Rupegia

Chapter 91: Preparations – Part 2

The first interviews are for the Court High Mages. They are responsible for training and organizing the lower mages, guiding them when a [Ritualism]-powered spell is required, and casting the high-level spells whenever they'd have the most impact. They're kind of like knights, but they don't usually act as messengers or representatives since they generally lack the "Charisma" and gravitas to carry out those roles.

The elves like to put "High" at the start of important positions that can be held by commoners, but the empire also does it for mages, so they ended up just translating this title since they'd already imported all of the regulations behind it.

The first position to be chosen is the most important one, the Space High Mage. The proper use of [Gate]s is essential for the quick deployment of troops and knights, so there's always a large number of Space mages available for hire.

Those who don't have a noble to vouch for them are forced to live in the barracks alongside the Townsguard to ensure that they don't go rogue, and they're also contractually obligated to find work, so it's easy to get in touch with them.

The candidates have a wide variety of skills secondary to [Space Magic], but we aren't lower Lords who need them to have as varied skillsets as possible. We can pay for the best, and mages with high levels in skills aren't hybrids unless they're at the higher end of Lord-levels, like Confiel, but at that point, they could easily marry into a noble family.

Since we want officers that will agree to being made into Blood Slaves, there are only a few who come from noble families since they tend to be too proud to give up their family name, but the most interesting candidate actually is a noble himself.

The imperial man sits down before Yunia and Alissa with the level of pomp and grace that you'd expect from someone of his station. His black velvet robe with yellow stripes makes him appear wealthy, but his wide-brimmed wizard hat appears a bit worn. This reminds us that Roxanne needs new robes… or at least we need to get her robes fixed since they hold some sentimental value for her. She also needs something more fitting of her station, now.

Back to the imperial… He has the lightly tanned skin that's typical of the Mainlanders, and his slightly graying black hair tells of his age. Considering the slower aging that comes from higher levels, he must be much older than forty.

"Greetings, Lords, I'm Alcander," he politely greets us, then bows and waits.

"Alcander Avanara, a rankless noble from the eastern Mainland," Alissa states his information out loud.

"You may rise," Yunia orders, pleased with his deference, and he promptly obeys. She stares intensely at his brown eyes, gauging his composure. "We're Crown Lords Alissa and Yulania."

"Pleasure to meet you," he calmly adds.

"Likewise," Alissa responds politely.

Yunia wastes no time in starting the questioning, "Tell me, as a life-long noble, why would you submit yourself to becoming a Blood Slave of Lords who were mere commoners just a few days ago?"

He subtly smirks, though we're not quite sure what he's thinking. "'Mere commoners'? Not even I am a 'True Noble,' however you never fit the 'common' part of 'commoners,' to begin with," he answers bemusedly, then gets his smirk under control and recomposes himself, pompously crossing his legs and interlacing his fingers over his lap. "But to answer your question, I already have a Chosen Descendant to inherit my name, so I decided to take this golden opportunity to improve the lives of my family."

Yunia nods, mildly pleased, and adds, "So would you say that even for Lords, we aren't 'average'?"

His smirk rises to the surface again. "Definitely."

After a few standard questions about his experience and qualifications, they get him to use an Inspection Crystal.

['Alcander Avanara Skill Report']

['Physical']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Sword Use: 5 | Parry: 3 | Block: 3]

['Magical']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Sense Mana: 7 | Mana Control: 20 | Reduced Mana Cost: 15]

[Mana Efficiency: 15 | Ritualism: 28 | Fire Magic: 15]

[Water Magic: 1 | Light Magic: 1 | Space Magic: 82]

[Conjuring Magic: 1 | General Enchanting: 4]

['Miscellaneous']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Riding: 5 | Woodworking: 3]

['Info']

[Name: Alcander Avanara | Age: 68 | Race: Human]

[HP: 100 | MP: 5,895 | Magic Power: 3,280]

[Level: 53]

['Stats']

[Strength: 10 | Endurance: 16 | Dexterity: 9]

[Speed: 9 | Intelligence: 19 | Wisdom: 24]

[Willpower: 19 | Charisma: 10 | Piety: 14]

[Perception: 10 | Sanity: 16]

['Other']

[Status Effects: 'NONE']

[Titles: 'Noble Descendant, Scholar of Mac Gantus, Gate Master']

[Affiliations: 'Aura Avanara (Wife), Calli Avanara (Wife), Imperial Space Mages' Authority Gate Master']

[Companions: 'Aura Avanara, Calli Avanara']

[Crimes: 'NONE']

His [Ritualism] and [Space Magic] combined allows him to basically act as a human trebuchet. He won't be killing droves of enemies like Lords can, but he's definitely someone to field in a large battle due to the utility he brings.

