John reappeared in his office at Myth Inc. HQ, carrying Asako in his arms.
The Seiryuu Heiress was still unconscious, and probably would be for a while judging from how bad she was wounded.
"Mm..." John glanced at Asako and said, "I patched her up, but it might be better for Betty to take a look."
It wasn't a matter of not being able to heal the young woman, but a matter of not knowing the degree to heal her.
It was a bit embarrassing for John to admit, but most of the times he didn't know how to restrain himself.
And not in terms of handling women. No, he quickly learned that particular lesson back in the Three Realms.
Rather, he didn't know what wounds would be naturally healing and what wounds to patch up.
Furthermore... he had already goofed by directly intervening with a girl's fate again, so it was better to hand Asako off to Beta who was immune to getting wrapped up in karma like that.
Also, probably less creepy for someone like Beta to change and dress Asako's wounds than himself. Especially considering John intended to hire her and he definitely didn't want to get sexual harassment complaints filed on the first day.
So with that decided, John warped back to the top floor and-
"How are you this incapable? It is a simple matter of adjusting your vocal- Ah, Father." Beta turned around, smiling.
Behind her, Alpha was crouched down, lowering her head in shame.
John blinked and said, "Is there something I should be concerned about here?"
Alpha stood up and shook her head. "N-No. It's nothing, Father. Beta was just... helping me with something. A personal project."
"...Riiight." John felt that something was up. And he was also concerned considering that it was usually Alphy who bossed Betty around... but the two didn't seem to be arguing with each other, so he let it slide.
Beta glanced at the woman in John's arms and said, "Is that the new hire you spoke of, Father?"
"Hm?" Alpha stood up and said, "New hire- E-Eh?!" Alpha's eyes widened and then they narrowed in anger. "Father! Why did you choose her?! Did you forget what she did?"
John glanced at Alpha and said, "Don't forget that you're the one who fell for her provocation, Alphy... But I don't think you need to worry about that happening again."
"What? Are you going to bind her soul to you or something?" Alpha's crimson eyes gleamed, staring at Asako. "If so, I can do it for you."
"Alphy, no."
Alpha flinched and then sighed. "...Fine. I'm going to sleep then." Saying that, she spun on her heel and stomped off, warping away to the lounge.
John didn't follow her, but he saw her flop on the spare futon there and stubbornly throw a blanket over her head. After that, she pulled out her usual Mintendo Switch and started playing a game, the faint light from the screen shining on her delicate face.
It was childish. Just like a petulant kid.
But John let it go. After all, that was definitely healthier coping behavior than bottling it all up like before.
Well, not completely, but baby steps.
"Father?" Beta called out, still staring at Asako. "That woman?"
John walked over to the bed, planning to set her down there. But then he remembered that Alphy claimed that bed and would probably get even more upset if he let Asako sleep on it.
Instead, John walked over to the opposite corner and made another bed before setting Asako down. When he did, John looked to Beta and said, "Betty. Could you examine her and make sure that she's healed, but not enough to be unexplainable?"
Beta sighed, walking over. "Always with the tasks, Father. What if I want a break as well?"
John winced.
Beta smiled. "I jest. After all, someone has to ensure that you do not get wrapped up in too much trouble until Mistress arrives." She knelt down on the bed beside Asako and then grabbed the Seiryuu Heiress's wrist, examining her body with spiritual sense.
John sighed. "I can't imagine life without you, Betty. You know that?"
"Tell that to Mistress when she arrives, Father. But I appreciate the sentiment." Beta's orange eyes shimmered, shining in the seven colors of the rainbow before settling on green. But a softer shade than John's harsh green eyes, more like the emerald forests than imperial jade.
John waited, letting his daughter do her work.
She was silent, her now green eyes carefully scanning Asako's body in utmost concentration.
Seeing that, John went over his upcoming week's battle plan.
First off, the issue with the Seiryuu Alliance.
John was tempted to go ahead and assassinate the head and install Asako.
It wasn't anything new. He'd done it more than a few times in the past with a few uppity clans... and an entire realm in one instance.
But he had the feeling that would end poorly. Force and violence would solve the issue, but he also didn't want to get into the habit of doing that.
After all, that would set a bad example for Alphy and Betty as well as stir up all sorts of trouble.
No, no. The best option there was to hire Asako and help her slowly build her forces to settle things. Maybe also enlist the help of the Torabu clan... That grandfather and granddaughter pair seemed to have some connections with them.
John also had his Yakuza replicas to play with... though apparently those guys were real people in this world. Well, if not that then there were some guys who were similar enough to spook Kai.
In any case, that should be settled. And for good measure, John would head out the first thing tomorrow to lay down restrictions to purposefully repel Seiryuu clan members from his friends and their families... Which currently consisted of Kai, Sakura, and their two daughters.
Some defensive talismans would be good too. Unlike his issues that weren't bad karma per se, this situation definitely was.
Which meant he could stop it from happening without negative consequences to the parties involved.
...Well, not completely. The Seiryuu would definitely feel the brunt of it-
An idea popped into John's head. A way to weaponize the events that had been happening to him.
"Mm." Beta's soft voice echoed and she stood up. As she did, her eyes changed colors to crimson and she waved her hand. Like how John created things from thin air, Beta did the same, forming a sterile steel table with medical tools. "It should be straightforward procedures. Of course." She glanced back at John and said, "I will have to ask Father to go elsewhere for the time being."
John nodded. "I'll leave it to you then."
Beta nodded, her eyes flickering back to the soft green hue before turning to Asako. "It should be finished by morning... I will handle this affair so as to not have you entangle yourself with yet another young woman. In the meantime, please arrange the plans for when Mistress arrives."
John blinked. "Right. I should definitely do that..."
