Page 52 of The Dark Lord Awakens (Dark Service #1)

Lucien/Beau

A fter the initial reports on camp conditions and the forest threat, Lord Taxman cleared his throat, his spectacles gleaming with unusual enthusiasm.

“My lord, if I may present the commercial reports?” He produced a ledger bound in what appeared to be shimmering shadow leather. “The treasury situation has been… transformed.”

He opened the ledger with a flourish that seemed almost theatrical for the normally stiff demon. “For the first time in Iferona’s recorded history, we are generating external revenue! The void commerce system has produced more income in one month than five years of internal taxation!”

The small, meticulous demon was practically vibrating with excitement, his voice rising an octave. “We have customers in thirty-seven realms! Repeat orders have increased by one hundred forty-two percent! Our customer satisfaction rating exceeds ninety-six percent!”

“I’m glad it’s working out,” I said, amused by his uncharacteristic animation.

“Working out? My lord, it is REVOLUTIONARY!” Lord Taxman clutched the ledger to his chest like a beloved child. “For centuries, we’ve struggled to extract minimal taxes from an impoverished population. Now we’re selling basic items from our realm for premium prices to wealthy external customers!”

He turned to the other department heads. “Your commercial reports, please. Lady Shadowfax, your Shadow Essence operation first.”

Lady Shadowfax inclined her head slightly.

“The extraction teams have doubled output using the void equipment. The new containment vessels prevent degradation during storage, allowing us to fulfill larger orders. I request permission to acquire additional extraction equipment and expand operations into the northern caverns.”

“Granted.” I nodded. “Supremo can process that order today.”

Duke Splashypants surged forward eagerly, webbed hands gesturing dramatically.

“My lord! The Void Mushroom cultivation has exceeded all expectations! We have developed three new variants with enhanced properties! The ‘Midnight Velvet’ strain has proven particularly popular among customers seeking… intimate enhancements.”

He leaned forward conspiratorially. “I have prepared a proposal for expanding our cultivation chambers using void hydroponics technology. With your approval, we could triple production within two weeks!”

“Approved, but remember our agreement about naming conventions,” I said firmly. “No mushrooms named after me, especially the ones with… intimate applications.”

“Of course, my lord,” Duke Splashypants agreed, looking only slightly disappointed.

Mistress Pokey’s bark-like skin seemed to glow with subtle bioluminescence as she reported next.

“The Nightshade Pollen harvest has been exceptional. Using the void cultivation techniques, we’ve increased potency by thirty-seven percent while reducing growth time.

The ‘Twilight Lover’s Package’ combining our pollen with Duke Splashypants’ mushrooms has proven quite lucrative. ”

She produced a small vial containing what looked like iridescent dust. “We’ve developed a new product—Luminous Pollen Extract—with applications in luxury cosmetics. Initial market testing suggests potential pricing at five hundred OpenTokens per vial.”

“That’s… impressive,” I admitted, watching the pollen shimmer as it caught the light.

“I request permission to acquire additional greenhouse equipment and specialized harvesting tools,” she continued. “The void catalog offers automated pollination systems that would increase yield by approximately sixty percent.”

“Make a list of what you need,” I told her. “We’ll place the order this afternoon.”

General Smashington cleared his throat—a sound like boulders tumbling down a mountainside. “The Demon-Forged Metals operation has… encountered certain challenges.”

“By which he means he broke three fulfillment terminals before delegating the entire operation to Craftsman372,” Lord Taxman interjected dryly.

The massive general shifted uncomfortably. “My hands are not designed for delicate packaging.”

“That’s fine,” I assured him. “Play to your strengths. How’s Craftsman372 handling things?”

“Surprisingly well,” General Smashington admitted. “Though his product descriptions require constant editing. His initial listings described our ceremonial daggers as ‘perfect for disemboweling enemies and displaying their entrails as warnings to others.’”

“Not exactly marketing copy that appeals to a broad audience,” I noted.

“Indeed. We have revised our approach to emphasize ‘collector value’ and ‘authentic demonic craftsmanship’ instead.” The general produced a tablet showing revised listings with professional images of weapons displayed against dark backgrounds.

“Sales have improved significantly since the adjustments.”