For someone of his age, he's holding up pretty well thanks to his "Endurance."

He's in a fellowship with his wife to give her levels and a longer lifespan, most likely.

"Do you craft magical staves and wands?" Yunia questions curiously.

He shakes his head gently. "I only maintain them. I don't have the time to get too involved in that area of expertise, so you could consider it as a free-time distraction for me."

"I see… Let's talk about your wages now."

"I expect only the standard for mages of my level even though my Lord is a hero, but in return, I don't want to work as a porter," he calmly demands.

He doesn't have "Master Porter" among his titles, so his [Item Box] might be weaker than the average Space mage's.

Yunia and Alissa share a look full of meaning as they quickly converse through [Bind], then Alissa suddenly asks, "Why do you think he's a hero?"

"Only a hero or an imperial prince would be able to become a True Noble at his age," he states matter-of-factly.

He doesn't have any concrete evidence of that, just assumptions, so I guess that our move to immediately assume Lordship was just too obvious.

There's nothing we can do about that, so we return to considering his request. It's not like he's a glorified pack mule, it's just kind of unusual to ask for such a thing.

Yunia nods in understanding and accepts his terms, "We understand. Your job is mostly administrative, so we won't need you to work as a porter."

He smiles a bit sadistically, showing an impressive set of dimples, and adds, "I have enough [Mana Control] that I can actually fight if required, and with [Ritualism], I can even act as a battering ram or catapult."

"That's excellent. We don't have any mages with [Ritualism], so you'll fit right in," Alissa happily agrees.

Aside from the one unusual request, Alcander is our best choice, so we hire him.

Next up is the Spirit High Mage. What we're looking for is someone with the level 70 spell [Soul Trap] so that they may aid the Chimeras as needed. There's also the level 60 spell [Mana Block], which is useful in combat, but overall, Spirit mages are either researchers, duelists like Yunia, or used for utility by priests.

A halfling woman with long, pull-through braided brown hair catches our attention. Like dwarves, her age is impossible to guess since she doesn't get old like the other races do, so she retains a young and innocent look.

Her robe and wide-brimmed hat seem slightly oversized, but it might be intentional since it makes her look absolutely adorable. They're gray and simple, showing a preference for function over form.

A chair fitting her size is prepared for her, and she energetically sits on it, revealing that she's fairly young.

"Greetings, my Lords," she happily greets and grins with a very girlish voice, then adjusts her round glasses on her freckled face. She definitely has ancestry from Maplethorne.

"Sainalai Yiroi, researcher of [Spirit Magic] from Lorei Laurelai," Alissa reads her information.

"We're Crown Lords Alissa and Yulania," Yunia states clearly as an introduction.

"An honor to meet you. I'm fairly excited about this opportunity!" She happily exclaims, then clears her throat and reigns in her energetic behavior.

Alissa and Yunia both smile warmly at her, then Yunia starts the questioning, "What brought you so far from your home?"

Her brown eyes turn dreamy. "Elves. Beautiful race. Beautiful land… or trees, I guess." -She giggles girlishly- "I thought about throwing the dice here in hopes of earning a Right of Inheritance."

Lina's Trivia: Immigration is controlled through Rights of Inheritance so that humans and dragonkin won't replace other races with their incessant need to breed. Yes, it's explicitly stated like that. This right allows for the given descendants who aren't born as the ruling race to inherit land. It's like how only my children who are born as elves will be allowed to inherit the Lordship.

Yunia glances over her info and notices something, "Did you come here because of Crown Lord Confiel's invitation to halfling Nature mages?"

