Chapter 21
The grand opening of Sanctuary South attracted a wide array of people from the material plane as well as the hells, which included the namesake plane known as hell, the infernal plane, and the abyssal plane, respectively.
Mammoni did her part in bringing demon merchants to the city, using the Grubiit dungeon gate as the highway.
In taking that route, visiting demons also got to see how much fun they could have at Penny's when they passed through. Human adventurers would have to be high-level enough to get there via the dungeon, but any demon with access to Sanctuary South–a neutral zone that their culture recognized–had equal access to Penny’s Bar and Bathhouse.
Especially me.
My reputation, the curiosity that Penny's Bar and Bathhouse original launch generated, and my influence over Queen Ashley ensured that plenty of humans made the trip for Sanctuary South’s official opening day.
Podni’s sales efforts established a founding population of permanent residents–open-minded demons and humans, rich and poor–so there were people to receive the visitors.
I set the ambiance with succubi liberally spread throughout the city as living decorations, spawned by my dungeon core.
They were living, writhing statues that decorated rooftops, courtyards, and crossroads.
At Purity’s request, I established a few dozen orgasm wraith booths to help keep everyone in good spirits.
Having a rough morning? Pop into the booth for a pick-me-up.
If you don't clean up after yourself, you're guilty of a punishable offense under Sanctuary South law.
Disciplinary ideas came from Invia, and I looked forward to using them when the need arose. None of my punitive actions would be a surprise to anyone, by the way. The laws and punishments were written on massive stone tablets at the entry gates for all to see.
The Capital side of that gate was in one of the bourgey neighborhoods, and the Sanctuary side was on an island in the middle of our lake.
Though the island was large enough so it could accommodate additional gates in the future, it was still relatively small.
From there, visitors had to cross a bridge and walk down a small cobblestone road to the city’s main gate.
If the Capital ever fell and the gate was compromised somehow, our invaders would find themselves in a vulnerable position when they reached the other side.
If they survived being exposed and restricted on an island like that, they would still have to cross the bridge and lay siege to a walled city.
In siege warfare, starving the defenders of resources was a major strategy.
Eventually, the people inside would run out of food, and they would have to surrender.
Sanctuary South had teleporters and a dungeon core.
We would never run out of resources, and with my daily DP gain, I could add 100+ units to my army each day.
No matter how big the force at my walls was, we could outnumber them.
With my next construct design nearing completion, an army of Frozen Fiends wouldn’t be enough to make Sanctuary South fall.
Watching the city come to life from my bedroom in the sky was like watching a flower blossom. The world was brighter when a flower spread its petals, and I felt that lightness here. Now that Sanctuary South had come to life, the material plane got a little better and a lot more interesting.
My jewel of the tundra. My oasis. My stepping stone to the celestial planes and beyond.
And I made it possible. All of this, a whole new domain, was built by my own hands.
“My hands built this. You were a puppet.”
-11 to Progress to Your Fall.
Progress to Your Fall: 44 / 100 (Abaddon, King of the Abyss)
Never had a system notification delivered me so much relief. Even with my doubts and frustrations with the system, I was so elated that I had no problem ignoring Aurketzu.
Putting so much effort into Sanctuary South and Penny’s had been the right move, and the city’s history hadn’t even really begun.
The long-term benefits I built it for had yet to come to fruition and would need time to come to pass.
As those were realized, I hoped to see more and more Abaddon notifications, praising me for pushing my enemy farther from his goal with my every success.
Abby appeared behind me. “A Trina, Lyle, and Horpus are here to see you, sir.”
“They’re here? Inside the castle?”
“Waiting outside your throne room.”
“Looking up at me on a throne would only agitate people like them,” I said. “Direct them to my office instead. I'll speak with them there.”
Abby bowed and puffed away.
I wasn't sure my Thieves’ Guild colleagues would visit Sanctuary South, but I had made sure they knew they were invited.
“Quite the housewarming party,” Horpus said. Trina and Lyle nodded in agreement while their eyes took in every detail of my castle.
