"It's certainly impressive."

"That's one way to put it. I've never seen magic scrolls used like this."

"I can imagine using magi-archaea with modern magic text, but not with non-magic modern languages." The mages who helped Ash argue against the Magic Tower mages to get his mother out of the fourth course illusion were called to inspect the scroll that had been pasted on over two-thirds of the length of tunnels beneath the old city wall.

The tunnels were illuminated with both the white light coming from the scrolls and the yellow lanterns used by maintenance workers when in the tunnels.

Ash stood to the side, listening to his magic peers comment and inspect the magic scrolls. Aside from him, everyone else was wearing a piece of cloth wrapped around the lower half of their faces to try to limit some of the smell.

"And this is the same text you saw carved into the back of the clay target disc?" Grandmaster Helgorn asked him.

Ash nodded. "Magi-archaea written with altomawi. It looks like gibberish because it doesn't use magi-archaea's traditional formula or the formula we used for modern magic text. My altomawi is at the novice level, at best, but it's not written in the sentence structure used in the language."

"And it's working...." Grandmadam de Leone turned her head, her eyes following the strip of white light glowing along the lower half of the tunnel walls. "Your magic signature is on them, Ash. Did you alter them?"

Several curious eyes looked at him and Ash nodded. "I had to, considering I don't know the full situation. All I overheard was that it would explode. I needed to negate that."

Master de Leone let out a low whistle and shook his head. "It doesn't seem like the scroll holds a lot of energy, but this many put together...."

"It's not pasted with regular paste." Grandmadam Surapham remained kneeling and was rubbing some fine white clay that had dried and turned to powder between her fingers. "Isn't this similar to what was on the disc?"

"Is there something special about that paste powder?" Ash asked.

"There is no magic energy that would cause a magic explosion, but it may have reactive properties of the compound," Master Nodu said. He furrowed his brows. "I can check the Guild to see if there is anyone who might be able to identify what kind of clay this."

Ash took a deep breath. "I know someone."

The gazes of his fellow mages looked at him again. "Who?" Grandmadam de Leone asked.

"Well, not me," Ash said. "But Hana has a wide array of contacts with different specializations. One of them studies dirt, rocks, and ground movement. He calls himself a geologist. He may know."

"Can you contact him?" Grandmaster Holgren asked.

Ash nodded. "I can, but it can take some time. He's in the Cloud Continent."

"As long as we can get some information on the suspicious compound," Grandmadam de Leone said.

Grandmadam Surapham looked at the staff members they'd brought down. "Carefully peal the paper off the wall, but try to collect as much of this dried paste as possible."

"Ash, are you sure it's not dangerous?" Master de Leone asked with concern. Ash nodded.

"I took care of it immediately. The light is excess energy being released. I'd recommend waiting until the papers stop glowing, so they lack energy to do anything," he replied.

The staff seemed to let out a collective breath of relief.

"Good job, Ash," Grandmaster Holgren said as he patted his shoulder and gave him an approving nod. "You prevented a tragedy. The perimeter of the wall is a public park and there are always people here, not to mention the businesses and residences built into and against it."

"I dare say you're a hero," Grandmadam de Leone added with a chuckle.

Ash nodded. "I know."

Master de Leone couldn't hold back his laugh, his eyes crinkling with amusement..

"While it's good that this was found and stopped, it is still concerning that someone is targeting the Invitational," Grandmadam Surapham said with a frown. "It's almost done, but there is still the Exhibition. After that, will the Federation continue to be targeted?"

The group of mages were quiet.

The suspects had killed themselves before any questions could be asked, let alone answered.

There was only one important piece of information on which they could work with. "What's Semut Mountain?"

At the name, both Grandmasters Holgren and Nodu snapped their heads towards him. Both men were frowning and Grandmaster Holgren took a step closer.

"Are they involved in this?"

"Inside the chamber, my brother and I heard them discussing how Semut Mountain can't be connected to this attack, and that even if it was, they alluded that the Federation did not have a unified central army that could fight them," Ash said. He furrowed his brows. "But Semut Mountain isn't a country, is it? I've never heard of it."

Which was saying something, considering how far he'd traveled.

"It's good that you haven't," Grandmaster Nodu replied in a low voice. "It means you needn't associate with them."

"Semut Mountain is a mercenary organization specializing in covert guerilla attacks." Grandmadam de Leone was frowning. "We had quite a difficult time with them during Dareisol's near war of succession."

