Primordial Villain With A Slave Harem

"Sounds like a fun mission and we've got the dream team to boot! Me, the two super rookies, and the esteemed ladies? Sign me the hell up!"

Ignis' boisterous declaration made me chuckle inwardly. He completely disregarded Ryker and his team as if they didn't exist while calling the two crazed women 'esteemed ladies,' letting me know he didn't want to get in trouble with either of them. They were not present, but rumors could still spread and reach them.

I also had something to say. "Lord Cipher, I don't have a problem with the mission either, but I struggle to see how Ryker and his team can benefit us. A smaller group would be more useful considering we'll have to move sneakily, as I doubt they would welcome us with open arms, even if they see Ghost's favorable impression of me. We'll also have to pass by the humans patrolling the borders where, again, they would just be extra baggage."

Ryker and his team were not present at this meeting as they were no longer Phenoms but Lunar Adepts; thus, I didn't feel the white-haired Selene's hateful glaring on my person when I blatantly called them useless. With that being said, even if they were present, I still would've stated the same.

Cipher eyed me for a second before his lips curled into an evil grin. "Every mission needs throwaway pawns when you have to deal with so many unknown variables. A hungry monster horde might ambush you; just cut their legs so they can serve as a meal offering while you make a run for it. The beast-kin might not react very favorably to your approach, as you said; you can use them as your meat shields. As for the guards spotting you, you don't need to worry. Lady Vex tends to travel to the lands of the Beastkin Confederation quite often in her lonesome, and she has never been caught. She assured us she can do this trip with a group of your size as well."

I didn't know what Vex was doing in their lands, but I wasn't going to dwell on the hobbies of that eccentric woman. As for Cipher's treatment of Ryker, well… It was ugly, showcasing perfectly what happened to those that the Consortium no longer valued. It even felt as if the leaders were angry with them, wishing to recoup the funds they invested into the team in the past decade by sending them as sacrificial pawns on this incredibly important mission.

"Understood. As the one tasked with this diplomatic mission, am I to understand that I'm the leader?"

"I admire the hustle, Devil!" Ignis laughed boisterously, cutting Cipher off before he could respond. The mustached man looked visibly angry with Ignis, but the latter didn't seem to care at all; he was busy having a good time.
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"Please, by all means, continue. Don't mind little old me." Ignis chuckled after having finished his rather rude outburst. He dismissively gestured at Cipher with his hand, earning himself some heavy glaring from the mediator's subordinate. It was evident Ignis wasn't highly respectful toward the seven faction leaders at the table, letting me know he thought the same about them as I did. They had enormous influence in the city of Braedon, but outside, they were not important figures.

As a highly esteemed Shadow Vanguard on the brink of becoming a Veil Walker, they couldn't touch him. Not physically, nor politically.

Cipher successfully calmed himself down with a strong inhale and exhale, after which he looked back in my direction and replied to my question. "Lady Vex, as the strongest, highest-ranked, and most experienced member, will lead the mission. However, during talks, you will be the decision maker, not her."

I nodded, happy with his words. I wasn't delusional nor self-important enough to think I could do a better job than the immensely powerful and highly experienced Vex. In fact, I was grateful such strong combatants like her, Raika, and Ignis were sent as more or less my bodyguards.

Their addition smelled of Black Fang's involvement. She basically gave me her two strongest allies besides Orianna, but the pink-haired Flower Queen was likely needed to run the drug department, making it hard to send her on a potentially lengthy mission like this. By donating me Vex and Raika, she was telling me she had high hopes of my success. At least, that was the hidden message I saw in her actions. Who knew what a woman with her mind was thinking in reality…

As for the reason I hoped to be the leader, it was that it would give me an even greater reputation should we succeed. Being named the leader of the diplomatic talks was more than enough for me to that end.

Why did I wish to have my name noted down as an important leader figure in this mission?

People remembered the generals who won wars, not their best-performing soldiers. If we succeeded in making even a temporary alliance with the beast tribes, my name's prestige would reach newer heights.

The meeting concluded rather swiftly as everyone suddenly found themselves quite busy with their new tasks.

"Ready to leave, super rookie?" Ignis asked after walking up to me and Ayame. Iris had already left to go somewhere; she likely had some steam to vent after bickering with Ayame for lengthy minutes. She was now [Subjugated] by me, so I wasn't worried about failing to find her.

"I'll have to meet you a few hours later after grabbing my Heralds. Speaking of, do you have a team of your own?"

He shook his head with a wry smile. "I had, but, well, teamwork and my wide-scale fire attacks didn't click too well with each other. I didn't injure them by accident or anything serious like that, but I found myself more effective if I just rolled solo as I didn't have to hold back. They are my dutiful maids now. It's nice; I don't even have to hire guards."

I didn't need to ask, for I already understood from contextual clues. They were not just his maids and guards but partners in bed as well. This madman decided to dress his girls in sexy maid clothes with some knives strapped to their boots or to their thigh highs under their skirts, or so I imagined how their uniform worked.

A harem of sexy battlemaid lovers waited for his arrival at home.

"You've got impeccable taste, Ignis." I decreed and felt the need to shake his hand, which he merrily accepted while laughing heartily. While I preferred to fight alongside my women, his choices were more than understandable as well.

"Men…" Ayame scoffed, but I could hear clear amusement in her tone. Seeing me interact with such an important and acclaimed figure like Ignis as if he were my long-lost brother must've been quite the curious sight for her.

We continued bantering for a minute more before the Ashbringer sighed, "Alright, we can continue once we hit the road. I'll gather up the… uh, what was their name again? P-R-B… Bobby? Yeah, I'll go with Bobby. I'll find Bobby and the woman with fatherless behavior; let's meet at the entrance in the forest. Since Cipher didn't tell us anything about where we would meet Vex and Raika, I'm assuming they'll find us on their own."

"Yeah, they got my contact." I stated while presenting my communication artifact. "And even if they don't call, I can just call them instead."

Ignis was turning to leave but immediately stopped in his tracks and his head snapped toward my direction with a bewildered expression.