“I need additional forge equipment,” he continued. “The void catalog offers automated tempering systems that would improve production efficiency while maintaining traditional crafting techniques.”

“Add it to the list.” I nodded.

Magister Wiggles practically vibrated with excitement as his turn came. “My lord! Our Twilight Crystal exports have attracted significant academic interest! Three arcane universities have requested exclusive research partnerships! I have drafted potential collaboration agreements for your review!”

The ancient scholar’s translucent skin swirled with magical patterns that seemed more complex and colorful than I remembered.

“With your permission, I would like to acquire specialized void equipment for crystal refinement and classification. The enhanced crystals show remarkable properties when processed using void techniques!”

“Approved,” I said, making a mental note to review those collaboration agreements carefully. The last thing we needed was magical researchers poking around Iferona’s secrets without proper oversight.

Throughout the reports, I couldn’t help but notice the physical changes in all the department heads.

Nothing dramatic, but unmistakable to someone who saw them daily.

They were becoming more defined, more vibrant versions of themselves—as if someone had adjusted their contrast and saturation settings.

I also found myself watching Azrael from the corner of my eye, seeing his attentive posture and meticulous note-taking in a new light.

Was he recording which items I touched during the meeting for future “Divine Relics” listings?

When he carefully collected my empty teacup, was he planning to preserve it as a “Sacred Vessel of the Dark Lord’s Sustenance”?

The thought was both amusing and slightly unsettling.

Lord Taxman cleared his throat again, drawing my attention back to the meeting. “There is one more commercial matter, my lord. Several department heads have expressed interest in expanding our product lines to include… premium offerings.”

“Premium offerings?” I asked, immediately suspicious.

“Enhanced versions of our standard exports,” he explained smoothly. “Limited edition items with… special provenance.”

I narrowed my eyes, wondering if this was somehow connected to Azrael’s unauthorized merchandise operation. “What kind of special provenance?”

Lord Taxman adjusted his spectacles nervously. “Items prepared in your presence or briefly exposed to your… aura. Nothing invasive, of course! Merely leveraging the natural mystique surrounding your person for commercial advantage.”

So they all wanted to get in on the “Lucien merchandise” game. Fantastic.

“We’ll discuss this another time,” I said firmly. “For now, focus on expanding our core product lines and improving efficiency.”

“Of course, my lord,” Lord Taxman agreed, though I noticed several disappointed glances exchanged among the department heads. Apparently, everyone wanted a piece of the Dark Lord merchandise market that Azrael had pioneered.

“Before we conclude,” I said as the reports wound down, “I want updates on the city rebuilding preparations. The planning council meets this afternoon, and I need to know where we stand.”

Sir Formalitee practically levitated with excitement, his paperlike skin rustling as he consulted his ever-present clipboard. “My lord! The preliminary designs are complete! The infrastructure schematics have been finalized! The zoning proposals await your divine approval!”

“Take a breath, Formalitee,” I suggested, amused by his enthusiasm. “You look like you’re about to spontaneously combust, and I’m pretty sure that would violate at least three of your beloved building codes.”

The administrative demon composed himself with visible effort. “Forgive my exuberance, my lord. The void manuals have been most illuminating! Revolutionary! Paradigm-shifting!”

“I can see that,” I said dryly. “Give me the highlights—what’s your vision for the new Iferona?”

Sir Formalitee launched into a passionate overview of the rebuilding plans, complete with elaborate hand gestures and the occasional reverential pause when mentioning particularly exciting concepts like “integrated sewage systems” or “zoned commercial districts.”

The core of the plan was solid—rebuilding the city with proper infrastructure, organized districts, and modern amenities. The most revolutionary aspect, at least to the demons, was the concept of multistory buildings to maximize space efficiency.

“The apartment concept would allow us to house five times the population in the same land area!” Sir Formalitee exclaimed, his eyes shining with almost religious fervor. “Fifty-story structures with integrated utilities and communal spaces!”

“Fifty stories might be a bit ambitious for our first attempt,” I cautioned. “Let’s start with something more manageable—maybe twenty stories maximum?”

“A most wise limitation, my lord,” Azrael murmured from behind me. I didn’t need to turn around to know he was pleased by my deference to the Dark Citadel’s symbolic height supremacy.