...

Time: The following days

Orbis was a world of stark contrasts. Its beauty was matched only by its peril—a land where extreme conditions forged a breathtaking but deadly array of flora and fauna.

On such a planet, one might find lands of eternal ice, where the air itself condensed into a liquid, or realms of poison, where every breath would be a battle. There were places of madness, where the senses were heightened to the point of insanity, and domains of divinity, where the gods pass judgment with every step you take

Within the mainland of the Eros Alliance lay a realm of ashes, where the air shimmered with perpetual heat, and active volcanoes dotted the landscape. At the base of one of the most towering volcanoes stood a city cloaked in shades of black, brown, and red—a place that exuded an intense, almost oppressive energy.

Yet, this fiery, chaotic environment was perfectly fitting, forming a mesmerizing tapestry of smoke, ash, and flame that served as the ideal gathering place for certain djinns.

The city, aptly named Ash, simmered under an average daytime temperature of 70°C (160°F), a climate that the races of the Eros Alliance found not just tolerable but pleasing.

If an army tried to invade that place, the heat in some places would make it unbearable for them even to breathe. For others, it would become a death trap as rivers of flowing lava split the city into multiple parts, creating a beautiful web of a mess, similar to Wolfsteeth, where chaos reigned in an orderly fashion.

Though no army had ever dared to breach Ash's defenses, the final safeguard lay at the volcano's base—a formidable barricade crafted from the leather and bones of ancient, monstrous lizards.

While the other buildings were much more modern, akin to other territories, the hall stayed as it was, having survived times of turmoil and catastrophes. It symbolized continuity and stability in a region plagued by war, monsters, and demons—the Hall of the Sun.

Inside this ancient building was a hall where the Grand Leader's throne stood, a grotesque horror fashioned out of bones and skin, with lava flowing eternally behind whoever would reign. Their word was absolute and non-negotiable, making that person one of the few absolute powers in all of Orbis.

The current Grand Leader of the Eros Alliance was a towering figure, though lacking the usual airs of nobility. He sat in a simple suit, a heavy mantle draped over his broad, muscular shoulders, his beard slightly unkempt—a roughness more befitting a sea captain than a ruler.

His eyes showed no earnestness or intelligence as he read a letter, needing much longer than a decent administrator of his—a sign of his upbringing as the son of a miner.

His charisma was that of a drinking buddy—rude and rough, an attitude that would disgrace everyone of higher standing. He was the everyday man—the exact opposite of every other djinn in his Alliance.

There were such people, and all they had left was but one thing: unimaginable power and an unbreakable will to reach such a point. He was an absolute variable inside their Alliance and an inspiration for everyone of lower standing—a genuine fairy tale.

Kneeling before him, Helena felt a genuine terror. Yet something unsettlingly familiar about his rough demeanor reminded her of someone she was deeply thankful for, making her adapt quickly.

"Has she lost her mind?"

Helena cringed at the coarse dialect. The deep, booming voice, laced with rural charm, reminded her of the rough, uncultured farmers she had once haggled with—a stark contrast to the polished dealings she was used to.

Fortunately, her forehead touched the ground, so he couldn't see her expression. However, she would bite her tongue off before laughing at such a monster. Even being in his presence brought fear into her heart that she never knew existed.

'Too hot.'

The heat the Grand Leader emitted was something she had never experienced, as this was her first audience. She felt licked by the flames, which made her sweat constantly and breathe heavily. It was the first time she had experienced such a sensation that something was too hot.

"Well, I'll be darned, who'da thought Pascal and Thaldon would be carryin' on like this?—" She suddenly felt his gaze, oppressive and dominating, "—it is quite intriguing."

Helena informed her Grand Leader about what Dame Pascal and Thaldon wanted to do a few days before their letter arrived. They were asking permission to invade a particular clan.

"That's right, Grand Leader! I informed you as fast as possible!"

At first, she didn't foresee being invited into the divine Sun Hall, expecting only some exchange of correspondence with the administration. However, she could barely sleep when she got the invitation with the Grand Leader's signature—a combination of nervousness and thrill went through her whole body.

After another moment of piercing glares, he suddenly chuckled, making the hall quake, "Raise your head. I dislike this conduct, "—When Helena, at last, could look into the Grand Leader's eyes, she identified a sensation of pride and curiosity, "—before we start discussing the reason how you obtained such information, I want to congratulate you and your half-sister Lila for winning the gamble—an accomplishment worth the great price you received."

"Thank you, Grand Leader! I am truly honored!"

Lila's initial gamble was over. They conquered a small piece of land on the Dog-Pudding Island, right between beast-kin territory and the Camp.

