Chapter 50: Interesting

The dream world was a place where all thoughts became reality. At least that was for those who controlled their dreams, because for inferior beings who could not control what they dreamt, it was a blurry world where unconscious ideas took shape.

For Zack, the inferior beings were missing out on the best part of the dream world, which was to recreate whatever one wanted, and to him, it reminded him of the Astral Realm, where he had lived most of his existence.

And he was in this dream world where his desire to want to return to the Astral Realm had taken shape and the purple psychic energy practically covered his entire dream as he was floating around remodelling part of a room.

The style he chose was slightly gothic, with black walls, red leather armchairs and huge windows overlooking his dream that was filled with purple energy.

“Young master.”

A voice was heard in the distance, but he ignored it like so many times before and continued with his decorating. Increasing the size of the windows, adding some pictures with sinister gargoyles and abandoned castles and then....

“Young master. Hugo Dumont is waiting for you.”

The voice rang out again, and at the sound of the old merchant’s name, Zack paused for a second and then sighed.

The babysitter had been telling him that Hugo, the old merchant, was fired from his job and if one thought that he was forbidden to talk about the tower and still did, it was easy to understand the cause of the firing.

Zack could ignore it and leave it alone, but it was not like him to ignore a person to whom he owed a favour, especially when the old merchant trusted him.

So he came out of his sleep and returned to his body, opening his eyes again, noticing the babysitter relax at the sight of him.

“I am not dead, babysitter. I don’t understand your excessive concern,” Zack said as he looked to see where he was.

Apparently, he was in a private room in the new building the babysitter had purchased and both the decor and furniture gave the appearance of a small throne room.

The chair he was sitting in was at the top of the room on a platform, while beside him on a step below were the babysitter and the boy.

“You have not been present for days,” the babysitter said as he waved his hand.

The room changed completely in design and the throne gave way to a comfortable couch, while other couches and chairs appeared at the front, giving a more convivial feel to the conversation.

He did not understand why he would invite Hugo into a room where he appeared superior. The old merchant deserved to be treated with respect, just as he respected him and he didn’t care if he was an inferior being or not.

“What’s wrong with a few days, babysitter? You’ll live hundreds of years, if not thousands. A couple of days is nothing,” Zack replied boredly and seeing that the babysitter’s expression didn’t change, he signalled the boy to invite Hugo over.

The only reason he counted the days was because he was locked in this body and it had now been six hundred and fifty-five days since he had arrived in this world.

If Zack was honest, the days passed faster in the dream world, since at least there he didn’t have to worry about his physical body or needs and just rested.

As for hunger or the desire to go to the bathroom, he took care of it using his powers. He still had the tower around his neck with all the prisoners and therefore he could use his power to make his life easier.

That was the least he could do when, the last time he was a minute too long in his body, he started floating like a damn balloon. He had already learned to control his instincts and now he had to learn to keep that strange ability to fly under control.

“But you can’t spend your days...”

“Enough, babysitter,” Zack interrupted and seeing that the babysitter was still looking at him, worried with that silly face he sometimes made, he sighed. “I’m not in the mood to argue with you. So let’s drop this subject for now.”

He wasn’t in the mood and didn’t want to take it out on the babysitter who had been by his side from the beginning and had joined his side a long time ago. Also, the babysitter had been very supportive, so he didn’t want to cause him any trouble, although, if he was honest, it was slightly overwhelming that he cared so much about him staying in the dream world.

In his prison, he couldn’t even use his powers, because if he did, he would probably end up fighting the barbaric woman and the male jailer, and he didn’t want to talk to those two jailers either. So the dream world was the perfect place to leave everything mundane.

“I understand, young master,” the babysitter replied with a half-sigh.

Ten seconds later, the door rang and the Donovan boy walked past Hugo Dumont, aka the old merchant.

“Life doesn’t seem to have been kind to you, Hugo,” Zack said, pointing to the seat for the old man to sit down.

Hugo had more white hair than before and a more wrinkled face and it wasn’t that he had gotten older over time, but that stress had taken its toll on him. Proof was not only the wrinkles or dark circles under his eyes, but the man’s slightly hunched back, which was rare, as he had always kept his back straight before. Proud of who he was.

“And you seem to have been treated well,” Hugo said and smiling diplomatically, added. “I heard about your exploits in the city. Congratulations on becoming the ruler of the entire city.”

The old merchant still had the same calm and charisma as the first time he met him. No matter how badly it went, the old merchant would not lose his serene countenance and that pleased Zack.

After all, keeping his cool was not something he was good at, especially in special situations.

“May I ask the reasons why I have been summoned?” the old merchant asked as he sat serenely on the couch.

The man’s gaze was still friendly, but behind it revealed the usual wariness, and his eyes glinted in a mixture of greed and a slight hint of doubt.

The man had gambled on him long ago by revealing about the tower and now that he was called by him; he expected some kind of reward and it seemed perfect to Zack. Not everyone was like the babysitter who liked to be guided by loyalty, nor like the boy who found in him a superior being as if he were a god or like the enhanced minions who saw him as an entity worthy of respect and for whom they would risk their lives.

