Moments passed as Ascalon peered into Mary’s expression, a look of total disbelief painted over her entire face. Lilithra, peeking from behind Ascalon, tilted her head with curiosity as she wondered what the girl had seen, while Ron perked up with a brow raised in suspicion. “This… this makes no sense… ” Mary blurted out in a quiet tone, mostly to herself, frustration and confusion clear in her voice.

Ron approached her, and Mary looked up at him. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, as if struggling to find the right words, or unsure of how to properly convey them. She shook her head to regain a glimpse of focus, noticing her own demeanor, and quickly fiddled with her screen in order to send Ron the data.

The usually calm gentleman gazed at his screen with an eager look. As his eyes studied the contents, his brows furrowed, and a mix of wariness and shock slowly took over his visage. “Unbelievable…” Ron whispered while his hand reached for his chest pocket, removing a handkerchief that he promptly used to wipe his face.

Ascalon and Lilithra stood there, taken aback by their reactions—especially the latter, whose intrigue was being reflected on her whole body. She tip-toed behind Ascalon and swayed her arms as her impatience welled up; she wanted to know what was going on!

While Lilithra had curious thoughts, Ron was trying to process the absurd information that was being presented to him. Ascalon’s stats were outlandish, far beyond the norm. Ron closed his eyes and took a big breath, trying to clear his mind for a moment. Mary kept studying Ascalon’s profile, her eyes darting around as she tried to come to terms with reality.

Ascalon, sensing the bundle of energy intensifying behind him, decided to finally interject. “Is there something wrong, Sir Ron?” He asked with a worried tone, snapping Ron out of his thoughts. The man hurriedly put on a reassuring smile. “It’s not like there is a problem, Mr. Ascalon… it’s just… give us a moment, please.” Ron stammered slightly as he grabbed Mary’s arm and dragged her away, confusion spreading across her face once again.

After walking a good distance, he turned to look at Mary, who pouted in protest at his abrupt actions. He ignored her, and talked in a hushed voice, hoping Ascalon wouldn’t overhear them. “I expected high stats, but this is ridiculous!” His tone was quiet, yet the indignation was clear.

“What if his profile is glitched? Or something along these lines…” Mary answered, eyeing Ascalon and Lilithra with suspicion.

Ron pondered for a moment, humming thoughtfully as he wracked his brain before retorting. “I find it hard to believe that the network would make such a mistake, especially after a ‘stat calculation’… that alone suggests that something needed correction, I would assume. One way or the other, he’s something special. Wouldn’t you agree?” He nodded to himself, as if confirming his own train of thoughts. Mary brought a hand to her face, placing it below her chin as she reflected on her superior’s words.

Ascalon watched from a distance, unsure of how to act since he was indeed overhearing their conversation. He felt a sense of Déjà vu, and apologized in his mind for the intrusion. He then decided to look at Lilithra to see how she was faring. The horned girl beamed shyly as she noticed his gaze, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Ascalon sighed, knowing her curiosity couldn’t be helped.

The exchange served as enough of a distraction for Ascalon to miss part of the brief conversation between Ron and Mary, who returned to his side with determined steps. Ron looked at him with a serious, but gentle expression.

“Mr. Ascalon, we have registered your information. For now, the coordination is complete, so you can forget about us pestering you for a while.” He spoke with a bit of humor in his voice, yet Ascalon could notice the gentleman was hiding something. “But I would like to make a request. Don’t show your profile to anyone. To anyone, please.” Ron pleaded, this time with total solemnity, his words carrying a weight that took Ascalon by surprise.

Meanwhile, Ron shot a glance at Lilithra, considering if it was necessary to convince her to not pry into the matter, but he ultimately decided to dismiss the thought. Knowing that Ascalon was fond of her was enough of a reason to not antagonize her, and he believed that it would be wiser to rely on the blonde to ensure she would keep the confidentiality.

Ascalon, for his part, nodded in understanding. He didn’t need to think too deeply to realize that it was probably for his own good. He recalled when Ron told him about headhunters and whatnot, so it was understandable that he would request discretion. “I give you my word, Sir Ron. I barely use the network interface, either way.” Ascalon spoke with a half smile on his face, attempting a light-hearted joke to lift the mood.

Ron sighed deeply, relief washing over him. At his side, Mary looked more content, her lips curled slightly into a soft smile. “We appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Ascalon.” She stated, bowing deeply, to which Ascalon responded with a reverence of his own.

“Alright, we won’t impose on you further. Once again, don’t be a stranger, and do contact us if you need anything. Thank you for your time.” Ron concluded, imitating their actions and bowing with respectfulness. With their business finished, the pair from Headquarters made their way out of The Chalice’s grounds.