Sainalai nods repeatedly. "Precisely, though I don't qualify as a typical Nature mage. I know a little bit of [Alteration Magic], so I used it to work for a short time in one of the food farms because I wanted to get myself acquainted with the locals."

"She seems quite humble, so she'll be an interesting hire," Alissa comments through [Bind].

"It's also interesting that she knows [Alteration Magic], so she might get along with the Chimeras," Roxanne adds.

"Are you aware of the Chimeric spirits that we have taken in as our subjects?" Yunia continues.

She nods repeatedly. "Yes! I participated in the summons of the Spirit mages, and I've seen the [Solidify] everyone's been talking about. Though it's not my specialty, I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to cast it after a day-cycle of training.

"Even if you don't hire me, I'll still stay around to study them. Since you're allowing them to live as spirits, I predict that there will be a lot of people in the future wishing for the same treatment as them after their deaths, and I know [Trap Soul]."

"Exactly," Yunia agrees with a satisfied smile.

Her job isn't just research since she'll have to manage the Spirit mages, so they continue the questioning to gauge her experience in that area

['Sainalai Yiroi Skill Report']

['Physical']

[NONE]

['Magical']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Sense Mana: 17 | Mana Control: 13 | Reduced Mana Cost: 23]

[Mana Efficiency: 20 | Fire Magic: 1 | Light Magic: 1]

[Spirit Magic: 71 | Space Magic: 10 | Conjuring Magic: 5]

[Alteration Magic: 7]

['Miscellaneous']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Housework: 2 | Cooking: 3 | Cleaning: 2]

[Singing: 3 | Riding: 2]

['Info']

[Name: Sainalai Yiroi | Age: 41 | Race: Halfling]

[HP: 100 | MP: 1,605 | Magic Power: 1,190]

[Level: 42]

['Stats']

[Strength: 7 | Endurance: 8 | Dexterity: 8]

[Speed: 6 | Intelligence: 19 | Wisdom: 21]

[Willpower: 14 | Charisma: 14 | Piety: 10]

[Perception: 16 | Sanity: 15]

['Other']

[Status Effects: NONE]

[Titles: 'Scholar of Auri Yorei, Spirit Master']

[Affiliations: 'NONE']

[Companions: 'NONE']

[Crimes: 'NONE']

"So, is nobody going to bring up the fact that she's unmarried?" Hana jokingly asks.

"This really shouldn't factor in the decision to hire her or not," Yunia answers concernedly.

"I agree with Yunia… that topic will come up after she's hired," Alissa piles in.

"Nice…" Hana mumbles in anticipation as she imagines the fun that's to come in the future.

Back to Sainalai. She's not going to be of much use in battle with those stats. Not only does she have a negative soul potential, which makes it very difficult for her to learn useful combat skills, but her MP pool isn't well-balanced with her "Magic Power." That makes it difficult for her to control her spells' power, though it's not a problem for a researcher who can spend as much time as she wants chanting a single spell.

High-level [Spirit Magic] isn't that popular, so she's the only candidate that qualifies for the position.

Among the next set of candidates, someone Yunia knows appears.

"Almaria Paissan, past High Court Mage serving under late Lord Mavel," Alissa announces while Yunia brims with excitement.

A rather small and mature golden elven woman comes in. She has droopy green eyes, giving her a rather tired and kind look. It's similar to Osaria's, though she completely lacks the sexual air that my dark milf exudes. Her small face reminds me of dwarves or halflings, but I don't know if she's a descendant of them.

"It's good to see you, Lord Yulania," Almaria politely bows as she greets, holding her small half-circle glasses against her face.

Yunia gets up and walks towards her as she orders, "Rise, and you don't have to call me 'Lord' in private."

"As you wish," Almaria readily agrees and straightens her posture, then they both open their arms wide and hug each other tightly.

Almaria was her mentor for [Weaverism], and she's also quite a lovely woman, so Yunia is very fond of her.

"I'm so glad you're here," Yunia whispers warmly, her eyes shut tight, threatening to cry.

"I thought I could help you, if you'd have me," Almaria answers softly.

