"My Liege!" Nuray exclaimed as she walked into Keina's room. She quickly presented a sealed letter to her, bearing the crest of Ren's Spire. "We just received this message, delivered by the woman named Kitten."
"It has to be the invitation to the upcoming auction." Keina nodded calmly, taking it away and opening it, and only after a brief scan did she fold it, giving it back with a smile. "Get ready with the rest of the Valkyries for the next weekend."
"My Liege?" She asked, with question marks in her eyes. She was not surprised because there would be trouble but because she couldn't guess who would be their enemy.
"Tell them they should be courteous towards people from the Spire of Ren and the Spire of Rabout."
"I will." She nodded. She dared not to question her Master, especially if she was unwilling to share her thoughts.
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At Spire of Ren, she and Rabout sat at a dinner table. They were just finishing their meal, and Rabout was sipping on some fine wine with a satisfied smile plastered all over his face. It was not just the two, as the rest of the family was there as Balbeer, Daryan, and Seya were seated at the same table as Rabout and Ren. Previously this was unacceptable as even the prominent family members were not permitted to sit at the same table as Rudrick, the Lord of the Spire, the King of the Naulins.
"You really sent an invitation to the Brightseed family?" Rabout opened his eyes after emptying his cup, which was quickly refilled by Milly. She was also questioningly looking at Ren.
"Of course!" She chuckled. "Are they not a prominent family in the city? I sent out invitation letters to every noble family with any name or fame in Rozex and to every Spire, of course."
"What about mine?" Rabout raised his eyebrows while Ren just rolled her eyes.
"Why should I waste any materials when you usually spend your days here, and I can tell you personally? Huh? Anyway! I am curious as to who is going to really come. The more, the merrier!"
"Well, if Corvux comes, they are going to let the Brightseeds loose, that is for sure!" Rabout laughed. "They were always their hound dogs, and when the owner is there, personally holding the leash, that is when they bark the loudest!"
"I hope they do!" Ariana said, arriving with a tray and placing a freshly brewed cup of coffee before her Master. "I have unfinished business with that pervert!"
"You may get your wish!" Milly answered, standing behind Rabout with a casual look. She was holding a large wine bottle in hand, once again, filling her Master's cup. "I heard that he was transferred to the Spire of Corvux after his… injury." She explained with careful words, watching the young women's faces turn red. Seeing as their bodies flinched, especially the boys', she almost laughed out loud. "So he must have been… treated."
"What is it about him anyway?" Kitten tilted her head, "He is not right in the head, I get that, but still… Was he always like this?"
"No, not really." Rabout sighed as everyone looked at him as he was the walking-talking library inside Rozex. "I don't know much about him personally when he was born, but my few records show that he was a quiet boy. He had around a dozen brothers and another dozen sisters."
"How many people are there in the Brightseeds?" Seya asked, completely shocked by what she was hearing.
"A lot." Milly answered, instead of Rabout, "They are not a family but a human factory for the Spire of Corvux." She explained with a cold tone that carried almost tangible sharpness hidden inside, "Veponia is genetically modified; she churns out children like a cat."
"Hey!" Kitten protested immediately.
"Sorry…" Milly scratched her throat, but Rabout just patted her hand with a gentle smile, picking up the tale where she left off.
"Don't be angry at her. She is from the Brightseed family."
"Oh?" exclaimed not just Ren but the rest, too, looking at Milly, who just looked down at the floor, not answering.
"I bought her off of Corvux a few decades ago. I liked the light in her eyes, so she was not experimented on. Anyway, what she said is true. When Veponia is pregnant, she only carries the children for a few months and never gives birth to less than triplets."
"Damn…" Daryan clicked his tongue, hearing it. "How can they keep it up? Their courtyard is bigger than my grandfather's but still! That many people would flood the whole city!"
