The summer sun hung brightly in the sky as Jennifer walked towards her friend’s shop. It had been five days since she’d told her master about everything, and with each passing day she found her magic changing.

Jennifer moved her mana, forming a glass shard on her palm. With little effort, she managed to propel the glass and have it hover above her hand as she walked. It was a distraction from the creeping thoughts in her mind. Feeling at her new skill, she used [Enchanted Glass Creation] on her glass shard. A spell matrix took shape as she applied the basic enchantment Sharpen on it. The edges turned more streamlined, enough to cut through her skin with ease if she let it.

She frowned in concentration, trying to float the shard around her palm but found herself stopping to focus.

Rotating it around is difficult. Not quite at that level of control, but this is still far more precise than my other spells. A creation affinity really makes a world of difference.

Jennifer had experimented with both her new skills over the past few days. There’d been little else to do even if she knew the events about to occur this month, so she’d spent her time in the best way she knew of, by studying magic.

She’d gained [Lesser Arcane Analysis] and [Enchanted Glass Creation] in quick succession, having not had much time or peace of mind to test her new skills properly when she’d gained them, and she’d taken her time going through each.

[Enchanted Glass Creation] was simple in usage, allowing Jennifer to not only enchant simple enchantments onto her glass without needing to carve it directly, but also allowed her other skills like [Twofold Enchanting] to work on the enchantments she applied. She could already think of the many applications of the skill.

[Lesser Arcane Analysis] was a bit more strange. The skill allowed her to pull up system prompts for her spells, and sometimes gain insight at the composition and application of those skills but the skill seemed random outside of that, and didn’t always work.

It still surprised her how quickly she’d gained not one but two new skills, the last one she’d gained had been [Lunestone: Guard] that she’d gained when she’d crafted her first lunestone, and gained her 15th level.

Barely two months ago. Or a month before now I suppose.

She crushed the glass in her hand, cracking it into pieces that faded into motes of light. A few people turned to look at her, but most paid no attention. Her eyes turned towards a passing stranger and she couldn’t help but wonder if she had stepped past their corpses, or heard their last screams before it had been silenced.

Jennifer let her gaze take in the shops and homes lining the streets as she walked. Her home was fairly close to Rumina’s, on a relatively decent side of the city. She turned towards the shop her friend worked in. Green Flower Bell was written in beautiful letters on its front with a bell and a flower insignia drawn next to it. A notable establishment, as was clear by the smooth and enchanted glass at the front.

Jennifer felt a strange awareness in her mind of the glass in the shop, as if she could reach out and shatter it if she wanted to, or twist the enchantment present on it without ever being next to it. It was an odd sensation, and one she didn’t linger on.

A red head girl sat behind the counter, surrounded by vases full of flowers kept fresh with Preserving enchantments. The scene felt as if it was out of some cheap romantic fairy tale. Not a place you’d think to be in ties with the Thieves’ guild.

Jennifer stood silently for a moment, before she smiled and called out. “Rumina!”

She watched as her friend’s eyes widened in surprise. A smile covered Rumina’s face as the red-haired girl rushed out.

“Jenn! I heard! Congrats! You got accepted!!” Rumina said, rushing out and jumping onto Jennifer, as she hugged her tight. The act earned her a pained exhale from Jennifer but the red-head continued undaunted, lifting Jennifer up and spinning her slightly taller friend around.

“By Sera, let me down! You’re making a scene Rumina!” Jennifer exclaimed, lightly punching Rumina. The other girl giggled in reply, as she let Jennifer down.

Jennifer stared at her friend, her expression somewhere between exasperated and amused as she watched the smile covering Rumina’s face, set behind her freckled face. “What were you doing Rumina? Jumping at me as if I'm your long-lost lover or something.”

The freckled redhead pouted, as she often did when Jennifer didn’t reply with the same excitement as her. A sly grin soon covered Rumina’s face as she stepped in close, putting her arms around Jennifer. She leaned in, touching Jennifer’s nose with her finger and running it down her lips. “Are you not?”

“Oh, stop it!” Jennifer said, rolling her eyes as she smacked Rumina’s hand away. The redhead jumped back cackling madly.

“Let’s head inside at least,” Jennifer said to the lightly out of breath Rumina. The red-head nodded, wiping a tear from her eyes from laughing too much as the two headed inside the shop.

