Location Sky Blossom City, Fine Gold Sky Blossom Branch, Fine Gold Tower no.2
"Sister, don't speak nonsense. People will think you have some nut loose." Jaya reprimanded Diana for making unappreciated comments.
"Ah, you heartless love-stricken fool, I don't want you to suffer unrequited love. It is better to be rejected and made a fool of than suffer through the silent pain of unrequited love." Diana advised.
"Y-you shut up…" Jaya wanted to say more but she saw a never seen shade in her sister's eyes. It seemed to hide a story within it. A story filled with heartache that her sister rather not share with her. Jaya wanted to inquire but this wasn't the right company and time for that.
"I am trying to save you some heartache but you don't seem to appreciate it. I guess there is no escape from this curse." Diana sighed.
"...'' I grew impatient, first Jaya and now Diana. Whatever nonsense these two were babbling about, they better not involve me. I had no time for this.
"Our, little Jaya has her first crush. This calls for celebration." Cindy chimed in while signaling me to bear with it. This is why I preferred calamity daughter gems, no emotions involved just pure dedication to the cause.
I can't treat people like tools otherwise it will lead to mutiny. Cindy and Diana both have proven their value enough for me to consider their emotions, so I had to go along with them. Turning to Jaya, I asked, "who is the lucky guy?"
Hearing me the trio went silent as if I said something taboo. But Jaya laughed and said, "Don't listen to them, they are pulling my leg. Cindy, I will get you back for this," The last part was menacing I felt it across the table. I don't know what Cindy did to deserve this but I think she can handle Jaya.
"Now, if you guys are done with your inside joke let's get back to the topic at hand" I wanted to start talking business and be done with small talk.
"Good, so have you decided on a job for me?" Jaya asked me, misunderstanding my intention behind my words earlier.
"You weren't kidding." I didn't know Jaya would be this persistent about this.
"I am dead serious. Why are you hesitating so much to help me? You took in the high schoolers all over the city. Is it because I forced you to create my origin card. Are you still holding it against me?" Jaya didn't let go she started rocking the boat by digging up the past.
"..." Did I hold my past with Jaya against her, was I that narrow-minded? Yes, yes I was. I plead guilty to all counts of charges brought up against me by Jaya. If not because she came in the package with Diana, I wouldn't tolerate her presence, not to mention her wasting my time.
"No, you are not that petty. You forgave the Bright brothers and made them in charge of your high school gang and hired that obnoxious Corey Bright to work for you. You even associate with Cortney who was hired to kill you. So it is not the past between us, is it because I am useless? It has to be that." Jaya indirectly gave me a good person card which left me shell-shocked. But, I can't have it, "Correction, Willam Bright paid me 3000 soul jades to take his family's younger generation under my wing. Susan hired Corey. As for Cortney, we knew each other before that tournament ordeal."
"I am willing to pay the same amount to work under your wing." Yep, I dropped the stone on my foot.
"I currently don't require extra staff. Go meet Nick Bright, he is in charge of hiring new gang members, he should have some work for someone of your capabilities." Yes, since throwing the wall to Diana's court was not working, I threw it to Nick who did everything I asked him to. Permanently putting an end to Jaya pestering me.
"Thank you, you will not regret it." Jaya enthusiastically thanked me and her sister did not even bat an eye hearing her little sis was going to join a high school gang.
"You, done right." I asked Jaya, seeing her nod I added, "Finally, let us start with your cultivation, how far has your soul energy refining come."
I was keen about Cindy and Diana forging their Ego gem because they both were key personnel in my operations. They needed to have respective realms to represent my operations outside of the sky blossom city. Since I cannot use calamity daughter gem to raise their strength, I decided to personally monitor their cultivation to provide them with resources and help where they were going wrong.
I had already seen how far they have reached in soul every refining with my soul pupils but to maintain the status quo I had to hear the answer from them.
"I think I will reach the required purity level by the end of the next month." Replied Cindy and Diana continued, " Me too, the silver milk pills you provided us with helped a lot."
Both Diana and Cindy had been refining their soul energies for years now so this result was expected. And it was good to know that silver milk pills were able to help, "What about your ethereal spirit?"
"I have found mine," Said Diana, and I saw a domineering Diana, with an authoritative air of the general surrounding her in Diana's eyes. I was surprised to learn that Diana's ethereal spirit was so awe-inspiring. She had already reported that she found her ethereal spirit so no surprise there. I cared about Cindy, she didn't have as many resources and opportunities as Diana.
"I haven't been able to find my ethereal spirit," Cindy reported dejectedly.
"Don't worry you still have time," I consoled Cindy, what else could I say to her. But Cindy didn't seem to be satisfied, how could she be. After all, a platinum grimoire was at stake.
"I have found my ethereal spirit too!" said enthusiastic Jaya, hearing those from her everyone including Diana was dumbfounded.