The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 318: Ghostlights

Chapter 318: Ghostlights

Tea was served, and as a gesture of good faith, Selene took the first sip.

"So, you came to lodge a complaint about our activities," she crossed her legs.

"We came to demand that you cease your assassination attempts," Kordia replied.

"Demands imply force," Selene said. "And with six tails, I have no doubt you’d be able to level this house... but you wouldn’t catch everyone, and once word spread, you too would have to watch for assassins... and the Chainbreakers aren’t as circumspect as we’ve been."

"Circumspect how?" Kir asked. "An assassination attempt is pretty blatant."

"Have you heard the story about the investigators sent by House Goldman from Amrita?"

"No."

"That’s because they’re presently out in the woods getting acquainted with their inner mushrooms... and whatever else eats corpses." The hyena beastkin let out a wicked smile.

"Is that why you’re here? To stand in the Syndicate’s way?"

"I’m here because this is a safe haven for abolitionists and slaves alike. And this city has become so kind, I need not stress myself working too hard to keep my operation going."

"What operation is that?" Kordia asked.

"Now now, I answered some of your questions, so please answer some of mine." She placed her cup in her lap. "Aside from the reprimand, what is your interest in the Ghostlights? Tulare insisted that you seemed friendly to our cause."

"We have our own concerns," Kir said, "and would like to know more about you."

"But we are not opposed," Kordia picked up, "So long as you don’t threaten people close to us."

"I see..." Selene thought for a few moments. "Tell me something of your goals."

Kordia looked at Kir, so he answered. "My goal is to make Norneau a beacon for how to live without slavery. To that end, the city should remain free of nations like Gra’Rhuel, Montmorency, and Amrita."

"And you plan to do this how?"

Kir smiled.

"Buckle in, he loves telling this part," Kordia said, her tone indicating she was a bit tired of hearing it.

"Had I not ridden on the glideways, I wouldn’t know what you mean," Selene shifted as she got comfortable.

So that’s what Michelle was ranting about... It now made sense how "Ghostheart" could get blamed for attacking the slavers of three cities in three days. Or perhaps Michelle knew it was the Ghostlights and was just laying all the blame on Ghostheart as part of her vendetta.

Kir set aside those thoughts with a clearing of the throat and began...

*

... ending close to evening.

"So in conclusion, the partial planning of the economy combines with the strong presence of unions in order to meet city objectives with regard to providing social goods, and control of the glideways and armed neutrality ensures that the price of bringing Norneau into any would-be empire is too high to reasonably pay."

"I... see..." Selene had a slightly glaze-eyed look that Kir saw too often nowadays. "That was... a lot. Can I get it in writing?"

"I’ll have a manuscript copied and sent. Though you can also read most of what I have said in the draft charter for after the Fifth Ward is finished," Kir smiled. "Which is available for all on request at the Mayor’s office."

A gentle snore alerted Kir to Kordia’s having fallen asleep on her side of the couch.

Selene uncrossed her legs and took up another cup of tea. "It sounds very believable, all these things you’re saying... but I doubt Heaven will give up their ’unequal exchanges’ with Ayther willingly."

"Dealing with Heaven is a long-term goal. But I am reassured by the Chainbreakers being able to properly attribute the fault of who exactly maintains slavery on Ayther."

"’Behind every King is a whispering angel,’ as the saying goes," Selene sipped. "Only the Tower Lord of Aaru is honest enough to also have a demon whispering in his ear... not that Hell is without fault for its own practices."

"There is still a clear imbalance of power, I would argue," Kir said.

"Another time, please," Selene said. "I have learned far more today than I thought I would this month..." she chuckled. "In any case... we have an accord. Give us a list of who not to attack, and we will endeavor not to do so unless they directly attack us."

"I’m glad we could come to an arrangement," Kir said.

Selene then did something that put Kir on edge. She offered her hand.

Handshakes were slightly risky for Kir, given his glamour, but the way she was holding her hand out invited not a handshake but a kiss.

"What’s wrong? Never kissed the hand of a lady before?"

"Since when did you become a member of the gentry?" Kir chuckled nervously.

