A somewhat smaller demon, under 4 meter tall, stood at the base of the ramp, glaring at the guards.

It didn't take long, ten seconds,maybe a dozen. Then the formation collapsed, as one after another the demon guards crashed to their knees, crying and begging for forgivness.

And considering that even the ones that Xie had pulped into jello didn't cry or beg, it was quite a feat.

Pef clapped his hands in approval. "Bravo! I hear stories, but to see it with my own eyes...amazing!" he exclaimed with childish glee.

The Soultrader's gaze fell on the remaining Demon Lord, who blanched, his face going white.

"Lord Arazmodel. Welcome to the Green Mine. As you see, the human is right here." he said with some difficulty.

"Hmmm. I do. He seems happy to see me." the Soultrader whispered, glancing at the jovial human with some uncertainty. It had never happened, so it was curious.

"Well, he did say he had some business with you, but...it seems true." the Demon Lord replied with a hesitant voice.

"Come, Arazmodel. My house is yours. Let's have a long and pleasant talk!" Pef yelled from the door, then turned and walked inside.

Arazmodel blinked, which he rarely did. "I own the entire planet..."

The Soultrader approached cautiously, fearing some trap or scheme. From inside the house, metal bangs and other wierd noises could be heard.

He stopped at the door, observing the human as he was setting up some strange devices, metal pots and plates for some reason.

"Come in, come in. I don't bite." Pef said in a friendly voice, waving the demon inside.

"What are you doing, human?" Arazmodel asked in a fit of curiosity.

"Making breakfast, of course. Sit, sit. You must be starving too, travelling all this way. You drink wine? Of course, you do, what am I saying. Here, try this!" Pef explained as various bits of maize and meat started boiling or frying. He produced a wine bottle and served the confused Soultrader.

The demon took a cautious sip, then blinked again. To his surprise, the wine was delicious, and not even poisoned.

"You have ten minutes, to explain why you have disrupted the jade mining." Arazmodel allowed, since the wine was actually high quality.

"So you really like that wine, eh? Don't worry. I'll gift you a thousand bottles of this stuff. Once our deal is finished." Pef said with warm voice, as he sat at the table too, only using his awareness to keep watch over the meal.

"Nine minutes."

"Okay, okay. But you have to listen all the way. No yelling or interrupting. Deal?" Pef asked with a wide grin.

"I can control myself, human." Arazmodel replied with a grit of teeth.

"Then say it. You know, the -or else- thing."

"Or else I suffer hellflame." Arazmodel said with some pain. Taking vows wasn't pleasant. The binding of abyss flames washed over him, enforcing the vow, with his soul.

"Great! First, your economic model is bad. You know, the million slaves and all?" Pef explained with smile, and then served the first dish, spider meat with some mana fruit slices on top.

Arazmodel ate with small bites, his inner soul tormented. The food was amazing! Perhaps this human was a king's cook or something. Maybe an alchemist?

"I'll explain, since you can't interrupt and all. So, two million slaves, human, elves and other weak races. All have merely two hands and poor strength. Working all day to chip at the jade walls. Lots of food wasted, millions of expensive collars, you need to maintain a garrison, pay the guards and all."

Arazmodel nodded. He knew how the business worked, after all. The costs were quite high.

"But then, I come. In one day, every mine on the planet is empty. All the jade in reach collected and stored. At least a month worth of production. Sure, I'm a bit faster than a Demon Lord, but not much stronger. And I only have two hands, so there's that. I get tired. Still, the work of a million slaves for a month, in one day? Isn't it nice? After all, I only have one stomach. Even if I eat like 10 people. Costs go down."

The Soultrader kept silent, since he did take a vow. But his mouth formed a small grin. He could see what this human was hinting off.

Pef served the fourth dish, and took a long sip from his wine cup.

"You can speak, if you want." he allowed graciously.

"You have a point, human. Still, nobody has slaves of this power level. Raising their cultivation to match a Demon Lord would take a million years, and be very costly. They are slaves because they are weak."

"I agree. Now, Let me ask you a few rhetorical questions. Are you a demon with principles? A demon lover? Someone whose heart breaks when they see a demon cry and hurt? Do you care about those guards outside?" Pef proclaimed holding a fried eagle's leg like a scepter.

"I see. Rhetorical, since you know my answer is no. I would sell my brothers into slavery without batting an eye. Hmmm. But those guards are only lesser demons. It would take..." Arazmodel mused in a thoughtful voice.

