XXV

  Rewards

  Portraits of people I didn’t recognise covered the great hallways. Chandeliers adorned the ceiling every few steps, their candles releasing scents like drifting clouds. More and more, I got the sense that Castle Shield was more chateau than castle.

  Sharon led me down a set of stairs. A quick question confirmed that we’d been on the upper floor—the upper floor available to disciples, at least. There was another one for the Administrators.

  “The meeting is taking place on the second floor,” she said. “It’s where most disciples are stationed.”

  Indeed, the more floors we descended, the more the hallways bustled with activity. Disciples wearing uniforms of all kinds strolled through the halls and chattered.

  “And then one of them cut off his head. Can you believe it?!”

  “Really? Creepy. The Northern entrance didn’t have any cultists.”

  “Lucky you…”

  Almost all of them paused and eyed me from the corner of their sight, their gazes resting on the space above my head. A double-take, both at the title and the level, and greed sparked in their countenance, held back only by caution. I didn’t reach for my blade, neither did I keep my hand close to my weapon.

  Confidence was important in scenarios like these.

  ‘Most are between level ten and twenty.’

  With middling cores. My current cultivation was already better, and I was barely halfway to reaching the state I desired.

  Once on the second floor, Sharon stopped in front of an oak doorway and knocked twice. A man opened the entrance. Thin, white hair barely clung onto his pate, but his face was free of wrinkles, giving him a unique look. While the man’s attire—a red vest and white button shirt—screamed butler, his spirit screamed elder.

  Yet he bowed when Sharon passed. “Please come in, representatives of the Lady.” His head dipped lower as I passed. “Your performance has pleased us greatly, Lady Sunstrider.”

  I inclined my head. “Consider it nothing but repaying my karma.”

  Though Mother had bought my way into the mystic realm, both the Dawnchasers and Dawnflames could’ve rejected her request. If they had, I would’ve never found the remains of my heritage.

  He smiled and didn’t answer.

  The room was spacious enough to be used for conferences. A large table dominated the centre, the projections of mythical beasts carved into the rim. Red cloth draped over the table, upon which rested a multitude of spiritually infused dishes. It took everything I had to stop my stomach from rumbling, and I almost didn’t want to wrench my gaze away from the meals to study the others in the room.

  About fifty disciples were seated around. I found Leila quite easily, for she was one of the few I recognised. She gave me a forced smile.

  ‘It must sting.’ Duke had followed me and left her behind.

  I spotted the boy in question. He offered a soft wave that I returned. And while I didn’t recognise anyone else, everyone seemed to recognise me from the looks of it. A girl with a head full of curly hair balanced precariously on the back two legs of her chair and gave me a lazy once-over. Her robes were a deep blue like that of an ocean at night.

  ‘Must be from a minor vassal clan.’

  Waving hands on the opposite side of the table drew my attention. Two disciples, twins, it looked like, shot me a smile as if I knew them. They stood apart from the room because they didn’t wear robes but a thick jacket over trousers and a set of thick boots. All fur-fitted. All grey. The sleek design matched their physicality—slender and sharp. They’d do well in a marathon.

  I gave them a lofty wave back.

  The butler walked up beside me. “We’ve prepared sustenance for your summons, Lady Sunstrider, should you wish to feed them.”

  He pointed to the side, where low-standing tables carried cuts of meat and plants. Essence oozed from the ingredients in a haze.

  ‘How thoughtful.’

  “Thank you,” I said. “I can wait until the meeting is finished?”

  He chuckled. “Normally, that’d be appreciated. But I’m the only elder here, making this a meeting of peers. There’s no need for such etiquette.”

  “Don’t mind me, then.”

  Saber and one of the harpies entered our realm. The pair garnered their own set of inspections. One disciple tried their luck and reached out to pet Saber. He growled so their arm snapped back.

  The harpy turned up her beak at the disciples trying to get her attention and strutted towards the table.

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  Saber lunged, and it was only the bird’s quick reflexes that saved it. Her wings fluttering, the harpy opened its beak to screech—

  “Misbehave and you’ll both go back,” I said.

  They glared at each other but settled down.

  My senses crawled up my bond with Saber. His essence was rushing through his body like a river—the same way it did in a fight. Had he really tried to attack the harpy?

  Another chuckle brought me back in the moment. The butler, for his part, studied my summons too. I got half the sense that he’d prepared a meal for just that purpose, but I wouldn’t complain. Food like this saved me resources and time. The ashenblood tree might even reach middle before the second test began if I fed it some of the experience I gained.

  I was led past Duke and to the right of a boy sitting with his eyes closed and arms crossed. His red hair was so dark it could’ve passed for black.

  The butler waltzed on and sat down at the head of the table. He gestured with an open palm. “Now that everyone’s here, feel free to partake.”

  The table didn’t move. For what they were waiting, I didn’t know, but I didn’t share in their reservations in the slightest. My gaze was on a plate of cut and dressed steak. The problem was that it was slightly out of reach, and leaning over to grab it was a bit much even for my tastes.

  “If you will offer me your plate,” the boy beside me said, “I can grab it for you.”

  I blinked and regarded him. ‘Can’t sense any ill intentions…well, why not.’

  So I passed him my plate. “Much appreciated, Lord…”

  “Raven will do.” He placed three cuts on my dish, then hovered over a salad. “I recommend this side. It’s called Dove’s Remembrance.”

  Which likely referenced the white leaves in the shapes of dove feathers.

