Chapter 636: Money


    18th of September. Aceline’s lively days were just started. Mornings were the same, Vanesa threw a tantrum and Draconis leaped out the toilet. Saniata sleptte, the households’ entricities kept evolving. For the first time, Igna reawakened the fatherly instinct he lost. The more time passed, the more he remembered Eira and how she grew up to be a strong woman. Origin’s slight mischievous nature brought on sh images of how Eira and the others interacted so many years ago. She truly mimicked his way of upbringing on a battlefield. The people around her were so strong none daredy a finger, the Silver Guardians; few history books have them as the strongest mercenary in the Dorchestrian Era.


    News of the discussion reached Igna’sboratory. ‘Go on inside,’ pressed Kul.


    “Stop standing in the way,” said éir, “-go inside or stay in the bar,” he red.


    “We’ll follow,” they gulped. The counter opened to a secret world of endless possibilities. The emptiness brought a sense of relief, the cleanliness and closed-door calmed the nerves. A summary of the negotiations arrived a few hours ago, he made no response, and so, éir thought it best to bring Raven.


    “I don’t get it,” said Asmodeus. Kul and éir stopped and stared. He scanned the basement with a grain of salt, the face nervously smiled, “-I’m frightened of Igna. I bare the title of prince of hell, then why, why is it I’m so scared.”


    “Not fear,” said éir, Kul also shared his thought, “-it’s admiration, the fear is from having failed the master. Tis something most servants have to endure, the pain of failing the one you trust most is limiting. Time heals all, you’ll get used to it,” they inched towards the door, “-besides,” it flung open, “-our master is kind.”


    “Hello,” said he sat on a throne of white packages, “-Is there perhaps something I can help with?” he grandly leaned on one side and peered.


    .....


    “Master,” nodded éir, “-I’ve brought Asmo and Kul for their report. Might I assume these to be our produce?”


    “Yes,” he skipped over the load and watched firmly, “-I heard about the location, bignd inside the red-light district. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”


    “Thing is,” said Asmo shyly, “-the price is extortionate, 10 million for a humble shack.”


    “Thend alone is worth not more than five million,” said éir, “-regardless of how one looks at it, the investment is bad. The red-light district isn’t a ce befitting business.”


    “I know,” smiled Igna, “-the money will be hard tounder. Doesn’t matter either way.”


    “Why that?”


    “We have éir,” heughed, “-not to brag, my butler is the best thing to ever live on the. He’s immortal and all-knowing, I’d never be here without him.”


    “My lord,” he bowed, “-you tter me.”


    “No. Tispliments where it’s due,” he reached and grabbed a packet, “-top-notch angel’s dust. A single sniff and the host will forever be in our debt. The drug is highly addictive, even more so than the shit being spread nowadays. Side effects are partial blindness and hallucination.”


    “-Ours?” interjected Kul.


    “No, the one being sold, they’re bad for the consumer, tis equal to poison. The one we have is addictive, eases the mind, grants all the pleasure they want, and only leaves the user with a harder-hitting hangover. Overdosing risks are there, but hey, I made it far better than the crap being sold.” The slow sound of machines piqued their interest.


    “What’s that?” inquired Asmo.


    “Ghouls,” he replied nonchntly, “-they don’t have consciousness. I’ve programmed them to make Angel Dust, enved souls of the unfortunate humans I’ve killed.”


    “Will we stick to angel’s dust?”


    “Depends on how business goes,” the double door shut, “-produce is here. éir willunder the money via the businesses scattered around Alphia and Hidros. Should be simple enough. The Alphian economy is 50% ran by ck money, pressuring a few officials shouldn’t be much of a hassle.”


    “About our deal?”


    “Asmo, my dear Asmo,” they climbed out the hovel, “-why worry so much,” the counter firmly locked by a seal, “-éir and a few guards of mine will apany you for the voyage.”


    “What about you, master?” inquired the butler.


    “I’ve decided on a potentially lucrative business,” he smirked.


    “Which is?”


    “Fine-arts and auctioneering,” a nce at the watch, “-I came across the advertisement earlierst night. They’re promoting the event; the main piece is a painting from Jean Frank. It’s a forest scenery painted using inventive techniques. The man’s counted as a genius artist.”


    “Will you try and acquire said piece?”


    “Obviously not, good art deserves its price, I have a single intent in mind,” the phone scrolled to a particr passage, “-nobles of any kingdom are weed to appraise their items and participate in the event.”


    “I didn’t expect such a turn,” narrowed Asmo. The study soon harbored the others and continued.


    “Neither did I,”mented Igna stered on the screen.


    “Nobles,” gulped Kul, “-won’t they look down on a baron?”


    “They will,” he chuckled, “-or would have,” the screen shed a beam on the opposite wall, “-my trusted Stewardess has elevated Glenda into the unnamed capital of Arda. The great wall has stopped attacks and promote growth for the demi-humans. People are visiting from the continent over, the Blood-King’s faction has been epted as their kingdom. Poprity and money boost the lord’s standing,” a conniving half-smileter, “-the devil of Glenda has risen to the post of Viscount. We were given Xuen vige to celebrate the ascension.”


    “Goes to show how an elite entourage can benefit their leader.”


    “Aside from so,” the projection swapped for a gemstone, “-Ikahmite, else known as magic reduction ore. This piece of rock would have earned a lot of money back in the day of magical warfare. Alphian, especially the upper echelon, loves their jewelry. Diamonds, rubies, sapphire, and more, none can truly stand up to Ardanite. A rare variation of Ikahmite, the gem changes color by the flow of mana in the air. Big stones are extremely exclusive, there have been only a few record ores to be found. Thetter was given to the royal family.” *Summon Forth – Box of Alche.* Air sucked from the vicinity; the appearance of a bright shapeless mist blinded the visitors. Simr to a camera sh, the mass vanished to a beautifully crafted ring.


