Athens Academy

They could argue all they wanted.

Hades skillfully picked up the command slate, lowered his sense of presence, and expertly ignored Neos and Malcador, who were once again bickering in front of him for the nth time.

It turned out that Neos learned quickly when it came to provoking Malcador's anger—perhaps he had picked up much of that experience from Hades.

Perhaps they enjoyed it.

It did not matter.

Hades did not care.

Month after month, sunrise after sunset, Terra flourished after a wave of vermin had been cleared away through the "joint" efforts of the three people present.

Hades could swear that two-thirds of Terra's government affairs ought to count as his achievement—Reborn handled one-third, the Ultramarines handled one-third, and he approved a few scattered matters himself. Done.

Fine, Malcador still did most of the work, but most documents that passed through Malcador's hands were first reviewed by the Ultramarines.

The Ultramarines were useful.

During this period, The Emperor and Malcador were quite clearly competing for power. Hades did not care; whichever side seemed weaker, he helped that side—

But he made sure The Emperor always held a slight edge over Malcador, then slipped Ultramarines into the corners whenever they began arguing.

Obviously, once the two sides started fighting, both wanted Hades's help. In front of their rival, Hades's desire for a little Macragge blue became utterly insignificant...

Thanks to Hades, the Five Hundred Worlds soon welcomed a new recruitment season.

Hades still had a dream. Perhaps he ought to encourage Macraggeans to colonize Terra... Barbarans might work as well, but so far, aside from the followers of the Cult of the Underworld, the Storm Nebula remained indifferent toward Terra.

Hades could understand them. With Barbarus as its anchor and Graia as its transport hub, Mortarion had turned the