Ash frowned. "Are they strong? Is it a large organization?"

The Grandmadam took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'm not sure if they've grown, but back then, they were comparable to a small private army made of elite soldiers. Various sides were vying for their power, which ended up bankrupting some of those sides."

"Did they leave Dareisol because they couldn't be paid?" Mercenaries worked for money, so if the source dried up, wouldn't they simply quit and try to find a better paying employer?

The Grandmadam sneered and narrowed her eyes at the memory. "Leave? It wasn't that simple. Nothing pays mercenaries like a war, so it was in their best interest to push civil unrest."

"They're no longer active, are they?" her grandson asked. "At least, not in Dareisol."

"To my knowledge, not to the extent they were before. I'm sure there are patrons for them there, but whatever activities they do are minor compared to the problems they caused all those years ago. Only the Celestial Kingdom's continental army was able to push them out...and severely decimate their numbers."

Several people let out hums of acknowledgement. Lunapsar were stronger and faster than the average human. Physically, they could outperform the mercenaries. Nera had to wear a bracelet to hinder her abilities in order to compete.

Ash knew the continental army of the Lunapsar very well. His great-grandmother's family ran it and she led it at one point. The generals that served his mother told him about the army's glorious days just before the Fall of Samelu. Those generals were descended from that army, just like he and his mother were.

But he didn't know they pushed out a mercenary group.

"They've been quiet on the world stage and rarely get involved with international disputes," Grandmaster Holgren told him. "At least there has been no mention of them in recent years."

"However, we've never heard of them disbanding," Grandmaster Nodu said. "If Semut Mountain is involved, then someone must've paid a hefty price."

"If they can afford to hire mercenaries, couldn't they afford to have their own skilled people to come?" Master de Leone asked.

Ash shook his head, picking up on a particular point. "They don't want to be connected to the attack, for fear of consequence, or they may not be able to enter the city as they lack proper travel papers."

"And if they did, that would leave a paper trail that could be discovered, linking them to the attack," Grandmaster Holgren concluded. He looked back at Ash. "You said that they were talking about there being more of them outside the city?"

"Apparently, they were forced to stay and be the team that pasted the scrolls on the wall as punishment for smelling like a skunk."

Several faces twisted with disgust. "I was wondering what that foul odor was!" The Grandmadam scowled as she looked around. "I thought it was sewage!"

Her grandson nodded. "It does smell too strong to be a regular skunk."

"Central mountain spotted skunks smell the worst when they spray. Something about their diet," Ash replied.

Grandmaster Nodu looked at him curiously. "Have you gotten used to the smell?"

"Oh, I can't smell it," Ash said, pointing to his nose. "Brother and I dulled our sense of smell and taste with magic before we came in. When we were tracking them, we could smell them, even when they were well underground in the tunnels."

"I heard there were reports of a foul smell in the park," Grandmadam Surapham said. "So, it turned out to be this."

She stayed to oversee the staff with Master de Leone while the other three followed Ash back to the surface.

Henry was seated on a rock across the walkway, next to the open door. Brightly colored orange cones made of were placed around the entrance to the tunnel, along with a sign that read 'maintenance'. There were also a handful of city guards, which hinted that maintenance wasn't the only thing happening in the tunnels.

"I don't think anyone is buying that," Henry said as Ash appeared. He followed the direction that his brother was pointing at, which was the sign.

"City guards are all over the place."

"A dozen of them? In one place?" Henry asked, raising a brow. Ash shifted his gaze.

"Maybe they met up during a routine patrol."

Henry scoffed. "And maybe those four bodies being taken away in a non-descript black wagon had something to do with the guard's presence."

He stood up and greeted the mage elders with Ash. They were polite in greeting him, knowing that Henry had a heavy hand in saving the day, as well. Seeing the situation under control, the two brothers left the site.

When they reached the edge of the public park, they found their family's guards waiting with one of the family's private carriages. One of their men opened a door for them and Ash grabbed a handle by the door and pulled himself up.

He heard the voice before he nearly tripped over the large, white ice wolf sprawled on the floor of the spacious carriage.

"I heard you found more explosives!" Effie's eyes were wide with excitement, and Ash groaned. He rolled his eyes as he fell into the bench seat across from her.

Henry entered next and paused with one leg still out. He narrowed his eyes at their little sister.

