"False? Not at all!" Cedez protested cheerfully. "He told you he was summoned by the Dragon Emperor - true! He told you he escaped - also true! He simply asked questions, tested your knowledge and... omitted some details about his background. Technically speaking, everything he said was completely honest! Sure, you could throw the book at him or whatever… but think about it–do you really want to mess with someone who might be your future boss or best friends with your current boss?”

Secretary Antiqilla pursed her lips.

"You did a fine job explaining everything to me during registration, Sister Antiqilla," Dave smiled, pouring Charisma in the direction of the Secretary. "Your patient guidance helped me understand how the Guild works. That's exactly the kind of dedication and professionalism I appreciate in Guild management."

The Secretary swayed slightly at the praise, her stern expression softening marginally.

"And your security measures are quite impressive," Dave continued smoothly. "Opal's truth detection abilities, your verification of documentation... It's clear that the Shandrian Adventurers Guild takes its responsibilities seriously."

The Secretary sighed.

"I do apologize for not being entirely forthcoming," Dave added, watching as Opal flashed green.

"Indeed! Lord David clearly wished to experience the Guild as any other adventurer would, to understand how it truly operates from the ground up and how well you treat Iron adventurers. I hope you can understand his position,” Cedez purred, pouring delicious lies all over the Kitlix who could not read her one bit as Dave nodded.

"Besides that, I really don't appreciate being nearly murdered right in front of you," Cedez whisper-hissed. "It would be such a shame to involve my Overseer in this matter, Sister. Some heads might roll."

The Secretary tapped the desk thoughtfully as she considered their words with a wince.

"Very well," she finally exhaled. "Given that you technically did not lie during registration, and considering the unexpected assault on your family's servant, plus your... status, I will overlook this incident and update you in our records as ‘Lord David’. However, I expect full transparency going forward."

"Of course!" Cedez grinned as Dave nodded.

“Just so that you’re aware,” Antiqilla said, eyeing him. “I cannot raise your rank just because you’re a Highborn who purchased himself a pair of Kitlixes. Each step up in your Adventuring rank will be determined by Quest completion.”

“I wouldn’t expect otherwise,” Dave smiled. “I’m absolutely willing to work my way from the bottom to prove myself worthy as a Shandrian Adventurer.”

Opal flashed green. The Secretary seemed to relax a bit more.

"Speaking of Quests," Cedez chirped. "We're here to submit completion reports for the Metal Bug Collection and Herb Gathering!"

Dave produced the herbs he'd collected. The Secretary had her Kitlix scan his ID token to verify his completion of the Dvallis smithy Quest.

"Hrm," Antiqilla examined the herbs. "The herbs you procured are indeed magically potent and of acceptable quality. And Opal tells me Smith Dvaliss paid you for the bugs. Very well. You’re hereby elevated to Copper Rank… Lord David! You may now take jobs from the Copper board on your right.”

Opal spun around Dave’s token again, changing the tag from [Iron Adventurer, Dave] to [Copper Adventurer, Lord David Walter].

The jellyfishgirl made some notations in her ledger. Per her next order, the negative balance on Dave’s bracelet decreased to [-8 S 4Co] as the Quest rewards were credited.

"Now then, about registering your party..." The Secretary pulled out a fresh form. "Lady Astra, will you be joining as well?"

"Oh no, darling! I'm just here to help manage Dave and to cheer him on from the sidelines," Cedez declined with a graceful wave of her gloved hand. "Just add Remicra to his party for now."

The Secretary nodded and began filling out paperwork. "Remicra, please present your hand for registration."

Remicra stepped forward somewhat awkwardly, her scales flickering between blue and orange as she extended her hand. Opal hopped over and touched her snout to the dragoness' palm.

"Interesting," Antiqilla murmured as her Kitlix relayed information. "A rather unique combination of affinities. Dragon and Pathosteel… Metallomancer, Forgemancy specialization?"

"Yes," Remicra replied stiffly.

"Very well." The Secretary made more notations. "As a leased smith, you'll be registered as a Support class party member. Your Quest rewards will be split according to the terms in your contract with Lord Burgundy."

She pulled a new token from a shelf. "Here is your Adventurer ID token. You’ll start as an Iron.”

"Thank you," Remicra accepted the token, attaching it to her bracelet.

“Will that be all?” the Secretary asked.

“That’s all for now, thanks,” Cedez grinned.

Sister Antiqilla watched as the trio departed.

On one hand, “Lord” David and his Secretary seemed incredibly odd, worthy of being reported to the City Watch. On the other, what if her suspicions were wrong? Her head would absolutely roll if she gave trouble to a legitimate Highborn Princeling from Illatius. The fact that Opal could not scan the Secretary was heavy evidence that she was a mage backed by a very wealthy and powerful Highborn family.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Plus, Lord Burgundy’s and Overseer Pricci’s signature on the slave sublease contract were real and held far too much weight, made Antiqilla’s blood run cold and cornered her into inaction. She absolutely didn’t want to mess with the man who owned a third of Shandria.

----------------------------------------

Thalass paced in her chamber, steel boots clicking against the stone floor. The room was dark except for the soft glow emanating from the gem-studded walls and her own armor.

"Nothing?" She snarled to herself, armored gloves opening and closing. Trying to recall the snippets of memories of Cedez Astra from last night was starting to give her a migraine as she kept arriving at a complete blank. "How can this be? How did that bitch cut herself off from the shared dream?"

To add onto the irritation, her scrying orb kept malfunctioning, refusing to focus on Astra’s party due to the anti-scrying Shadow halo Cedez wielded.

She swung her fist at the scrying orb, but stopped herself right before she smashed it. Things cost money. She wasn’t a princess anymore, just one of many competitors. The throne had been empty for nineteen years, High Lord scum ruling Shandria in her name. They didn’t even bother rebuilding her palace, simply clearing the rubble, paving everything over and then setting up a “Commemoration Park”.