    “The box of Alche?” interjected éir.


    “Correct,” he smiled.


    “Excuse me, I’m confused...” reproached Kul, “-don’t leave us out the conversation.”


    “Master Igna is blessed by Creation itself. In exchange for his abundant power, Creation gave the master the box of creation, Alche. Tis a relic, unlike anything one can ever imagine. A divine object of absurdity.”


    “It grants the user the power to create anything from mana. The one I have is only useable by my soul, tis engraved into my very core. Same as the death element and Origin’s soul. Life as Staxius Haggard brought a lot of boons, things of which are so frightening one mustn’t know the location or even the name. Back to my point, this ring here,” they gathered to watch, “-has the biggest stone currently avable in the world. I created it from scratch,” slid on the middle finger, “-special properties include,” the loosened space tightened, “-matching the finger. Depending on the mana, one can change the hue,” the control evenly partitioned the stone to allow different matching colors. “Here I present, the rarest gem in the world. The metal for the ring is Ikahmite and Alranda.”


    “Impressive,” said they, Kul’s eyes glimmered at the gem’s sight.


    “Can you make more?” inquired Asmo.


    “Yeah, I can easily replicate the ring five more times. I won’t,” it neatly tucked into avishly suited box, “-Ardanite must be savored and praised, not taken for granted. Anyway, enough about the auction. éir will act aswyer for negotiations of thend. Don’t be afraid to bargain. If he senses wrongness with the papers, cancel the deal, we’ll find another way. I’ll head for Melmarkter in the afternoon, the auction start at 19:00.”


    “Master, I’ll have a private jet take-off from the 03 airfields.”


    “We may not use Phantom’s influence and money, but we can sure use what’s ours,” said Igna, “-éir’s private arsenal of nes and vehicles.” The discussion ended, éir and the others made preparations for dinner. Igna prowled the Arcanum till 13:00 when heavy taps perturbed the afternoon nap. No word said, the lock clicked and the children ran to their guardian. Draconis leaped for his face, Saniata cannonballed his stomach whilst Vanesa drunkenly stumbled on the couch.


    “Wake up pops!” said the boy loudly, “-wake up, wake up, wake up.”


    “Pops’ ignored us for two days,” pouted Saniata, “-I say we call the authorities, this is a tant act of child abuse.”


    “I want to go out,” yawned Vanesa, “-sleeping in the car is nice.”


    “Trouble makers,” he held their mouths, “-I was trying to think,” he red down the entrance, “-Aceline, stop cowering and get in here.”


    “I’m sorry,” her fingers fiddled, “-they asked me to open the lock.”


    “No matter,” nces the children, “-let’s go visit the capital,” said he, “-I have business in Melmark. Staying home must be boring.”


    “A trip...” they side-nced one another, “-a trip, a trip, a trip,” the food-train swapped to the train trip. *tuu, tuu* whispered Vanesa.


    “Listen closely, I want exemry conduct. Draconis, Saniata, and Vanesa, you’re going to represent the House of Glenda. Do not, and I repeat, do not do anything that will shame my name, is that understood?”


    “Yes father,” they nodded, “-on one condition,” winked Saniata, “-this negotiation is two ways, my dear pops.”


    “How presumptuous,” he held her cheeks, “-go on, what’s the price.”


    “Food for me,” said Vanesa.


    “A new console,” grinned Draconis.


    “A lute!” said Saniata.


    “Deal,” he said, ‘-the EDO-4 SST should be at the manor.’


    “Don’t look dejected, Aceline, you’reing with.”


    Thus, the teams separated into their individual tasks. éir, Asmodeus, Kul, and a few guards took to the sky via helicopter. The meeting ce was a five-star restaurant atop the most expensive hotel in Odgawoan, the gem of the sky, a helipad allowed for easy ess. The amber sunset added to the prestige.


    “Entrance is key,” said éir. Retainers were at the ready to wee the guests.


    “You have an obsession with first impressions,” sighed Asmo, “-time to fight.”


    “First impressions are everything,” the entranced parted for the group. A high standard was an understatement. The décor was ‘in your face’ type ofvish, the guests wore outfits in the thousands of exa. The restaurant split into lower and upper areas. Thetter was empty with ss. The lower had the guest’s cast contempt gaze at the arrival by helicopter.


    “Over this way,” said the attending waitress, they continued along the upper area. The red carpet spawned a sense of superiority. Lovely jars and masterful works of art hung to the side, if not for Igna’s reference to art, the pictures would have gone unnoticed. A reserved suite followed into Esvalo and his team waiting patiently.


    “Greetings, Esvalo,” said Asmo, “-I see you’ve broughtpany,” a reference to the entourage of beautifully dresseddies. One of them came to be an up-anding model for Ansoft.


    “Likewise, Asmo,” he grinned, “-a handsomely dressed gentleman and the ever-belligerentdy, how can her stare cut me so sharply,” they sat.


    “To my right is éir, mywyer and good friend. To the left is Kul, my business partner and protector.”


    The horizon faded to the dusk’s tender embrace. Melmark’s nightlife spawned to fruition. The private jetnded; the EDO-4 SST waited as he left. Perfectly in shape and ready to drive. The only one of its kind, as a four-seater, the ce wasn’tcking.


    “Pops,” said Draconis, “-how rich are you?” the scenery moved, themps reflected against the shiny paint job.


    “Very,” he chuckled, “-was very rich. We’re rtively wealthy,” he took a detour through Usu’s boulevard and passed the busy station. Suspended tracks made for a mouth-opening drive. Without realizing it, they arrived at the northernmost part of Melmark. Tall buildings hid the skyscape, the auction was hosted at Pastia’s Theater.