"Euphemia Atractas-"

"I was with Prince Tae!" Effie quickly defended herself.

"You were with Prince Tae. Why are you here now?" Ash said. Henry took a seat next to Effie, causing her to scoot as far away as possible and press herself against the side of the carriage, avoiding Henry's oppressive, accusing glare.

Effie tilted her head back and groaned with frustration. "I heard you found something from a guard and, so I excused myself to pick you up."

"And he didn't try to stop you?" Ash asked. That didn't sound like Prince Tae. He was well aware of their investigation and knew to watch Effie.

"I have an ice wolf," Effie said, motioning one hand to the wolf who was on his back on the floor, his paws and legs up as if he were sleeping on his back. It was a very unsightly image of a majestic wolf. "And lots of guards! He couldn't stop me!"

Both brothers seemed to bore their gazes at her, and Effie did not meet their eyes.

Henry frowned. "You ran away and sent him a message so he wouldn't panic, didn't you?"

Effie shrank back. "You can't prove that."

"We can absolutely prove it!" Ash threw his arms into the air. "Effie-"

"You will apologize to him and his guards," Henry said. He leaned forward and shouted. "Take us back to where Prince Tae is today!"

"Yes, Young Master!"

Effie groaned and slumped back against the seat bench. Henry continued to give her a disapproving look.

When they reached the stadium from where Effie had run away from, they noticed several Suna personal guards running around. Ash had to jump out and flag them down to reassure them Effie was safe and wasn't kidnapped again.

Henry heaved Effie over his shoulder as he came out of the carriage. The listless child hung, defeated, over her brother's left shoulder, like a small sack of grain. There was no way for her to escape.

"Your Highness, we apologize," Henry was the first to speak upon entering the private suite. Prince Tae had shot up from his seat. When they dropped off Effie that morning, he didn't look as haggard as he did at that moment.

"Effie, why did you run away?" Prince Tae zoned in on the limp child who let her arms hang. "I thought you were taken again! I lost half my life!"

Henry placed his sister in front of him. Effie hung her head low. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I was too eager to see what my brothers were doing."

Prince Tae closed his eyes and let out a low, heavy breath. "Please don't do this again. Your brothers are trying to keep you safe."

She nodded her head, but kept it lowered.

Ash fished through his bag and took out a small slip. "Effie."

"Huh?" She lifted her head and a slip hit her in the forehead. "Hey!" She raised her hand and tried to take it off, but it quickly dissolved. Her big blue eyes grew even larger as she looked at her brother in horror. "What was that?"

"Tracking and range limitation slip," Ash replied in a dull voice as he crossed his arms over his chest. He watched Effie's face become even paler.

"No! Not again!"

"Yes." Henry stood beside Ash in solidarity. "If you can't be trusted to stay put when we tell you for your own safety, then we have no choice."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Brothers, no!" Effie's eyes rimmed with tears as she rushed towards them and grabbed their shirts, tugging them down desperately. "I'll be good!"

"We told you before that if you kept acting recklessly, you would face a consequence for your actions," Henry replied. "And you still sneaked out and gave Prince Tae a scare."

Effie's lower lip trembled and she looked down. "I was just curious."

"Twenty-four hours of range limitation," Ash told her. "And we'll tell Momma."

"Don't tell Momma!" Effie nearly screamed. "She'll deduct from my account and make me do a punishment project."

"Yes, that's the point," Ash sneered. "You do the crime; you pay the time."

Effie grasped the sides of her head and marched to take a seat and pout. She held out her arms. "Baby, I need a hug!" Prince Muran, who had been watching from a seat, quietly shuffled off and waddled to Effie so she could hug him. She grumbled and picked him up. "This is what happens when you're the youngest. You have it the hardest," she muttered to the toddler in a not-so-under-her-breath voice.

Both Ash and Henry rolled their eyes before telling Prince Tae what they found and their concerns. Prince Tae frowned.

"Should we avoid the last events tomorrow?"

"No, I think we should be fine," Henry said.

"I'll do a sweep of the location along with some independent Federation mages and staff," Ash told him. "From what we overheard, the rest of their group had fled the city and they were left to do the last bit of preparation work. Eventually, they'll realize that the explosives were never activated. That's when they'll come back, if they have more supplies to use."

