The trio made their way back to the Adventurers Guild, Cedez riding on Remicra's back despite the dragoness' protests that she could walk now. The foxgirl seemed energized after eating plenty of Thundersnarg flesh and magic, her tail swishing playfully as she chewed on the slowly shrinking heart core.

Upon reaching the city, she jumped off Remicra and a dark halo manifested above her head as the trio discussed their plans for moving forward.

. . .

They waited in line as a familiar group of adventurers was occupying the Guild Secretary's attention.

"Has Alexander Glock registered at the Guild yet?" The red dragon girl snarled.

"Afraid not," Secretary Aquila shook her head. "I already told you that your team Captain will be updated by Voicecast when he does."

"See?" the dragon spun to her skull-faced friend. "He's avoiding registration on purpose! He doesn't want to be exposed as a pathetic level zero human!"

"Emerald," the teenage skull-elk person sighed. "You've been obsessing over this all day. Even if he is human, which I doubt, he still managed to display magic skills at the duel. Maybe we should just..."

"Just what, Quint?" Emerald snarled, ruby scales blazing. "Let him get away with it? Let him make a mockery of everything we stand for? He's charmed his way into everyone's good graces, and now he's avoiding Guild registration because he knows that'll expose him!"

"Or maybe," Quint said carefully, "he's just busy with his community service project in Undertown."

"Community service?!" Emerald's eyes flashed dangerously. "What community service? Seriously, how stupid are you Quint? Sol, back me up! Tell this knob what Undertown is."

"It's a criminal district," the red-skinned, flower-face girl growled with a somewhat uncomfortable look. "Full of thieves, murderers, and Topaz addicts. Nobody does 'community service' down there."

"Exactly!" Emerald loudly smashed clawed fist covered in magisteel on the secretary's desk. "He's obviously lying! Probably buying Topaz and booze down there!"

"That seems... unlikely," Quint said diplomatically. "Father Matthias vouched for Alexander personally. And his work with the Slayer's Cathedral..."

"Is obviously fake!" Emerald interrupted. "Just like everything else about him! His records, his identity, his supposed mixed heritage - it's all lies!"

"Oh come on," her female companion rolled her eyes. "You're just mad because he made you look bad in front of everyone in class."

"Made me look bad?!" Emerald's scales blazed brighter. "He humiliated me! Used artifacts n' trickery to beat me! And now everyone's treating me like I'M the villain! I'm not! I'm the good one here!"

"To be fair," Quint said carefully, "you did challenge him publicly..."

"Because he's a FRAUD!" Emerald roared, smoke curling from her ruby hair. "A human infiltrator making a mockery of our school! And now he's corrupted Vespera, Cinder and Io! He's been screwing with me some somehow all day long! Every time I try to go outside the Inn, something happens!" she continued ranting. "I get hit by falling flowerpots, slip on banana peels, get waste dumped on me from windows, get buried in fertilizer! It's like the universe itself is conspiring against me!"

"Maybe that's a sign, Em," the red-flesh-flower-face girl suggested dryly. "You know, to chill out? Before something... really bad happens?"

"CHILL OUT?!" Emerald's voice rose to a screech, her scales blazing like hot coals. "DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO CHILL OUT?! While that lying sack of human filth runs around free?!"

Cedez stared at the yelling dragoness for another moment and then a dark crown and halo bloomed above her head as she strode forward.

"Excuse me," she said politely but firmly to the ranting dragoness. "You're holding up the line with your incessant screeching. Lord David needs to register his party."

The red dragon girl spun to face her, smoke curling from her nostrils. "How dare you interrupt me! Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Someone who's clearly very worked up about a particular human," Cedez replied calmly. "And who's preventing other adventurers from conducting their business."

"I'm not worked up about..." the blood-red dragoness choked on her rage. "I am Emerald Stratos!" She snarled. "Prima Heiress of the Stratos Omnicorp!"

