Master Volkan's workshop was, for a change, filled with the sound of hammering and soot.
However, when Diana placed the 3x Purified Magic Silver Ingots of the Circle of Lust onto the stone anvil, the old smith's hammer dropped to the floor with a dull thud.
Volkan stared at the gleaming Level 25+ ore, then at his own four volcanic-rock arms, and finally at Diana and Rhea.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!" Volkan roared, his thunderous voice echoing through the workshop chimneys. "Purified Magic Silver of Asmodeus?! Where the hell did you two get Level 25+ legendary material from the Second Circle?! Did you two rob the Imperial Palace vault?!"
"A co-worker gifted it to us." Diana said with complete composure, adjusting her jacket as if talking about the weather.
Volkan stared at Diana for five long seconds. He knew full well that no ordinary 'co-worker' would hand over Level 25+ ore for free to two Level 13 hunters. But the old smith was a smart demon, he decided he didn't want to know the dangerous details of that story.
"I can use this silver to reinforce Diana's Dark Crystal Chestplate and forge a Lust Silk Cloak for the Agility girl!" Volkan slammed a stone hand on the counter. "The labor fee for working with Level 25+ ore is 10 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze."
Diana pulled ten silver coins and fifty bronze from her pouch without blinking.
[LEGENDARY FORGE PAYMENT]
- Magic Silver Processing Fee: -10 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze Coins.
[TEMPORARY POCKET BALANCE: 29 SILVER COINS (2,900 Bronze)]
"Come back in three days!" Volkan said, his fiery hair glowing with excitement. "I'm going to create two masterwork pieces for you!"
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Back in the duplex suite at the Ivory & Silk Residence, Diana and Rhea finally relaxed.
Diana checked the automated sales report for her commercial stall in the Central Plaza. The 85% purity healing potions produced by the Arcane Greed Workshop had sold out again, bringing in another 2 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze Coins straight into the faction vault.
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[FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT]
Previous Balance: 39 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze.
Volkan's Forge Fee: -10 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze.
Subtotal: 29 Silver Coins.
ARCANE GREED WORKSHOP SALES: +2 Silver Coins and 50 Bronze.
[NEW ABSOLUTE NET WORTH: 31 SILVER COINS AND 50 BRONZE COINS]
Thirty-one silver coins and fifty bronze stashed safely away.
Diana swapped her leather chestplate for a soft, comfortable cotton shirt, sitting on the living room sofa with a cup of hot tea in hand. Rhea sat in the armchair beside her, polishing her daggers with a clean cloth.
The two of them thought the day of insanity had finally come to an end.
They were terribly mistaken.
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"You should put more honey in that tea, cutie. Second Circle campfire tea gets a bit bitter without a sweetener."
The smooth, melodic, absurdly calm voice echoed directly from the room's corner armchair.
PFFFFFT!
Diana gagged hard, spitting the tea in her mouth directly onto the coffee table.
Rhea vaulted from her armchair in a start of pure Agility 28 reflex, drawing both Corrosive Daggers in a fraction of a second, her amber eyes wide with terror.
Seated comfortably in the corner armchair, wearing a soft dark-blue silk sweater and velvet pants, was Cassian, the Level 118 Candidate for the Sin of Lust.
He held an elegant cardboard box tied with a silver satin ribbon, filled with Abyssal Honey Pastries, the most expensive and refined bakery treat in all of the Ivory Citadel.
Diana coughed noisily, wiping her mouth with her shirt sleeve, her dark eyes blazing with pure rage and shock.
"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GET IN HERE?!" Diana yelled, pointing her dark steel dagger at the Level 118 man. "THE DOOR LOCKS ARE LEVEL 15 MAGIC! THE BALCONY HAS A PROTECTIVE BARRIER!"
Cassian took one of the honey pastries from the box and took a delicate bite, smiling with devastating charm.
"Locks and magic barriers are for ordinary people, cutie." Cassian said with utter nonchalance. "I'm Level 118, remember? I just folded the balcony dimension and walked in. Brought celebration pastries for your new class!"
"AND STOP CALLING ME CUTIE, YOU MISERABLE ELF!" Diana raged, her face red with anger and embarrassment. "MY NAME IS DIANA!"
Cassian let out a low, absurdly amused chuckle. "But you ARE cute, Diana! Look at you, in that oversized shirt, that angry little face, and that tiny dagger! You look like a kitten trying to roar at a dragon!"
