The inside of the ballroom was just as extravagant as the exterior suggested. The polished floor mirrored everything above, reflecting the glow of thousands of chandeliers hanging like vines from the ceiling, covering nearly every inch. Some were long, others short, but each had its own light source and was crafted from something resembling clear, quartz-like crystal. Together, they refracted the light, creating an effect that made the ceiling resemble a starry night, filled with countless sparkling points.
Along the walls and beneath the towering windows—draped in thick curtains—stood carefully arranged tables, all covered in lavish displays of food. Some trays stretched nearly a quarter of the way across the table; others were tiered with pastries, while smaller platters held delicate, portion-sized dishes. Each arrangement looked like a work of art; removing even one item felt like it would spoil the entire picture. Magnus couldn't help but wonder what kind of job involved positioning food with such precision.
The guests were, of course, dressed to the nines. There was a noticeable contrast between Magnus's simple attire and the nobles surrounding him. While his clothes were modern and understated, theirs were intricate and ornate, reminiscent of the formal wear of centuries past. Still, Magnus didn't feel too out of place. There were about fifty people in attendance, most of whom he didn't recognize, except for a few members of his faction.
Right away, he spotted the twins, both staring back at him, with Syrna in particular waving.
They were dressed identically, with Sylas wearing a black uniform adorned with light gray embroidery along the edges. His outfit had multiple layers, with the inner ones in lighter shades. A white sash draped over his shoulder, fastened in place by ornate silver clasps, covering the right side of his body like a cloak. Syrna's outfit was a flowing, floor-length dress version of the same uniform. Though it wasn't as sharply tailored, it still matched her brother's attire perfectly. Her dress swept the floor, with gray accents outlining its edges. Like Sylas, she wore a sash draped over her left shoulder, almost a mirror image of him. Both sashes bore what Magnus assumed was their family crest, and their outfits were clearly designed to complement each other.
Huh, Magnus thought, never expected to see Syrna in a dress.
Alongside the twins, Magnus noticed three other figures of interest. One was an older woman with the same strawberry-red hair as the twins, though hers was a slightly darker shade. She wore an entirely black dress and hid her expression behind an ornate fan, though Magnus could tell from her posture that she was scrutinizing him. He assumed she was the twins' mother. Next to her stood a middle-aged man with gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His suit mirrored Sylas's in design, and his sharp gaze—much like the mother's—never left Magnus. He must have been their father.
The third figure, standing just behind the family, caught Magnus's attention. This man looked much younger and wore a casual expression as he leisurely enjoyed a plate of food. Unlike the other nobles, he wore a white combat uniform, though it was still luxurious in design. Magnus immediately recognized him as a knight, likely of Master-level or higher, though he wasn't carrying a weapon.
"It seems our guest of honor has finally arrived," a voice broke the silence that had fallen after Magnus's entrance. The speaker, of course, was Luden. He held a glass in one hand, dressed in a dark green, gold-trimmed uniform with sharp cuffs, cufflinks, and an ornate collar. His outfit had a slightly militaristic feel, clean and crisp, complete with black gloves and shoes. A jacket hung over his shoulders, draped in such a way that he didn't need to put his arms through the sleeves.
Seeing Luden gesture toward him, Magnus walked over. Luden placed a hand on his back and raised his glass, addressing the room.
"As many of you already know, Cain, here is the reason we took first place in the Live Examination. Who knows where we'd be without him? And now that he's arrived, I'd like to propose a toast. I believe this is just the beginning of what will be a fruitful relationship between our families." The room, once silent, came alive with voices thanks to Luden's words, as people raised their glasses in agreement, cheering to the toast.
As the toast wrapped up, Magnus noticed a few other familiar faces among the crowd. One of them was Lazitha, standing off by herself, seemingly without a care in the world, sipping her drink. She must have sensed his gaze because she nodded towards him with a smile before downing yet another glass and gesturing for a nearby server to bring her another one. He never would have considered her to be a heavy drinker, or any of the professors at the academy for that matter. Mulvin was also present, which made sense. Being part of the Sostenza Family and Seraline's teacher, it wasn't surprising to see him here.
Speaking of Seraline, it took Magnus a moment to actually spot her.
That was because she almost blended in with the guards rather than standing out as one of the core guests. Positioned off to the side with her hands clasped behind her back, she resembled a sentinel on duty, surveying the room. Her attire looked like a formal version of the combat uniforms worn by the Knight Division at the academy, just refined enough to suit the occasion.
Eh, it's probably for the best. Syrna in a dress was already strange enough; seeing Seraline in one too might just be too weird.
Magnus turned to Luden and asked, "Is Blair not here?"