The door into the chamber finally creaked open, letting in her two trusted Knights. Thalass turned as they entered the chamber. Jorsh and Laternia - her oldest friends, practically siblings. They had been together since childhood, kids who grew up in Klelikash Orphanage alongside her.

"Report," Thalass commanded as she sat down on her throne-like wooden chair.

Laternia stepped forward first. "We've been observing Astra and her Necromancer as closely as possible without arousing suspicion. They've been quite active in public spaces."

"Go on," Thalass urged.

"They've opened some kind of... cafe," Laternia continued. "At the old lighthouse smithy on the edge of town. It's called 'The Forged Brew'.”

“She’s expanding her operational territory?” Thalass asked.

"Yes," Laternia nodded. "It seems to be quite popular already. The location offers a scenic view of the abyss. From what I discovered, the lighthouse smithy property is owned by Lord Burgundy and was likely leased from his Estate Overseer."

“They got cute maids,” Jorsh added. “Same ones that worked at the Snail Cafe.”

Thalass sent Jorsh a glare.

"What about last night?" She demanded. "Where did Astra and her minions go when Nightingale descended?"

Jorsh and Laternia exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"We... lost track of Astra, the slave and Necromancer at night, my lady," Laternia admitted reluctantly. "They entered the Adventurers Guild and rented a room. We tried to bribe the guard, but he didn’t tell us anything about Astra or Necromancer Dave. We rented a room overnight too, but scrying didn’t work.”

Thalass frowned.

"The Guild has ancient wards," Jorsh nodded. "We couldn't maintain surveillance once they were inside."

"Right," Thalass hissed, her armored fingers drumming against her chair. "She’s found a way to hide herself. This is a problem. What’d they do today?”

"They visited a Kitlix breeder first thing in the morning," Laternia reported. "The Necromancer registered two new Kitlix and the slave registered one. Then they headed out to the wild fields. Astra was carried in a leather bag by the slave.”

“...a bag?” Thalass blinked. “What?”

“From what we’ve overheard at the cafe,” Laternia said. “She claimed to be ‘tired’.”

Thalass contemplated this strange behavior. It didn’t seem dignified in the slightest. Tiredness just wasn’t a thing for them during the day. Perhaps there was something terribly wrong with Cedez in particular.

"After they ventured into the fields, I had Jorsh trigger a Thundersnarg stampede," Laternia continued.

“I told you idiots to observe, not to…” Thalass growled.

“It was simply a convenient way to test the Necromancer’s power level,” Laternia shrugged. “They all survived the stampede without any injuries.”

"How?" Thalass demanded.

“The Necromancer didn’t even do anything,” Laternia said. “The dragon slave used a hammer to knock a few beasts aside and then… something rather unexpected happened," the female Knight’s voice wavered slightly. "Astra burst from the bag as a Shadowbeast.”

“A Shadowbeast?” Thalass blinked. “During the day?”

“Yes,” Laternia nodded. “She cut down seven Thundersnargs.”

"Astra became an Abyss-damned monster," Jorsh added. "Chopped up seven beasts and extracted their cores. Then she... changed. Took on aspects of the Thundersnargs she'd killed. Started generating lightning."

“What?!” Thalass frowned.

"She was massive," Laternia continued. "Huge, multiple wings, many eyes, antlers crackling with lightning. It looked like she turned on the Necromancer and the slave after consuming the cores, but..."

"But?" Thalass pressed.

"They talked her down somehow," Laternia said. "The Necromancer and the slave... they didn't fight her. They just kept talking to her.”

“Did you hear what they told her?”

“No,” Laternia sighed. “Magical interference fried the long ear and scrying spells. We observed them through a mundane spyglass from afar while hiding under my invisibility spell.”

Thalass pursed her lips.

"The Necromancer… used some kind of dimensional magic to store the cores Astra cut out from the beasts." Jorsh said.

"Dimensional magic?" Thalass's eyes narrowed. "Like what exactly?"

"He turned his dark Kitlix into some kind of storage ring," Laternia said, tracing a large ring in the air with her fingers. “Damndest thing I’ve seen.”

“You didn’t spot any Necroflesh?”

“None,” Laternia replied. “He used a Kitlix.”

“Not typical Necromancy,” Thalass commented. “Strange.”

"Indeed. My lady," Laternia agreed. "His abilities seem... unconventional. He’s not raising the dead. From what we know of the history of Archmage Kells, the mad Necromancer ignored Kitlix completely, preferring to make his own flesh beasts to do his bidding.”

"What happened after they calmed Astra down?" Thalass asked.

“They went to the Guild,” Laternia said. “There, the Guild ward repulsed our scrying. We watched them from afar talking to the Guild Secretary who seemed very annoyed about something.”

Thalass gritted her teeth. “And then?”

“Then Astra and her two minions returned to the cafe. They’re still there. I’ve a spell set on the hillside that will notify me if they leave,” Laternia said.

"Hrm," Thalass drummed her fingers on her armrest again. "So Astra can manifest as a large Shadowbeast during the day now. That's... concerning. And the Necromancer has abilities we don't fully understand. Resume your surveillance.”

“Sooo… are we permitted to throw more monsters at them?” Laternia asked.

“As long as they don’t spot you,” Thalass sighed. “Probe the Necromancer’s skills–try to critically injure him but don’t get him killed. I want to know as much as you can discover about him. If you can, try to separate him from the others, knock out and capture him.”

“This would be easier to accomplish if you amplified us,” Jorsh said.

“No,” Thalass crossed her arms. “Go as you are. I don’t want to send you into a two month-long coma.”