My Wives Are A Divine Hive Mind-Chapter 105: Azulus’ Bizzare Little Promotion

Azulus stood before a pawnshop tucked beneath Monochara’s shadowed arches, her petite frame draped in a gothic dress of midnight velvet. Lace frills cascaded from her shoulders, framing the massive katana sheathed across her back, its hilt glinting with a faint runic shimmer.

The shop’s lantern cast jagged patterns over the cobblestones, illuminating a cluttered display of curios behind a warped glass counter. Her eyes, sharp despite her mouse-like features, locked onto a single item: a Demonic Layer of Blue, a sheath of azure paper pulsing with arcane potential, promising to amplify spell concoctions.

She leaned forward, voice steady but laced with intent. "This Layer’s been used, hasn’t it? Its edges are frayed, the glow dimmer than a fresh cast. My Noble Tier One-A-Time Flowing Crystal should cover it, no?"

The pawnbroker, a wiry man with a monocle etched in sigils, adjusted his collar, his fingers twitching over the counter. "The Layer’s Exotic tier, miss. Used or not, it’s a catalyst beyond your crystal’s scope. The blue’s essence still binds spells tighter than most relics in Monochara!"

Azulus’s ears flicked, betraying her irritation, though her face remained composed. "Exotic tier doesn’t mean pristine. Your Layer’s potency is far beyond eroded—maybe half its original strength. My crystal’s unblemished, a one-cast accelerator. It’s basically a fair trade."

The broker’s lips pursed, his monocle catching the light. "Half-strength or not, this Layer’s rare. Catalysts like these don’t just walk into my shop. Your crystal’s fine, but it’s common among Karasu traders. I’d need two, maybe three, to balance the scales."

Her fingers brushed the katana’s hilt, a subtle gesture, not a threat. "Two Noble tiers? You’re pushing it! The Layer’s wear shows in its folds—look at the creases. It’s been abused too many times. This crystal Curio item," Azulus then leaned forward, hushing, "plus a favor from a Karasu’s Agent. That should be more than generous."

He shook his head, palms raised. "No favors. I deal in tangibles. The Layer’s worth holds, used or not. Take it or leave it—two Noble tiers, minimum."

Azulus’s eyes narrowed, but she stepped back, her dress rustling against the stone. "Keep your blemished paper. I’ll find a better deal." She turned, her katana’s weight shifting with her, and strode into Monochara’s labyrinthine streets.

The broker’s sigh faded behind her.

The gothic spires loomed overhead, their filigree ironwork curling like frozen vines.

Azulus wove through the crowd, her small stature slipping past towering Karasu merchants and cloaked envoys.

"Monochara’s traders are always prideful and picky, I really can’t wait to go back to Vaingall. The Claturians are more easy and reliable to work with."

A then figure emerged from an alley, cloaked in a crow-like plague mask, its beak glinting under lantern light.

The Karasu intelligence agent’s presence sent a chill through her, though she kept her posture rigid.

"Azulus," the agent said, voice feminine and sharp, cutting through the street’s hum. "You’re needed once again."

Azulus’s hand rested near her katana, cautious but respectful. "I already have a mission. I don’t do any side tasks while working with the main one, shouldn’t that already be in my job-specific portfolio?"

The agent cackled. Then, a sound like shattering glass, producing a letter sealed with a black wax sigil—a crow. "This isn’t a request. The superiors sent it. Take it."

Azulus’s stomach tightened, but she accepted the letter, her fingers brushing the wax’s cold surface.

The agent vanished into the crowd without another word, leaving her alone under a flickering lamp.

"... Now that I think about it, I never met that agent before," Azulus was confused before body started its gear again. "The sigil is real though, weird." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

She then slipped into a back alley, its walls damp with condensation, and broke the seal.

The letter flared, its ink pulsing with arcane light, and reality folded around her.

Her vision blurred, colors draining until only black and white remained.

Monochara’s vibrant spires faded to grayscale, her gothic dress now a stark contrast of shadow and ivory. She stood in a vast, monochrome void, the air heavy with an unnatural stillness.

Her katana felt heavier, its presence grounding her as her pulse quickened.

A rustle of feathers broke the silence.

A tall figure emerged behind her, unnoticed until now, with black crow wings folded against a flowing robe.

Her voice was energetic and feminine, carrying a playful edge. "First time in a High Nest, I presume?"

Azulus spun, her ears stiffening, but she forced a deadpan nod, choosing her words with care. "Yes. I wasn’t expecting... this."

Her voice wavered slightly, betraying her nerves. The High Nest, a realm of Karasu’s elite, was no place for missteps.