"Uh-huh. Cedez Astra," the foxgirl replied, unimpressed. "The Sovereign of Shandria."

"You're... a what?" The dragoness blinked.

"Heir Apparent of the Shadow Empire crown," Cedez repeated calmly. "And you're causing a scene in my Guild hall. Kindly piss off before I ban you from my city."

"WHAT?! You can't ban me!" Emerald sputtered. "You're not... you can't be... You're full of shit, lady! Shandria doesn't have a Sovereign!"

"Oh? Is that how it's going to be?" Cedez's dark crown-halo pulsed above her head. "By the power invested in me by the Crown Tower Arcane, I hereby BANISH Emerald Stratos and her party from Shandria."

"WHAT?!" Emerald's scales blazed with fury. "You can't..."

"I just did," Cedez said calmly. "You're annoying me. You and your party have one hour to gather your belongings and leave the city. If you're still here after that, the Watch will escort you out. Less pleasantly."

"This is outrageous!" Emerald snarled. "I demand to speak to..."

"To whom?" Cedez tilted her head. "The manager? That would be me and I just told you that you three are banned. You made a scene in Lord David's cafe this morning, being rude to our staff. Now you're making a scene in our Adventurers Guild. That's two strikes and you're out."

"M-My father will hear about this!" The teenage dragon snarled.

"Oh, please do tell Daddy Stratos that his precious daughter got banned from Shandria for throwing a tantrum in public," Cedez's tail swished lazily. "Too much cheek. You're still here? Still being an annoying twat? Let's up the banishment then. You're hereby banished from Illium, Nocturna, Umbria, Starveil, Gloomhaven, Duskhollow, Rustspring, Ebonspire, and Tenebri."

The dragoness' magisteel-covered fist punched clean through Cedez's chest, tearing through her leather dress and going through the space where her heart should have been.

"No one..." Emerald snarled, "tells me what to do! Especially not..."

The foxgirl looked down at the fist protruding from her chest, then back up at Emerald with an eerily calm expression. "One thousand years dungeon."

"What?" Emerald blinked, her fist still through Cedez's chest, fingers trying to grasp flesh that wasn't there.

"You heard me," Cedez said with an icy-cold voice, dark crown-halo pulsing above her head. "One thousand years dungeon. For assaulting the Heir Apparent. Maybe I should make it ten thousand years? What do you think, M'Lord?"

She turned to Dave with a devious grin.

The dark halo above her crown winked away.

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"W-why aren't you dead?!" Emerald sputtered, pulling her fist out of the hole.

"Guild Sister Antiqilla," Cedez glanced at the Secretary as she quickly tied more dark leather straps around the hole to keep her Shadow essence from escaping. "I do believe that this adventurer just assaulted me. In your Guild. Punched me through the chest, trying to pulverize my crystalline heart. While loudly asking why I'm not dead."

"GUARDS!" Antiqilla barked. "ARREST THIS GIRL!"

Two burly, armored Watchmen materialized beside Emerald.

The guards grabbed Emerald's arms, their massive hands twisting hers back. Magisteel shackles snapped behind the hostile dragon teen.

"Let go of me!" Emerald thrashed. "Do you have any idea who I am?!"

"A violent criminal who just attempted to murder someone in broad daylight," one of the guards growled. "In the Adventurers Guild no less. In front of hundreds of witnesses and a Kitlix Infix."

"I do believe that's a collaring," the second guard added with a grin. "For life."

"Yep," the first guard nodded.

"But... but she's fine!" Emerald protested, gesturing at Cedez who was examining the hole in her leather dress with mild annoyance. "She's... she's not even bleeding!"

"Attempted murder is still a crime," Cedez grinned with sharp chompers. "Afraid you're going to the coal mines, darling."

"Wait!" Quint stepped forward, his skull-face orange eyes glowing with concern. "There must be some misunderstanding. Emerald... is... She's just... stressed from recent events."

"Stressed?" Cedez arched an eyebrow. "She just tried to murder me in broad daylight."