Ascalon remained in place, watching them go, while Lilithra quickly stood in front of him and pointed an accusatory finger at his face. “What are you hiding from me, your precious and adorable apprentice?!” She questioned him, half-jokingly and half incredibly curious, her yellow eyes fixed on his gaze.

Ascalon chuckled, and proceeded to do exactly what Ron had asked him not to just moments earlier. He willed his network interface into existence, and looked at her for guidance. “Oh! Right, we never taught you this!” She exclaimed with excitement, always happy to delve into network-related things.

“Just try to imagine wanting to show it to me specifically, and a ‘share’ button will, uhm, should appear!” Lilithra nodded to herself, proud of her vast knowledge, though it was actually a pretty simple process.

It didn’t take long before Ascalon grasped the concept, and a screen appeared in front of Lilithra. She rejoiced and eagerly began to fiddle with it, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she gazed upon what Ron and Mary had been so shocked about.

image [https://i.imgur.com/LTQN5wG.png]

Lilithra gasped as she appraised Ascalon’s stats. “What the…?!” She exclaimed in surprise, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets as she reread the parameter names and their staggering numbers. “Holy…!” She kept muttering, bewildered at the finds. Ascalon took the chance to peer at it too, since he hadn’t seen his own info yet, either.

He then understood everyone’s reactions. Compared to Lilithra, his stats were incredibly high—and that was an understatement. The highest he had seen before were in the hundreds, yet his own were reaching almost ten thousand. He hummed while studying the highest ones, wondering if they were at their maximum—which would mean that he couldn’t grow any more—or if they were simply the biggest numbers the network could show. It was an amusing thought, to say the least.

It was then that he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, reaching up from below. He looked down, and saw Lilithra peeking at him with a worried expression. “Just how much did you train?!” She asked with a mix of exhilaration and concern in her voice. On one hand, she was incredibly hyped up about seeing Ascalon’s stats. His journey through ‘Excadia’ had to be beyond amazing, far more captivating than any book or movie she could ever experience.

On the other hand, her own caring nature made her consider just how much had the knight endured on his war-ridden path. She didn’t know his exact age, nor his race, but she had a suspicion that he had six or seven years more than her at most. If he had lived for so little, yet experienced so much… Well, it was something to ponder about.

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Ascalon laughed heartily, clearly entertained by her reaction. She stepped back while blushing, her hands clenching into small fists. “Ugh~ you reminded me of Selly just now!” She reproached, remembering her friend’s teasing antics.

Ascalon took a pause to breathe, wiping a small tear from his good eye. “Sorry, I did not mean to make fun of you. It was not what I was expecting you to say, Lilithra.” He added, his lips still curled into a grin. She sighed deeply, and then smiled in return.

As astounding as his stats were, it just quantified into numbers what she already knew about him. He was strong, but Ascalon nonetheless! She giggled to herself and her silly thoughts, and gazed upon the screen once more. She noticed the ‘Titles’ tab, and curiosity overtook her again. With a swift, decisive move, she pressed on the collapsible arrow, revealing a list of Ascalon titles.

Vanquisher of the Scaled

Eye in the Deeps

Mountain of Yeod

Wyrmland’s Exalted Knight

Unparalleled Lancer

Beacon of the Battlefield

Watchful Mentor

Slayer of Rad'hel

The Blessed One

Saviour of Anavasis

Athanya’el’s Hope

World's Anchor

Abyssal Survivor

Harbinger of Dawn

Champion of the Citadel

Light of Guidance

Keeper of the Tribunal

▼▼▼

And the list went on and on, so much that Lilithra had to scroll down to keep reading. She looked up at him, her eyes glittering with a million questions behind them. Ascalon realized, with a smile, that it was going to be a long, long day.

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

A while later, in the Headquarters building, Ron tapped his foot impatiently on the floor of the moving elevator, as if his actions could make the contraption go faster. He kept glancing toward the cityscape through the glass panels as the small lift ascended, his thoughts clouded by a certain issue.

He was on his way to the highest floor of the building, a restricted area where only workers with an ‘executive’ level of clearance were permitted to enter. It was where the higher-ups worked and organized meetings of utmost importance, and in some cases where some of them resided.

After what felt like an eternity, the elevator came to a stop with a chime, and Ron quickly stepped out as soon as the metallic doors opened. He proceeded down a long corridor, and was greeted by a particular group of individuals that awaited in the shadows, their black suits helping them blend in with the darkness.