Yunia lets out a happy sigh. "Of course I will."

['Almaria Paissan Skill Report']

['Physical']

[NONE]

['Magical']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Sense Mana: 25 | Mana Control: 20 | Reduced Mana Cost: 5]

[Mana Efficiency: 5 | Fire Magic: 1 | Light Magic: 1]

[Spirit Magic: 5 | Nature Magic: 50 | Space Magic: 1]

[Conjuring Magic: 1 | Weaverism: 75]

['Miscellaneous']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Housework: 1 | Cooking: 1 | Cleaning: 1]

[Lute-Playing: 2 | Dancing: 5 | Riding: 1]

['Info']

[Name: Almaria Paissan | Age: 60 | Race: Golden Elf]

[HP: 100 | MP: 4,750 | Magic Power: 2,495]

[Level: 50]

['Stats']

[Strength: 7 | Endurance: 8 | Dexterity: 8]

[Speed: 6 | Intelligence: 19 | Wisdom: 21]

[Willpower: 14 | Charisma: 14 | Piety: 10]

[Perception: 16 | Sanity: 15]

['Other']

[Status Effects: 'NONE']

[Titles: 'Scholar of Escanso, Friend of Nature, Weaver of Dreams']

[Affiliations: 'Trabala Paissan (Husband)']

[Companions: 'Trabala Paissan']

[Crimes: 'NONE']

She does not look her age. Her husband is a lucky guy.

If she knows that one spell that connects the emotions of the soldiers together, then she'll be very useful on the battlefield. The Lonlanzas aren't as popular as they once were, but there are many tactical maneuvers that require a nature mage's assistance.

There's nobody else with enough qualifications that could compare to hers, and even Gify likes her a bit to boot, so it's a no-brainer to have her manage the [Nature Magic] and [Weaverism] mages.

After Almaria, the quality of the candidates drops quite a lot. We want elementalists, those who are strong in Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, or Electric magic schools, but while there are those who will make good additions to the court, none of them are worthy of the position of a High Court Mage.

It's not like we need someone for those positions. Sandoro and the other High Court Mages can organize the elementalists, and Alcander even has some experience in organized magic warfare to help in battle, along with his [Ritualism], which he can teach to the other mages, so we don't really need a High Court Mage for each of the elements.

But then, one of the last elementalists that the girls interview catches our attention.

A tall and slender, extravagant silver elf man enters the room. His hair is long and silky, reaching down to his waist; his face is perfectly androgynous, confusing my dick until I get the dragon under control; his nails are long and purple, seeming flashy even for women; his silver robe fits tightly to his athletic body, but his hairy chest is exposed by the most obnoxiously deep v-neck of his robe that I've ever seen, even reaching to the lower end of his sternum. He's like a 70's rock star with a flair for fantasy.

"Silvano Vagante, former High Court Mage for a Root Lord in Elaria," Alissa reads, trying her best not to grin at his flashiness.

He bows exaggeratedly. "It's a pleasure meeting you, my Lords," he energetically greets them and straightens back up without waiting for a prompt.

Alissa smiles wryly while Yunia nods composedly and responds, "Likewise. Now, please sit."

He turns around and searches for the sofa, then struts towards it as he says, "Yes, my Lords."

He's polite, but in a weird way.

Once he's comfortable, Yunia starts the questioning, "What brings you so far from Elaria? Even though you're our cousins, few elves emigrate between our two lands."

"Killing monsters," He casually responds, his tone sounding annoying in our ears because of the odd way he adds inflection to his words, and it isn't an accent from Elaria. "After the Anderas got deposed, Elaria became too calm again, so I asked to resign."

His mannerisms are kind of cute, seeming like he's deliberately moving like a lady but showing off his manliness while talking, and it incites confusion within my dick.

Yunia frowns at his attitude and cautions him, "Do you understand the 'peculiarities' of this Lordship? You have to accept being a Blood Slave to work for us."

He grins excitedly with an undertone of smugness in it, more than the usual for elves. "If Wolf Ryder truly has a Gift, then I'll gladly become his slave."

The girls pause for a moment. Silvano is from Elaria. If he heard about me from halfway across the empire, then what have the other nobles heard?

