Kaelith physically shook when she heard the AI's last statement. She now understood why her mother was acting so distraught.
"Well, I guess it did know about it," Rakna commented calmly. He honestly didn't care. He grinned spiritedly and turned toward the astonished pair. "It's weird now that I think about it."
"What is…?" Kaelith found the strength to speak. She was still wrapping her head around the fact that the 'rumored' uncle was most likely Eternal Night. The dots just connected perfectly.
"Until now, no one has ever called the old man by his actual name. They keep saying Eternal Night or Kind Demon," he replied, confirming her thoughts, and looked at Kara. "So, how did you know about it? You reacted even before the filtering. You started smelling of doubt and fright when you simply heard 'Blade' at the end of my name."
Kara was silent for a moment before she opened her mouth, "The higher echelons all know about Him. Centuries ago, when the mass mental spell occurred, the System suppressed it well. The only information that was successfully transferred were the titles of that man."
"Yeah, I heard that before."
"But," Kara continued. "What people don't know is that during the same day… a 'cross', if you can even call it that, fell from the sky in the middle of Old Eden, the 500th Plateau. Eva dispatched the Adjudicators to get rid of it. But they failed; miserably. Even the generals couldn't put a scratch on it when working together, nor could they move it."
Rakna rested his cheek on his hand as he listened. "I assume they gave up?"
She nodded. "After a few years, it was deemed a waste of resources for the System. So, they left it alone. Afterward, both Locals and Hosts flocked to it and the Basilica was built around it. The cross that you received as a gift yesterday was made thanks to the energy it released."
"Yeah, I figured. It was on the description of the item. But that still does not explain how you know more about my uncle than the rest of the System."
"It does," Kara retorted. "The cross is the key. The Basilica allowed big figures to approach it. And we… touched it. Then, we learned. The Life Hunter who hunted Gods and Devils, destroyed Heaven and Hell, fought the Dragon King Fafnir, conquered the Mother Realities, subjugated the Original Creators, and built Kymestuos."
Rakna let out snicker. "Sounds fancy and all but I have no idea what those even mean."
"Nor did we," Kara smiled wryly. "But we were made to know anyway. In a single instant, we were all forced to realize how insignificant we were. There is a reason all large guilds and organizations are wary of the Basilica; they are terrified of Eternal Night."
He smirked. "That makes my little threat even more effective, doesn't it?"
"Well," Kara felt challenged again at his words. "You would need to prove it if you wa-" She stopped herself when a System window popped up, courtesy of Rakna who had smilingly shared one of his titles' descriptions with her.
She read the name and lowered her head sulkily. "Fine… I really can't win with you."
Kaelith also got a look at the title from him and rubbed her eyes. "You got to be kidding me… if you tell this to people, you could literally become the most distinguished person in the System."
"Or the largest target ever," Rakna retorted. "A secret between us; I managed to talk to the old man for a short moment. He told me that the System was well hidden, even for him. So, as things stand, even if I want to abuse my status as the nephew of Eternal Night, it would not be possible since he cannot come to my help. My goal is to do what he instructed me; find a way to contact him."
Kara's eyes flashed. "Do you think He would be grateful to my clan if we helped you?"
Rakna laughed. "Not going to lie, I like your grind. You jump at opportunities when they come. But sure, the old man wouldn't ignore your efforts."
Kara clapped happily. "It's decided then! We'll give you full support in your endeavors!"
Kaelith looked at her mother who had gone from petrified to business ready in a second. "You two really are… Mom, how come I never knew about this whole thing?"
"Sweety, you're still a bit too young. Those images aren't for the weak of heart."
"Don't patronize me, Mom. I'm 27, not a kid."
"You're still a child in my eyes, Kae. Fifty has always been the agreed age for Nine-Tailed Foxes to be considered adults."
"Fifty, huh?" Rakna hummed. "What is your race's life expectancy exactly?"
"Even the weakest of the Nine-Tailed can live up to five hundred years," Kaelith said. "The stronger ones can go as far as a thousand or two. The oldest member of our clan is 1 895 years old."
"Interesting. I wonder how high mine is now?"
[Approximately 4 150 years,] Alexa surprisingly answered and he blinked in shock.
'That's kind of a lot.'
[That is due to your non-awakened divinity. By eating Aquila's heart, you absorbed a strand of his divinity that has yet to manifest itself.]
'I see… weird.'
"|| If you do not wish to proceed with the item search, please turn off this device. ||"
Everyone in the room was reminded of the original goal when the tablet spoke again.
"Ah, right," Rakna focused back on it. "In the city of Aurora, there is a mansion in the west district of Walker Avenue. The house number is 67. In the basement, there is a shelf with dozens of small bottles full of pills. Along with them; there should be a small cloth wrapped around several vials and syringes. Take it."
"|| Acknowledged. Items found. Anything else? ||"
"Yes… In my room, upstairs, there is a valise under the bed. Add that to the lot."
"|| Acknowledged. The fee after deduction will be 80 000 Talys. Do you approve? ||
"Yes."
"|| Approval Sent. Money Withdrawn. Your request is expected to be fulfilled within 48 hours. The items will be delivered directly to your location. Have a good day, Sir Blade. ||"
"Pff, look at that. Even an AI is respecting you now," Kaelith said when the tablet turned off. "And how about you finally admit what is giving you a discount? The fact that you teleported yesterday means that you are at least Gold Honor. Spit it out. Which one is it?"
