"Next up, We have Timmy!!"
Timmy, with a respectful bow, gracefully walked to the root altar.
'Tsk' Aether clicked his tongue, witnessing that snotty brat attempting to project an air of maturity.
[Request: Logging In]
[....]
[Affirmative]
/
Name: Timmy
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Level: 1
Title: Future Head Butler of Frostblade Household, Assistant to Kai Frostblade, Not so smart, Hates Ether to death.
Attributes:
Strength: 7
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 4
Magic Affinity: 5
Charm: 6
/
Observing his son's profile, Alfred nodded with satisfaction, stealing a glance at the Empress, who didn't bother to cast her eyes upon his son's Log. Her gaze radiated sheer disinterest.
Though Alfred remained very loyal to the Duke's household, as a father, he aspired for the best for his son. If only the Empress had displayed a modicum of interest, he might have expedited his son's relocation to the castle.
Unfortunately, life rarely unfolds according to expectations....
"PPfffttt--" Aether struggled to contain his laughter at the sight of 'Not so smart.' His eyes welled up with amusement, 'Damn it! He is truly an idiot!! Hahahaha....' He chuckled inwardly.
However, there was one thing that caught everyone's attention, and that was 'Ether.'
"Who is this Ether? I'd like to see him," Sparrow muttered, his curiosity piqued.
It wasn't an unusual request, just a curious one, considering Ether was linked to the Logs of three people.
"Cough, Cough," Aether coughed awkwardly, feeling a bit uneasy.
Soon enough, a Silver Card manifested, undoubtedly a valuable one. While not exceptionally rare, its significance was noted by those present, It still held value among the nobles's servants and High-Level soldiers.
However,
"Three Stars?" Aether frowned, scrutinizing the transparent stars adorning the card. Unlike the previous Logs, this one displayed only three stars at each corner.
In the face of Aether's questioning expression, Sparrow calmly remarked, "Not everyone is blessed with the same level of talent, right?"
"...." Aether froze, his expression silently questioning, 'Are you fucking serious? There is already a disparity!!'
"Hahah..." Sparrow chuckled, offering a bit of wisdom, "You see, boy, the world is inherently unfair to everyone.... and there's little we can do about it."
Aether nodded slightly in acknowledgement, for he, more than anyone, understood the unjust nature of life, given his own challenging experiences.
Sparrow elaborated,
"You see, each Arcane Card is marked with five stars, symbolizing the holder's level limit.
The initial four small stars situated at the corners signify an increment of up to 15 levels each, while the central star represents a substantial 40 levels.
In totality, 100 levels constitute the maximum limit for an Arcane Cardholder."
"Hmm...so, what difference does this make?" Aether inquired, seeking clarity.
"It's simple. If a Copper Arcane Card Holder with 5 stars were to face off against a Silver Card Holder with 1 star, then--"
"Sliver wins, right?" Aether attempted to conclude, but Sparrow intervened.
"No!" Sparrow refuted, clarifying, "The Copper wins due to the 5 stars."
"....I see," Aether expressed surprise at the unexpected outcome, 'I thought being Sliver means High value...hmm'
Sparrow added a bit more information, "Although, if it's a 5-star Copper against a 5-star Silver, the Silver wins effortlessly."
"Hmm..." Aether nodded, absorbing the nuances of the Arcane Card system.
"Next is Ether," Lucius announced suddenly.
"Hmm?" Aether was caught off guard by this revelation, 'Me?' he wondered.
"tsk, It's not over yet...?" Sparrow muttered under his breath.
Velc's face turned pale, and he exchanged a concerned glance with Lucius, who seemed oblivious to Velc's unease.
"Oh? Are you baptizing the slave?" Empress inquired with evident interest on her face.
"N-No, Empress, it's just a mistake," Velc responded hastily, attempting to downplay Ether's involvement in front of the Empress.
Empress frowned and directed her gaze at Lucius, questioning, "How many people were you informed to baptize?"
Lucius, feeling the pressure, began to sweat. While he understood Velc's reluctance to involve Ether, he couldn't comprehend the reason for the secrecy. However, faced with the Empress's inquiry, Lucius could only offer the truth.
"F-Four people, Your Majesty," he stammered.
"Names?" Empress inquired further.
"Kai Frostblade, Selene Frostblade, Timmy, and..." Lucius hesitated, looking at Velc, who desperately hoped he wouldn't reveal the final name,
"Ether"
'Sigh...' Velc sighed inwardly, realizing his efforts to keep Ether out of the spotlight were in vain.
"What are you trying to hide, Velc?" Empress asked in a causal manner but Velc knew the Energy around her pulsating angrily as if she was unhappy about something.
"Y-Your Majesty, I-I am... I was thinking that I shouldn't bring a slave into your presence. I thought it might sully your presence--" Velc attempted to explain.
"Bring that boy who caught Mortimer's attention" Empress simply stated, she didn't like those lengthy unwanted chats, as the outcome remained inevitable.
'Ggrrrr,' Velc growled inwardly. He exchanged glances with Alfred, who nodded in agreement. Alfred turned to summon Ether. However, to his surprise,
"Ether?" Alfred frowned upon seeing Ether already standing at the entrance with a solemn expression.
Then, with a resounding
"BOOM!!"
Ether was sent flying, crashing into a wall and collapsing unconscious on the ground.
Velc questioned, "Who?" as a black-haired rugged man, Jack Sparrow, strolled into the temple with a self-assured grin.
"Yours truly, Sparrow... Jack Sparrow," he introduced himself, snapping his fingers to create a barrier that immobilized Empress.
Velc urgently shouted, "Guards!"
"Guards? Them?" Sparrow gestured nonchalantly towards his back.
Velc's face twisted in horror when he saw a grotesque image... he then prepared for a confrontation. Lucius positioned himself near the Empress for protection.
"Alfred, get the children!" Velc commanded.
"Yes, Master!" Alfred swiftly gathered Kai, Selene, and Timmy, placing them behind him. Sparrow, meanwhile, dismissed the tension with a casual whistle, surveying the scene.
"Calm down, man," Sparrow taunted Velc.
"Calm down? You bastard!!! You have some nerve to kill the soldiers of the Empire!" Velc roared back.
"Soldiers from the Empire? If this is the strength of the Empire's soldiers.... then I am truly disappointed," Sparrow mockingly expressed his discontent.
He continued, "Well, since I came to take the Arcane King, I don't mind facing off against the Empress of the Aquaris Naiadae Kingdom."
The declaration sent a shiver of fear through everyone present.