Yunia doesn't let him stun her for more than a moment. "Where did you hear that?" She immediately presses him with a serious tone.

He chuckles softly, still as nonchalant as before. "Like I said, Elaria was too calm, so I kept an ear out, listening for anything 'interesting.' Nobody has confirmed anything about Ryder yet, but I must say that it's a strong feeling among the nobility."

Alissa narrows her eyes, holding back her distaste to keep it from showing on her face. She really dislikes both Silvano and his attitude. "If we were to hire you, wouldn't it be a confirmation to others that he has a Gift?" She questions sternly.

He shrugs. "I'm a thrill-seeker. You don't need to offer much to have me pledge loyalty to you, even if it is through Blood Slavery, though it wouldn't last long. If Wolf isn't a Gifted, then I'd wager that things will remain 'interesting' for a few years at least, which is long enough to break a Blood Slavery contract by my own will."

Alissa becomes wary, this is the rare instance when she wants to cry out "Blasphemy!"

"You talk as if you'd done it before," she comments with a dangerous tone.

He sports a shit-eating grin and proudly admits, "Because I did."

Alissa fumes internally while Ciel smiles smugly, feeling vindicated now that we all understand how much "blasphemy" irks her. Hana makes her presence small within the [Bind] so that Alissa doesn't get reminded of how Hana bragged about being able to do the very same thing.

It's fine, she isn't paying attention to my thoughts right now.

"Remember, one of your Lords is a former priestess. Don't casually say such things in front of her or any of the other Lords," Yunia cautions him so that we don't have to suffer more of Ciel's smugness.

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind." He nods appreciatively and leans back on his sofa. "I know my attitude doesn't fit well with Lordship, but I'm a simple tool, so it'll be your responsibility to decide how to use me best."

"And what can you do?" Yunia pushes the conversation forward to let Alissa recompose herself.

He adjusts his obnoxious collar and puffs out his chest proudly, as if he was just waiting for this moment to show us his skills. "Do you have an Inspection Crystal? It's easier that way."

['Silvano Vagante Skill Report']

['Physical']

[Skill Name: Level]

[Dual Sword Use: 20 | Sword Use: 8 | Parry: 6]

[Dodge: 9 | Split Rose Style: 11 | Enhanced Reflexes: 5]

['Magical']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Sense Mana: 1 | Mana Control: 2 | Mana Efficiency: 6]

[Mana Overuse Resistance: 11 | Blackout Resistance: 4 | Fire Magic: 1 | Earth Magic: 50]

[Electric Magic: 81 | Light Magic: 1 | Space Magic: 1]

[Conjuring Magic: 1]

['Miscellaneous']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Riding: 4 | Dancing: 5]

['Info']

[Name: Silvano Vagante | Age: 36 | Race: Silver Elf]

[HP: 100 | MP: 1,205 | Magic Power: 4,485]

[Level: 48]

['Stats']

[Strength: 10 | Endurance: 14 | Dexterity: 18]

[Speed: 21 | Intelligence: 16 | Wisdom: 15]

[Willpower: 20 | Charisma: 18 | Piety: 10]

[Perception: 18 | Sanity: 11]

['Other']

[Status Effects: NONE]

[Titles: 'Silver Lightning, Champion of Colneria, Scholar of Colneria, Master of Electricity']

[Affiliations: 'NONE']

[Companions: 'NONE']

[Crimes: 'NONE']

"What in the fuck is that build?" Everyone thinks at the same time.

He's a glass nuker, not a glass cannon because he can't fire more than once. He doesn't have mana skills, so any high-level spell will cost him most of his mana, but if they're self-buffs, they could probably last enough for a single battle due to his meager levels in [Mana Efficiency].

His [Mana Overuse Resistance] and [Blackout Resistance] tell a grim story about his style, though. I bet he's a magic swordsman like me who likes to spam spells a bit too much.

His title of Champion of Colneria means that he fought in the Arena long enough to rise to the top, so there's no doubt that his style actually works.

But looking at his "Sanity," the takeaway here is that he's fucking insane.

And he's hired.

