The Black Necromancer

With a bright flash of light, Leon and his summons appeared in the middle of the throne room of Michael's temple.

'Of course, he made sure we came right here.' Leon thought to himself and turned to look at the throne where Michael was already seated with a smile on his face.

"That was quite the spectacular battle you had there." Michael chuckled and got up, walking over to Leon and the others.

"Impossible! Michael, is that you?!" Darwin was frozen with shock as he beheld the powerful God and old friend that he had not seen in a very long time.

Michael's expression turned somber as he turned his gaze to his old friend and most loyal subordinate.

"It has been a long time, Darwin. I am sorry I am late." Michael's expression turned to the same sad one that he had shown Dibella when he set his eyes on her.

"I will give you two some space to talk. And I will also tell Dibella to come and meet you, if that is fine with you." Leon said, as he did not want to intrude on the moment.

"That will be good, thank you." Michael nodded appreciatively at Leon as he made his way out of the throne room.

Leon contacted Rakon and sent a summon to tell Eric that he had returned, all while making his way to Dibella's home. She did not live far from his mansion, which was just a short distance from the temple.

"Dibella." Leon's knuckles rapped against the door of her home, and he waited a few moments before it was pulled open.

What surprised him was that there was no one there. However, it only took a moment for him to see the thin thread of silk that was connected to the door knob.

"...What?" Looking around, Leon spotted a lot more threads of webs than ran all over the house.

Clink!

A thread of web carried a plate and some cutleries through the living room and to another part of the house.

"Oh, don't mind me! You can come in, I am just a bit busy!" Dibella's voice came from inside the house. Leon shook his head with a chuckle as he realized what was going on. Dibella was using her webs to manipulate various aspects of her home without being present there.

He followed the plate and cutleries to the kitchen where the spider queen was busy doing dishes.

"Ah, hello, Leon. Sorry I could not welcome you at the door." Dibella smiled sweetly as she dried the plates with a rag.

"It's fine. I just came to tell you that Michael wanted to see you." Leon said, looking around. Dibella had really made herself at home in the time that she had spent here after regaining her human form.

"Oh? Then I will go over right away." She said with obvious surprise. She quickly dried her hands with a towel and turned to follow Leon as he left the house. Just as she was about to pass him by, he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Keep a firm mind." He told her with a simple tone, and her face hardened. She instantly knew that this had something to do with one of her companions from the Era of Gods.

"I will, thank you." She nodded and clenched her fists before rushing off.

Leon could only sigh and turn to go to his mansion. He needed to discuss some matters with Eric and Rakon considering their defenses, and then send the new summons he had gotten to the shore, where their abilities could be better put to use in the coming battles.

By the time he arrived inside the meeting room, Leon saw that the two people he had requested for were also present. He had also taken the liberty to ask for Nasir, but he heard that the man had gone on a routine scouting mission with a few of the soldiers in the town.

"Well, tell me everything that has happened in my absence. Any signs of enemies? Any more immigrants? What do you have for me?" After exchanging greetings, Leon stood at the head of the table and looked over the map that showed the southern edge of the map where the Desolate Lands were located. Certain markers with different meanings had been placed all over the map.

"There has not been much change, Your Excellency. There have been no signs of enemies, while the number of people that had joined us have surpassed two hundred in your absence. We only just settled them in a few hours before you returned." Rakon spoke. He was the one in charge of internal affairs for the most part. The Royal White Millipede explained a few more details for Leon before handing over to Eric to explain the developments concerning their war readiness.

"There have been no changes to the waters so far, Your Excellency. We have stationed a few more battalions closer to shore in order to prepare for anything, while several more companies of our men scour the surrounding areas for settlements or any deposits of valuable materials, just as you asked. We have failed to discover any of them yet." Eric reported, and Leon nodded his head. He had not expected any immediate results on that front.

"I see. You have both done well." Leon nodded his head. "I have returned with some new summons. They will work best in swampy areas, but they can also do well in the sea. I want them to be taken out to the shore in order to bolster our lines there." He said.

"New summons?" Eric raised his eyebrows.

"Yes. Great Crocodiles, Great Pythons, Bogmen, and the like." Leon nodded his head.

Eric's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before he looked up with uncertainty.

"Permit me to ask a question, Your Excellency." Eric bowed his head slightly.

"You may ask."

You said you had traveled to the Swamp of Despair, right?" The brown haired man asked slowly.