"Because most of them are offered to the Spire," Rabout said but explained no more in that regard. Especially seeing the look on Ariana's face, who was ready to explode only at the thought itself. "About Elinus… There are always a bunch of healthy ones who are kept and raised to see if they have potential. The rest are… used up. Some stay with the family, working their businesses and whatnot, while others are, when ready, sent to the Spire. He was sent off when still young."
"None of his looks matched his previous description when he came out years later." Milly continued after she got to calm herself down. "He was reintroduced to the Brightseed family immediately."
"He is built to replace Veponia," Rabout answered the unasked question everyone had in their minds at that moment. "She is getting old. She has been the leader since Corvux took over his Spire. He is probably looking for a specimen to replace her. This is why Elinus is as you saw him. He was built to produce… results." he said, looking at Ariana, trying to soften his words. "He was made to make resources for Corvux. Nothing more."
"Resources…" Ariana murmured, looking down, visibly shaking and boiling with anger.
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"It is what Corvux is seeing them as." he shook his head, letting out a long sigh.
"What about the Malevicks?" Ren asked suddenly, not letting the rest think about the stomach-turning reality Rabout had just told them about. As how the Spire of Corvux operated behind the scenes.
"They won't come." Rabout shook his head immediately. "Your invitation was thrown out as soon as your men delivered it. They only listen to Zelig. Nobody else. Not even Rudrick could order them to do anything. But…”
"But?" Ren leaned forward with a smile while the others also looked at him.
"They are going to come out if you initiate a fight and go after the Brightseed family. A battle between Spires is something that is going to spur them into action."
"Why did they not come when Ren fought with Keina?" Sentios furrowed his brows while asking.
"It was inside here, hidden behind a forcefield. They knew nothing about what had happened that day. Keina left without problems, and nobody advertised there was a battle held between the two of you! If you go after them at the auction… there are going to be differences."
"Good!" Ren laughed, making the youngsters flinch with the sudden giggle. "Just hearing about Corvux makes me mad! Probably my great-grandfather is lonely in the afterlife, so let me send him a familiar face he can talk with!"
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"How interesting!" Corvux threw the invitation letter onto his table while wiping his bloody hand with a towel.
"Are we going to attend, Your Majesty?" Yavik asked, looking at his back.
"Of course we are! It is going to be the perfect opportunity to introduce the new family head of the Brightseed family!" He laughed while the door to the side room opened, and Elinus walked in. He was fixed up from before, looking even more 'perfect.' There were no visible scars on his naked body as all previously missing parts were replaced, and with a normal-looking one at that.
"Feels good to be whole again!" He laughed, stretching, acting like he had just napped for hours, but Yavik could swear there were ongoing, bone-shaking screams echoing between the Spire's walls for the past few days. Even until a few hours ago.
"Dress him up, Yavik," Corvux ordered, ignoring Elinus completely. "We are going to bring him with us to the auction. It is time to step up our presence inside Rozex. The throne needs to be back with our family line, as ours is the only pure bloodline left! Rudrick's was at least a so-so family line, but since he died, there are no other options left. Keina? That side branch? Her ancestors can't even retrace their family line to Zelig himself! Malevick's side? Don't make me laugh. They are brainwashed suicide soldiers! Zelig was hiding inside their Spire for more than a thousand years! Do any of you think they still have any of their own thoughts?" He laughed with a sarcastic tone before turning a bit more serious. "Rabout… I can respect him a little, but he is not fit for a leading position as he is too soft. That mutt who came and took over Rudrick's position? Disgrace. Make preparations. I'll ensure that after everything settles, only our pure family line remains."
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When the day of the auction came, a ton of people were interested in it, even if they couldn't get inside the main, domed part of Wonder Emporium. It was a strictly invitational event, but this still did not deter citizens of Rozex from lining up to the side of the road leading towards the building. Balbeer and his guards were already ready, and by lining up, they kept the main street clear of obstructions as carriage after carriage arrived. Ren was standing at the main entrance, flanked by Ariana and Seya, welcoming the arrivals, the first being Keina herself. Ren's new idea of an auction at this scale was acting as the whole realm's first red carpet event.
