While sitting in his office, Umbrum noticed that his approval rating went up in the days after he beat up Halucina.

He was overjoyed. It had been a long time since that happened.

Kondrik flew in through a hidden door just his size.

Umbrum showed Kondrik the sheet with the statistics, shaking it around as he spoke.

"Look! My approval rating has gone up 10 points! 10 points!"

Kondrik stared, concerned that Umbrum finally lost it.

"And look here! Halucina's approval is in negatives now! NEGATIVES! To think that not so long ago, I was there."

Kondrik tilted his head. It seemed like an overreaction to him.

"Well, maybe I am going crazy, but approval ratings mean a lot to me now that I'm out of The Abyss. I wonder how I can make it go up even further?"

Kondrik snatched the paper away. He wanted to tell Umbrum that the approval system didn't matter - what did were his followers. He should be focusing on them first, everything else second.

Umbrum snatched it back.

"I'm tired of being the one that everyone hates! Can't you let me find a way to have the rest of this pantheon like me for once?"

Kondrik now saw Umbrum's point clearly. He handed the paper back to him and flew out the hidden door in the ceiling.

Later, Noctave was busy having a self-care bath to recover from her encounters with Halucina.

She got a message from one of her high priests, the one that was married to a high priestess of Umbrum's.

"I was told by my wife that Umbrum is planning a ball to raise his approval rating. Can you confirm that for me?"

It almost made Noctave stop the bath right then.

She dressed in her nightgown and went to find Umbrum. She saw him discussing the possibility with Urainia, who was strongly against it.

"A ball? In Eventide? You must be joking. Eventide Castle is a place of learning and peace, not frivolity."

Umbrum wasn't discouraged. "Yes, but imagine what it can do for me! Cumulus is responsible for all kinds of natural disasters, but with all the balls and parties he has, his reputation is unharmed."

Urainia face palmed, exasperated. "The only people who take that survey are the upper crust, or at least those close to it.If everyone took that survey, the entire pantheon would have a 0% approval rating. Don't you understand that?"

"Yeah, but Halucina would still be lower than me."

Urainia shook her head. "No balls." She teleported away.

Umbrum spotted Noctave, who was eavesdropping from another room.

"What do you think of a ball here, Noctave?"

Her blood froze at the mere mention of it.

"A whole crowd of people - most of which I don't know, here, in my house? I'll have to say no."

Umbrum was slightly disappointed. "Sorry. I forgot about your fear."

He walked away, and Noctave suspected something. Noctave became suspicious.

"Umbrum, there's something you're not telling me."

He stopped walking and turned back. "Oh, really? Why?"

"You aren't angry at Urainia for shooting down your plan. Which means that you're going to throw this ball somewhere else."

Umbrum's eyes seemed to glow for a moment. "You really are an intuitive sort, aren't you? But since you have no plans to go there, I won't tell you the location."

He chuckled to himself and disappeared into the shadows.

Noctave didn't know why, but she felt a trace of fear.

But why, but I shouldn't - he's my father! But he's really good at making others uncomfortable. Really good.