Hugo Dumont was a man of profit.

“I heard about your dismissal. A stupid act that shows your employers are still as blind as before,” Zack said with a tone full of contempt and, looking at the old man, he revealed. “I remember owing you a favour, Hugo. Ask for it and I’ll see to their destruction.”

He still remembered that it was the old merchant’s superiors who did not want to reveal to him about the source of the genetic enhancements and that was when Hugo acted on his own, seeing his worth.

Now those same ignorant people didn’t see Hugo’s value and ended up firing him.

Paying those superiors a visit didn’t sound so bad and perhaps it would serve to pass his boredom.

So far, Zack didn’t have a plan... Well, he had a plan to spend his time in the dream world until Hope discovered a method to be free or he grew enough in his physical body.

Maybe a change would happen if he ended up growing up, though it was unlikely he would be free even if he waited for years.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Even if he wanted to be free, he had no need to return to the Astral Realm in a hurry, and even more so when the other transcendentals seemed to be keeping him stable for now.

“So what’s up? Interested?” Zack asked with a slightly animated smile.

This time, the babysitter didn’t stop him and though he was hesitant, he let him continue.

It was nothing to him to spend hundreds of years in the dream world, but, even if that world mimicked the Astral Realm, it wouldn’t compare and would eventually become boring. Taking on some ignorant lower beings might alleviate his boredom a little.

Hugo realised that he wasn’t joking and knew immediately that he wasn’t doing it to repay the favour, but for himself, but he didn’t flinch too much.

“It is not necessary. Sometimes it happens that employer and employee have differences. There is no need to escalate the matter,” Hugo replied calmly.

Zack nodded, respecting his way of thinking.

His employers probably didn’t do anything excessive to him either, so there were no hard feelings between them and while it was unfortunate, he nodded calmly.

“So are you interested in working for me?” Zack asked, surprising not only Hugo, but the babysitter and the boy as well, but he simply turned to the latter. “Weren’t you complaining about needing help? I guess it’s still the same, so Hugo can be of help.”

The old merchant was someone experienced very different from the boy and the babysitter who were focused on another kind of business. Perhaps the boy Donovan had more experience running businesses, having been in charge of a casino, but Hugo had run bigger businesses.

Zack was not interested in the organisation that grew up around him, but neither would he like the boy to waste his time on trivial matters and not focus on his studies.

“It has to be a position worthy of his abilities,” Zack said, and looking at the old merchant, he asked. “What do you think? Are you interested, Hugo?”

Was he? From the look on the old merchant’s face, it was obvious that he was not expecting this proposal.

In a way, giving him a position was a way of rewarding him for losing his job and getting fired for talking too much. However, it was easy for Zack to realise that Hugo was ambitious and, like any ambitious lower being, this proposal appealed to him.

“You can help me with the administration. We’ve expanded too fast and we need all the help we can get,” the boy said, and without holding back his smile of excitement, he muttered. “I can take care of the military and Hugo can take care of the administrative and economic, while Jonathan takes care of you, master.”

Such an idea also interested the babysitter, who nodded in agreement, but as an experienced tradesman, Hugo did not immediately accept even though the proposal was tempting.

“I am interested, but I would like a concession,” said the old man and seeing that he nodded, he asked. “Can I bring my people? We will be of help in the administration and it will allow me to have a more enjoyable working stay.”

It would be enjoyable as it would create a faction with his people and that way he wouldn’t be stuck behind the boy, the babysitter or anyone else within the organisation. Hugo didn’t try to hide his true objectives, and Zack nodded.

“Do what you’re comfortable with,” Zack said without caring too much and looking at the babysitter, he asked. “Anything else I need to take care of?”

As long as he didn’t have any annoying tasks coming his way or being put through meaningless numbers or documents, he would accept factions being created or more people being hired.

To be the centre of an organisation, whether commercial or religious, had to be free of work or else there would be no point in being that centre. Such was his thinking.

“Yes, young master,” said the babysitter hastily as he realised he had time and, putting on a slightly serious expression, he revealed. “The Circle of Supervillains has sent a messenger and requested an audience with you.”

Was that why, at the start, they had made a small throne room? Zack frowned for a second as he used the tower-shaped necklace to search the prisoners for information.

“A group of supervillains who meet periodically to discuss issues of the cities of this planet,” Zack muttered, stopping the babysitter who was about to explain. “Am I wrong about something?”

The Supervillain Circle was the gathering of the underworld rulers of different cities and, according to the information he had found in the minds of some prisoners in the Tower, they had meetings dealing with different issues.

Whether it was direct conflicts, economic conflicts or diplomatic conflicts were dealt with at the meeting. In a way, they avoided conflict even though they were all code blacks capable of destroying entire cities.

“You are correct,” Donovan replied calmly.

“Good. Invite the messenger inside,” Zack asked the boy, who went off on his own.

He wasn’t going to deny that he was a little interested in that group. A big part of the reason was his boredom, so listening to a messenger didn’t sound so bad... And if they were looking for trouble, he had a perfect excuse to have some fun with some inferior beings.