“Please, come in and sit.”
This office was purely decorative. Though the walls were lined with books and a grand stained glass window depicted a small-breasted red head bound and stretched by ropes, I never actually worked in this room.
This was on a public floor of the Silk Temple, so it was meant to be a meeting place for guests like Trina, Horpus, and Lyle.
It felt official, like a throne room but was less aggressive in its celebration of my grandeur.
“Advising us not to drink your new flagship beverage was an interesting note,” Lyle mused, settling into his seat. “Worried we can’t hold our liquor?”
Oh, right. Of all the variables at play for an opening day, I had forgotten entirely about the launch of distilled debauchery on the material plane.
Today, every person in Sanctuary South was entitled to a free drink of the new spirit.
By tomorrow, half the kingdom would know about this amazing beverage.
Just as merchants would come to Sanctuary South for our armor and our weapons, so would they for the debauchery.
Not wanting my contacts in the Thieves’ Guild to embarrass themselves, or me, I suggested they try distilled debauchery in private rather than during the public festivities. They had images to maintain and too many secrets to keep.
“I’d encourage you not to think about it like liquor,” I told Lyle. “If you drink more than one glass, you could wake up to a very different life tomorrow.”
Lyle chuckled. “My curiosity is piqued.”
“You’ll have fun. So, welcome to Sanctuary South. What can I do for you all?”
“For my part,” Trina began, “I was too curious not to come. I didn’t believe it when I heard this was built in the southern lands. Stepping through that gate is an experience, Byron. Seeing rolling green grass with snowstorms in the distance is tough to process at first.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Your magic item shops are well-stocked as well,” Lyle observed. “Interesting that the supply here seems perfectly healthy but has started to diminish everywhere else.”
“That is interesting,” I agreed. “I hadn’t heard that.”
The Silk monopolized most of the boss rooms in the kingdom, so we were claiming the majority of the magic items produced by dungeons. I couldn’t tell if Lyle was simply suspicious or if he had actually caught on to my boss rush teleporter loop. Not that it mattered either way.
“I have to say that seeing demons in the flesh will take me time to get used to,” Trina added. “You believe this peace will last?”
“In the hells, Demon Kings demonstrate their power by hosting neutral zones, places where no acts of aggression are permitted so that demons can trade freely with one another. This is the first neutral zone on our plane.”
Trina tilted her head. “Are you suggesting you’re a Demon King?”
“Not at all. The title isn’t what matters. It’s your ability to enforce the rules of a neutral zone. If demons don’t fear and respect you, they will violate the agreement, and the neutral zone will collapse.”
“So demons believe that you’re strong enough to smite them if they step out of line in your city?”
“Basically, yes.”
“And other Demon Kings fear you enough that they won’t attack?”
“Correct.”
Trina widened her eyes and then restrained herself, attempting to project confidence and comfort.
“Does this make you the founding member of a new Thieves’ Guild chapter?” Horpus asked jokingly, attempting to lighten the mood.
But I wasn’t amused. “The Thieves’ Guild can’t operate here. It would break its own rules.”
Horpus tilted his head. “I don’t follow.”
“We aren’t allowed to steal from fellow members, correct? Sanctuary South is mine. All of it.”
“We’ve never had to apply that rule at this scale,” Trina said. “Enforcing that would be difficult to do.”
“Did you see the laws at the gates?”
They each nodded.
“The punishments are quite extreme,” Horpus observed.
“I’m not worried about my ability to enforce rules,” I continued in my response to Trina. “I can’t have shortsighted mortals disturbing the first neutral zone between humans and demons.”
“...mortals?” Lyle asked, an eyebrow raised.
I ignored his question. “If any of you would like a home or an apartment in Sanctuary South, we still have a few for sale. Because you’re friends, I’ll share this secret with you: Sanctuary South will eventually become a nexus point for trade between every kingdom on the material plane.
They will all have a gate like the one in the Capital. ”
“You’re the center of all of it, and if people want to travel between kingdoms quickly, you own the highway,” Trina said.
“Also correct.”