Luden shook his head slightly.
"No, he and his family were planning to attend, but something came up that required their full attention." Magnus narrowed his eyes a bit, processing that information.
I wonder if it has anything to do with the Major General cracking down on the Jackal's branches and their human trafficking operations. Technically, slave trading is an official business and is still legal, but when you're dealing with buying and selling living creatures, the lines of legality get murky fast. Blair's family might be caught up in all of that, even if indirectly.
Just as Magnus's thoughts began to wander, a soft, cheerful voice brought him back to the moment.
"Luden, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
Magnus looked to his right, spotting a woman approaching them. She was dressed in an extremely intricate gown, following a green-and-white color scheme much like Luden's outfit. The dress had a regal air, with a central golden brooch shaped like a blooming flower resting at the heart of the bodice. From the waist down, the dress was layered with dark green panels on top of lighter green fabric, each piece adorned with delicate patterns and small, ornate details. The woman's voice suggested she was in her late thirties, but her face carried a youthful charm that made her seem no older than twenty.
Her most striking feature was her dark green eyes. They were sharp, seeming to take in every detail about Magnus, despite the softness in her voice.
Luden inclined his head respectfully.
"Forgive me, Mother. Of course." Magnus's eyes widened at the realization.
So, this is Luden's mother. Well, that explains a lot.
"Cain, this is my mother, Lelastre Rilhawk. She manages all of the Rilhawk family's non-magical business ventures." Magnus nodded and greeted her.
"Your son has been a great help to me. It's a pleasure to meet you." Lelastre's smile deepened ever so slightly at his words.
"So polite, but the pleasure is mine. It's not often my son speaks so highly of someone, and the stories I've heard about you have certainly painted quite an image."
"A good image, I would hope?" Magnus asked.
She chuckled softly, raising a hand to her lips.
"Oh yes, a very good image," she replied, though her expression seemed to shift for a brief moment—almost imperceptibly. Before Magnus could respond, the twins approached, drawing his attention. Lelastre spoke first as they arrived.
"The Moring twins! It's been so long since I've seen you two," Lelastre greeted with warmth in her voice.
"It's wonderful to see you as well, Lady Lelastre," Sylas responded, bowing respectfully. Syrna followed suit, but her attention quickly shifted toward Magnus.
"I'm surprised you actually came. Since you're here, why not use this chance for a sparring match? There's a massive garden in the back, perfect for a fight!" Syrna's eyes gleamed with excitement. Magnus paused, letting out a quiet sigh behind his mask. This was their first time meeting outside the academy, and the first thing she wanted was a fight.
"Ignore her," Sylas cut in, gesturing for Syrna to cut it out.
"As entertaining as it might be for some here, it's probably better if you don't start a fight tonight," Luden interjected.
"Cain and Seraline are heading out on an assignment tomorrow. Best if they stay in top shape." Magnus didn't bother questioning how Luden knew about the assignment. Seraline had likely told him, given how straightforward she was.
"Aww, fine..." Syrna grumbled before perking up again.
"But if you're going on an assignment with Seraline, you should take us along on one when we hit the Adept-level. What do you say?" Her fiery gaze made it clear she wasn't going to drop the idea. Magnus, not in the mood for a back-and-forth, simply nodded. He planned on taking more assignments after his assignment with Seraline anyway, so fitting the twins in at some point wouldn't be a problem.
The conversation soon shifted when Lelastre asked, "Aren't your parents going to join us? It's been ages since we've had the chance to speak face-to-face."
"Huh? Oh, um… I don't think so," Syrna replied, sounding uncertain.
"They're not really fans of events like this. They only came because Luden invited them, and Sylas and I wanted to attend." The Moring Family was known for being passive and reclusive. While they interacted with other noble families, it was usually through indirect means. The Lord and Lady rarely attended social gatherings, which limited their political influence but also kept them free of enemies. It gave their family the peace to cultivate their talents without distractions.
"Hmm, that's a shame," Lelastre remarked with a hint of disappointment.
The rest of the conversation continued fairly naturally. Every now and then, a distant relative from one of their faction members' families would stop by to chat with Lelastre or Luden. Surprisingly, not many approached Cain. It wasn't as if they were avoiding him, but more like they weren't sure how to engage him. His mask concealed his expression, making it difficult for people to read him or know how to start a conversation. On top of that, Cain's close connection to the Rilhawk Family made some wary of approaching him, not wanting to overstep and risk causing offense.
Eventually, Lelastre excused herself, saying, "Oh, right. Luden, I should take the chance to talk to your master while she's here. What was her name again?"