"Exactly! Ninety of them would have to be sacrificed and their cores fed to the remaining ten. Waste of life I know, but think of the upside. Ninety fewer stomachs to fill. And what you'll be left with? Ten hardworking miners, with six hands each, able to mine twice as much as a million slaves. Plus, they can keep mining for a million years. They get hurt or something? They heal! Give them proper tools to dig, like some treasure that won't get dull, and this planet will be profitable for eternity!"

The Soultrader run the numbers in his devious, genial mind. Sadly, it made sense. Slavery, especially of weak races was wasteful. Too much food, they got sick or injured, only two hands... A Demon Lord could work in a mine, till the end of time.

He would have to try a test run, and observe for a decade or two. Problems not yet known may appear. But, the new business model did seem sound. Profits would soar, by three magnitudes.

Arazmodel nodded to the clever human, then walked to the door. "Guards! You have failed me. I need ten of you to take vows of penitence. You know among yourselves who is most guilty. Send them forth, or I will pick at random!"

Ten wailing and sobbing demons were dragged forward, as the Soultrader prepared the tools of his job.

In short order, the failures were collared and made to vow, binding them to the Soultrader's jade slip.

Pef smiled pleasantly towards the last Demon Lord, before blinking forward and slicing his core with the war scythe he had just acquired. "No witnesses, right?" he asked rhetorically.

The Soultrader grabbed the conch shell and half of a core. "You think like a demon, my friend. I am glad we didn't have to fight. You're really fast..."

Pef looted the other half of Demon Lord core and the magic wand. Then he took out his knife and turned towards the stunned guards, those without collars. "Give me a minute to core these bad apples."

Like a guided missile-knife, Pef sent the puppy to slice the demon guards, weapon glowing with white sword ki and ecstatic at the feast.

A wave of violet flames followed the knife, while the Soultrader was collecting the broken cores with a wide smile. Downsizing and increasing profit? His demon heart was glowing!

Soon, the enslaved guards were fed their brothers' cores and began Descending towards their own Demon Lord ranks.

"Go on! Into the mines! The demon with less jade collected gets half rations!" the Soultrader yelled at the crying slaves.

With a blur, the collared demons ran towards their new destiny.

Pef and Arazmodel remained alone in the demon camp, face to face. They both smiled happily.

"Now, the other thing...black club, nigh unbreakable?" Pef asked with some worry.

"Ah yes. The ceremonial mace of the Soultrader Guild. Many demons have been beaten down over the eons with it. I could take you to see it, but to actually gain it...a mere business model won't be enough."

"It's not a club, you know..."

"Yeah, I figured that." Arazmodel replied with a wise nod.

"Anyway, before we get to that. I want to buy a planet from you. Able to sustain humans, no need for jade mines or any riches at all." Pef said with a light voice, holding a chunk of green jade in his hand.

The Soultrader almost had a heart attack at the gall of this human. "You would buy a planet, with my own jade?"

"Come on, possession is the only thing that matters. I have it, it's mine. You want it, give me something for it. Like say, a livable planet. Deal?" Pef asked with an innocent shrug.

Arazmodel went into his mind, searching for something suitable. The Guild didn't actually have a planet to give, but the elves rebels did. Let this human deal with the rebels and their constant guerrilla harassment.

Also, the thin knife the human used on those guards was very similar to the ancient club. Probably the same material, although the club had never glowed white.

But they were connected, he was certain.

"I have a place for you, called Mi'rilador. A bit infested with elves, so not worth much for the Guild." Arazmodel said with a fake grim face.

Pef scratched his cheek, perhaps suspecting a trap. "Worth nothing for the Guild you mean. Thorn in your side, maybe? Still, fair is fair. If it has air and trees is good enough. I'll deal with the elves."

The Soultrader noticed the elven chain bound around the human's hand. He was bold to wear that, risking his mind to a sudden minddrill from the elven artifact. Only stupid demons touched those things, and not many survived.

"Let's go then. With my ship we can be there in six hours." Arazmodel offered with a pleasant smile.

"I'll ride on top. See the view, breathe clean air, you know. Enjoying the journey." Pef replied with a smile, then flew on top of the Guild's ship and sat down.

Arazmodel nodded and gritted his teeth. This plan had failed then. But no matter. He had a dozen more plans still prepared, and a hundred if really needed.

The human was crafty, but he was much more.