It was an eventful day. Aside from managing her company, Alice met with Lady Nyxondra of House of Blacksmith to produce the bolt action rifle from the blueprint she provided along with the manufacturing techniques that were needed for each part.
It didn't take long for Lady Nyxondra to comprehend the simple yet intricate mechanism design of the rifle.
"I envied your drawing skill, young lady." Nyxondra nodded, admiring the blueprint to its finest details. "With this blueprint, I could finish one hundred prototypes in at least a week, or maybe less."
"That is quicker than I thought." Alice raised her eyebrows.
"Using my Metallurgy Magic that is… The manufacturing cost would skyrocket if we ought to produce the rifle at industrial scale by hiring Mages from Arlenheim Kingdom and its neighbors. We would need to engineer the machinery to produce each part."
Alice pondered for a while. She closed her eyes and explored her mind palace. Before long, she found the blueprint of a Magic Numerical Control Machining Drill. However, she tweaked the design so it could be operated and powered with magic stone.
Fifteen minutes later, Alice had finished the drawing and handed it to Nyxondra. The blacksmith was flabbergasted upon laying her eyes on the blueprint.
"By Goddess Lilithya's tiddies! What is this?!"
"MNC Machine Drill. This machine could be operated by commoners with enough training and education. It's fairly easy though. Therefore, instead of producing one hundred prototypes, I would need you to focus on manufacturing this machine instead."
Without a word, Lady Nyxondra pulled the two blueprint and pinned them onto the board. She promptly entered her mad scientist mode by the time she grabbed a piece of raw iron ingots.
"Err, Lady Nyxondra?"
"Yes?" The blacksmith answered without batting an eye. Super focused on the project.
"Nevermind… I will send my employee to deliver the raw materials."
"Mmm. Please do."
With that said, Alice opted to go home.
By the time she entered the living room, she found Arya and Momo cuddling on the sofa, snuggling inside the blanket before the warm hearth.
There was a pile of clothing on the table, freshly washed and folded neatly. Whenever Alice was away, Arya and Momo took care of the house chores.
On top of that, Momo had bought various daily clothes for Alice to wear. They were especially tailored to her size and stature.
Afterward, she left the two in their blissful slumber and slipped into her lace red night gown.
Alice sat alone on the courtyard, gazing at the cloudy sky above the clouds. The spring was coming, lazily caressing her cheeks and hair with its slightly warm breeze.
She reminisced about her past as an orphan. Growing up in a christian orphanage didn't make her into a religious person. Not in one bit. In fact, it made her hate and despise the religion and its believers instead.
One day, Alice was sold by the head of the orphanage to a pedophile priest when she was barely fifteen years old. She pleaded for god's help but none came for her at the time she was raped.
She left the church and god for good, leaving everything behind without telling anyone what she had been through.
Having no degree or any formal education in her hands, Alice chose the night's life as to feed herself and made her own career as a Porn Actress.
As a survivor of child trafficking and sexual abuse, she rejects the idea of worshipping an entity whose being is unknown and incomprehensible. That was until she met with Goddess Lilithya. It was hard for Alice to accept the fact that she was so powerless and ended up being saved by a Goddess despite her atheism view.
Though it was brief, Alice eventually understood her purpose.
Alice opened her eyes and rose to her feet, clenching both fists.
"The path of the demon queen it is then…"
Before Alice was about to return to her room, a demonic portal spread open behind her. The head maid of Nightflame Castle stepped out of the portal. Her long legs strode out slowly till the portal closed behind her.
Catharina was genuinely taken aback upon seeing Alice's adult form. Catharina has read everything about what happened to Alice from Andariel's encrypted letters. However, she never guessed that Alice would look like her biological mother. Queen Aleena of Diablo.
"Oh, it is you Catharina… What a pleasant surprise." Alice smiled warmly.
Catharina promptly knelt down on one knee, placing her right hand to her left side. "I have returned, my princess."
"Took you long enough… How have you been?"
"I am fine… Just some minor setbacks during my infiltration mission. In summary, the Romanov Empire is collaborating with the Holy Church as I expected. They will bring new technologies to the war and test their newfound discovery upon us. I have delivered the detailed report to Queen Freya. It's up to her now."
"I see…" Alice nodded. "Likewise, I have also invented a new weapon that would surprise them. But alas, we are still greatly outnumbered…"
"Fret not, princess. I have made contact with the Eleventh Legion. The 20,000 strong elite demons under my direct command, and yours truly."
Alice frowned. "Eleventh Legion? Why haven't I learned about them from you? I thought every demon in Diablo had been exterminated by the Holy Church."
"His and Her Majesty had predicted the outcome and ordered the Eleventh Legion to leave Diablo and hide from the world long before you were born. They're part of Legacy that is bequeathed upon your name along with your father's crimson pendant and Her Majesty's spatial ring. As the protocol dictates, I shall never mention your Legacies unless you have reached adulthood. And tomorrow is your Coming-of-age Ceremony. Hence my hasty return."
Alice took the crimson pendant and the Spatial Ring. The pendant shone faintly as she wore it. Meanwhile, the Spatial Ring adjusted its own size to fit snuggly on her left ring finger.
"Father, mother…" For the first in her life, Alice understood how it feels to long for her parents.
However, Alice opted to wipe her tears. She didn't want to drown in sadness. She was determined to get even stronger to honor them both.
"Thank you for keeping them safe all this time, Catharina."
"It's my pleasure, Your Highness." Catharina finally met Alice's eyes. "Princess, have you decided on your partner for the ceremony?"
"I haven't. After a second thought, I don't want to choose. I don't want to rob anyone's freedom to be my partner unless they walk onto my domain and swear their allegiance."
"If that's the case… I, Catharina of Nightflame Castle shall become your—"
Suddenly, the door was opened with a little bit of force. Momo walked up to Alice, holding both hands firmly.
"Please, allow me to be your partner—No, allow me to be your mate!"
Alice was taken aback by Momo's sudden confession. "Momo, do you even understand the significance of this ceremony? You know what I am, and it will be quite painful."
"I will endure it, for you! So please…" Momo wrapped her arms around Alice's waist while burying her face into Alice's sizable bosoms.
"I hope you won't regret this, Momo."
"I won't regret it… I love you, Alice."
'Love you too, silly vixen.'
Instead of answering it, Alice reciprocated her feeling by kissing her lips.
Catharina smiled when the two were kissing gently. It wasn't just a spur of lust and desire. But a sincere feelings and act of service from Momo herself.