I returned to my personal space, happy with my performance in the last summoning. A quick check of the summoning gauge showed it was around the 40% mark. As long as I didn’t have to burn another Notice of Cessation, I should finish the series in another three or so summonings, barring any poor or exceptional performance. Sorting the loot chest for new items, I looked at my rewards.

Rico’s Loot.

New Inventory.

1. Copper coins, 78.

2. Silver coins, 25.

3. Whistle.

The coin haul was about what I expected, but the whistle was something new. I selected it in the loot chest and pulled out a small metal whistle. There was a lanyard on it so I could wear it over my neck if I wanted to. Concentrating on the item, the system kicked in with an explanation.

Whistle of the Huntmaster (5). Gear cost 10. When blown, this whistle summons a hyena to fight for the summoner. The hyena’s summoned by this item are rated as a Tier 1, Rank 3 creatures and will do the summoners bidding for up to one hour.

It was a perfect item for my class build. There were five charges on the item, and a pack of five tier one, rank three hyenas as nothing to sneeze at. With my various upgrades, the hyenas would even come out a couple of ranks higher while the cost to equip the item would drop from ten to nine for me.

Taking it home wasn’t an option, since the mana inside the device would be instantly drained. I moved to the armory to equip it. With the whistle my gear score went up to 163/165. I was almost at the cap, but I wasn’t too worried. If I managed to find something great in the other summonings, I could always start replacing and upgrading some of the less useful spells or items.

With my housekeeping squared away, I checked in on Melvin. He was hard at work in the training center, so I left him to keep at it. It would have been nice to have some way to communicate directly with him, but it seemed that all we could do was send emotions and intentions through our connection. I’d love to find out how he had made the figurine he had given me and if there was a chance that he’d be able to make more.

It wasn’t long after finishing up in the armory and checking on Melvin when the summoning portal and prompt appeared.

You are Summoned!

I stepped through and while floating in the void, the system gave me the details of what I would be facing.

Your summoning parameters are as follows:

1. You are being summoned by the mage Abbasa.

2. Summoning tier, 1.

3. Summoning rank, 3.

4. Rewards level, moderate.

5. This summons is for the purpose of non-combat related support. Prepare accordingly.

6. Forced compliance is active.

7. Your armory loadout has been equipped.

I stepped from the portal into something quite different than I had seen before. Instead of a battlefield or small town, I was inside an immense dining hall. The place contained a couple dozen long tables, each able to seat a score of people. Each of the tables was heavily decorated and packed with guests, all of whom seemed to be decked out in their finest attire and enjoying themselves.

Gaudy jewelry and impeccably tailored clothing that was almost Victorian in nature were on display. Chandeliers with hundreds of candles provided a warm glow throughout the room, and there was a low buzz of conversation coming from the crowd. I felt rather underdressed in my current clothing and wasn’t quite sure why I had been summoned here.

My summoner link led to a man standing beside me who was dressed more like a butler than a wizard. He gave no instructions and didn’t even seem to acknowledge my presence. We were standing behind the head table of this party where a man and woman dressed in the most extravagant outfits in the room sat. The crowns they wore gave it away that they were both royalty, and the hosts of this party.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“The first courses will be served soon. As the plates come by, you will take a small taste of each. Do not mess up the presentation on the plate, I will not have the kitchen ranting at me because you were ham-fisted with the utensils. You will take a clean utensil between each tasting, and if you detect anything out of the ordinary with any dish you taste, you will notify me immediately. Do you understand these instructions?” my summoner asked.

“Yes, I think I got it, I figure that I’m testing the food to make sure nobody’s trying to poison whoever they are,” I said nodding toward the royal couple. The two held hands as they chatted with the others seated at the royal table. They were middle-aged and very attractive, but they had that soft, but not quite fat look of people who had led very easy lives.

“Exactly, there are always threats, and a party of this size increases the danger exponentially. I only wish that I had enough mana to summon ten of you. Sadly, the king requires much of my power to do other things,” my summoner, Abbasa lamented.

“I might be able to help out a bit, as long as a dwarf and an elf joining us wouldn’t cause problems,” I mentioned. Having a strong rating after this summoning was going to be difficult if all I was doing was tasting dishes, but maybe I could bump the score by offering to summon my minions to help.

“A dwarf and an elf you say, yes, that should be fine. We’re mainly a human kingdom, but royalty of the other civilized folk is often entertained by the court. The physiology should be close enough to not mask any dangers to the king. Bring them out, I assume you’re also a summoner of some sort,” Abbasa asked.

“Yes, and I can keep these two here for as long as we need them,” I answered while summoning both Lillia and Rupert. The elf and dwarf appeared nearby and Abbasa rounded them up, giving them the same instructions that he had given to me.

“Excellent. Now for the next part, I’m going to infuse all three of you with a pair of spells. If there is any toxin or disease lurking inside a dish you taste, the negative effects will be amplified and hastened. You must accept this spell when I cast it. Once the kitchen is ready, they’ll start bringing dishes out. Take turns tasting them and report anything that seems out of the ordinary,” Abbasa ordered.

A spell, Amplify Toxin, has been cast upon you. All toxins introduced into your body for the next hour will have their effects accelerated and amplified by 1000%.

A spell, Amplify Disease, has been cast upon you. All diseases introduced into your body for the next hour will have their effects accelerated and amplified by 1000%.

That sounded horrible, but I couldn’t refuse my summoner. All in all, it wasn’t the worst possible summoning to participate in. The odds of something deadly being introduced into a dish when the perpetrators knew they would be tested had to be low. Abbasa repeated the spells for each of my minions, and I could see he was looking taxed by the end. Those spells must have been very mana intensive if it meant that he couldn’t summon more than one person to help.

We were asked to line up along the wall behind the royal table, hidden behind a pair of armored guards. I waited for something to happen and watched the crowd enjoying themselves. For the most part the king and queen seemed nice enough. I had to give them credit that they were willing to have the court mage summon minions to test the food so the staff living here wouldn’t be into the dangerous task.

My thoughts were interrupted by a line of servants bringing out trays of food. As the food was distributed among the tables, one set of servants approached Abbasa who gestured toward me and my minions. Baskets containing clean forks with two tines as well as long handled spoons were dropped off by the servants as they waited impatiently for me to sample the fare.

First off were appetizers, a broth that tasted like miso, and a salad of greens and vegetables that I was unfamiliar with. I took only a small bite of each and was surprised to find them both rather tasty. Even better, I didn’t keel over dead after tasting them. My minions were also no worse for wear as the evening continued.

Dish after dish were presented for me and my crew to taste and even with only taking a tiny bite of each, I could feel myself getting full. I had no idea how the king and queen managed to put away the whole portion of each thing they were being brought. Appetizers gave way to entrée’s and then finally to dessert. My favorite was a delicate pastry topped with various fruits I’d never tasted before.

I kept expecting something to happen with each mouthful, but all the food seemed to be untampered with tonight. As the evening wound down, Abbasa motioned me forward.

“Good work tonight, and thank you for summoning your friends, it kept things flowing much more efficiently. I can detect that you’re a real summoned being, not a mana construct, so I thought it appropriate to show my appreciation,” Abbasa said.

He surprised me with not only the revelation that he’d known what I was, but also with him extending the courtesy of thanking me for my work. I didn’t get a chance to reply as the summoning ended and I was sent back to my personal space.

Your session has been terminated by your summoner.

A summoner link has been established.

Your performance rating is calculated as Excellent.

Your rewards will reflect the summoning tier of 1, rank 3, and your performance rating of Excellent.

You have earned 15 experience points.

You have earned 11 summoning points.

You will now be returned to your personal space.