"Maybe I was in a past life, who knows," Selene countered, her own chuckle hyena-like. "It’s a common gesture no matter what class you are where I come from."

Tentatively, Kir took her hand from underneath. His glamour was immaterial, but able to compensate for only a few common movements like eating and scratching his face. Functionally, he was actually invisible while the glamour lay as close to his skin as possible. If he tried to kiss her hand though, his fake wolfkin muzzle would go right through her...

"Just do it doggy style," Kiryu snarked.

Before he could think otherwise, that’s exactly what Kir did, letting his tongue out and tilting so that the illusion covered most of its demonic-looking ridges as he gave her knuckles a quick ’dog-kiss.’

"Well... that’s very... traditional..." Selene remarked, a slight shudder passing along her arm before she withdrew the hand.

"If there’s nothing else, I would like to take Kordia and go."

"Whasszat?" Kordia started at the sound of her name. "I’m awake..."

"We were just finishing," Kir said.

"There is one more thing," Selene cleared her throat lightly. "I take it you didn’t notice, but Tulare seems rather enamored of your ideas." Kir hadn’t even remembered he was sitting next to the orc. He turned to find Tulare staring up at him with stars in his eyes. "I would like you to teach him in more detail than what we covered these last... oh gods, five hours?" she looked quickly at the clock in the corner. "I understand Moshui the Novel has an open call for new assistants?"

"She hires once a month, as far as I know," Kir replied.

"And since we know she works for you, could we count on you to perhaps weigh things in Tulare’s favor?"

Kir shook his head. "I can’t do that if he doesn’t have the right skills or experience. But..." Kir reached into his storage, pulling out a large sheaf of papers. "This is a study pack I make for my students. If he can learn and demonstrate mastery of everything in it, then I’m sure he’ll do fine." He gave the pack over to Selene, who opened it and started to browse.

"Mathematics, simple enough... algebra... Is it all math?"

"There’s some critical thinking, home economics, material sciences, and magicology in there as well, but I won’t stress too much about the last two. The point is: Does he have the tools to think? and Can he think?"

"Why would you include home economics in a study pack for mages?" Selene asked.

Kir shrugged. "Going to the Academy is expensive. I can’t have my students worrying over grades if they’re worried about eating. And there’s a lot that goes on in a kitchen that directly translates to understandings of the natural sciences, thus enhancing the supernatural ones."

Selene, already seemingly at a loss, raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "Well, Tulare, you think you can handle all this?"

"Yes ma’am!" the orc said enthusiastically.

"Good, because you’re starting right away, but don’t start slacking over at Mountain Grub, understood?"

"Yes ma’am!" Tulare replied.

Selene chuckled. "It seems you have a new fan."

Kir shrugged. "I prefer not to be idolized. But can I ask one thing before we go?"

"Go ahead."

"Why Ghostlights? Why not simply carry the Chainbreakers’ flag?"

Selene pursed her lips for a moment as she thought of her answer. "The new name does a few things. It lets us get established without drawing the same response that a Chainbreaker gang might. It associates us with Ghostheart, who I’m sure you’ve heard of."

"More than a little," Kir admitted, looking over at Tulare.

Selene continued "Tulare is a big fan... Quite the innovation, calling those picture books ’manga’. No doubt it was so lip-readers would think people were discussing mana."

The thought had never occurred to Kir, but he now saw it.

"And lastly, with Ghostheart having declared he’s left the city, it allows us to... keep the lanterns lit. If Norneau becomes a beacon for slaves and abolitionists, that means new recruits. And if it prospers... perhaps that will mean public acceptance in the name of preserving the new ways over the old, Heaven willing."

"May it be so," Kir said.

Their meeting concluded, Kir helped Kordia up and stood.

He was at the door when Selene called out.

"Oh, Professor, do answer one last question for me... When and where did we meet?"

Kir looked up, at a ceiling that was two-thirds of a meter from his face, before meeting her eyes. "In a place not far from here, in a time not long ago." He was sure those words were from something, but the reference escaped his mind.

Selene laughed a hyena’s laugh. "Alright then, keep your secrets. I look forward to our next visit."

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