The Prototype

Three days after his visit Gob found a note in his pigeon hole telling him that April had finished the prototype. He hurried over to get it. The result was both rustic and beautiful. It essentially looked like a rectangle with two holes for wrists in it. It was hinged so that it could be opened and the other side was designed so that a single pin could hold them closed. What made them beautiful was the intricate lines of different metals that ran through them.

“This is just a prototype. Please make sure he knows,” said April, looking nervous. “I really don’t want to disappoint him but I honestly don’t think anyone else in the palace could have done better with the tools and resources.”

“He’s more understanding than you think. I’m sure he will be fine,” he reassured her. He would have loved to stay but he knew he should get a message to the Maou at the earliest opportunity.

He dashed off to the Maou’s secretary’s office. He walked in and Miss Tuppin was filing her long black nails. She didn’t look impressed by the sight of Gob. “Yes?” she asked curtly.

“I need to send a message to the Maou,” said Gob with as much authority as he could muster.

“Not just anyone can send the Maou a fan letter, you know? If it’s important then you can send it to Mr Karus and he will deal with it when he has time.”

Gob was indignant. He had gotten used to dealing with the Maou directly and the last person Gob wanted to get involved with this was Karus. “It is regarding business that the Maou directly ordered me to deal with. He will want it to be sent directly to him.”

“Well if that was the case you would have a seal, wouldn’t you,” she said smugly.

Gob confidently held out his left palm and Miss Tuppin looked incredulous. With a look of distaste, she reached over the desk, giving Gob a lovely look down her top at her plump tits. She touched his palm and it lit up white to show that he was telling the truth. She clicked her tongue. “Fine,” she said, looking away. “Leave it on the desk.”

Gob did so and left the office. He was expecting to hear from the Mous straight away but it was three days before he heard the Maou’s voice in his head. “Gob, grab the cuffs, I’m summoning you to me.”

They weren’t far from him so he picked them up. “I have them,” he said and his stomach twisted as he disappeared from the kitchen and appeared in the demon lord’s room.

“I just got your note that you have them. It took a while but I’m excited to see them,” said the Maou, getting up from his desk.

Gob was fishing in the bag to get the cuffs out. “I knew you’d be keen sire but I’m surprised you waited so long.”

“What are you talking about Gob? I just got the note in the evening mail.”

“I left that note with Miss Tuppin three days ago with instructions to send it straight to you, sire.”

Gob flinched as a hint of the demon lord’s aura escaped and the air in the room felt oppressively thick. “Did she check your seal?” His voice resonated with unnatural volume.

“Yes, sire.”

In a flash, Miss Tuppin was standing in the room naked and dripping wet. She must have been in the bath. It took her a moment to realise where she was and she tried to cover herself when she realised she was naked in front of the Maou. Her arms and legs then shot off in different directions and she was lifted off the ground in a star shape. Gob had to admire her womanly curves; it was a pity that her look of terror was spoiling her pretty face.

“Miss Tuppin, I would like a word with you.” The Maou’s voice seemed to spark with electricity. Miss Tuppin was too frightened to answer. He moved close to her so her face was in front of his. “Why did you see fit to be so slovenly in getting important messages to my desk when the sender provided proof that he was on official business?”

“I’m sorry, I messed up, forgive me, sire,” she pleaded, her face streaked with tears.

“I don’t think you did mess up Miss Tuppin. I think you willfully ignored that note because of your distaste for my servant.”

“No sire, it slipped under some paperwork. He probably put it there to get me in trouble.”

The Maou turned to Gob and a whip appeared in Gob’s hand. “Lash her five times for me for trying to lie to me.”

Gob had never used a whip before but he had seen it done. Miss Tuppin begged for mercy as he moved around behind her. She had a lovely hourglass figure and full bottom, Gob thought as he measured out the length of the whip and slashed his arm forward. Miss Tuppin was lucky, Had he been more proficient he could have caused nasty cuts but because of his clumsiness, she just received stinging abrasions. Still enough to make her cry out and beg. Because of his low stature, he mostly marked her thighs and bottom. Gob felt a rush. He was sure he had just levelled up some more.

“I’ll ask you again. Did you delay Gob’s message because you don’t like him?”

“Yes,” she sobbed. “I did it because I think he’s disgusting and I wanted him to get in trouble.”

The Maou reached up and stroked her face. “That wasn’t so hard, was it? Don’t try to lie to me. You are lucky I’m in such a good mood. The next time you do something like this I am demoting you to be Gob’s pet and Karus will have to find himself another slut to entertain him in his office. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sire.”

“Good girl, now go and finish your bath and think about the consequences of upsetting me again.” If she replied Gob didn’t hear it as she vanished along with the whip Gob was holding. “It feels odd letting her off so lightly but I am sure Karus will want a word with her for embarrassing him and I don’t want to undermine his authority.”

“I kind of hope she messes up again,” said Gob.

The Maou laughed. “Well, I am a man of my word Gob. I doubt she will now but if she does, you can have her. Now, where are these cuffs?”

Gob handed them to the Maou and he examined them thoroughly. He muttered to himself as he poured over them. “Yes, I see, oh that’s very clever.”

As he looked at them Gob said, “April wanted me to tell you that it was just a prototype, a proof of concept. She wasn’t convinced they'd be strong enough.”

The Mou looked at Gob. “She’s right, I can already tell that these won’t hold me but she has done some very interesting things with mana flow and curses that are extremely interesting.” He put them on his side table and sat in his armchair. He pointed to the stool and Gob sat down.

“I haven’t been idle Gob. I have been exploring the nature of my own power. I’m not there yet but I have found exercises that will allow me to turn a metaphorical valve inside me and limit the flow of power through my body. I’m going to focus on limiting my power and then I want you to put the cuffs on me when I hold out my arms. Is that clear?”

Gob nodded and the Maou closed his eyes. Gob could see no visible difference but after a few minutes he smiled slightly and held his wrists out. Gob hurried over and put his wrists into the holes and closed it before putting the pin in to hold them closed. He then stepped back.

“Gob, this is incredible. The cuffs are holding my flow of power at the level I had reduced them to,” the Maou said excitedly. “Oh, no not quite, I can feel my power trickling back in. Let’s test this quickly.” He began to pull his wrists apart. After what seemed like only a second of trying they burst open. The Maou just stared at his wrists.

Oh no, thought Gob. It didn’t work. I hope April will be okay.

“Yes,” shouted the Maou. “I can’t believe it. I’ve never struggled that hard before. Thank you Gob, great work.”

Gob was shocked that he was so happy but he was relieved. “It was all April’s doing really, sire.”

“But you found her Gob and instructed her well enough to make this incredible thing and you helped with the idea in the first place. You are right though, I must meet this April.”

“Now, sire?”

“Right now.”

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