"The frustrating part is that we don't know how much they have," Henry replied. "We should err on the side of caution and keep doing our sweeps, as well as increase security at the gates. They can always try to sneak in, but precautions at the gate shouldn't hurt."

Ash nodded. The Invitational Committee was already informed and they started their extended security measures.

Prince Tae let out a long, heavy breath. "Semut Mountain...I've heard of them, but don't know much other than they're a mercenary group. I will ask my sister. She'll know."

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"Semut Mountain?" Nera didn't pause as she secured the straps on her horses, then ran her hand along the leather to ensure that there were no weak points. "I know of them."

"You do?" The assistant to the head Invitational representative from Carthage Harbor looked at Nera in surprise. "The Young Masters said they did not know of them."

"When I dealt with them, they were still young, and I made a point not to get them involved so that they could focus on business growth," Nera replied. She moved on to the chariot to check all the connecting points, as well as the wheels.

"Did Semut Mountain take on an assignment to harm you, Madam?" the young woman asked with surprise.

"There is a saying that a tall tree gets knocked over," Nera replied. "Snake, Scarab, and Sons grew quickly. Very quickly. Even with the Mt. Asai Merchant Guild's backing, we were too successful too quickly. It made competitors during our early years uncomfortable. When they couldn't out maneuver us in the market, they tried threatening means."

The lump the assistant swallowed was loud. "They attacked?"

"Yes, they tried to destroy our main caravan multiple times throughout a single year. We were able to defend, but after their increased attacks, it became bothersome and a waste of our time, so I had to step in," Nera replied. She paused and narrowed her eyes in thought. "I thought they would've learned their lesson by now." She stood up and brushed off the light armor she was wearing for the last event. "It seems I'll have something to do after this. Angela, tell the committee I'll take care of Semut Mountain after the Invitational."

Angela, the assistant, nodded, but with some hesitation. "Will Madam miss the Exhibition? As the head Invitational representative for the city, you'll need to be on stage if the Second Young Master and Miss Nobuya win."

"They will understand the importance of this matter. Besides, although this is my last Invitational, it likely won't be Ash and Hana's last Exhibition." Nera rounded the chariot and double checked the reins. "There will be more chances for them to win in the future."

An event staff organizer came forward dressed in a uniform. "Madam Atractas, you'll be starting from gate seven. You can go there now."

Nera nodded. "Understood. Angela, pass on the message. If I'm not back in time, represent the city at the awards ceremony."

Angela bowed her head. "Yes, Madam!"

Nera climbed on to the chariot and grasped the reins, momentarily weighing them in her hands before giving them a shake to order the two horses pulling her light chariot. She'd checked every piece of her chariot and anything connected to it several times over. When her students were preparing, she also checked all of theirs with them to ensure that everything was strapped in correctly and nothing was loose or there were any weak points.

When the other competitors saw her guiding the equipment checks, they came to ask her to assist them, as well. Once they were done, Nera told them not to leave their chariots to avoid any sabotage.

All of them had been aware of what happened at the clay shot event two days earlier. When Nera reached the end and went to stand with the other competitors, everyone had been curious as to why she hadn't shot the last target when it was clear she was able to. Nera hadn't hidden her suspicion from them.

Several committee members later came to confirm that Nera's suspicions were correct, and then they'd watched Ash detonate the explosive over the water.

Two competitors were close to quitting the competition completely for fear that there would be more, but they were talked out of it. Nera couldn't blame them for wanting to drop out, but at the same time, she wasn't going to encourage them to. It was their individual decision, and to her, simply continuing unbothered was an insult to whoever was trying to hurt them.

She drove the chariot down a path to get to the starting gate.

The chariot race started outside the city. They would enter through the southern gates and go around the old wall, before racing down the main thoroughfare to enter the city's largest arena, which was shaped like an oval. They had to race around the arena three times, symbolic of the original three cities that united to form the Federation of Merchant Cities.

Then, whoever crossed the finish line won and would get the most points added to their overall score.

Though Nera had no chance of placing this time, it didn't mean she was going to be lax in her event. It was the exact opposite. How could she, the winner of the last several all-arounds, not come through the finish line first? Let everyone in the city come to understand that Nera Atractas didn't lose because she was incapable, but due to forces outside her control.

Nera reached the row of starting gates. She nodded to the other competitors and listened to the horses. There was a current of excitement and anticipation amongst the competitors, and the same was true for the horses.

