Just as Algol was about to explode, Ryo casually popped a small piece of cake into his mouth and said:
“Of course, there’s always a way.”
“Hm?
What way?”
Algol’s curiosity was piqued.
She knew her demands were unreasonable.
But this was how she’d lived for years.
Anyone who wanted to borrow her power had to pay a price.
Even the previous chiefs of Perseus had treated her well inside the seal — good food, good drink.
And her standards weren’t even that high.
Just some quality skincare and cosmetics.
Sure, Little Garden was crawling with goddesses who looked radiant without any effort.
But as a woman, the pursuit of beauty was an innate need.
Little Garden’s cosmetics industry was thriving.
Even a goddess like Athena couldn’t escape that particular need.
“Now, I think it’s time to tell Al-chan our true identity.”
Ryo rested his chin on his hands and signaled Lamia with his eyes.
Lamia understood instantly, activating her Shadow Authority to conceal them.
“You can call us…
the Demon Lord Alliance — Ouroboros.”
“Demon Lord Alliance?
Interesting.
Go on.”
Algol’s curiosity was thoroughly hooked.
She materialized, sitting down beside Ryo, nibbling at dessert while listening to his explanation.
She was still wearing that odd outfit — like a sack held together with leather straps.
But Algol was naturally stunning, so instead of looking ridiculous, it gave her an exotic charm.
“Ouroboros is a community funded by multiple pantheons, composed of countless Demon Lords.
It has no shortage of capable people — even three-digit Demon Lords are nothing rare.”
“Oh, so it’s just a black-glove operation.
That’s it?”
Algol wasn’t particularly impressed.
Back when she’d served as the Primordial Demon Lilith under the Christian faction, she’d handled that kind of work — dirty jobs for Yahweh and Jesus that they couldn’t do themselves.
Ryo ignored her and continued calmly:
“Its Alliance Master is one of the seventeen Two-Digit beings in all of Little Garden — Black Heaven.”
Algol choked.
She went completely silent.
“Shit.
Fine.
A Two-Digit existence setting up a Demon Lord Alliance?
What was He planning?
What scheme?
What endgame?
This was way beyond what a small-time Demon Star like her should be mixed up in.
She couldn’t shake the feeling she might end up as a pawn in a game between Two-Digit beings.
“I’d have been better off staying in Athena’s seal.”
Algol said, half in despair.
At least there, thanks to a Star Spirit’s immortality, Athena couldn’t actually destroy her.
All she could do was keep her sealed.
But against a Two-Digit being?
Algol had no illusions.
Even if they couldn’t kill her outright, making her current situation far more miserable would be child’s play.
Now she understood where Ryo’s confidence came from.
Please.
With a Two-Digit being standing behind you, you’d have to be broken not to feel confident.
As for doubting Ryo’s words?
That was even more laughable.
Two-Digit beings were existences where “to speak their name is to be known.”
The fact that Ryo had spoken a Two-Digit being’s name without being punished was proof enough that he was telling the truth.
She had once been one step away from that realm herself.
She knew exactly how terrifying Two-Digit beings were.
“Relax, Al-chan.
As long as you behave, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
I’ve got people backing me too.”
Ryo waved his hand cheerfully.
This was exactly the effect he’d wanted.
Someone like Algol wasn’t easy to tame.
Only by revealing his backing — making her think twice about crossing him — and applying the right pressure could he get her to cooperate.
Algol had nothing to say.
She just stared at Ryo with dead fish eyes.
She finally understood why people hated privileged second-generation brats so much.
If you’re a rich kid, why not just stay home and coast?
Why go out and start a business from scratch?
She’d assumed Ryo just had some backing — a large pantheon or something that could help her weather Athena’s pressure.
But now…
she might genuinely end up as someone’s familiar.
With that settled, Ryo pulled out a phone and called Black Heaven without hesitation.
Look who I managed to rope in for you?”
“…”
The call connected without issue.
On the other end, Black Heaven listened in silence.
“This kind of trivial matter doesn’t require contacting me.”
“But Alliance Master, you never told me who my direct superior is.”
Ryo said innocently.
The only Ouroboros higher-ups he could contact were Black Heaven himself, his convenient elder sister Kurma — the Vice-Master — and Poseidon.
But could he really report something like this to Poseidon?
Black Heaven was silent for a moment, then rubbed his forehead wearily and turned to the white-haired girl zoning out beside him.
“Shouldn’t you have shaken off End Emptiness by now?
Have you not contacted your precious little brother?”
Kurma said nothing.
Her thousand-yard stare made it abundantly clear she’d completely forgotten about that.
Black Heaven fell silent.
He’d long known Kurma was unreliable, but this was beyond even his expectations.
Hello?
This is the little brother you personally snatched from Queen Halloween just days ago — at the risk of getting yourself killed by End Emptiness.
After a long pause, Black Heaven gave up and focused on the call.
He’d accepted Kurma’s request, after all.
When Ryo first arrived, Black Heaven had personally introduced him to Little Garden and set things up for him.
“Fine.
Tell me — who did you recruit for Ouroboros?”
Judging by Ryo’s excited tone, this was either a brag or a disaster he needed cleaned up.
Black Heaven really did hate bratty kids.
“I just recruited Algol.”
“…”
Another long silence on the other end.
Black Heaven was visibly struggling.
How the hell did Ryo recruit Algol in two days?
He’s only been in Little Garden for a few days, hasn’t he?
Where does this kid even find the time to cause this much trouble?
Ryo then gave a detailed account of his activities over the past two days — naturally including the so-called Dimensional Forum.
Black Heaven glanced across space at the forum within Ryo’s body.
A dimensional communication tool — nothing special.
He could build something similar with a bit of effort.
And its “enhancement” function could only raise a being’s life-force level to three-digit at best.
Might as well treat it as a portable tool for entering and leaving Little Garden.
His verdict: not even comparable to an Another Cosmology.