It had been five days and order finally returned to Strega, Criminal activities that emerged after the undead invasion suddenly vanished and no remnants of signs of this group even resurfaced, Many shady aristocrats and merchants that were using this organization kneeled and became silent, a certain amount of dread was pushed toward these people and because they wanted to survive, many turned a blind eye and was forced to walk the path of righteousness, and just waited patiently for the right moment to recover their losses,
The Empress saw that the noble who was loyal to her swore that they would do their best to reclaim their foothold as the largest agricultural land in the western region, Ramiel was able to secure his identity from common people and even with upper social class, the Symbiote mask never allowed them to see his true face, unlike the remaining guild volunteers that became his companions in this quest, they all seemed to realize the scope of Ramiels position and just accepted it because they shared may days together sharing moment of comradery among each other, and even with all his power he never gave out a single shred of arrogance and always treated his companions with respect and humility.
Despite his position of authority, Ramiel remained down-to-earth and approachable, making him a beloved companion among the guild volunteers. His genuine kindness and genuine concern for their well-being fostered a strong sense of loyalty and camaraderie within the group.
As they stood tall all 14 of them awaited in the main hall of Strega's main governing castle, It was the crowing symbol of the seven noble houses that manage this land under the authority given to them by the Empress, and the castle architecture design was in par to many structures in the land, it was a castle meant to symbol the nobles and their power. The grandeur of the castle's architecture showcased the wealth and influence of the noble houses in Strega leaving a lasting impression on all who entered its majestic halls.
It served as a constant reminder of the nobles' status and authority in governing the land. and now only one person stood at the very center, the very person who allowed the nobles to have this luxury and authority, even if they somewhat lost track of what their real purpose was.
This person was the monarch, whose presence in the castle solidified their role as the ultimate source of power and control over the noble houses. The castle stood as a testament to the delicate balance between the nobles' privilege and the monarch's supremacy, a reminder that without one, the other could not exist.
As the Guild Volunteers and other well-noted Teams were invited, one group stood out at the scene, this was the Garden Brawlers headed by Haella Talaedra the younger sister of Elanil Talaedra lieutenant serving the Royal capital, the 14 surviving Guild Volunteers including their porters and private personnel could finally raise their head high as they finally understood what if means to serve with honor.
their time with Ramiel was a shocking reminder and an eye opener that arrogance was no place in being a true warrior, They learned it the hard way, as they cheered and shared moments among each other about the situation Ramiel and their group encountered made them all laugh. they all were able to personally see and know him on a professional guild hunter, without overcasting his royal lineage on them, This was something they were proud to gain and have in their memory,
even with Ramiel's presence among them he was the same shy and humble person, despite his high rank, served as a reminder that friendship could be both powerful and humble lesson to live by, inspiring a sense of unity and admiration among the guild volunteers as they all place down there worries and just enjoy the moment they truly deserve.
Ramiel's double life was no longer hard for him to do, changing his appearance was now easy with the help of the symbiote. As they gained a favorable amount when the remaining symbiote managing his mask found the wolgan dragon under the canyon wall caves, the miasma that consumed its dead body and was filled with sentient souls that were purified, when the half-breed dragon decided to become Ramiels new companion and named her Alpha.
At the same Empress Allatou Estrith Demiurgos made sure to award those who came and answered the call of duty. She commended their dedication and selflessness, recognizing the sacrifices they had made to serve the guild and protect the realm. With a warm smile, Empress Allatou expressed her gratitude and presented each volunteer with a symbol of honor, wealth and new weapons befitting their achievements further solidifying their bond as companions in arms.
Many guilds were still somewhat unsatisfied especially those who were just silent as the undead hoard stood outside their walls, they were hoping to gain something without any proof they had truly earned it. Some members questioned the fairness of the Empress's decision, feeling that their contributions were overlooked in favor of those who were more active or prominent within the guild. Empress Allatou Estrith Demiurgos heard this but did not want to address this by herself, she let her son's top officers handle the situation,
Homunculus Imperial Inspector Delta stood five foot seven and had long braided black hair with brown eyes and was wearing a dark red coat with metal plating shoulder armor on both her shoulders extending down toward her arms and hands, her long pointy ears and beast-like tail was a clear sign she was a high Beastling known for her keen senses and agility.
Her presence commanded respect, as she was renowned for her exceptional investigative skills and unwavering dedication to upholding the law. Many whispered tales of her unmatched ability to unravel the most complex crimes, making her a formidable force in the realm of law enforcement investigation that was new, she was the very first person to be acknowledged by many, as she oversaw and managed many cases in three large cities under her Master command, this was, Ivlares city, Avarel city and the seaport city of Mirielis,
where she successfully solved numerous high-profile cases. Her reputation as a brilliant inspector or bloodhound as the locals call this kind of being in this realm, has extended beyond the borders of these cities, earning her recognition and respect from law enforcement agencies across the country. Her pioneering work paved the way for future generations of investigators, leaving an indelible mark on the field of criminal investigation.