They snorted, bobbed their heads, and stomped their feet into the dirt.

"Everyone, stay out of my way. My driver promised me apples if I cross first!"

"Apples? I'm getting apples and carrots!"

"Your driver is cheap!" another horse snorted and shook her head. "Mine said that no matter what, I will receive treats!"

Nera bit her lips to keep from laughing. The other competitors might as well have been pleading with the gods to win by trying to bribe their horses with treats.

"Your driver is the woman who won two years ago! I recognize her!" One horse chuffed and looked over the stall dividers. "How lucky! I heard she speaks to animals."

"She does," one of Nera's horses said. "If we win, she will buy us and we will retire."

"What?" A series of horse chuffs came from across the gates. "Is that why the horses she drove before are gone?"

Nera didn't answer, but that was the reason. She bought the horses she won with and they were retired to one of the family's properties to live comfortable lives. One of them had been surprisingly docile, but did not fear a large predatory animal like Commodore. She was moved closer to Carthage Harbor and Effie had been learning to ride a horse on her.

"What's wrong with the horses?" one of the competitors asked. "They're all excited over something."

"Master," a bald man asked Nera. "What's going on with them?"

"They're just excited about what rewards they will get after this is over," Nera told them calmly. She looked on either side of her knowingly. "Be sure to treat them well. Regardless of the outcome, they have worked hard for you."

"Of course, Master!" Everyone agreed and an official came to tell them to put on their helmets to get ready.

Nera took her helmet off from where it was hanging inside the chariot and put it on. Her hair had been braided tight and close to her head. Her eyes were covered by a loose, gauzy veil, which she tucked into the sides of her helmet so they wouldn't fly all over the place.

When that was secure, she adjusted the reins in her hands.

"Ease out and gradually increase. No need to maintain the lead in the first half, but don't fall back either. We have a long way to go," Nera told the horses.

"Yes, Madam!"

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She heard the metal bars placed down behind them, securing them in place. An official started.

"Competitors! At the ready!"

Nera opened her eyes. She adjusted her stance and gripped the reins. The horses seemed to calm down and lower their head.

A horn was heard, drowning out the official yelling 'go'.

The air hit her face as the horses rushed forward. The chariots shook as they were pulled through the dirt background and towards the city's southern gates, where a crowd was waiting to cheer them on.

The southern gates were the widest of the gates and the metal poles that had been in place to regulate the flow of traffic had been removed, revealing one long, unguarded entrance into the city. Unlike the other gates, which were built of stone, the southern gate was a short tunnel dug through part of a short hill.

It opened directly into the open area and public park that circled the old city walls. Barricades had been placed along with guards to keep guests and spectators at bay while the competitors raced through.

Spectators waved the symbol laden scarves of their respective cities as they passed.

Nera couldn't hear their individual words, just the general sound of yelling as she swept past. There was the familiar rumbling of the tires against the ground, the thunderous hoofbeats, and the occasional shouts of the other competitors.

There were about two chariots ahead of her, but she was pleased with the speed and steadiness of the horses. She didn't want them to waste all their energy in the beginning. She needed that final burst at the end.

"Remain on the inside!" Nera shouted a reminder at the horses once they reached the park. The space used for the race narrowed from what it was outside the city. The entire length around the old city wall would be about half the width of the space they started with.

It was easy for accidents to happen, especially when they were moving at high speeds. Overtaking came from the outside, so to avoid collision, Nera wanted to stay out of the way. The others could fight for place.

She'd already surveyed the route. There were two points where she could overtake the other chariots. The first was the park plaza, which they would exit into after they circled the old city wall. The plaza was wide and closed off, but it narrowed when it opened to the main street.

While the main thoroughfare had two sides for traffic going in opposite directions, only one side was closed off. At most, there was room for three chariots to ride side by side comfortably. Four chariots if they were daring.

The second place the route opened up was in the park just outside of the city's arena where they'd close out the race. It was shorter than the park plaza, and had many trees, but the entire space was closed off. Nera would have a chance to increase her lead there before entering the arena.

Once inside, there was little chance to overtake, so she needed to overtake before entering and secure her lead.

She'd learned to drive chariots when she was a child on the northwest border with the Heikaravian army. It was actually a hobby of her parents, who liked to race and even organized chariot races for the soldiers. She never forgot her lessons and could drive a chariot blindfolded regardless of how long it had been.