It all started because Helena's half-sister tried to make a bet, using military resources to conquer that territory from the Essence Alliance, which would lead to a more substantial war she couldn't win.

Helena had sleepless nights and worked through all her connections to achieve the win, not wanting her clan to be disassembled with the proposition being that she conquered it.

Also, the winning was tremendous since they barely used military resources like soldiers. She conquered and defended it, as stated in the signed assurance of Narsiz, Alexander, Sarah, and Linuel—all of noble descent and whom word was valued.

It was all an act, of course, and she was now in negotiations with the other clan who started the bet, ready to take a big chunk of their trade agreements and territory—she felt unbeatable.

Her clan praised her, wanting her to become the next leader. With some luck, she could even get a position as an elder of the council—an incredible honor.

'I want more.'

When Narsiz approached her and asked if she wanted to continue with Lila and gain even more power and territory, she could only answer yes, as greed overwhelmed her.

Helena was the daughter of a low—to middle-sized clan with no real power other than some gold and connections. She wanted to succeed and not be at the mercy of almost every more prominent clan.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

However, when she looked at him, he suddenly smiled as if catching a naughty child in the act. His voice became rougher, gurgling, "I see what you did here, though, you rascal—" He coughed, punching his chest and gulping, "—excuse me, my acid reflux is acting up."

Saliva flew toward the ground when he coughed, sizzling and burning disintegrating it. This little gesture made her ego become small real quick, knowing that if he simply spat on her, she would die.

He snipped once, letting a servant come to him with a silver platter that had arrays of cigars on it, "Interesting bet, though—" He smiled widely, "—you got a smidge of territory, without even much but watching—" The cigar lit up by itself, "—what should I make of it?"

Helena became nervous since his words were ominous. She immediately wanted to clarify and apologize, not knowing what she had done wrong. Still, he stopped her, smiling as he puffed out smoke, which immediately disintegrated from the heat of his.

"Would you call it betrayal and trickery of our kin?"

Helena immediately answered, now much more enraged than usual. It was one of her pain points, as she was immensely proud of her kin.

"That's not true!—" Something cracked inside her as the heat became too much, making her dizzy, "—I only followed our customs with pride! Those lowly beings from the Glowing-Steel clan started it, and I will take all they have for daring to try and destroy my family!"

The credentials she built inside the territory and outside were exquisite, of trust, loyalty, and amiability.

Helena was of a much lower standing than Lila, but she had enough connections now to speak openly to the council, knowing that Alexander would create one catastrophe after another.

Was she too trusting? No, she knew exactly who was an ally and who was not.

After her grandstand, the Leader suddenly smiled. It was a catastrophe for Helena as she emerged from her daze because the heat became bearable again, panicking at how she talked to the most important being.

However, before she could beg for forgiveness, he began to speak to her, saying something she had never imagined in her wildest dreams, "I am new and have loyal and trusting people surround me, but all of them have a rough and crude attitude—" He leaned forward, smiling, "—what I need now are vicious snakes, not brutal hounds, so how about it, girly?"

Becoming a retainer or servant to the Grand Leader was a higher honor than being part of the council. She could serve under the mightiest person in her Alliance.

Before she could respond, he leaned back, a casual wave of his hand stirring a powerful gust that nearly swept her off her feet.

"I'll give you a gamble—" He put one leg over the other, "—go and take two-thirds of the land of the clan who started this whole mess, leave one-third alone, and so you shall get no military, no resources, just your friends and connections. Show me how you handle it with only the relationships you build over the year, as I need such a person in my rows."

It was clear to Helena what it all meant. He looked for a retainer, not one with power, but one with connections, who could handle relationships and deal with mostly socialization.

She kneeled again, "I will accept! I shall leave today with nothing but enough not to hunger until I arrive in Wolfsteeth! I will take over the Blooming-Steam clan and their territory and show you my talents and that I am worthy of becoming your retainer!"

"'Muhahaha!—" His laughter echoed through the hall like thunder, "—Let this grand gamble begin!

...

Place: Marisia's office

Time: Days later

Marisia sat at her elegantly carved wooden desk, meticulously reviewing proposals, applications, and feedback on her policies—an uncommon diligence among rulers. She modeled her governance after Lady Moorgrel, a genius administrator renowned for her relentless pursuit of improvement.

But at the moment, her attention was fixated on the floating ink ball above her head, its wobbly string struggling to form coherent sentences on the paper before her.

She wanted to have the same writing speed as her son, but controlling contraptions was less a skill of controlling energy or mana and more an innate attitude to compute at extreme speeds.