"Lazitha," Luden reminded her.
"Ah, yes. Lazitha." Lelastre nodded and gracefully made her exit. A few minutes later, the twins left as well, called away by their parents for something. That left only Luden and Magnus standing together. From their spot, Magnus had a clear view of the entire ballroom and couldn't resist commenting.
"You know, when you mentioned a celebration, I expected you to use it as an excuse to do something grandiose. Maybe a big announcement or something," he said, glancing at Luden.
Luden chuckled softly and took a sip from his glass.
"Sorry to disappoint, but there won't be anything like that today. This is all just for show. All the real agreements between our families have already been made behind the scenes. This is just to signal to our enemies which families are aligned with which faction."
"I see," Magnus muttered back. They stood in comfortable silence for a moment before Luden spoke up again, glancing at Magnus.
"By the way, your reward is coming along nicely. I think you'll like the location—secluded, with plenty of room for expansion if you're thinking in that direction." Magnus was a little surprised that Luden brought up the house he'd requested. He'd assumed it would be finished when it was finished; he didn't expect updates.
"So, when do you think it'll be ready?" Magnus asked. Luden thought for a moment.
"Hmm, probably by the end of this cycle. The building itself is already done, but since you want it magically fortified, I assume you want it to be reconstructed to be as secure as possible." Magnus nodded. Luden was right—security was the priority. With more unpredictable glitches like the Knockout Brick out there, Magnus intended to use this place as a base of operations and a secure area for containment. He needed it to be as safe as possible from anything external.
It was just as Magnus was about to respond that Basker's voice echoed in his mind.
[Master, I've found the source of the familiarity you sensed with those guards.]
In an instant, Basker pulled together fragments from the far corners of Magnus's memory, showing them like a slideshow. As the images clicked into place, Magnus's eyes widened, a look of shock overtaking him.
"Luden..." Magnus muttered, his tone shifting noticeably, even through the mask that altered his voice.
Luden turned to him, sensing the change.
"What is it?"
"The guards... the ones around the perimeter of the building. Did your family hire them?" Magnus asked, his voice tense. Luden frowned slightly at the odd question but considered it.
"If I recall correctly, we hired them under the recommendation of another noble family close to us, as a gesture of goodwill. We did some background checks, and they seem to be part of a newly formed Mercenary Guild. Why?" Luden's voice remained calm, but there was an edge of curiosity, his eyes fixed on Magnus.
The Order of Guilds. It was an organization that oversaw all registered guilds. Whether you were a fledgling merchant or a group of ex-soldiers looking to use your skills for profit, operating without the right permits was nearly impossible. Merchants couldn't just set up shop or transport goods across borders without licenses, risking arrest otherwise.
For mercenaries, it was the same. Unless you were a knight, a guard, or a soldier, carrying weapons without proper authorization was illegal. That's where the Order of Guilds came in. Established by a group of High Lords, it streamlined the legal process, offering a way to quickly obtain all the permits needed to operate as a guild. The Order monetized the simplification of the system, offering support for property damage, insurance, and a steady flow of jobs in exchange for a portion of a guild's earnings. It was the perfect system for freelancers trying to avoid bureaucratic hurdles.
With so many guilds registering, some things are bound to slip through the cracks... But still, Magnus thought, how the hell did the Titan Soldiers—Zeth's syndicate—not only get registered as a mercenary guild but also get hired as security for an event like this?
That was why Magnus felt like those guards were so familiar. They were just like the men Zeth had sent after him in that alleyway and the same type he'd encountered during Celia's rescue. It didn't add up in his head though. Zeth's syndicate had influence, sure, but not the kind that could breach the Upper City. The nobility wouldn't allow such a group to infiltrate their ranks—it would just lead to conflict. The worst-case scenario for Zeth's syndicate would be drawing too much attention and getting crushed after irritating the nobility too much.
Luden noticed Magnus's silence and the deep concentration, even with his mask on. His expression grew serious.
"What is it?" he asked again, this time more firmly.
Magnus looked up, his conflicted gaze meeting Luden's.
Should I tell him? Having Luden in on this might really help me. But do I want to owe him any more than I already do?
"I know you prefer handling things on your own. I respect that about you. But our deal wasn't just about trading favors. It was because we can help each other—in ways the other can't," Luden said with conviction. There was not a hint of fluctuation in his voice. After a moment, Magnus sighed, knowing Luden was right. Their alliance had been built on mutual benefit, but somewhere amongst that, a hint of trust was always the unspoken part of the equation.
So, he gave Luden a reluctant nod.
"Yeah, you're right. But what I'm about to tell you... it has to stay between us. At least for now."