When she was in school, whenever she and Soraya went into the valley town to run errands, they'd take a chariot provided by the Council of Elders, as Nera had to frequently go between the school and town to study at both places. The horses had been Lunapsar war horses, as those were mainly the only kind of horses her people had at the time.

Now, those war horses and their descendants were where they belonged, laying siege to opposing territories to assert their dominance. Nera let out a low, irritated breath. She had so much to deal with, and now Semut Mountain had stepped forward to further add problems. She had been too lenient.

"Let's hurry and finish this!" They rounded the last curve and could see the park plaza in front of them. Nera snapped the reins and barked orders, driving her horses to the side and ahead.

They passed the three chariots with ease and by the time they reached the start of the thoroughfare, she was in the lead. Crowds on either sides of the street, all the way up to the rooftops were screaming as Nera raced past with a stern look on her face.

She was the first to reach the arena with her closest competitor a good two horse lengths behind her. As long as she entered and held her lead, she'd win.

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"Momma!" Effie and Ash shouted at the same time Henry yelled 'Aunt'. They watched with pounding hearts as Nera shot into the arena from the corner entrance, her braid flying behind her as the horses seemed to fly forward.

"Look at that lead!" Prince Tae clapped his hands and shouted. "There's no way they can over take her."

The chariot race was the last event of the Invitational, and the closing ceremony would happen right there, in the arena. In the center, a grand stage had been built with a ring count of winners and a scoreboard following the all-around.

Nera was in the middle, but had a chance to place if she made a good time.

An entire section of the arena was chanting 'Carthage Harbor'. By the time Nera had rounded for her second loop, all of the competitors had entered the ring.

No matter how fast they went, they couldn't catch up.

A buzzard filled the arena, sending the crowds into a frenzy as Nera crossed the finish line.

Effie jumped so much, she nearly fell off the chair she was standing on. Nera's score was tallied and she would, indeed, place in the lowest place. However, considering all she went through that Invitational, it was impressive she placed at all.

The chariots were pulled off to the side so the horses could rest and stay out of the way as the rest of the chariots completed their three loops around the arena track. As the points were totaled, the leaders emerged.

It looked like the winner was going to be Orm Point that year. Their section of the crowd couldn't stop yelling.

"Third place isn't bad," Henry said, placating the family. "She didn't even get any points in the first event, yet she actually placed."

"That's her fastest time," Prince Tae added. "Breaking a speed record is additional points. It just puts her above the fourth-place competitor."

"We have to celebrate tonight!" Effie shouted. "We should go to-"

"Not Pancake Cafe!" Several voices turned to her with frowns and she scowled back.

"Pancake Cafe is for breakfast! This is dinner!" Effie glared at the three men who were all taller than her. "We should go to the Gardens! I reserved some tables for when Momma wins days ago!"

"Oh, in that case, we should absolutely follow your suggestion," Prince Tae's voice softened and he gave her a bright smile.

She gave him a disgusted look. "I'll have the ravens send the invites now." She turned around and took some paper from her bag.

Once she finished writing the last of her notes to send to various people, of whom the brothers did not question, the closing ceremony began.

Nera and the other winners crossed the stage to be given their 'rings', which were circlets crowned on their heads. Each circlet had a distinctive pattern and was made of different materials. Nera's was bronze with sweeping lines and engraved images of each of the events she had participated in for the all-around.

The ring ranking was also updated. Carthage Harbor didn't do badly, ranking fifth overall, but with only one platinum ring. It was a bit of a disappointment compared to previous years.

"It's all right," Henry said. "Ash and Hana will regain the city's honor at the Exhibition."

Ash rolled his eyes.

The closing ceremony itself took an hour to complete, concluding with the invitation to the Exhibition that would take place in the coming week. Just after the sun completely set, the ceremony ended with a show of fireworks coming from multiple places in the city and from the harbor.

It took another two hours for Nera to reach them.

"Momma! Congratulations! I have reservations at a restaurant to celebrate your victory!" Effie ran to her mother and threw her arms around her. Nera bent down and hugged her daughter, lifting her with one arm and kissing her cheeks.

"Thank you!" Nera then took the bronze ring on her head and put it on her daughter. Effie beamed and blushed.

"Madam, congratulations," Prince Tae held his nephew in his arms as he greeted her and Nera smiled.

