Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Four: Growing Responsibilities

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The first addition had Jace’s full attention: a shop portal, direct access to Hades' allied stores. He snagged it immediately. Only one tier unlocked, but it was enough to get started. He placed the archway near the main Society Interface, positioned just off the main path where Hades’ and Hecate’s wings converged.

Jace stepped up to the portal, watching the arch shimmer with a faint, flickering glow as it tried to connect. For a second, he caught a glimpse of shelves, shadowed figures bustling between aisles, the dim gleam of polished artifacts under candlelight. Then it stuttered, the vision collapsing as the portal turned solid again. He smirked; a little hiccup didn’t change the potential here. No more scavenging for rare components or tracking down potions by the dozen—soon, supplies and coveted relics would be just a step away.

For now, the portal menu showed only a few grayed-out shops. He couldn’t tell if they were temporarily closed, unavailable, or perhaps locked behind higher society levels. As always, there was more to learn, each upgrade peeling back another layer of potential. Running a Society was starting to look like a full-time job—a job that needed a small army to manage right. When it was just him, he’d barely kept up with the basics, and now… he was drowning in options.

He could now summon a visible interface anytime, anywhere, toggling between a private mode just for his eyes or a shared display others could see. It gave him full access to every feature and piece of data in the Society—a brilliant tool, really, and one that set his mind racing with possibilities.

He pulled up the member interface and located Molly's profile. With a tap, a faint, glowing line appeared, stretching out before him like a spectral compass needle pointing the way through the ever-expanding maze of the Fields Below. Thankfully, she wasn't too far—the Fields seemed to sprawl more each day, corridors branching into new chambers that twisted and turned in on themselves.

Following the luminescent guide, he wound through shadowed passages and under archways etched with ancient symbols. The air was cool, tinged with the scent of sage and something darker, more elusive. He turned a corner and spotted Molly standing atop a small ladder, adjusting a row of softly glowing Veilfire Lanterns; violet and silver dancing over the stone walls. Each flicker seemed to breathe life into the carvings and reliefs, the shadows playing tricks on the eyes. Molly reached up, her fingers deftly repositioning one of the lanterns, and the light washed over her, illuminating the focused determination on her face.

Her lips moved in a way that didn’t quite sync with the words she murmured—maybe to herself, or maybe to someone only she could see. Jace stretched his senses, feeling the faint energy of wandering spirits circling her, drawn like moths to a flame. She always had that vibe—one foot in this world, and the other somewhere you wouldn’t want to visit after dark.

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"Molly," Jace called out, catching her attention. She turned to Jace, fixing him with a blank, almost unsettlingly pleasant gaze.

“Want a promotion?” Jace asked, flashing a grin that was all mischief.

Molly arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms with a skeptical look. “Oh no. Don’t even think about pinning this on me. I’ve already got enough on my plate as a Faculty Aide.”

Jace let out a laugh, a real one that softened his usual brooding edge. “Come on, Molly. You’ve seen how things are lately—all these new members, the chaos. I need help, and not just from anyone. You’ve got the whole Hecate vibe down.”

She narrowed her eyes, a glint of suspicion mixing with something warmer. “And what exactly do I get out of it, besides a fancy title and a ton of extra headaches?”

“That’s pretty much it,” Jace admitted with a shrug, though his grin widened. “But… you’d also get silver-tier privileges. Full access to the good stuff on the menu.” He gestured to the glowing interface floating in the air and made it publicly visible. “Plus, you could allocate Society Points, choose upgrades, send society-wide messages. You’d be the boss of Hecate’s corner. And don’t act like you wouldn’t secretly love that.”

Her gaze flickered to the menu, and the hint of a sly smile tugged at her lips. He could see her weighing the options. “Fine. But I want my own team—I’m not babysitting Hecate’s whole crew solo.”

“Deal!” Jace said, extending his hand. She clasped it, her grip firm and unwavering. He initiated the prompt to upgrade her status and permissions. Molly glanced at the notification, gave a quick nod, and accepted it without hesitation.

“Oh, one more thing,” Jace added, trying to keep his tone casual. “You’d be helping out on the Hades side, too. Just a little… you know, management stuff.”

“What?” Molly’s eyes widened as she processed. “Are you telling me—”

“Yep, you’re now officially Society Second.” He grinned wider, already taking a step back.

“Jace!” Her voice shot through the halls, layered with shock and outrage.

“Sorry, can’t hear you!” he called, already turning on his heel and bolting down the corridor, her indignant yell chasing after him.

"You little…!" was the last thing he heard as he rounded the corner.

Once he was out of sight, Jace slowed, eyes catching on a new section of the menu—a column of golden upgrades, each one locked tight behind gold rank. But he could see it now: a fortified inner sanctum, hidden portals, resources that could turn the Fields Below into something unstoppable. He exhaled, the seed of a plan already taking root. First, he’d need to push the Society to the next level. Winter classes were coming, and with them, the challenges—and chances—he needed to make this happen.