Chapter 312: A Thousand Fortune Talismans

Cassian studied his increased attributes with satisfaction.

Two thousand points across the four attributes. It was no longer an enormous gain by his standards, but it was still the equivalent of two Supreme Attribute Books.

Next, he took out a jade talisman traced with gold.

[Fortune Talisman — Bound to Divine Province]

[Use to increase the Fortune of any Region within Divine Province by 1.]

He used all thousand without hesitation.

The talismans dissolved into points of light and sank into Riftward Region. A deep rumble rolled across the land. Its Fortune rose by a thousand, passing four thousand, while its diameter expanded by more than two thousand kilometers.

The Swordheart Instance and Dwarven Royal Hall grew more productive as well. The Royal Hall could now produce a Hill King every Realm Day. Even the Legendary Mage Sanctum could offer no better rate than that.

Darian interrupted his enjoyment of the results.

"Cassian. My father wants to see you."

Before Cassian could answer, Nessa looked up anxiously.

"Is he angry about losing? Tell him we won’t laugh at him!"

"My father isn’t that petty." Darian rolled his eyes. "It’s probably about the gods. All that nonsense in the Homeworld Channel."

He glanced at Cassian, unable to hide his concern. He did not want his friend to turn out to be a god’s puppet. He did not want him quarreling with his father either.

Cassian had never been much impressed by authority. Money was considerably more persuasive.

——

A short while later, Edran stood before him with a calm expression.

"You should know why I’ve come, Cassian. I only want to ask one thing. Have you become a god’s puppet?"

Cassian could have taken offense. Demanded to know why he owed anyone an explanation. Let the misunderstanding grow until he could enjoy proving Edran wrong later.

Or he could show him the Temple and settle the matter now.

He saw little reason to make trouble between himself and House Frost.

"If you want the truth, come with me."

A Gate opened beside him.

"Just you and Darian. Everyone else waits here."

"Such insolence—" Merrick began sharply.

"Enough."

Edran stopped him with a raised hand. After a moment’s thought, he looked at his son.

"You stay as well. I’ll go."

He was here through Will Descent. If this proved to be a trap, he could abandon the body he was using. Darian had no such escape. If his son died here, he would truly be dead.

Darian opened his mouth to object. One look from his father closed it again.

Cassian stepped through the Gate. Edran followed.

The building on the other side rose ten thousand meters into the sky.

Edran drew in a slow breath.

"The Five Elements Temple. The World Wonder your Legion built during the contest?"

His gaze shifted, taking in their surroundings.

"This is the center of Riftward. You’ve already relocated it at least once."

He turned back to Cassian.

"But that’s impossible. Even if a Legion completes its Wonder, the Realm doesn’t simply give it to a newcomer Lord as a prize. Impossible..."

Finding the Temple here had shocked him more than discovering a divine patron would have.

Edran knew too much about the precedents. He had learned the rewards for completing a Wonder more than once, and that knowledge had made him certain. Even when the Valcrest founder suggested the right answer, he had dismissed it.

"Completing it wasn’t enough," Cassian said. He brought up a copy of the private notice. "What if one person supplied more than half the contribution?"

[Your Legion’s World Wonder has reached 100% completion.]

[Your personal contribution exceeds 50%. Administrator authority over the Five Elements Temple granted.]

Edran read it in silence.

"So that’s the condition. More than half the contribution grants administrator authority..."

Understanding the rule only made Cassian’s achievement harder to believe.

Darian had described the Legion Contest to him in detail. How could one Lord have contributed more than everyone else combined? Had the Blood Throne helped him without asking for anything in return?

Questions crowded his mind. He kept them to himself.

Pressing Cassian into revealing the Temple had already gone far enough. He would not demand every other secret as well.

After a long silence, he finally spoke.

"I understand."

Then, unusually for him, he offered an explanation.

"Don’t take the question to heart. The dangers of dealing with gods are too great to ignore."

Had Merrick or the senior Lords of House Frost heard him, they might have wondered whether someone else had taken over his descent vessel. Edran Frost, explaining himself to a newcomer?

It was not quite an apology. From him, it was remarkable enough.

Cassian was a little surprised too. Then he smiled.

"Darian is like a brother to me. You had every right to be concerned. Besides, we’re all working for the Crown."

Edran laughed openly.

"Well said. For the Crown."

His eyes warmed as he looked at Cassian.

"Then let me make it up to you with a piece of information. Free of charge. Yours isn’t the only World Wonder in the new sector..."

Cassian’s attention sharpened.

——

When they returned through the Gate, the people waiting outside relaxed at the sight of their expressions.

Darian was particularly relieved. His curiosity soon got the better of him.

"Father, what did you see?"

"Cassian’s secret." Edran gestured toward him. "Ask him yourself."

Darian turned.

Cassian spread his hands.

"Your father must not want you to know. Otherwise, he’d have brought you along."

Edran’s smile stiffened.

Darian glared at both of them. Apparently, whatever the secret was, they intended to enjoy it at his expense.

Only Merrick remained apart from the general good humor. His eyes were dark.

After serving Edran for so long, he knew what that change in manner meant. His master valued Cassian more highly than before. There was even a trace of the ease with which he treated equals—the Sovereign of Caerwyn, or the Valcrest founder.

Edran soon departed. The other guests took their leave as well.

Cassian remained behind, considering what he had learned.

"First-Age Coins. A Firstborn Gate... So this is how the Realm intends to balance things?"

He looked up at the sky and chuckled.

"I have the Five Elements Temple. I want the Gate too."

The Homeworld Channel did not begin to quiet until late that night. During the afternoon and evening, senior officials from more than a dozen Provinces made discreet visits to Divine Province. Even Walter Norman came.

Cassian left those matters to Mira.

None of the visitors was about to send troops to fight for them, but the visits were encouraging all the same. The Western alliance’s blockade of the Crown was beginning to loosen.

The invasion and the Provincial Ranking had both been dealt with. At last, he could relax.

He sent Veyra a message, asking her to bring Rhea and Fara to his bedroom for a private discussion of tactics.

When the door opened a little later, he found an unexpected addition to the group.

"Nine?"

She was in her human form. Veyra gave her a gentle nudge forward, and Nine looked at him with uncharacteristic shyness.

"May I join your discussion too, Lord?"

Cassian hesitated. His concern had very little to do with tactics.

Veyra laughed.

"She has promised to stay in this form."

Nine nodded earnestly.

Cassian looked from one face to another. Then his hesitation gave way to a smile.

"All right. Let’s try."

The door closed behind them.

——

The next morning, Nine sprang from Cassian’s bedroom window with a joyous cry. Clear of the wall, she changed into a hundred-meter Crystal Dragon.

Cassian hurried to the window.

"Careful! You nearly burst the Lord’s Hall apart!"

Her bright voice carried back across the Domain.

"You weren’t nearly so worried last night, Lord!"

The morning bustle stopped.

Workers and troops turned toward the Hall with expressions that were suddenly very difficult to read.

Cassian’s face did not change. He gave his people a friendly wave, then closed the window.

After a moment, he opened the Lord’s Hall interface. A smile returned to his face. Months had passed, but the prerequisite Buildings for Rank XV were finally ready.

"Upgrade the Lord’s Hall."

"Complete immediately."