"Tae! It's good to see you, thank you. Ah! Is this my chunky little Ranran? Ranran, do you recognize Auntie?" Nera walked over to the other child who tilted his head and babbled something along the lines of 'auntie godmother'. Nera laughed and ruffled his head. "He must've learned from his sister."

Empress Yayae's first born child, the Crown Princess of Suna, was Nera's goddaughter.

"Momma, congratulations."

"Auntie, you've honored the city once again." Ash and Henry greeted her and she nodded with smile.

"And you two have saved it, I heard?" she asked.

The two smiled weakly. "About that, should we discuss over dinner?'

Nera nodded. "Yes, I'll have dinner before I leave."

She stepped forward and walked past the group. All three men looked at her in confusion as she led Effie to a carriage.

"Momma, what do you mean leave?"

Nera motioned for them to all get into the carriage, obviously not wanting to discuss matters there, out in the open. Though it was cramped, Prince Tae joined them to find out what was going on.

The doors closed and Nera looked at Ash. He nodded and slapped a slip against the inside wall of the carriage. As it jerked forward, the sound outside was muffled and a barrier was in place.

"I was told that Semut Mountain was involved," she said.

Both Ash and Henry perked up at this. Henry leaned forward. "Auntie, do you know what Semut Mountain is?"

Nera clicked her tongue and had a look of distaste on her face. "It used to be the most formidable mercenary group in the Iverias. They took on everything from fighting in wars as paid armies, assassinations, harassment. They even got involved in political struggles." She looked at her two sons. "When we first started Snake, Scarab, and Sons, we grew too strong overnight. Competitors didn't take kindly to that, so for almost a year, our caravan lines were harassed by Semut Mountain mercenaries.

"It wasn't difficult to defend, but their harassment turned into attacks, seriously injuring some of our people. How could I let that stand? I left you two in Dareisol while I went to take care of them."

Ash's eyes widened. "You fought Semut Mountain? How? Where?"

"Semut Mountain is a dead volcano in the range near the buffer kingdoms and principalities between the three big empires," Nera replied. "It's their headquarters. Anyone who wants to pay for a job to be done must go there, and it is up to the small group of older mercenaries to decide whether to take a job or not, and to whom it'll be assigned. It's not difficult to find if you break the right bones."

Everyone in the carriage except for Effie and Prince Muran was quiet, but accepting of Nera's blunt explanation.

"They stopped attacking the caravans, so it worked?" Prince Tae dared to ask.

Nera nodded. "They lost a lot of men, and would've lost their entire stronghold if they didn't stop. Since then, they've been quiet. They're still formidable fighters, but now tend to do high level escort work or minor fights." She narrowed her eyes and glared. "It surprises me that they had the gall to get involved with such an atrocious act. Violence in war is one thing, but to innocent people in masse? Soft targets aren't like them. I suspect there has been a power struggle in the organization."

"So, someone might've accepted the orders to plant explosives in the Invitational without their leaders knowing?" Ash asked.

"Even if they did, that doesn't excuse what they were doing," Henry said.

"It doesn't, but it could give a reason," Nera replied. She narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to find out."

"What? Now?" Ash nearly jumped up, but Henry grabbed him and pushed him back into his seat.

"Auntie, the Exhibition will start."

"I know." Nera sighed heavily and ran a hand down her face. She looked at Ash.

Ash shook his head. "It's fine. Hana and I can win more in the future. This...this is more pressing." Ash frowned. "People could've died...and I don't like not knowing what the enemy is thinking or has."

Nera nodded. "If I don't return by the end of the Exhibition, we'll meet in Suna. Go with Prince Tae; I have things to discuss with Yayae. Tonight, I'll leave. If anyone asks, I had a sudden business incident to deal with. It will take another few days for news of the failure to reach Semut Mountain. I need to leave after dinner to make it there before the news arrives, and find out what's going on."

Prince Tae looked at her and then at the brothers and back. "Do you need a horse? We have long distance horses with Suna we brought with us."

Nera shook her head. "Horses are too slow. I've already informed a raven to bring a message to get a ride to Semut Mountain. If we fly fast enough, we'll be there within two days. Ash, I'll need some slips for wind, cold, heat, and moisture."

"Two days?" Effie drew her head back and scrunched her face. It was unbelievable. "What animal is fast enough to get you almost across the continent within two days?"

"An eastern maned dragon."

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