Marching through the town to the mayor's aforementioned "tower" was as easy as falling off a log. Of course, it would be when the town's guards were clearing the roads. Everyone else in the town crawled back from whence they came like rats, fearing the predator that tramped through. Aten had thought about breaking free, considering how empty the streets were at that moment, there would be a slight chance of escape. However, he was girdled by guards from every cusp. It was almost laughable how many they were as if they had captured a greatly dangerous beast.

Alas, the "tower" stood tall before them. It wasn't particularly a full-fledged tower. Most of it had merged with the inner walls of the cave, probably due to the fact that it was intentionally built to support a wide space — the mayor always favored grand things. Regardless, this wasn't something a mayor should ever indulge himself with. He was just a mouthpiece for the empire to the outside, nothing more.

The gates, akin to old castle gates, creaked upon opening. Light came blazing through from the inside to the outside. As Aten stepped through, he couldn't help but marvel once again at something in this town. Never had he ever seen something so beautiful, yet heinous and shallow. There were no walls within the castle, they were all fabricated from pure crystal. Was it the cave that housed crystals within it, or was this built-in along with the tower, he did not know. Like elastinum, crystals were rare materials. But this was the work of the empire, no doubt, it would be easy for them to take hold of something that didn't require neuroalchemy.

Preceding the entrance was a giant and long hallway that was lit by the crystals, the interiors didn't need actual light after all. The tiles on the floor mirrored what was above as if it was made of stained glass. Aten's footsteps made no sound whatsoever, or maybe it did, and the sound of the armored guards moving was just too great. Before there were two stairs that were adjacent to each other but led to different areas in the tower, and in the middle, the mayor's office, or the throne room from how imposing it seemed.

In there resided the transgressing mayor, choking on his own luxurious food like the glutton he was. Accompanying him were dozens of guards on each side of the room. It was guarded to a ridiculous extent, not even the great emperor would have this many guards around him. Then again, the emperor was a warrior above all else, unlike this voracious shell of a mayor who could not hold a sword straight.

The moment he laid eyes on Aten, he lit with excitement, as he had been gifted a saving grace. Aten, on the other hand, was counting the second he had left before he could leave this godforsaken place. But there was still the matter of the stolen elastinum, and the punishment he was to receive from the mayor.

'So this is the uh…,' the mayor struggled to remember who Aten was exactly. Not a second later, his attention shifted to another plate of dessert being placed before him. Another guard whispered to his ears the information he needed, however, he was too busy, 'Hush, I know I know,' he cut a piece and devoured it, but it didn't stop him from talking with his mouth full, 'You needn't tell me of this simpleton. He is the uh… the garbage collector!! A technorunner, ain't I right?'

What was happening was downright embarrassing to someone like the mayor, and he was ignorant of all that. But Aten could care less about that. Lejin and his goons, however, were trying to hold themselves from laughter.

The mayor cleared his throat after finally finishing that last piece of his pound cake, 'Collector uh… State your name… is that correct?' He asked the same guard from before and he nodded.

Aten was at ease for that moment, the mayor was just as he expected him to be, a pawn to the empire. One of the guards didn't like Aten's long pause, and so they pushed him to the front, forcing an answer out of him. He took a deep breath, 'Aten… and that's all you're gonna get for now.'

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'Is that right…' the mayor piqued an interest.

'Mind your tongue in front of our mayor, rube!!'

'What'd you say?' Aten couldn't sit quietly after being insulted.

However, a guard struck their rifle's stock against Aten's face, putting him once again in his place.

'Now now, violence is not the answer, gentlemen,' the mayor raised his hand, 'Aten, correct? Allow me to formally present myself,' now that there was no food to stall him, he had his full attention on Aten, 'I am Abnar Quinby Benedict, the esteemed mayor of Phaesevell. What's Phaesevell, you may ask? Well, it's the best entertainment district you could ever set foot into. Even the empire officials come here for leisure, so if you think that we're just a stand-in for a district that the great cities could not provide, and that I'm just a pawn to the empire, then you are dead wrong. We are all a strong force, a force the empire seeks to ally with. So don't think it's easy to just run amok and cause chaos in my town.'

Speeches. Speeches were every awaiting Aten in every place he went to. First, it was Lejin trying to give him an unnecessary lecture on not to cross him. Now, it was the garrulous mayor who seemed to like moving his mouth, whether he was eating or not.

'Be that as it may, let us set aside our differences and begin a bargain — I've heard that you seem to favor such methods. But first,' the mayor looked at Lejin and his goons, 'Care to explain yourself, Lejin? What is this, the seventh, the sixteenth time you tried to blow up my town for the sake of "attaining what is rightfully yours." You may be the capo around these parts, but it's only because of me. So stop acting like a mutinous child and own up to the title given to you!'

'Forgive me, sire! Things tend to get out of hand, you know…'

'Then why are you here, Lejin?'

That question was enough to be taken as an insult for Lejin. There was a time when he was the great Lejin with the greatest crew to ever roam the land of Eldria. That Lejin is gone when a good-for-nothing kid took it all from him and left him to kiss the asses of the empire to secure his survival.

'Dismiss them, and oh…,' said the mayor, 'Leave the cabbage farm- the garbage collector! We still have a lot to discuss.'

Aten could not believe it. The man who robbed him of the treasure of a lifetime was getting out scot-free. But then again, what did he expect? Lejin was a powerful force to the mayor, there would be no way he'd listen to Aten. Even if by some method, they both went through with a bargain and Aten would be able to request what would please him, it would already be too late. There was only a short amount of time before Lejin could discover the elastinum's true worth, especially with that librarian on his side.

At least that girl would finally leave me alone. Aten gave out a sigh of relief on the fact that Eeira would trouble him no more since the elastinum was no longer in his possession, that was if he got out of this place.

'May I ask you, my boy?' The mayor caught Aten's attention once more, 'What is your interest in neuroalchemy? Or, by any chance, do you practice magik?'

There was an ulterior motive behind that question, it was obvious. But what exactly would the mayor gain from that? Perhaps he was thinking of baiting him into being imprisoned by the empire for unlawful use of magik.

'Rest assured, the empire will have no knowledge of this. This is just of my own interest.'

Like hell, the empire won't know. Nonetheless, Aten did not have to worry about anything. 'I never practiced neuroalchemy, but I do have knowledge of it. I only used the neuroalchemy items provided by others. And magik isn't my specialty. So I'm sorry to disappoint.'

The mayor was surprised for a moment, 'Disappoint? My dear friend, I'm not disappointed at all. You saved me a lot of trouble. Now this bargain would be much easier for both of us.'

'Yeah well… the hell is that?'

'Oh you will know soon enough. A feast is to be held first. It is not every day an outsider makes it into Eldria's borders, let alone my town.'

'How'd you?' Aten took a step further, but the guards held their rifles in a cross in front of him.

'Do not fret, my dear friend! You should consider yourself lucky for falling into my hands,' he stood up and signaled a sign for his guards, 'Free him from the chains, and please escort him gently to the Dining Hall.'

Aten sighed as the guards uncuffed him, 'There better be some fried curry and dumplings…'