"Truly?" Kara was also interested. "If you have a Badge of Honor, you're already a noble."
Rakna shrugged and pulled the badge out of his storage to show them. When they saw the emerald color, they gasped.
"Emerald?! Who gave that to you?!"
"Some old guy. He was nice."
"'He was nice' he says…" Kaelith was having a crisis. She looked around. "I need a drink. Now," she uttered and walked to the bottle she had put down earlier.
"Hey! If you have one, then me too!" Kara quickly followed and her daughter was too far gone to refuse. She even poured the shot for her. "Cheers!"
Rakna watched dumbfounded as they clinked their glasses with him still in the room.
"Do you want some?" Kara asked melodiously whilst brandishing her glass.
"I'm fine... I can't get drunk. I don't find any appeal in it."
"Oh? Are you scared?" Kaelith taunted. "This isn't low-quality booze like you see on Earth. This is meant to take down high-level Hosts. You can't escape the effects with magic or regeneration."
Rakna returned the grin. "You're challenging me?"
"If you have the guts."
He breathed in and stood up with a stretch. "In that case, how about raising the stakes?"
She scowled. "What do you want to bet?"
"Hm, let' s see… you should have a lot of Talys, right? Let's stay reasonable for my level; if I win, I want ten million."
"Okay. But if I win, you have to answer truthfully to anything I ask. You're not allowed to keep any secrets from me ever again."
"Sure. How about you, Kara?"
"Well, there is no way I can't let this occasion go to waste, is there? I will also give you ten million. In return, if I win, I want you to take back what you said and marry Kae."
Kaelith blushed faintly and grumbled inaudibly but didn't object to anything.
"Fifty million," Rakna countered back.
"Deal," Kara said and with a wave of her hand, tens of bottles appeared. "I won't lose."
⠀
* * *
⠀
"Please, no more… I give up…" The older vixen begged whilst lying down on her belly. She rolled around on the couch and groaned and moaned into an embroidered pillow to muffle herself.
"God… my head is splitting…" Kaelith groused as she used the table for support unless she wanted to fall on the ground. "How can you even continue…? This should be enough alcohol to even make a dwarf sick…" She said to Rakna who was very comfortably sitting whilst sipping his drink.
She had no idea how many shots that made but it was at least above fifty. It might even be close to a hundred. She couldn't believe it that a newbie was so much more biologically resistant than her and her mother who drank much more than herself daily. They were hundreds of levels apart for crying out loud! How was it possible?
"A few things. Nanobots, my cerebral skewness, willpower, and apparently my laziness."
"…your… what?"
Rakna laughed as he read the window in front of him.
⠀
❮ ◈ ❯
⠀
Absolution of Belphegor has been triggered.
You have drunk three liters of Braaz Liquor!
Your metabolism has been boosted so you can drink more!
⠀
Sloth rewards you with 500 experience points.
Day's Limit: 500/500
⠀
❮ ◈ ❯
⠀
And with that, he was very close to level 60. 'I guess drinking all day is sloth as well.'
"Kae, sweety… do you have any… of those?" Kara asked weakly.
"Yeah… give me a second…" Kaelith replied and walked to the counter. She searched under it and pulled out a small bottle with tablets in them. She quickly swallowed one and instantly, she sighed and her complexion recovered greatly. She tossed the container to her mother who caught it deftly before putting one tablet in her mouth. She recovered and stood up with a relieved breath.
"Medicine?" Rakna inquired as he finished his glass. He had to give it to them; it tasted good.
"Yes," Kaelith answered annoyed.
"Why the sour face? It's all in good fun."
"You cheated..."
"I did not. My nanobots are part of me and it's not my fault my brain is faulty. And I did tell you upfront that I could not get drunk; I meant it literally. It's not only alcohol, all sorts of drugs and hallucinogens don't do shit to me. You were the one who challenged me even after I warned you."
Kaelith couldn't say anything to do that. She groaned and swiped her hand. She pressed on a few confirmation messages and her mother did the same with a giggle.
⠀
❮ ◈ ❯
⠀
60 000 000 Talys have been transferred to your Bank Account.
Creditors: Kara Yahkshasa, Kaelith Yahkshasa.
⠀
❮ ◈ ❯
⠀
Rakna nodded satisfyingly at the message. 'I'm rich again.'
"Truthfully, I expected this outcome," Kara admitted. "It was too good to be true. There was no reason for you to propose a bet if you were not confident in the first place."
"Yeah, well, you could've said that earlier!" Kaelith complained and leaned back on the sofa. "You could have avoided us this headache… The tablets are not 100% effective. Especially when it's one of the strongest alchemic liquors from Old Eden."
Kara chuckled. "But it's all on you, sweety. All I wanted was to drink."
Kaelith groaned and closed her eyes. "I'm going to take a nap now. Wolfy, don't even hope of being able to use the shop for the rest of the day or even tomorrow morning."
"I think I will do the same," the older vixen said with a yawn. "Have a good day, Rakna."
Rakna laughed at the pair and waved his hand. "See you later," he said and left, leaving the mother and daughter, who had already joined dreamland, to rest.