"Rissa, according to information from the Hanged Man, the hidden Lamia village is somewhere in this canyon."

"The ambient mana is thick here, messing up magical detections. Add with the treacherous terrain and powerful monsters... It's quite an ideal place to be if you want to be hidden from the world."

"Like elves, your kind is so few and living in isolation. At least in the Human Dominion territory," Paina glanced sideways. "I hope they have a home in the far south."

"The so-called Untamed South where many demi-human races are thriving. One can only hope. Ready to go, Paina? Let's seek my kindred."

"So what are you hoping to achieve here?"

"A faint hope. Foolishly thinking that something might remain from a near-mythical age. We shall see."

***

"I'm back~! Oh? Something smells good."

"Welcome back, Yayoi," Jessica said from the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"I'll help with the plates~ Jessica-san's cooking is always oishii."

"Ahaha. Thank you. Can you call the others?"

"All right."

Yayoi found Farley and the three kids in one room.

"Hello. Find anything interesting in today's outing?" Farley asked while writing something in a book.

"I do. I'll tell you later. What are you all doing?"

"Homework," Luca said.

"It sucks!" Tim made a bleh-face.

"We're almost done. Do your best," Gwen encouraged her friend.

"I hate math!" Tim grudgingly continued.

"Do your best, kids. And you?"

"I also have homework," Farley smiled. "Got to have these done before the Academy resumes."

"Hm, hm. Even though there's a war and the city is in an uproar, people still have to work and eat, huh? It's the same in my place. Speaking of eating, dinner time."

"A bit more..." Luca was in the middle of a great battle with some calculations.

"If anyone's late then I'll take their side-dishes!" Yayoi went to the kitchen with ninja speed.

"No!"

Luca, Gwen, and Tim raced to the kitchen, previous victims of Yayoi's food theft.

Farley smiled even wider. To see Gwen having fun, her precious sister living happily; this was her purpose.

To protect them, I must keep growing.

Farley was the last one reaching the kitchen and a portion of her side dishes was missing.

After the meal, the full-fledged Pathseekers exchanged talks. It was over tea. Magical matcha that Yayoi brought from the land of Yamato when she was there. It was good for cultivation. Farley reciprocated by presenting magical tea cakes from the capital's royal tea shop. A mix of east and west tea parties.

"I don't know if it fits or not but I'll try to mix a fitting cocktail to match these," the single mother former bar owner said with the aftertaste of the tea and cake still lingering in her mouth.

"Thank you. Now to business. I just found out that Prince Vadym killed Prince Cassian," Yayoi said in one breath.

"Oh."

While Jessica was lost for words, Farley's mind went back to the Grand Prix, where she had faced the monster leashed by Cassian. The two were famously on bad terms. Then in the Battle of Gryphon's Reach one of Cassian's main monsters was killed by Red Eyes.

It seemed Prince Vadym saw an opportunity and took it.

"Is this information confirmed?" Farley asked.

"I looked at the letter of a pretty important person so most likely."

"Ugh," Jessica made a pained expression about Yayoi's casual unlawful infiltration comment. "Just be careful. I wonder what our boss will think about this..."

"Is this prince's endgame the throne after all? Does he plan on killing all his other rival siblings? That's–"

That sounds like a move that Viers would make.

Farley wisely kept her thoughts to herself. Bad-mouthing your boss was a no-no, especially since you didn't know the full extent of his surveillance capabilities.

"I also have some news I gathered," Jessica said.

Farley joined Jessica and Yayoi at the Crimson Capital after being unwilling to fight in the war. She planned on going back to Sinclair Academy after their holiday ended. Meanwhile, they would stay collecting information at the Latias Kingdom's beating heart.

Because of the Harkelan invasion that aggravated Latias' political instability, keeping up with the latest developments was even more crucial.

The ninja Yayoi had superb stealth abilities that rivaled her same-age aunt, Sakuya. Jessica entered the news industry as a reporter while her son and the others were in the academy three years ago. She often shared what she dug up in her day job with the Arcanum Club.

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"There's a lot," Yayoi commented. "Everyone's restless, from the highest noble to the everyday folk."

"That's war. I bet it will get more complicated. Sparks of embers everywhere. Like this one, Princess Celestine's rumored meeting with Chancellor Soren."

"That's the princess with the black dragon, is it? So many princes and princesses here," Yayoi put a finger on her temple.

"Right you are. We should look into it. Find out what we can. I think that's enough for tonight," Farley stretched. "I plan on renting the training chambers in the Pathseeker district. What about you two?"

"Me, me too!" Yayoi raised her hand.

"I'll stay here with the little ones," Jessica said, not taking any chances for mishap. "I'll do other training tonight. Perhaps the card method."

"Got it. Take care," Farley and Yayoi went out. The training facilities in the Capital were high-quality and also expensive but they were too good to pass on.

Farley saw the signs that the world was entering a dangerous era. She had to keep growing her strength.

***

When there were three people, there was politics. Carlo believed that.

From a humble teacher-turned-merchant, he had become quite successful, if he'd said so himself. After Viers won the Magisterium Tower by conquest, he appointed the merchant as his proxy, in charge of the newly established Rashin Electric Power Company.

Thing was, the tower and the company came with a city, a city with tens of thousands of people and all the complications that it entailed. In the boss' absence, the burden of leadership fell on Carlo.

Running a company this big was hard enough, then there was the city. The renamed Rashin City was not located in the most stable area. It was near the Zetel's southern border, where the beastmen conflict and natural disasters were common.