Once all candidates for the High Court Mage positions are interviewed, the time finally comes for interviews for the High Chamberlain position. Shala may be the senior maid, but she doesn't have the appropriate qualifications to administer the entire castle, so we need someone more fitting for the job.

The overwhelming majority of the candidates are women, and it's not just because this field isn't very popular for males, the fact that I'm not an elf also reduces my likability among male elves. Oddly enough, there's a considerable number of elven men crossdressing, but we aren't hiring for looks, so that sort of thing doesn't matter.

The most interesting of them is an exotic sheep-type demon race. She has voluminous, short yellow hair on the front, almost fully covering her long sheep ears but not her spiral horns; cute bangs hiding her forehead; long straight hair on the back of her head that reaches her waist; a cute bubbly face that's perfectly adorned by large circular glasses; and multiple patches of wool covering a few spots of her pinkish skin.

She walks in quite calmly, showing a lot of composure, and smiles warmly at the girls, revealing laugh lines that tell her age, then she bows and greets, "Greetings, my Lords. I'm honored that you gave someone like me the chance to participate in such an opportunity."

Alissa smiles back, becoming very interested in her just from her file. "Armanpoosh, former manager of a brothel in Goldport. You may rise." -Her smile becomes warm for a moment as her eyes meet with Arman's- "It's our pleasure to have someone as capable as you interested in this position," she graciously returns the politeness.

Armanpoosh sits and starts answering their questions with a very affable behavior. She's kind of like a more humble Ciel-…

"What do you mean? I'm pretty humble," Ciel cries out with an internal pout.

"You're still a priestess, and that kind of puts you 'above' the commoners," Lina answers, slightly wary of offending Ciel, but she makes her a bit sad, instead.

"I always tried to connect with the commoners to understand their plight, but I guess it's true that priests live completely different lives from commoners…" She comments bitterly.

While the girls console Ciel, Yunia continues the questioning, "Why did you leave your brothel? We checked in with the authorities in Goldport, and they said that it's still thriving."

Poosh, as she likes to be called, reflects for a brief moment before she confidently answers, "I wanted something different for my life. It's like I had a 'calling' to fulfill, though I didn't know what it was, exactly."

Yunia holds back a concerned frown. "You think your 'calling' led you here?"

Poosh nods and giggles, cutely covering her mouth with her hand. "Perhaps… We'll have to wait and see, but I do wish that it's really true."

Her skills are also very "interesting."

['Armanpoosh Sheep Skill Report']

['Physical']

[Skill Name: Level]

[Sword Use: 5]

['Magical']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Sense Mana: 1 | Fire Magic: 1 | Light Magic: 1]

[Space Magic: 1 | Conjuring Magic: 1]

['Miscellaneous']

[Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level | Skill Name: Level]

[Housework: 10 | Cooking: 10 | Cleaning: 10]

[Washing: 10 | Riding: 2 | Dancing: 5]

[Singing: 5 | Sewing: 10 | Massage: 10]

[Acting: 3 | Math: 2 | Flute Playing: 4]

[Pain Conversion: 4 | Hand Technique: 10 | Oral Technique: 10]

[Enhanced Sexual Stamina: 6 | Enhanced Genital Control: 4 | Charm: 1]

['Info']

[Name: Armanpoosh Sheep | Age: 42 | Race: Sheep-Type Demon Race]

[HP: 100 | MP: 405 | Magic Power: 90]

[Level: 30]

['Stats']

[Strength: 11 | Endurance: 11 | Dexterity: 16]

[Speed: 10 | Intelligence: 13 | Wisdom: 18]

[Willpower: 12 | Charisma: 20 | Piety: 16]

[Perception: 20 | Sanity: 18]

['Other']

[Status Effects: NONE]

[Titles: 'Saint Protector of the Prostitutes']

[Affiliations: 'NONE']

[Companions: 'NONE]

[Crimes: 'NONE']

"Ooh~…" Alissa coos happily through [Bind]. Now, this is someone she's very "interested" in.

"I'm sure that Ciel will get a title like hers one day," I teasingly comment.

Ciel sighs inwardly and just nods along, simply accepting the fact that everyone thinks she might be the next of the wives to get a title.