  An incline of the head, and the salad went on. Once he handed me my food, the boy filled his own plate. Duke served himself afterwards. Only then did the rest of the table move.

  “As you esteemed ladies and gentlemen enjoy yourselves,” the butler said, “I’ll explain the purpose of this meeting, which is twofold.”

  I glanced up at him between mouthfuls.

  “First, my name is Decim Dragneel. I’m a direct servant of Lady Sell Dawnflame, the Vermilion Dawn.”

  There were some murmurs at that reveal.

  “Many of you have performed admirably,” he continued when whispers settled down. His hands came to rest underneath his chin. “As such, the Lady has tasked me with divvying up the rewards for your contribution to our cause.”

  Cutlery stopped moving.

  The butler smiled and held up four fingers. “The rewards are split into four tiers: rouge, crimson, scarlet, and vermilion. Though the last two are rarely, if ever, claimed.”

  Gazes turned towards me. I quietly continued eating.

  One of the disciples raised their hand and the butler gave him the floor. “Will we still receive this reward if we accept the invitation of another faction?”

  “You’ve already earned it, so it’d be unseemly of us to retract it. Of course, should you decide to remain with us, our clan will reward that as well. You can find more information on this in the offer panel on your screen.”

  The disciple nodded, though he didn’t appear convinced.

  My brow raised. ‘Offer panel?’ I checked and found a new column below my stats. Since nothing about my stats had changed, I’d skimmed through them upon waking and entirely missed the section.

  ‘To think they can make changes to my system though.’

  The system was still an enigma—if anyone knew its true nature, they weren’t sharing—but far and by, the system was regarded as a cosmic entity that governed the universe. While it was dark and promoted killing, it was fair in its base manner of acting. It wouldn’t allow others to negatively influence the system of other beings without their consent. Still, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in how they’d achieved such a thing.

  ‘Could be because I’m inside the mystic realm.’

  The pocket dimension may be their world, making it easier.

  Decim didn’t speak up afterwards, instead allowing us to finish our meals.

  Saber strode up beside me after having eaten his fill. The former Ashwing preferred to remain at the back of the room so she could survey.

  Once the rest of the room finished eating as well, Decim clapped twice. Servants poured through the entrance, each carrying a sealed, rouge box that could fit on a desk. I couldn’t penetrate the crate with my senses.

  “Thank you,” I said, accepting the crate from the servant.

  Everyone at the table received one. Then the second tier of chests came in, these crimson. Not even a fifth of the table received these. Among their numbers were the twins, the girl (who was still balancing on her chair), Duke and Raven.

  “As stated,” Decim said, “the latter tiers of rewards are almost never claimed. However, this year, two have managed to do so.” He motioned towards Raven and I. “Lord Raven Dawnflame, who managed to eliminate Borhk the Hill King in the Northern half of the range.”

  The disciples applauded. Some even hollered his name. Raven was well-known amongst the disciples, it seemed.

  ‘Never heard of a Borhk.’

  I identified the boy again.

  [Flamewhisperer - lvl. 18]

  His core was in decent shape too. I hummed. Not bad.

  Raven received his scarlet chest with a smile. While the other chests didn’t exude any essence, this one buffeted the room, and made me excited for what was inside.

  “The second recipient is one new to many of us. Lady Ashe Sunstrider, who took down the herald of the western mountain.”

  A smaller round of applause. And some whispers.

  “Didn’t Lord Duke help her…”

  “I heard the Vile damaged the beast.”

  “Right! How can she get the same as Raven?”

  Which was valid criticism. That said, I think I did more than could be expected from any level 10 in that scenario.

  Raven, for his part, didn’t appear to care. If anything, he looked relieved.

  Decim cleared his throat. “The Vermilion Dawn herself watched Lady Sunstrider’s fight with the herald. To question the legitimacy of her achievement is to question the Lady’s judgement.”

  And though the butler smiled, the shift in his tone was dangerous.

  ‘Good to know that I was being watched…’

  Decim motioned to the entrance again. “And for that performance, Lady Sunstrider, we offer our greatest compliment and gratitude.”

  A servant strode in carrying a vermilion cushion, on top of which rested a chest of the same colour. Essence didn’t leak through this chest this time, though that may be because the material was far sturdier.

  Beside me, Raven chewed a sour pill.

  I didn’t make a show of accepting the reward, not keen on rubbing more people the wrong way than I already had.

  “The honour is mine,” I said, bowing over the table.

  Decim nodded. “For those who have yet to choose their faction, you have until nightfall. The details will follow in the morning. Until then, you’re dismissed.”

  The disciples left in the order they were seated at the table.

  “Congratulations,” Raven said while we waited. He held out his hand and chuckled. “I’d wanted to show an exemplary performance by taking out the bandit leader, but it seems I fell short.”

  I didn’t know how strong this Borhk was. But had I not been here, it may have earned him the vermilion reward.

  I shook his hand. “Luck was on my side. You’ll no doubt do better in the second trial.”

  His lips curled. “I hope so.” Then he stood and exited the room after Duke.

  I rose to follow.

  “Ah,” Decim said, “if you will have a moment, Lady Sunstrider. There’s another matter for us to discuss.”

  Lingering disciples cast a surreptitious glance backward but continued out of the room.

  “I’ll be upfront,” I said. “I intend to go through my offers first before accepting anything.”

  “Which is exactly why we wish to have this conversation before you make any decisions.”

  The man pulled a scroll from his inner pocket and set it upon the table.

  “It’s regarding the inheritance you found.”

  I sat back down.

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