"She didn't know who you were!" The flower-faced girl protested. "And you did provoke her..."

"By asking her to stop holding up the line?" Cedez's tail swished. "Interesting definition of provocation you have there. You three are obviously not from around here. You smell wrong."

"You can't do this!" Emerald thrashed against the guards as they dragged her towards the door. "I'm a Stratos! Solace! Help me take down these knobs! My father will have this entire damned city leveled for this!"

"Be silent," the guard ordered as he snapped a slave collar over Emerald's neck.

The girl's mouth snapped shut as she stared at her friends with wild eyes.

"Ohhh! Do add threatening to destroy Shandria to her charges," Cedez said calmly to the Secretary. "Hrmmm. You know what? I bet these three are Dragon God Empire infiltrators. You should interrogate them thoroughly. Get Scrutimancer Weps on the job. He should be free in a couple of days."

Sister Antiqilla nodded. Burly watchmen materialized around Quint and Solace, snapping manacles around their hands.

"This is insane! You can't do this to us!" Quint protested. "We... we have diplomatic immunity!"

"Yea! That!" Solace added with a shocked expression.

"Immunity? Pff. Actions have consequences, skull-boy," Cedez examined her dark nails. "Toodles!"

The guards dragged the struggling trio away, their protests echoing down the hall until they faded into silence.

"Well, that was entertaining," Cedez commented. She grabbed Dave by the elbow and pulled him towards the desk.

"Welcome back, Iron Dave," Sister Antiqilla greeted Dave. Her pearlescent Kitlix, Opal, fixed her gaze on Dave and his two companions. “How may I be of assistance?”

Cedez smoothly slipped into a professional demeanor, stepping forward.

"Good day, Guild Sister," Cedez smiled warmly. "My Lord wishes to register a party!"

"A party?" The Secretary's jellyfish tendrils swayed.

"Yes," Cedez nodded. "Lord David would like to register Remicra Ognemeskra as his party member and submit completion reports for the Metal Bug Collection and Herb Gathering quests."

"Lord... David?" Sister Antiqilla stared at Dave who tried to make a stoic face as he slipped everything into Charisma, radiating trust at the Secretary. "I wasn't aware that… you were a highborn. When you registered, you told me you were newly summoned..." The smile slipped off her face.

"Oh, is that what he told you?" Cedez cut in smoothly. "Can't blame him really. Would you want everyone knowing you're running from an arranged marriage? Much easier to play the confused newcomer."

"Arranged marriage?" The Secretary blinked. "Newcomer?"

"Mhmmm," Cedez nodded sagely. "His parents are absolutely furious that he fled to Shandria instead of marrying Lady Vermillion of House Archior. Such a scandal! But you know how young Lords can be - so rebellious! My poor darling was forced into a dreadfully boring contractual wedding at wandpoint back in the capital. Can you imagine? So naturally, he did what any brash young noble would do - he ran away to Shandria to be an adventurer!"

“What?!” Antiqilla’s eyes went wide as she looked between Dave and Cedez. “I’m sorry, and you are?”

"Lady Astra, his lovely Secretary. A pleasure! I caught up to him just yesterday, you see," Cedez winked.

"Now wait just a moment," Sister Antiqilla's jellyfish tendrils writhed with agitation. "When Lord... David registered, he told me quite a different story about being summoned by the Dragon God-Emperor! Opal confirmed it as the truth!"

"Oh, that?" Cedez waved dismissively. "Your Kitlix did detect the truth - David was indeed summoned by that dreadful chonky n' bald tyrant. Multiple times, in fact! It's become quite the family tradition."

"Family... tradition?" The Secretary's silver-blue eyes narrowed.

"Yes! The Walter family has been playing this delightful game of cat and mouse with the Dragon Emperor for generations," Cedez explained cheerfully. "He summons them at random, they escape... It's practically a rite of passage at this point! Why, David's great-grandfather was summoned three times before figuring out how to stop the spell from targeting him and finally settling down in Illium."