The figure laughed, wings flaring briefly. "No one expects it. Come." She gestured, and the void shimmered, resolving into a stark white office room. A single desk and two chairs sat at its center, pristine and unadorned. The figure sat, motioning Azulus to the opposite chair. "I’m Ingaoho, dweller of the High Nest. Sit, agent Azulus. We have business."

Azulus perched on the chair, her katana’s hilt pressing against her spine. She kept her expression neutral, though her heart raced. "Business?" she asked, voice steady despite her unease. "I’m just an Executioner Agent. Why summon me here?"

Ingaoho leaned forward, her wings casting faint shadows across the desk. "Simple. You’re promoted, Azulus. No longer an Executioner. You’re now a Field Archivist."

Azulus’s breath caught, her deadpan facade cracking. "That’s... one of the highest departments. Why me?" Her ears twitched, betraying her shock.

Archivists were Karasu’s elite, curators of knowledge and power. They possess greater means of purpose while also the important goal of preserving and tackling all sorts of dangerous and even expunged information beyond normal limitation.

"I’m surprised that it doesn’t thrill you." Ingaoho’s eyes glinted with amusement. "Regardless, you should have known of your own worth. Your reports from that timeline—Vaingall as a fleshy, eldritch ruin—proved invaluable.

"You have essentially mapped the New Vaingall Consortium’s potential, their strengths, their quirks. The Karasu trust them now after we fully aligned their ideals and history into a full picture frame, thanks to you."

Azulus’s fingers tightened on her dress’s lace. "What’s the verdict on the Consortium, then?" she asked, her voice cautious, probing for clarity.

Ingaoho’s wings rustled. "They’re young, volatile, but promising. Built from a former Vaingall, coveted by factions, once ruled by the Endless Dragon. Their divine spark, Kivas Chariot, gives them leverage to something that might even reach the same high as Andronic Civilization. They’re a partner we can’t ignore, and you’ve given us the lens to see them clearly."

Azulus nodded slowly, processing. "And my promotion? What does it entail?"

Ingaoho leaned back, her voice bright but firm. "Simply put, you’re no longer just a blade. As a Field Archivist, you will oversee intelligence on the Consortium and manage your own personal Library in which you can start building whenever you find yourself comfortable.

"You’ll also receive high-grade Karasu tech—and a squad of Tengus to support your work."

Azulus’s eyes widened, but she forced her face to stay composed.

She hesitated, then raised a hand, her voice softer. "May I ask another question?"

Ingaoho tilted her head, wings shifting. "Why ask permission?"

Azulus swallowed, her tail curling. "The Karasu value information. I don’t want to overstep, not in a High Nest. Asking too much without rank... it’s risky."

Ingaoho laughed, a sound like wind through feathers. "A valid fear, but you’re a Field Archivist now. Your rank permits curiosity. Simply speak your curiosity, a Field Archivist Azulus."

Azulus exhaled, steadying herself. "Why the sudden promotion? I’m just one agent. There are others with more experience."

Ingaoho’s gaze sharpened, though her smile remained. "You’re not just an agent. Your journey through that ruined Vaingall gave you wisdom no other possesses. You’ve seen the Consortium’s roots, their potential, their flaws, and even an entirely vital realization of Fathomi’s secrets when it comes to its space and time anatomy.

"Many other dwellers have vouched for you, and others who heard it have deemed you worthy of this development."

Azulus’s heart pounded, but she kept her voice even. "So, my post is now... the Consortium itself?"

"Precisely," Ingaoho said, wings flaring. "You’ll monitor, report, and shape their alliance with us. Your Tengus will ensure your safety and amplify your reach. In a way, any information regarding Vaingall is your domain now."

The office shimmered, and Azulus felt the High Nest’s weight lift, reality bending back toward Monochara. Her vision flickered, colors bleeding back into her gothic dress.

She stood once more in the alley, the letter crumbling to ash in her hands. Her katana felt lighter now, as if her new role had shifted its balance.

"What in the aether had just happened...?"

Far from Monochara’s shadowed streets, Samael and Oizys stood on a windswept ridge at the city’s outskirts, their eyes fixed on the horizon.

The Nihil loomed larger now, its crimson vortex sprawling across the sky, jagged teeth glinting within its churning mass. Eyes spun through its blood-vapor coils, watching, unblinking.

Samael’s dress billowed, her deadpan face betraying a faint smirk. "It’s closer than I’d like. Kivas’s miracles better hold, or we’re wading into that mess ourselves."

Oizys crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "At least we have prepared for this," She glanced at Samael, a sadistic glint in her eyes. "Bet you’re itching to throw your brand new spell at it."

Samael’s smirk widened. "Tempting, but I prefer to keep some of my concoction a secret for a while."

The Nihil pulsed, its frame swallowing the horizon, a promise of ruin drawing ever closer.