The City Sun didn’t give him the fight he wanted, and he hoped that if someone was looking for trouble, they could test him.

The door opened again, and the boy walked forward to stand beside him, while the old merchant did the same, taking up a position behind them both. By positioning himself in this way, he showed that he was at his side and that he was close, leaving him to take all the attention.

The messengers were three, and Zack raised his eyebrow as he stared at them.

“Thank you for seeing us Ruler of the Blue City,” the leader of the messengers greeted, bowing respectfully.

The leader was a tall woman with a serene voice that was pleasing to the ears. She was two meters and several centimetres tall and wore a slightly translucent white dress that revealed some of her skin.

What stood out was not her figure, which to the eyes of other inferior male beings would appear attractive, but her white skin and eyes as blue as her hair.

The two women with her were similar in height, but the shade of hair was not as blue and neither were the eyes.

Zack signalled for them to speak comfortably, and the messenger raised her head.

“Our Lady and Mistress have convinced her companions to invite you to the next meeting of the Circle of Villains,” said the woman in a pleasant tone and slowly raising her head to look at him, she revealed. “We believe you have the strength, power and reputation to sit beside my lady.”

Zack did not look away from the woman, who smiled softly at him as if she thought he was charmed by her figure, but the truth was entirely different.

He was a transcendental and inferior beings were far from his liking and even though he took the humanoid form of some inferior beings; it didn’t mean he liked them that way.

What attracted him was...

“Daughter of a frost giant. No, you have a deeper blood... The blood of a Titan. Weak and diluted, almost imperceptible. A genetic enhancement that gave you strength, I suppose. It was enough to almost make me believe you were a giantess. I haven’t seen a Titan in a long time. Your mistress is a Titan?” Zack asked calmly and noticing the woman’s nervous rattle, he murmured. “Was it a secret? If so, I apologise. I did not wish to intrude.”

Titans were to giants, what extremely ancient dragons were to modern dragons. Beings considered gods because of their overwhelming physical power and such beings were few in number and it was from them that most races such as giants, cyclops or other beings that were tall arose.

It did not matter the universe, the dimension or the laws of the world. Some races would be born independently of evolutionary and magical or scientific circumstances, and the reason was that their creators had so much power that they surpassed the laws themselves. Humans were a prime example of inferior beings appearing in one form or another in the different universes.

Sadly, the Titans were dwindling and he couldn’t remember when he last saw one. The truth was that he never counted the years and more so when in the various universes time passed differently, but it was probably an age before the birth of this world and even this universe.

“...”

The silence became awkward and Zack realised that he touched on several subjects that were perhaps not to the messengers’ liking and that they probably didn’t want revealed.

Genetic enhancements gave lower beings strength and allowed them to gain power, but each genetic enhancement had a source. Sometimes that source was beings like the Great Monkey was for the ape minions, or like Hope was for the girl she put under her command. Basically, beings of great power who used their blood or powers to influence inferior beings.

Here it was probably the same.

“You need not be nervous. If you’re afraid I’ll reveal the origin of your birth, you don’t need to worry. I have nothing against creating enhanced minions,” Zack said, seeing that the messenger’s mind was tense as were the two companions and noticing that she was not relaxing, he turned to the babysitter asking him with a glare if he did something wrong.

It was easy for him to tell the difference between the blood of a mere giant compared to a Titan... It was like recognising a child from a true transcendental. The difference was huge and he figured he could talk about it. Here, the density was minuscule, but he could still sense it.

“My Lord is curious by nature and does not wish to cause discomfort to either you or your Mistress,” said the old merchant as he took a step forward and subtly bowing, revealed. “Though he also cannot help but see what others cannot see.”

Hugo spoke quietly and calmly and the bow was in apology, leading the messengers to look at their leader and she relaxed a little more.

Zack didn’t know if it was his revealing that the messengers could be the result of a genetic enhancement or that their mistress was a titan that made them uncomfortable. It didn’t make sense to him the latter.

Why would a Titan hide? Perhaps the mistress was not one of the first titans whose power could give life, but still as a scion she would have high power in this world.

“I understand. My lady’s visit still stands,” said the messenger and bowing subtly, she asked. “I hope this conversation stays between us.”

Basically, she was asking him to keep quiet about what he could see and the assumptions he had and Zack simply nodded comfortably.

They were asking him respectfully and so far they spoke respectfully, so he had no problem keeping quiet.

“Thank you. If you’ll excuse us, we must be going,” said the messenger, trying to remain calm.

Zack simply smiled and nodded calmly, allowing them to leave.

It was obvious they wanted to go back to their ‘mistress’ to talk about what happened, and he let them go without getting too upset.

After they left, he simply snapped his fingers to seal off the area and let out an amused chuckle.

“Are you interested, young master?” The babysitter asked, curious about his reaction.

And the answer...

“Yes. I’m a little interested,” Zack answered honestly.

He was more attracted to the idea than he had expected. If right now he had seen something he hadn’t seen in a long time, he would probably find something new if he went.

It was interesting, after all.