—My word…
The System's voice murmured in Diana's head, the interface floating in the corner of her vision.
—I agree with the Level 118 elf. You look like a grumpy little kitten right now, Diana.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, SHIT SYSTEM!" Diana growled mentally.
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Rhea, realizing Cassian had no intention of attacking, slowly lowered her daggers, staring at the box of honey pastries, her nose twitching as she caught the sweet scent of sugar and aromatic butter.
Cassian noticed the wolf girl's gaze and offered the box with an elegant gesture.
"Go ahead and take one, Agility girl." Cassian smiled at Rhea. "They're flaky pastry with medicinal flower honey. The Imperial Palace bakery makes the finest in the Circle."
Rhea glanced at Diana, then carefully picked up a pastry and took a bite. The wolf girl's amber eyes went wide in pure culinary ecstasy. "This is… heavenly, Diana!"
Diana glared at Cassian with arms crossed over her chest, maintaining the ugliest scowl she could freeze onto her face.
"What do you really want here, Cassian?" Diana asked in a tough tone. "Candidates for Sin don't pay social calls with boxes of honey pastries."
Cassian leaned back in the armchair, his violet gaze turning slightly more focused, though he kept his warm expression.
"I came to propose an informal, long-term Alliance." Cassian said, getting straight to the point.
Diana raised an eyebrow. "An alliance… between a Level 118 Candidate for Lust and a Level 13 Candidate for Greed?"
"Exactly." Cassian smiled. "In the Succession War, Candidates for the same Sin stab each other in the back constantly. But having an ally of another Deadly Sin in a different Circle… is the greatest geopolitical asset in Hell. When you reach Level 50 and ascend to the Third and Fourth Circles, having my influence from the Second Circle opening doors for your faction will save you years of effort."
He looked at Diana with a spark of genuine approval.
"Besides…" Cassian winked. "…I like your style. You're greedy, sharp, fiery, and you don't bow down even to someone ninety levels above you. I like investing in people with nerve."
Diana stared at the Level 118 man.
Her analytical mind calculated the offer rapidly. Having the informal backing of the strongest Candidate of the Circle of Lust was a strategic advantage so absurd that no gold coin in the world could buy it.
Diana walked over to the table, picked up one of the honey pastries from the box, because she categorically refused to let expensive, delicious food pass by for free, and took a bite. The sweet, buttery flavor was indeed spectacular.
"An informal alliance." Diana said, chewing the pastry. "But no orders. I am nobody's subordinate."
"I would never dream of giving you orders, kiddo." Cassian laughed.
He reached his hand into his overcoat pocket and pulled out a small silver object, placing it on the coffee table: a Lotus Silver Mirror.
[SPECIAL ITEM RECEIVED: LOTUS SILVER MIRROR]
- Function: Direct communication channel with Cassian.
- Hidden Passive Effect: Can be shattered to summon a Level 100 Supreme Magic Barrier for 10 seconds in an absolute emergency.
"Use this if some absurdly high-level idiot tries to bust your chops before you hit Level 50." Cassian said, rising gracefully from the armchair.
He walked toward the balcony, pausing beside Diana. Cassian leaned down slowly and gave another light, playful pat to Diana's head, just to see the human girl grit her teeth in anger again.
"Until next time, cutie." Cassian winked. "Make sure you climb to Level 50 quickly. The Ivory Citadel is much more fun that way."
With a snap of his fingers, Cassian dissolved again into a whirlwind of silver lotus petals that swept out into the night wind.
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Silence returned to the duplex apartment.
Diana stood in the living room, holding the Lotus Silver Mirror in her left hand and a honey pastry in her right, her face flushed with pure irritation at the Level 118 elf's constant teasing.
Beside her, Rhea savored her second pastry with a satisfied smile.
"He's pretty cool, isn't he, Diana?" Rhea said sweetly.
"He's an annoying, show-off elf!" Diana growled, sitting on the sofa and taking another bite of the pastry. "But the pastry is good… and the magic mirror will be useful."
—Awww…
The System whispered in her mind, the interface floating with laughing text.
—Our anomaly got a Level 118 protector who brings pastries as gifts. What a hard life you have, Diana.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, SYSTEM!"
Final Notes:
Yes, Diana received BIG help here. But of course, I think you know that nothing comes for free, and every alliance has consequences... Hehehehe!