Booma narrowed her eyes, arms crossed as she leaned forward slightly. "All this is good and well, but what's stopping people from using these blueprints for themselves? Although they are just small parts of something bigger, they still hold immense value. Any competent engineer, scientist, or strategist could analyze them and try to reverse-engineer their purpose. How do you plan to prevent that?"
Xuanyu smirked, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "You're assuming they can. These aren't just ordinary blueprints—each one is encoded with multiple layers of protection. First, they're fragmented. No single quest contains a complete design, not even multiple quests contain complete design. Even if someone gathers multiple blueprints, they'd only have puzzle pieces with no clear picture. Second, the data is locked behind a proprietary encryption system that only I can decode. Anyone attempting to bypass it would trigger an automatic fail-safe that wipes the data clean."
Booma raised an eyebrow. "And if they try to manually reconstruct the pieces?"
Xuanyu shrugged. "Let them try. The designs are intentionally compartmentalized. Even if someone miraculously puts some parts together, they'd be missing the fundamental principles needed to make it function, those core fundamentals will not be handed out as quests, only Zero Two or the specialist I personally recruit will work on them. Besides some require materials that don't exist in their worlds, and others rely on energy principles that are beyond conventional understanding. Besides the person who takes the quests can't reveal it to other what quest he took, only his direct sub-ordinates, that will work for him/her will know about it."
Then, he tapped on his tablet again, and a new holographic projection appeared above it. This time, it displayed a series of intricate magical contracts, each radiating a faint glow of energy.
"That's where these come in," he said, his voice carrying a hint of finality.
Irene's narrowed her eyes as she read through the details. "Binding contracts… reinforced with both magic and cosmic laws. Anyone who accepts a quest is automatically bound by it. They can't sell, steal, or distribute the information. If they even attempt to bypass the system, the contract enforces penalties."
Nezu's sharp eyes gleamed with intrigue. "And what kind of penalties are we talking about?"
Xuanyu's smirk deepened. "That depends on the severity of the violation. Minor breaches—like attempting to copy information for later use—result in memory erasure. The person simply forgets they ever saw or worked on the blueprint. Major breaches—like trying to sell the data—trigger a more serious punishment. The contract will extract an equivalent price from them… which can range from losing their ability to comprehend technology to a direct forceful termination of their contract privileges with the shop."
Bibi Dong glanced at him. "And the most severe?"
Xuanyu's golden eyes glowed slightly. "For those who outright betray the system—trying to mass-produce or weaponize the knowledge for their own gain—the contract enforces absolute destruction of all related work, and if necessary, the individual responsible. The shop does not tolerate betrayal."
Shisui hummed in thought. "A system that not only rewards loyalty but ensures that treachery is impossible… Efficient."
Ditian smirked. "More than that. It means people will think twice before trying anything. The greater the reward, the greater the risk of violating the contract. Only those who are truly competent and disciplined will thrive in this setup."
Booma leaned back, exhaling softly. "Alright. That's airtight. No one's getting around those protections."
Nezu nodded in approval. "It's more than just security. This system ensures that only those who truly contribute get access to the greatest benefits. A meritocratic structure at its finest."
Xuanyu folded his arms, satisfied. "Exactly. If people want something from me, they have to earn it—fair and square."
"Well, it seems these quests are built for me," Foara Ul remarked, scrolling through the list with a small smirk. "After all, among all the shop members, I'm the only true scientist—thanks to my genes being a mix of a soldier and a scientist."
Rias blinked in surprise before a delighted smile spread across her face. "That's true… I never really thought about it that way." She glanced at Foara with newfound appreciation, remembering just how special she was—not just as a shop member, but as her piece.
Among all the reincarnated devils under her banner, Foara was unique. She wasn't just any pawn—she had taken eight of Rias's chess pieces to be resurrected, something only a being of extraordinary potential could do. And now, hearing her acknowledge her scientific expertise so casually, Rias couldn't help but feel both pride and curiosity.
"You don't usually talk about your background much, but now that I think about it, you're probably the most qualified person here for a lot of these tasks," Rias admitted, a hint of admiration in her voice.
Foara shrugged, her expression calm but clearly pleased with the recognition. "I don't bring it up because there's never been a reason to. But with these quests? It's hard not to notice how much they align with my skills."
Nezu observed the exchange with interest. "A specialist in science and research, with a unique perspective. That does give you an edge."
Rias nodded, her expression warm. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this, Foara." After all, someone who required eight pieces to reincarnate was bound to do something incredible.
Lily let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "You really lucked out, huh? Strength and brains in one package."
Irene crossed her arms, glancing at Rias. "Eight pieces… That's not something you see every day. Must have been quite the decision."
Shisui gave a small chuckle. "Not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous. Having that kind of advantage from the start makes things a lot easier."
Bibi Dong simply nodded, her gaze thoughtful. "It makes sense why you'd fit so well with these quests. You were practically made for this kind of work."
Foara smirked, shrugging. "Maybe, but I still have to put in the effort like everyone else."
Nezu observed quietly, then gave a knowing nod. "It does make for an interesting dynamic, though. With someone like you tackling these challenges, I imagine things will progress quite fast."
Rias, still pleased, gave Foara a small smile. "Well, I did say she was one of my best decisions."
The conversation moved on, but the quiet admiration in the room remained.