The Rise of the Black Plain

In that bathtub in the courtyard of Minos' residence, the three women were close to each other as they stood together with him.

Abby was hugging Minos' left arm, while Ruth was hugging his right one. On the other hand, Gloria was on top of this individual, with her head resting on his chest.

"Minos, thank you~" Gloria commented in a somewhat sleepy tone, feeling like just finding a bed and sleeping after today's adventures.

"Hmm, don't forget, don't fight anymore. You can settle your differences with dialogue, but I won't allow you to be violent with each other." He said in a low voice as he looked at Gloria and then at Abby.

"All right..." The two replied as Ruth felt Minos massaging her waist.

"For now, I'll give you a room separate from ours in this residence, okay, Gloria?" 

"Oh? You want me to stay here? Don't you think people will find it strange that someone from the Spiritual Church is sleeping in your house?" She turned her face slightly to look at him.

"Other people's opinions don't matter. As long as it's okay with you..." He smiled, smelling the scent of her red hair.

"Okay then." She blushed.

He continued. "Besides, we'll see how the rest will work out day to day. But don't hesitate to talk about it so we can find a better way for our relationship to work."

The three nodded at hearing his voice, pleased with the situation.

Of course, each would prefer to have Minos all to herself. But that was impossible, so working together and trying to be happy like the last few hours was already perfect for these women.

And for better or worse, three of them could handle the beast called Minos much better than just one or just two.

They had all figured that out by now, even Abby, who saw how she and Ruth had lasted longer on that occasion earlier because of Gloria's presence. 

'I truly failed to keep him home... Maybe this woman really can help us...' Abby looked at Gloria, still feeling a certain discomfort in her heart but much more okay with that.

"Anyway, from now on, you will be living in Dry City. Have you decided how you will handle Church business from here? I still won't welcome your organization in my city, even with our relationship..." He looked at her and tried not to smile.

"Sigh..."

"Well, no problem. I already led this region from the Flaming Empire, so I just have to get the local branches to notify me here in the Black Plain, not where I came from." She said after a soft sigh.

"But there isn't that much to do. Since the region is still fragile, I've hardly had to get directly involved in regional affairs in the past. So, in general, I just keep an eye on the region on behalf of the Church."

"Oh?" Abby said in surprise. "It does seem like an easy job... No wonder you're already at level 68, huh?"

"You have plenty of time to train."

"Still," Ruth shook her head negatively. "Even with that much time, Gloria's talent has to be pretty good for her to have reached that level so young."

"My master, when she reached that level, she was already over 120 years old." 

Gloria looked at Ruth and smiled, pleased that this woman understood the situation. But she soon put that thought aside to praise them. "But you are doing much better than me..."

"At this current rate, you will all reach level 69, younger than me." Gloria looked at Minos, curious to know about his secrets.

Minos laughed at that. "Gloria, if you are interested in how we did it in this region, I'm afraid you will have to choose me over the Spiritual Church. Otherwise, let's leave that matter for later."

She frowned her eyebrows and finally moved away from him. "Why?"

"If one day you can make that choice or keep your man's secrets from the Church, I will answer you. But, until then, it's best if we don't even talk about it."

"That..." She looked down, trying to find an alternative. But the only one there was Minos would definitely not accept. "All right, I'll wait."

"Fine. But speaking of the Spiritual Church, I have some official business to resolve with you."

"What is it? Is it about these people coming into the region?"

Abby answered in Minos' place. "Yes. We found out that the people entering the region are criminals. They got word of our territory's amazingness through a rumor in the Albano underworld."

"We believe that someone is arming against the Black Plain to weaken us in a conflict with these criminals."

Gloria's eyes widened in surprise at this information, as she did not expect something like this from such a situation. "Well, I can't do anything against these Spiritual Kings as they are technically allowed to do what they are doing."

"But I can communicate with the Church branch in Albano and see if I can get any information of movements of local powers. We'll sort it out if it's something orchestrated by a large organization."

Ruth then asked. "What about those behind the Spiritual Saints who have come to Black Plain in the last two years? Maybe this is related to them."

Gloria then got out of that tub, grabbed one of the towels on a table, and began to dry herself off. "About that, we have started an investigation into this situation, and we already know that these people left Vogel before coming to Black Plain. But the investigations are only in the preliminary stages, so it might take another two or three years before we catch the culprits."

"Two or three years?" Minos frowned his eyebrows. "All that?"

"All that?" She repeated, laughing as she watched the other two women drying themselves off beside her. "That's already too fast. Spiritual Saints can live over 6,000 years, but our investigation will catch and end this person in less than three years."

"That's too fast!"

"I don't think so..." Minos raised and lowered his shoulders.

"Tsk!"

"In any case, a Spiritual Saint is not an ordinary person. Then, the kind of investigation needed to find one is complex. Only other Spiritual Saints or stronger individuals can investigate someone like that. Therefore, few people can work on the matter..."

"Hence the reason we need a few years to locate them." She explained. But after saying that, she remembered something and commented. "But maybe that will be solved faster. I heard that the Gray Clouds Sect is investigating this and even attacked a sect in Vogel during this period."

"Then maybe your mama will shorten the resolution of the problem."

Minos made an unhappy expression upon hearing that. "It would be better if we settled this between us..."

"How proud!" Gloria laughed. "Why act like this? I hear your mother has already reached level 71! She can help you a lot, especially now that her position as heiress of the Gray Clouds Sect is more solidified."

"Level 71?" Minos asked as Ruth smiled in happiness at Maisie's advancement. "Well, good for her and her sect. But I don't care about their good deeds..."

"Why? Aren't you trying to get my help with the Church?" She smiled. "What difference does it make to get help from your family?"

"Abby, Ruth, and now you are all my family. So, obviously, I will use your skills since we are building a future that will serve all of us and our descendants."

"That's different from that sect. I don't want to owe those people anything." He said as the three blushed, happy that he was so decisive about them.

"Minos..." Gloria softly said as she helped him finish getting dressed.

Ruth and Abby were also buttoning the clothes on Minos' body while looking at him with eyes full of affection.

Gloria then said after a few seconds. "All right, let's try to deal with it on our own."

"But about the possibility that this enemy in Vogel is behind the rumors in Albano, this really exists. But for now, I have no way to do anything about it. I will just add that suspicion to those rebels defying the Church."

...