthermore, it was also the reason they were given control of complete Legions. They served as their extensive protection, in addition to being sacrifices in the event of imminent danger.

The logic of a legion's emergency training was that by sacrificing their numbers, they would allow time for their Paragon to retreat. A practice that dated back to the beginning of their history.

"Lack charisma? That's wrong. The fact you were able to convince me to join your side should be seen as a testament to your charisma. My behavior merely stems from my own goals," Apollo answered. 

Simultaneously, he placed his hand on hers. This made her jump, but during Apollo's next actions, Odessa calmed herself, "May I go now? There's only a few days before the excursion into the sub-realm." Apollo voiced, removing Odessa's hand.

Mention of the sub-realm made Odessa's eyes widen as she recalled another reason she appeared here, "Wait, there something even more important than this matter between us. I remember hearing rumors that the dark origin room being restricted. I don't have an affinity with darkness, so I can't tell if this is true."

"It is," Apollo interjected, confirming her curiosities. 

"I see, so then the rumors must be true then. I have been hearing talk about the orb projecting a figure before expelling everyone from the room. I wasn't aware that it possessed its own sentience," Odessa commented, mystified by the abilities of the dark orb.

Fortunately, Apollo was a lot more informed than she was, "It can't truly be counted as sentience. It can't talk or the like; I think it's more along the lines of being programmed with directions," Apollo corrected.

Upon hearing this, Odessa's expression shifted greatly, "Wait, you mean that orb is the creation of someone?"

"That goes without saying," Apollo nodded. "How else would it record inheritances? Since you've never entered, you probably don't know but there's a main inheritance inside. It isn't limited to simple Spirits, there an encompassing practice."

Once Apollo confirmed this information, Odessa grimaced. At first, she thought she could discard what she heard, but now that Apollo ensured that it was all the truth, she was left with no other choice.

"There's...a rumor going around about you," Odessa whispered. She then looked around, checking for any foreign presence. "Our peers, as well as upperclassmen, have been talking about it being linked to you."

For a while, there was silence, but when Odessa looked up at examined Apollo's expression, she was nonplussed. His carefree expression seemed as if this matter didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Are you not perturbed? What I'm trying to say is that they're targeting you as the cause of their interrupted progression. What will you do if they become hostile?!" Odessa exclaimed, worried for Apollo in his stead. 

"They can't become hostile with something they can't touch," Apollo chuckled. At the same time, his mind was focused on something else, 'If you all become hostile, you'll fulfill my requirements without me having to lift a finger. In this case, I welcome you to act foolishly.'

Due to his confidence, Odessa couldn't find a way to refute his words. Additionally, Apollo created a few lapses in his Tenebrous Barrier, which allowed small fluctuations to seep from within. Because of this, Odessa could sense he was strong, terribly so.

'I just hope they aren't foolish enough to confront this madman. I suggest they roll with the punches; at least it will guarantee their life,' Odessa hoped. Finally, she retracted her hand and nodded to Apollo, "I won't keep you any longer."

Quietly, she watched Apollo's back as he entered his residence. Once he was gone, and the securities soundproofing the inside activated, Odessa muttered something to herself.

"He's different...and that why I think I chase his attention above all else. Sorry Nadida, I don't think anyone else will be able to enter my sights after being exposed to his indescribable charisma."

She then glanced towards the area that both she and Nadida resided in. Her eyes narrowed as she sensed a number of presences.