Not only does Poosh have many interesting skills, but her level is the highest among the Chamberlain candidates, and her work experience also kind of "aligns" with us.

She's hired.

While all these interviews are going on, my [Dragon Transformation] training is interrupted by Teresina coming in to talk with me.

I meet her in my office alone since Mimi has her own now.

She stores her sword in her [Item Box], then pushes open the double doors with a lot more energy than I'd expect from someone her age.

Once the gilf walks in, I do feel a faint sense of "danger" coming from her, which is surprising since I don't feel it from Confiel anymore. Perhaps her [Intimidate] is quite high, making it strong enough to get past my "resistances," or whatever they are since nobody fully understands how this sort of thing works.

I remain relaxed in my seat, still comfortable even with her glare trying to bore its way through my forehead. Being glared at actually arouses me a bit since Hana does it all the time, which allows me to relax even more.

She sits down on the seat prepared for her and assumes a posture as stiff as the one she had when she met with Ciel and Oritiki.

"Lord Wolf Ryder," she greets, deliberately not saying "my Lord," though at least she says my last name, intending to keep some distance between us since "Lord Wolf" would be too familiar.

"Priestess Teresina Aurea," I return in kind. Since she didn't add "Crown" to my title, I won't add "Head" to hers.

We remain silent as she observes my draconic parts with curiosity, then her eyes follow my swaying tail almost like a cat's.

"I've heard of such changes happening before due to oddities inside dungeons, but why haven't you removed them?" She suddenly asks without a hint of concealed intentions, then our eyes meet. "If you were to chop your arm off at the base, then a simple [Regrowth] would return your human arms to you, and you're far too rich to claim that this type of treatment is 'too expensive.'"

I grin at her, which makes her instantly become wary, and respond in a terse tone, "It's more complicated than that, but you'll have to wait until the Lordship Ceremony."

She grunts in displeasure and complains, "Politics, again. I thought that someone of your background wouldn't be like all the other nobles."

I shrug while still grinning. "I can't avoid it. It is the smartest course of action, after all."

She narrows her eyes and grips the arms of her seat harder, then begrudgingly accepts, "Yes, I understand. I should've expected this from someone Blessed by the Goddess of Knowledge… but have you retained her Blessing?"

The mirth starts to wash away, but I don't let it show too much on my face. "What do you mean by that?"

She stares daggers at me, pushing me to break my composure. "Everyone knows about the Innocent Nymph, and how you're the only survivor."

"Yes, I still have my Blessing…" I bitterly respond, almost gritting my teeth.

She immediately turns her head to the side, then pulls an Inspection Crystal out of her [Item Box] with a *poof*.

She puts it on the table, and I grab it, making sure that my claws leave scratch marks on its perfectly smooth surface.

She glances at the small tablet, which reveals only my titles, then nods appreciatively.

I return the crystal orb, then I let my sadness appear on my face. This time, it doesn't make sense to keep it hidden. "I have a Gift, that much should be obvious to you and the other Templars, but what you don't understand is that it's quite likely that the heretics targeted me. I didn't earn the nickname 'Good Luck' for nothing; something is after me and my wives."

Her tone turns cold, not a hint of heat or anger on it as she cautions me, "I've heard countless people say that they were 'special,' but most of them ended up executed precisely because of how 'special' they were."

I shake my head in disappointment and even my tail slows down. "We'll just have to wait and see…"

"Yes, wait and see…" She murmurs, then a few seconds pass as we remain silent.

She glances at the tablet again and drops the tough templar act, softening her features.

"I hope you're wrong…" She adds, a hint of tiredness threatening to break her stony mask.

Seeing that she's finished with trying to grill me, I change topics to something that might please her, "Did you know that I have a grudge against a mercenary company called Dawn of Fire?" I deliberately glance at the dawning sun embroidered on her black robe, which is what gave me this idea.

Her eyes widen as she lets a subtle tell of her interest leak out. "I've heard of their misdeeds. There are too many Wicked among their ranks; they need a Purge," she coldly states and comfortably lays her hands on her lap.

I smile evilly and nod. "I agree…" Then she mirrors my expression.