Carlo had no idea how to govern so he went back to his roots. He acted as a merchant first. Keep the wheels greased, business operations flowing, employees fed plenty, removed unnecessary parts, and lastly, strived to benefit a little. Do not rock the boat, keep it stable, with constant growth.

Long-term views were most important. As for big profit opportunities, he left it for his mysterious boss. Carlo believed the guy had a penchant for it. Just like how he won this tower where Carlo sat on his ass in his office in the middle part of the tower and saw the people in the city like ants. Just like when the boss predicted a war would erupt.

By one of the first making deals with Latias, the Rashin Company had filled its pockets to the brim.

His way of governing worked, amazingly enough. After paying the tithe to the Magisterium and the company expenses, Carlo put the company's money into improving the lives of Rashin city.

The city also accepted beastmen and other demi-human races, different from other Zetel cities. There were many refugees and Rashin gave them opportunities to pick themselves up. Coincidentally, there were plenty of vacancies in the company, thanks to the boss' violent acquisition campaign.

By cooperating heavily with the Silver Legion branch in the city, another masterstroke of the boss, the public order had gone way up from the previous regime.

Things were going well, then came the hyenas smelling profit in the air.

Demands from the Magisterium HQ, pressure from other cities about pro-beastmen policies, encroaching cults, and bribes.

Carlo remained steadfast and incorruptible. With a steady hand, he kept the company's course straight.

He knew he had something good here. Why would he risk it for measly coins?

Besides, he was just a manager. A middleman.

Even a lot of coins didn't sway him. Or women. Or power. Those people didn't know anything.

The boss showed him what happened to the previous Hanged Man when he interviewed him; a head in a jar, conscious, begging for death.

Carlo curbed his greed with his utmost. He had no intention of becoming the next art piece the boss showed to Hanged Man the Fourth.

Boss showed him the stick and gave him enough carrots. Carlo was richer than he had ever been. He was successful. Fuck those bandits.

Despite his busy days he also improved himself in the Path of Power.

This all began with the Arcanum Club. He had a feeling the club would be getting more and more important. If he didn't keep up, he would be swallowed by the tide it brought.

Just the other day the Temperance and the High Priestess teleported here before going somewhere.

Carlo felt it was wise to prepare for trouble before trouble came knocking.

***

"Thank you all for coming."

Izabella Thyris, the newly promoted Blood Vicar of the Blood Church and the Hermit of the Arcanum Club, knew she was making history.

In a place in the Shadow Realm where the eyes of Estelle's goons could not reach, she stood representing her cult before the other six.

Wicked Tempters, worshipers of Dumuzin, Devil God of Soul and Madness.

Gardeners of Perfection, worshipers of Teorph, Devil God of Rot and Poison.

Death Society, worshipers of Lichzen, Devil God of Death and Suffering.

Black Apostates, worshipers of Isidaris, Devil God of Ice and Time.

Warbringers, worshipers of Chalchar, Devil God of Fire and Destruction.

Bone Ravens, worshipers of Banbexi, Devil God of Night and Space.

And her own faction, Blood Church, devotees of Yasterah, Devil God of Blood and Control.

Izabella's power and status had grown considerably. As a Vampire Progenitor, she'd bested all rivals and opposition and had risen to the rank of Blood Vicar.

She had enough clout to call a meeting with the other cults.

Each faction brought several people. The fewest were three while there were those with ten. There might not be any Level 5 here but everyone here had a high position in their respective cults.

"Let us cut to the chase and discuss the plan of attacking the Tower of Remorse. Once in a lifetime opportunity now that the Estellian Church is vulnerable. I-"

Izabella paused and snapped her fingers. A scream came out from one of the hooded figures. Blood came out from his eyes, nose, and ears.

"That is for trying to manipulate my mind, Wicked Tempters. Next time will be instant death."

"You bitch!" The Wicked Tempters drew their weapons and attacked.

Izabella inwardly sighed. She hadn't even finished her opening statement.

Oh well... Usually nothing constructive happens before a few bodies drop anyway.

***

Light entered a black room from an opened metal door.

It was a place with many torture apparatus.

The light roused the sole occupant of the room. A male with red eyes. His hands were chained and he was hanged from the ceiling.

"Good morning, torturer. It is morning, is it? What do you want to play this time?"

The man spat. "Lord Rostov has use for you. The Latias army has gathered. Make yourself useful."

The torturer freed Red Eyes from the chains. Rostov put him here because of his ally-killing actions in the Battle of Gryphon's Reach. It galled the torturer to let him leave like this. Red Eyes showed no remorse and no matter what punishment he inflicted on him, it didn't seem to work.

He was a Level 4 for god's sake. Was he helpless against a captured, weaker stripling!? The torturer swore to make Red Eyes regret that he was born.

But he couldn't go against orders from the top so he let go of his prisoner.

"Hm. The Latiasi are back, you say? Good. I'm getting bored. See you later, my good man," Red Eyes stretched and spoke as if he was leaving a friend's house.

As the prisoner left, the torturer saw Red Eyes' shadow, move.

"...Cultist freak."

Unbeknownst to him, he wasn't alone in the cell. There were otherworldly creatures lurking in the shadows, a parting gift from Red Eyes to one who had shown him much hospitality this past month.

The torturer never left the cell, nor was there any trace of him hence.

It was as if he was swallowed by the darkness whole.

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