"Ah." Beta picked up a scalpel and some gauze and then said, "In addition, for the next week, no matter what, remain in your office or renovate one of the basement floors for your private use until I come and retrieve you."
John paused and frowned. "Why?"
Beta pointed at Asako. Then she pointed at John. And then she pointed out at the city that was still blacked out. "Every time you leave these doors, events continue to escalate. It is to the extent that I doubt it is simply karma at play... so Father. Please enter closed door cultivation to begin comprehending the laws of this world and act accordingly to prevent such events from occurring in the future."
"...Hah. I suppose my lovely intelligent daughter knows best."
Beta nodded. "I do. That is what you created me for, is it not?"
John flinched, remembering Alphy's breakdown. "Betty-"
"Worry not. I am fully aware of your affection and sentiments, Father. But I am also completely aware of my design and functionalities." She reached up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ears and smiled. "Ars Nova Beta will do her best to ensure that her troublesome father does not ruin the peace he so desperately sought."
Seeing that, John chuckled. "You really are my saving grace, Betty."
Beta's ears flushed red and then she shooed John away. "Hurry up and leave, Father."
"Yes, yes. I'm going." Saying that, John took his daughter's advice and warped down to the second basement floor.
Cold, dark and dusty storage. A musty air which clearly hadn't seen the light of day for at least a year... probably more.
In short, only a step up from the barren immortal caves back in the Three Realms.
It was simply an empty concrete foundation with a wide open space.
John shrugged and then sat down to get himself comfortable.
Now. Direct interference against the Seiryuu Alliance would be messy, but indirect interference should be fair play.
John waved his hand, causing a wide screen tv, a controller, and a comfy gaming chair he once owned that cost $399 to emerge. Plopping himself down on the chair, John picked up the controller and waved his hand again. When he did, the screen rippled, revealing a man in a gray blazer facing off against a horde of enemies.
"Alright, Kiry- I mean, Kiri. It's you and me against the world, just like old times."
As a writer who has never published anything, I always find the topic of monetisation a difficult one; as I have never really truly gone from reader to author. So I can only theorise and guess at what I myself would choose to do, without truly knowing.
To sum up, I believe that the reader base should be preserved as much as possible, and so tend to be against advanced chapters, and even to the point that I am on principle against Amazon's requirements for publishing including the removal of free chapters; however I'm not sure I can confidently criticise any author for using these methods. So I must say, do what you feel comfortable with, what you want to do, regardless of others opinions.
But anyway, rambling aside, your story's great, and I hope that you find success no matter the path you choose!
Thanks for reading and leaving your thoughts!
I agree with you about preserving the reader base as much as possible as well as the point about advanced chapters. Right now I've decided against that, but I do have a few ideas to add rather than take away to the story... but I'll think on them more before saying anything else.
Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope that you become confident enough in your writing to share it some day!
and a comfy gaming chair he once owned that cost $399 to emerge.
BUT CAN IT DO THIS!?
On another note, although I myself am not particularly against advanced chapters (but I do prefer the pay for bonus chapter of old), setting that thing is taking responsibility.
After all, this web novel is free, the author has no reason to consider reader's whining about grammar, plot, or release rate as he is purely publicizing his hobby. But to make money out of it is turning things professional, I don't work and therefore have no money to give, but if I did I would expect a certain quality that might be exhaustive when you have to sacrifice your blood and sleep for study on the side.
Personally, I think just setting up a patreon or something for extra content that won't affect the story is quite good already. People just need to know what they are getting into.
Thanks for your hard work!
Is John part of floor gang or ceiling gang?
Thanks for reading and leaving your thoughts!
I agree with that part about turning professional and a raised bar. After all, if people are paying good money for things, it ought to be a good product.
Extra content though... Hm. I do have a few ideas for that that might be fun and help out with the story too. Needs more thinking to implement it though... Thanks again for the input!
@Unit099 He's currently under ground on the floor, so he would be floor gang... But that floor is the ceiling of the next floor, so is he really ceiling gang?
Thanks for the chapter, and for Patreon 2-3 chapters seems to be the average I Think.
Beta really loves her “family” and their roles in it huh, I feel like she is actually the most mature member in the way she carries her “duties”, but is still childish in the way she insists she is the little sister to Alpha and second daughter to John, it is very cute.
Ars Nova (New art) Beta is a similarly cool name as Magnum Opus (Greatest art) Alpha.
Thanks for reading and the input!
Yeah, Beta is adorably stubborn like that. And glad you think it's cool!
Thanks for the chapter!
no, John isn't hacking via cultivation and otherworldly knowledge, he just has a good gaming chair, that's all.
also, Congrats on seven hundred seventy-seven favorites! May you have more luck than me in gacha games! (darn you gacha game devs)
Thank you! And good luck on pulling the limited time valentine's day banner units in whatever gacha game you're playing!
Thanks for the chapter
Thanks for reading and leaving all your comments! I appreciate them all and I'm reading them, but it'll take me a bit to get through them all. Just letting you know ahead of time!
I would pay for an advanced chapter, if only i wasn't broke
No worries! Supporting by reading or leaving a comment is enough. And advance chapters aren't feasible for me right now anyways, so nothing lost or gained.
Thank you for the chapter.<3
While I dislike idea of advanced chapters, Patreon with some additional content like side stories, fanart, etc - might be good.
Thanks for your input!
Now that people have been mentioning it, I do have some vague ideas for bonus content that could tie back into the story and be fun for everyone involved. But I'll see how to get that going first.
Looks like John is gonna solve his problems in the most epic way possible.
Being a gamer lol
...wait no it makes sense, he's being opressed by Karma instead of society lmao
No, no. You've got a point... xD
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the chap!
Thanks for reading!