Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

Seated in a cozy nook away from the lively crowd, Ivor and Hettie engaged in a playful exchange of words.

The pompous, egoistic, and rage-driven Ivor was nowhere to be found. Or rather, that side of him had been mellowed down to highlight the other aspects of his personality.

Sitting so close to her, Ivor couldn't resist expressing his admiration for Hettie's demonic beauty.

"You may think I'm stating the obvious, my dear. But your beauty could make even the most stoics blush," Ivor complimented, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Hettie responded with a devilish grin, "Well, you'd have to thank your friend. You wouldn't have said this to me if we had met in Purgatory," she said and chuckled.

Hettie was reminded of her time spent in Eliza's Purgatory as a wraith. At that time, she was reduced to being an old hag while she was under the influence of Eliza's Sin Series Ability. If it was up to her, she would have never let Eliza go for all that she had to suffer. But she respected Eren's decision and moved on, restarting her life in Labh Salem. Eventually, she managed to move away from her past.

Ivor had stressed expressions on his face. "Let's not talk about Purgatory here. To be honest, I don't have good memories regarding that place either." He sighed and took a deep breath before speaking with a newfound vigor. "Instead, let's talk about you. I… I gotta say wardrobe choices are on point like always. Those robes are devilishly stylish, my dear."

Hettie playfully twirled a strand of her hair, "Hehe. You know, Ivor there's a saying among the witches– that dogs guard, cats judge, and men praise the shit out of anyone they want to… fornicate with."

Ivor laughed heartily, "Well… that's not completely wrong. But I'd say that I can guard and judge you too. So you don't need cats and dogs because you got me."

Hettie looked at Ivor as if she wasn't expecting him to be so direct. "That's not—" she started laughing before she could prohibit Ivor's verbal advances.

The duo continued their banter, weaving puns and jokes into their conversation. Ivor couldn't resist another set of playful compliments with double entendres. Hettie responded accordingly while refilling her drink.

"Hm?"

Ivor stopped speaking to Hettie when his Spectral Screen suddenly popped up in front of him. It looked like Hettie experienced the same thing too because she also grew quiet at the same time as if she was shocked by something in front of her.

The entire den went into silent mode all of a sudden because of a certain phenomenon. It looked like everyone had started noticing some changes in the Spectral Screens they had access to.

'Hm? What the hell is this thing?'

Ivor asked himself as he opened a new subpanel in his Spectral Screen that he had never seen before. He quickly explored it to see what kind of features it had.

This new subpanel was named Agora. It came with an introduction.

[ Goddess Menaka is proud to unveil the latest addition to the Mesh – the Agora subpanel. It represents a groundbreaking leap in mass communication within the Mesh.

The Agora sub-panel serves as a dedicated space where entities across Labh Salem can converge, exchange ideas, and engage in free-flowing communication. This dynamic platform transcends traditional Mesh capabilities, offering a spectrum of features tailored to the diverse needs of its users. ]

The more Ivor read through the description the more confused he got. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" he asked Hettie, unsure of what this new feature was all about.

"Um… I think so," Hettie answered while reading through the introduction of the new subpanel. She had never seen or heard about this sub-panel. Menaka's Blessings hardly ever changed with time. And the changes it came with were minimal at best for the most part. However, this was the first time in Labh Salem's known history that the goddess had decided to introduce something new to the Mesh.

The fiend was as clueless as Ivor but she kept on reading instead of asking questions.

[ Key Features of Agora are listed below.

Universal Access: Agora opens its gates to all Mesh users, ensuring unlimited access after paying 20 Menaka's Runes annually. Regardless of faith, faction, or allegiance, entities from every corner of Labh Salem can participate in this shared space.

Live and Recorded Messaging: Users of Menaka's Blessing can broadcast live messages to the entire Mesh or submit recorded messages for later access. This feature allows for real-time communication as well as asynchronous engagement, fostering a sense of community across distances.

Interactive Social Networking: Agora facilitates a new form of social networking within Labh Salem. Entities can connect, share thoughts, and engage in discussions, creating a vibrant community that transcends traditional boundaries.

Diverse Content Consumption: The subpanel supports a range of content types, from educational lectures and divine teachings to entertainment and cultural events. Agora becomes a melting pot of knowledge, creativity, and expression.

As Agora takes its place within the Mesh, it is poised to become a beacon of inspiration, transcending divine and demonic boundaries. Free from the constraints of the existing order, Agora allows everyone to be a contributor, a listener, and a catalyst for change.

Join us in the Agora subpanel, where communication knows no bounds, and the journey towards a connected Labh Salem begins.]

"Hm? It looks like it's some kind of communication feature– I think," Ivor scratched the back of his head as he tried to make sense of things. "It'll probably be used by priests, archpriests from the enemy side. In our case, it'll probably be beneficial to Demon Generals and Demon Barons. I don't think it has anything to do with us," he said while sounding unsure.

"Hmm," Hettie pondered a bit before thinking out loud. "Still, it doesn't hurt to see what this thing is all about at the cost of 20 Menaka's Runes, right? I'll pay and see what happens," she said before selecting a particular option. In the next moment, 20 Menaka's Runes were deducted from her balance and the Agora subpanel was completely open for her. It seemed that everyone had come to the same conclusion as Hettie and decided to pay for the sub-panel out of curiosity.

Hettie's expression turned grim when she saw the very first post of the sub-panel. She looked at Ivor with careful expressions, and looked around to see if anyone was looking at them, before speaking to him in a low voice. "You might want to see the very first entry of this subpanel."

"Hm?" Ivor knew Hettie. She didn't easily get spooked. So he quickly paid the entry amount for the sub panel in order to see what her partner was talking about. His expression also turned dead serious when he read the name of the first and only post present in the Agora.

[ A Message from True Inheritor of the Elder Ichor ]