"That's..." Antiqilla began.

"Quite the family tradition, isn't it?" Cedez continued, not letting her get a word in.

“You were summoned multiple times by the Dragon God Emperor?” Antiqilla demanded, staring at Dave.

“Yes,” Dave replied. “Like Lady Astra said, it’s quite the problem for me.”

Antiquilla choked as Opal ignited green. Opal, hopped off his perch and pawed at Cedez, twinkling in confusion.

"Something wrong, cutie?" Cedez cooed at Opal.

"I... can't seem to scan you properly, Lady Astra," the Secretary said with barely concealed annoyance. “It’s like… you don’t exist.”

"Oh, that!" Cedez tapped the large, shining blue gem on her collar. "Family heirloom, blocks scrying, identification, attempted murders and... Truth scanning. Quite necessary when dealing with noble politics, you understand. Can't have just anyone punching me through the heart or... reading my stats. Though I'm flattered you tried!"

"And this... blocking artifact just happens to prevent my Kitlix from confirming your story?" Antiqilla's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What kind of noble family wouldn't protect their most trusted servants from magical surveillance?" Cedez replied breezily. "The Walters have been playing these games for generations. We're quite well-equipped!"

"I see," the Secretary's voice was dry as she stared at Healy and Shady. "And I suppose Lord David's current level and... the much higher level Kitlix on his shoulders are also part of his noble heritage?"

"Why, yes! The Walters have always had an affinity for exceptional familiars," Cedez gestured at Healy, Shady, and Feely. "Just look at these darlings! Such unique, rare combinations!"

Antiqilla looked like she was developing a headache. "And the dragonkin slave?"

"Here," Cedez produced a scroll with a flourish. "The paperwork for a Smithy sublease with its Pathosteel smith slave signed by Lord Burgundy's Property Manager. Please add Remicra to Lord Dave's party."

The Secretary accepted the scroll, examining it carefully. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the official seals of Lord Burgundy’s Estate and Overseer Pricci’s signature.

"Hrm. This is... actually legitimate," she muttered, sounding almost disappointed as she scanned the golden ink seal and signature with Opal, confirming its authenticity.

"Of course it is!" Cedez beamed. “What’d you expect?”

"And the current negative balance?" Antiqilla glanced at Dave’s token with a negative number on it.

"Oh, that's just Lord David being dramatic," Cedez waved dismissively. "He insisted on starting from scratch, wanted to 'earn his way up'. You know how stubborn young lords can be - always trying to prove themselves! He won’t accept a copper from me, even stayed at the pits his first night here just to see how Shandria treats its Adventurers!”

"So you deliberately misled me about your status when registering, Lord David?" The Guild Secretary sent an irate glare at Dave.

"Oh, don't be cross with him darling!" Cedez interjected cheerfully. "He was just trying to experience Shandria properly!”

“I must point out that deliberately misleading Guild officials is a serious offense.” Antiquilla said. "One that could result in immediate suspension of Guild privileges and a substantial fine."

"Oh my!" Cedez gasped theatrically, placing a hand over her heart. "How dreadfully bureaucratic! Surely you wouldn't punish a young Lord for wanting to understand how common adventurers live? How often do Highborns take on Iron-level quests? Why, it shows such admirable character! Such dedication to understanding his future subjects!"

"Future… subjects?" The Secretary's eyebrows went up.

"Of course! Lord David is obscenely wealthy and greatly interested in Adventuring business. Once his parents accept his decision to stay in Shandria, he will take his proper place in local Highborn society," Cedez winked. "Between us girls, I think he's already rather smitten with a very special Shandrian girl. Just won’t take no for an answer.”

Remicra’s scales flashed pink.

"Lady Astra," Antiqilla pinched the bridge of her nose. "While I appreciate your... extensive explanations, the fact remains that Lord David provided false information during registration."