Beta was a step behind the Empress's temporary royal throne in Strega, on her left and Gamma was on her right, standing two steps behind Beta, This new Royal protocol was created by Beta who served many powerful leaders when she was still alive as a male vicegerent, the moment the Queen came back and a seat on the crimson throne at the royal capital, Beta requested that her title name should be changed as she no longer fit the title as a queen, the fact they have a king in Arcane, the power balance will surely create mass confusion on everybody especially when their master Ramiel gets married and has two other queens will taking the title of Dextral and Sinistral Queen
as many started to react negatively to how the Empress awarded the other guild members who were stationed at Strega, Beta casually walked toward the Empress's side and requested that she might be given the authority to address this situation in the light of what happened, Empress Allatou Estrith Demiurgos was already holding her temper as Ramiel requested to be patient and not lash out with anger in certain events that they have no control over, and because Ramiel was interacting socially among the surviving guild Volunteer survivors, she was thinking acting out might ruin his son and family reputation, so she bit her mouth and suppress all her killing intent and let Beta handle the rest.
Beta stood in front of the temporary main hall throne room stage and gave out a loud commend
"You people, prostrate before the Empress!"
Her mana and killing intent were swirling toward those who were making such scandalous remarks and noisy complaints toward the Empress, as they dropped down to their knees, everyone saw how a near average-looking woman who was just five foot five slim body and was wearing a male steward formal suit was this powerful, commanding presence. The intensity in her eyes sent shivers down their spines, as she exuded an aura of authority and dominance. It was clear that underestimating her would be a grave mistake.
She introduces herself as the fact that the Grand Vicegerent serving the royal family finally gave a very rational but hard explanation for the Empress's Action concerning the reward, and this was not received well. But the fact that she was making sure the message got across their greedy heads, she knew rational explanation can never sway a greedy person's mind, so she asked Homunculus Imperial Inspector Delta to address, especially those rude to the Empress, and to ensure that they understand the consequences of their actions.
Homunculus Imperial Inspector Delta, known for his strict adherence to justice, was more than willing to carry out this task. she would make sure that those who had been disrespectful to the Empress would think twice before crossing her again. and remind them of their duty and loyalty to the royal family. Homunculus Imperial Inspector Delta was the perfect choice to deliver this message, or rather inform them first of their malicious and atrocious acts while they claim that they fulfilled their duties as guild members.
Delta's reputation as a relentless enforcer of justice preceded her, instilling fear in those who dared to defy the Empress. As an Imperial Inspector, Delta possessed the necessary authority and expertise to confront them head-on, leaving no room for excuses or deceit as one by one she openly shared their actions regarding the incident that engulfed their homeland.
Delta's unwavering adherence to upholding what happened made her the perfect candidate to expose all of the other guild teams and their members' true nature.
With a meticulous presentation of evidence, she meticulously dismantled their claims of innocence, revealing the extent of their malicious and atrocious acts. The guild members were left speechless as Delta's words echoed through the halls, shattering any remaining illusions they had about their supposed fulfilment of duty.
after hearing and seeing all this evidence their attitude changed, and panic started to consume their heart, Beta took this opportunity to tell them that they should be kneeling in front of the Empress because even with this profound negative evidence toward them they were spared from receiving death, they were still the people of Stregas last defense so allowing them to redeem their honor can still be reclaimed, as they all swallow their arrogance and pride the awarding ceremony continued and the Empress called upon the Garden Brawlers who risk their lives to uphold their duty even against overwhelming adversity some who were loyal remain strong and even when they were abandoned by their other comrades and their client to stand firm in protecting the innocent even at the cost of their own body,
Cynrad Brunaulf and Mage Kessia were talking to Ramiel when he casually placed the drink he was holding on the table stood up and proceeded casually and secretively to fulfill his secondary title as his mother called upon the remaining members of the Garden Brawlers
Haella Talaedra level 25 lost an arm
Krysha level 24 lost her left eyesight
Agislevel 21 lost his hand
Following level 22 lost his left lower leg
Even upon losing some of their body parts they never gave up and used all the necessary means to fight back, as some powerful undead were able to climb the wall and attack the civilians a few months ago on whom they desperately fought and won over, even if they were at disadvantage,
While the remaining two former members of their team, stood silently among those whom Inspector Delta investigated, they could only bow their heads and wallow in their shame, but like any other person, they still held a lingering feeling of self-gratification and decided to beg their teammates to accept them back and gain a certain amount of glory in their name, hoping to redeem themselves and prove that they are capable of change.
However, they understand that rebuilding trust will not be easy and are willing to put in the necessary effort to regain their teammates' respect and forgiveness, They still haven't changed at all they are still narrow-minded and selfish to the bone Despite their initial desire for redemption, it becomes evident that the individual's underlying character flaws persist. Their narrow-mindedness and selfishness continue to hinder their ability to truly change and rebuild trust with their teammates. As a result, the road to earning back respect and forgiveness proves to be even more challenging than anticipated.