The event was scheduled to be held in the early evening, giving everyone enough time to arrive. Keina's carriage was flanked by twelve Valkyries led by Nuray. All of them were completely dressed up in shiny, beautifully crafted armor sets, sparkling in the setting sun's rays. When Keina stepped down from the carriage, she was dressed in a white, one-piece dress, walking up the stairs until she stood before Ren, who looked at her with a smile.
"Your booth has already been prepared. Seya is going to show you to it." Ren explained to her with a friendly nod.
"Thank you," Keina replied with a calm but much friendlier tone than before, looking into Ren's eyes. "I thought about what we talked through previously."
"Did you come to a decision?" she asked with a soft smile, stepping to the side so Seya could lead her and her people inside.
"I did. I'll show my choice to you today." Keina answered, walking past her, and after she left, Ariana sent over a voice transmission to her Master.
"What was that about, Master?"
"You'll see~" Ren answered, yet not at the same time, leaving Ariana with further questions. She asked no more as another carriage arrived, being Rabout's. He came alone, accompanied by Milly, without guards or followers.
"Geez, I told you previously too! I'm not an old man who needs help to get off a carriage…." Rabout murmured, but Milly insisted on helping him off and even walked him up to Ren.
"You reap what you sow." Ren poked fun at him, "So don't grumble like an old man if you are not one!"
"Yeah, yeah, I got it!" he rolled his eyes, walking inside while more and more people arrived. They were not just Ooda and essential people from his family, but other nobles, now serving as suppliers for the Wonder Emporium behind the scenes. It was an open secret as most such families were seen as the new subordinates to the Spire of Ren and the Spire of Rabout, depending on who you asked.
"Oh? Here they come!" Ren sent her voice over to Ariana, seeing a familiar crest on a luxurious, golden carriage. When it stopped, flanked by four heavily armored guards, an elegant, middle-aged woman stepped off, wearing a dark, black, open dress that was barely hiding her motherly curves. Her long, black hair was let loose behind her, reaching the ground while she wore a calm look. Getting off the carriage, her gaze quickly found its way up toward Ren and Ariana.
"She must be Veponia," Ariana said, receiving a nod from her Master.
"Yes… and look at her blue eyes…."
"They are… empty…?" Ariana whispered, sounding shocked, and as she tried to read her feelings, there were barely any. "It feels like… looking at a puppet… and not a human," she said with a pained voice, turning her anger toward the Brightseed family into pity.
"They are just tools." Ren agreed with her, "Sick and twisted tools. Whatever they might once have been, are already washed away by Corvux's hands." She explained with a sympathetic voice while watching Veponia walk up the stairs, greeting them.
"It is an honor to meet with a Spire Lord." Veponia bowed towards Ren, and her voice was soft, young yet somewhat monotone… empty. "I heard what my descendant did, and I am here to ask for your forgiveness. I hope you can see past what a problem child does and not blame the whole family for it."
"I left him alive, no?" Ren chuckled, stepping sideways to let them inside, and Daryan was already there to lead them in.
"You did." she nodded as an answer, walking past them, followed by her guards, disappearing inside the building.
"Poor thing…" Ariana whispered as she looked after her. She was voicing her honest thoughts at that moment.
"Mmmh… She was dealt a bad hand at the start… and here comes the dealer."
Ariana turned her head towards the street after hearing her Master's voice. She saw a big, white carriage approaching them, flanked by six guards, all wearing the Naulin bloodline's distinct looks. They were walking proudly and in complete synchronization. Realizing that it was Corvux who had come, the people were whispering loudly, guessing if the Malevick's Lord would also show up or not? Then this event would be a place where the five Spire Lords entered the same building at the same time… and that only happened once. At the establishment of Rozex.