'Hm, perhaps—' Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by an itch in her nose, threatening a sneeze. The ink string slipped loose, smearing the ink across the papers she had painstakingly reviewed.

She silently looked at it for a whole minute, only to sigh, '—I am done for today.'

Later that day, Marisia would train in martial arts with her son as she did daily—these sessions were not merely about mastering techniques.

Behind every technique created by their ancestors was a reason and sensation—it was imperative for her that Alexander ingrained the morals and ethics of their household into his mind, never forgetting them.

'I am tired—' She leaned back, closing her eyes, '—then Janina, but luckily, Narsiz and Sarah are still gone.'

Marisia had barely any free time with her trying to teach her puppies. At this point, it was either her, Kairoso, or someone of equivalent aptitude and skill who would be able to improve them.

'They are much more talented than I ever was.'

Each of her puppies had found their strengths and worked to hone them. But with Alexander's influence, their progress was startlingly rapid.

In the past, her Mother seemed like the best bet to create a living weapon, but now, if combined with the creativity of her youngest son, it became scary to watch them.

A sigh escaped her. 'Well—' She opened her eyes and straightened up again, feeling an uncomfortable itch returning, '—I really need my husband.'

Of course, she didn't only need him for her carnal desires but also to relieve some of her burden. For some unknown reason, everybody praised her for her great managerial and administrative work, but when he was here, everything became so much easier, as this was one of his hidden talents.

She looked at her pocket watch, stood slowly up, and felt how tired she was, but like always, she kept going. It was her only strength—a blessing many didn't know the actual value of.

'So, what will it be today? I guess the dispersion technique should do—' She chuckled, remembering the previous training sessions, '—I know that he will turn it into some bizarre spell—'

As she wanted to walk away, still in thought and trying to think what one could do with such a passive technique—the door suddenly opened, and a young otter-kin walked in, distressed, holding a letter in his hands, slightly crumpling it.

Even though it was incredibly rude of her to punish him harshly, there was another approach she quite liked. It showed much better results for those who wanted to learn the craft and etiquette genuinely but were simply clumsy—those who just didn't care would get another treatment.

"Dennis!"

He suddenly stopped a couple of steps before her, looking at her in fear—not knowing what he did say. It was a natural reaction since she apparently looked to everyone like a stoic and serious person—a compliment she liked.

"Now—" He flinched, as tears swelled in his eyes, "—leave the room, and do it how you learned it. If I see you do it again, you will sleep with the trainee soldiers—" She focused her eyes on him, "—Do you understand me?

Marisia articulated each word carefully, emphasizing the key points. This approach was effective, especially with boys like Dennis—commoners from humble backgrounds who worked as if their lives depended on it.

He quickly left, and as some seconds went by, she could sense how he was about to knock but stopped himself, mumbling something about how long he should wait, only to suddenly knock very loudly.

"May I come in, my Lady?"

Marisia sighed, was happy inwardly, "Yes."

As Alexander's projects advanced, particularly his work with orphans—some of whom possessed notable talents and legacies.

Marisia typically prioritized fostering relationships with the offspring of merchants and administrators. But her son insisted on reserving a quota for those orphans.

'It was quite the fight.'

Her son, by all rights, was as stubborn as one could be. However, his reason wasn't stupid. All she had to promise him was that she would leave room for 10% of those better than the worst 10% she would've taken.

Unfortunately, according to her retainers like Noriken, Salyna, and Aro, they were constantly bullied. This conduct stopped when her son became their supporter, forcing everyone through means even she thought were quite extreme.

'It's a steep road.'

She understood him too well, as a few of her ancestors did the same with the insect and avian-kin. However, while rumors spread about her and her son, they only smiled.

How often did she listen to those rumors and gossip? They didn't matter, and Alexander cared even less since the whole city loved him. Some went so far as to put hits on those who started those lies.

For her, though, it didn't matter since she was absolute in her power, and everyone should know their place. She was better than them, and even if an ant bit her ankle, one would simply squash it and move one.

Dennis came slowly forward, bowing down and holding the letter with both hands. She casually took it, making the boy flinch again.

"Now, leave if you are done, but if you need an answer, wait outside until I call you again. I can easily detect your presence."

He nodded vigorously and was gone, not waiting. Marisia said nothing more about his terrible conduct as he sweated through his cheap suit, barely holding back his tears.

'He will learn, now sending the least liked to deliver a letter usually means something bad—' She opened the letter and read it, '—I see.'

In an instant, Marisia's aura surged, splintering the wooden table and chair as she stared at the letter's contents.

"Whose bones should I grind to dust? Narsiz's or Alex's?"