“... and here is the contract between V&V and Heaven to authorize the ‘SP covenant.’” Victor handed the council a pile of documents, “It includes the construction of a new hospital, schools, and angelic public teletransports.”

Since his mansion hadn’t been rebuilt since the Nightblades burned it to the ground, the Vizier had been forced to run his meetings in Vainqueur’s castle. In the dimly lit hall, the council looked like some criminal conspiracy gathering; even with an angel in their midst.

As promised, the Vizier had finished preparing the El Dorado trip before taking his ‘vacation’. Sort of. Victor still wondered whether they should make a stop in Atlantis or the pirate islands near the New World’s coast, or maybe both if they had the time. But he had worked out most of the details, gathered the necessary supplies, and reassured Vainqueur.

To make sure the empire ran itself in his absence, Victor had granted power to an assembly of Murmurin’s most powerful and responsible denizens: Allison, Charlene, Jules, Malfy, and Miel. Marbré had been given an honorary observator seat, but would supervise improvements of their flying ship.

Victor still wondered if inviting Malfy and Miel was the right call. At this point, even if they weren’t truly Vainqueur’s minions, they had embedded themselves so deeply in Murmurin’s infrastructures that the nascent nation wouldn’t work without them. However, considering their ideological divide, the vizier hoped Jules and the others would smooth their tensions.

He would have also liked to add Red Ranger to this assembly, but the former kobold was occupied with bodyguarding Vainqueur’s niece Jolie, in the south.

“Finally, these years of toiling to redeem wicked souls will pay off,” Miel said, hugging the documents against her chest. “I can sense my incoming promotion.”

Murmurin had a public service. Victor never thought he would live to see the day.

The rest of the ‘imperial council’ seemed divided on the subject though. “In my case, I only sense the shoddy service,” Malfy the fiend said. After his near-death experience at the hands of the Nightblades, he had recovered in time for the new ‘Heaven Deal.’ “You bureaucrats know nothing of customer experience!”

“You are jealous that we won this public procurement contract,” Miel taunted him, Malfy chittering in response.

“Allison, remember to feed Junior and my slimes in my absence,” Victor asked his friend. “My excalitrap is not a picky eater, but it barks threateningly at people if hungry.”

“Sure,” the dryad said with a smile. “I saw that it decided to participate in the minion tournament, as did many other citizens.”

“Those who pass the qualifiers will each receive a Crest we pilfered from the Nightblades,” said Charlene, who now spent half her time between the syndicate’s HQ and Murmurin itself. “With effort, the participants will be ready for a [Mook Promotion] after Victor’s return. Even you, Malfy.”

“I will not forget the courtesy,” the fiend replied, making it somehow sound like a shady favor exchange.

“I believe you should have enjoyed an overplanar vacation,” Miel told Victor. “We have an excellent Nirvana resort for clie—paragons of virtue such as you.”

“I would rather wander around on my horse, knight errant style.” Considering its reputation, Victor had thought it wise not to mention where he went to study to the angel or the rest of the council for that matter. “If there is any problem, contact me and I will make my way back.”

“Sir, you’re only leaving for one week,” Jules reassured him, but then blew it. “What could possibly go wrong?”

Everything!

“You know, on second thought, maybe I don’t need to—”

“Vic, you clearly need some time off,” Allison interrupted him with a kind smile. “You can trust us. Rolo and I helped manage this village long before you arrived, we will handle it.”

“You and His Majesty have often left for a while, and even though our population has grown tenfold in size since, we need to learn how to manage things in your absence,” Jules pointed out, “Especially if we are to survive the test of time.”

“But—”

“Everything will be fine,” Allison insisted.

Victor relented, silently praying Murmurin didn’t blow up in his absence.

Afterward, they finished reviewing the various issues, from the budget to mining reports; being mostly sure the country would survive until tomorrow at least, Victor allowed the various councilmen to take their leave. “Congratulations, Mr. Dalton,” Malfy whispered to him on his way out. “You scammed the pigeon with such skillfulness, like a true master…”

“Scammed?” Victor asked.

“Thanks to your subtle guidance, the angel no longer advertises for her heavenly insurances, focusing instead on her subpar ‘public service,’” Malfy rejoiced. “By giving the feathered bureaucrats the SP they wanted, you have chased them away from our core soul market.”

Considering how difficult it had been for Miel to pitch her insurance to Murmurin’s monstrous population, Victor figured out that her superiors simply considered the place a lost cause. They would probably harvest the SP to expand elsewhere. And while Malfy only saw the short-term profits, an angelic public service would allow Heaven to gather followers over time.

“Although I insist that Happyland be allowed to create private schools,” Malfy said, ever the entrepreneur. “So we can tutor the elite of this nation in the proper ways, separated from the plebians.”

“About schools, have you heard of Scholomance?” Victor asked, figuring out the fiend might know of it.

“Scholomance is the most prestigious establishment that Happyland ever sponsored,” Malfy said with almost religious awe, before grumbling as he left. “I am still bitter that Maure Incorporated got their logo on the door first.”

Allison was the last one to leave. “Chocolatine told me she would visit you after this meeting,” she said. “She baked something all for you.”

“Something alive?” the dryad shrugged. “About Choc…”

“Yes?”

“A while ago, my [Monster Insight] told me that you had something of a crush on her,” Victor said, the dryad not denying it. “I’m surprised why you tried to set us up.”

“I am a priestess of the goddess of love,” Allison said. “I can tell when feelings are not returned, and when it is not proper to insist. She is… extreme.”

No kidding. “I dunno, how can you say that if you haven’t tried?”

Charisma check successful.