The mysterious group consisted of around ten people, and varied in sizes, races, and genders; each of them exuding a palpable aura of confidence, and deadliness. They were the pinnacle of the Headquarters defenses, and were guarding a different door each, though their existence was pretty well hidden from the public—only the people who had crossed that corridor would’ve met them, after all.

Ron acknowledged their greetings, nodding as he walked, his mind distracted by matters that were more important than to chit-chat with the guards. He promptly arrived at a set of pristine white doors, which slid open automatically the moment he approached them.

He stopped for a moment, clearing his throat to signal his arrival. “Come in~!” A cheery, childlike voice greeted Ron, inviting him to enter. He bowed respectfully and crossed the doorway.

The room was spacious, with a ceiling so high it seemed more suited for a cathedral, and painted in resemblance to a morning sky. The walls were paneled with dark, polished wood, adorned with both elaborate carvings, and childish doodles in the form of pink cherry blossoms.

To the right of the entrance was a long table, filled with an assortment of paperwork, toys, and various food scattered on its surface, making for a messy yet lively scene. Many office chairs were surrounding it, as it usually served for important meetings. Beyond the table, a vast window, also ‘decorated’ with scribbles and drawings, faced the Eastern part of the city. There were similar windows on each wall, facing the cardinal directions.

To the left of the entrance was a small, children’s bed, which contrasted sharply with the more grandiose furniture in the room, such as the towering library shelves and expensive-looking wine cabinets. Among the bottles, one could even spot milk cartoons, discreetly hidden. The bed itself was surrounded by life-sized plushies and other toys. Ron paid little heed to the whimsical details of the room, and advanced over a soft, velvet carpet until he reached an imposing-looking desk.

Behind it, a tall, regal swivel chair—more akin to a throne—swayed slowly from left to right, facing toward a window. The one sitting on it, hidden from Ron’s sight, hummed a cheery tune to herself.

Ron cleared his throat once again, and bowed respectfully. “Ms. Elzbeth, I have urgent matters to report.” He spoke with the utmost cordiality, maintaining his bowing posture until addressed.

Once more, a child-like tone rang. “Yes! Finally, something interesting is happening! I knew this wanderer of yours was going to shake up this monotonous city!” The owner of the voice spun the chair around, and showed herself to her subordinate.

The sight would’ve made anyone doubt their eyes, as a small, cute girl sat in the middle of the imposing chair. The contrast made for a comical view, as her little legs dangled below, swinging playfully. She had long, wavy blonde hair, with an accessory resembling fox ears attached to the top of her head.

As for her outfit, she wore a charming, pastel-yellow dress, adorned with layers of frills. The top showed a cute cat character in the center, complemented by a matching bow above it. The sleeves were long, and puffed at the shoulder, which made for a fluffy, playful look.

Her bottom was covered by a pairing skirt, which looked bouncy and added to her adorableness. It was also detailed with alternating layers of yellow textures, which shifted slightly in hue. Across her legs ran a set of white socks, adorned with cutely designed bears, and her little feet were protected by a pair of delicate white, shoes with small laces.

She grabbed the desk with both hands, and pulled the chair closer. Then, she picked up a piece of paper and a blue crayon, and looked up at Ron with big, round sky blue eyes.

Her small lips parted slightly as she smiled with excitement. “Go on then!” Elzbeth exclaimed with joy, and Ron took it as a cue to straighten up his posture. He then traced the air with his fingers, pressing and dragging objects only he could see.

A screen appeared before the girl, who peeked at it with her eyes sparkling with curiosity. At the same time, her hand started moving, the crayon sliding over the paper as she… drew Ascalon. One would expect she was going to take notes of importance, but no, she just wanted to draw.

Ron seemed to be accustomed to the sight, so he simply started speaking. “As you can see, he’s on a level of his own.” He paused, with Elzbeth nodding frantically in acknowledgment. “I am honestly at a loss, so I’ve come for your advice, Ms. Elzbeth.” His words rang with sorrow, as though he regretted having to ask her for help.

He didn’t want to waste her time, and feared that he might disappoint her as well, as he wasn’t able to reach a solution on his own.

She stopped drawing, and presented a funnily depicted Ascalon to Ron, featuring big eyes, a comically huge torso, and a giant flaming sword. The gentleman couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight, some of his tension leaving his body. “That’s great! I’d really like it if people relied on me more! I’m so bored all the time!” Elzbeth exclaimed, gazing upon her own drawing with a satisfied look, her cheerful words betraying Ron’s concern. “Now then, let me handle this~!” Her words carried an ominous undertone, and her face reflected a confident, bold smile far beyond her apparent age.

The corner piece of the city was taking action.