Jennifer opened the gate, entering the establishment. She felt the wards placed on the place gently tingle her senses, the temperature dropping lightly on the inside. Ah, temperature control spells. That must’ve cost a fortune.

The shop itself was a pleasant place, with magical trinkets and decorations present on the shelves, with plenty of flowers around. Nothing in the shop was of any real magical application, with only the occasional magi-tech from gnomes that was mostly just meant as decoration or trinkets for the wealthy merchants. A charming little shop with a young girl attending to it. From the outside at least.

“You know, I’m a bit mad that you didn’t tell me about getting accepted yourself. Imagine having to find out from others that your best friend's dreams had come true, and she didn’t even tell you about it,” Rumina said, as she walked around the wooden counter to take her seat once more.

“I’m sorry Rumina. There’s just been a lot that’s been happening, and I just…” Jennifer paused as she stared at her friend, who was looking back at her with an expectant look on her face.

I did tell you Rumina. A month ago, I told you and we both celebrated it, and it was one of the happiest days of my life. But you don’t remember any of it. How do I even tell you that?

“It’s been an insane few days, Rumina. Elphion damn me. I don’t know where to begin.”

Rumina curled an eyebrow at Jennifer, leaning onto the counter. “Now you’re making me curious, Jenn. Spit it out! What was so important that you couldn’t tell me about the academy?”

Jennifer extended her hand, letting mana gather in her palm. The energy flowed through her pathways forming a shining shard of glass the size of her thumb that floated above her hand. “I awakened glass magic?” she smiled awkwardly.

She couldn’t deny being amused at the blank stare her friend directed at her, staring at the floating shard of glass.

“Sera, is that. Is that real?” Rumina breathed, pausing right after. “I really just asked you that, I’m going silly. How? When? Why didn’t you tell me?! Now I’m even more mad!”

Jennifer just stared at her friend, who huffed making Jennifer burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, it was very very recent. I haven’t even told my parents yet, I was still just dealing with everything.”

“Fine, I’ll let you have this one. Gaining an affinity is just about one of those impossible things that I can forgive you over,” Rumina said with a huff. “But tell me how? I’ve never even seen glass affinity before.”

“I really don’t know what to tell you Rumina. I had a dream, a really bad one. And I saw many horrible things in it. And the next day I go to Master and he tells me I have awakened to glass affinity,” Jennifer said.

“Really? A dream of all things? I don’t know whether to feel happy about you or be disgusted by your absurd luck.”

“Both?” Jennifer said. Rumina laughed in reply.

“Hah! Definitely! But this is… great news Jenn. I’m messing with you but I’m so happy for you! You’re gonna be the best [Enchanter] anyone knows! Wait, are [Glass Enchanters] a thing? They have to be right? Not to mention glass is rare, and glass affinity even more. The mages in the academy are gonna be after you! I'll boast that I knew the [Archmage of Glass] when she was just an [Enchanter]!”

Jennifer rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips nonetheless. She felt some guilt about hiding things from Rumina, but the shop was not somewhere she was going to be talking about her Mark or the invasion. She remembered the little side chamber Rumina had shown her once, where all the letters sent through the thieves guild were kept.

“What’s wrong?” Rumina asked.

Jennifer let her gaze drift back to her friend as she shook her head. “Not much, and I do have something for you.” she said, digging into her pouch for the note her master had given her.

“Master wants to find out who’s currently in charge of the inspection of mithril ingots,” Jennifer said, handing Rumina the note. “And some guild business,” she added in a quieter voice.

Her friend’s expression turned serious for a moment, as she took the note. Jennifer heard her mutter a skill as the note vanished. Rumina’s jovial expression soon returned.

“Well, now that that’s done. Let’s celebrate! I know of this new lizardfolk that has opened a dessert’s shop. He’s a [Sweet Chef] I hear, and has some really good sweets. A bit pricey but I’ve been wanting to have a look, it’s called Scampi Tails. Wanna go? My treat!” Rumina said, clapping her hands once in excitement.

Jennifer shook her head, amusement at how little some things changed, even when doing them for a second time. “Alright, let’s go there, although if it’s too pricey then I’m gonna be splitting it half and half,” Jennifer replied.

Rumina cheered, calling out to inform about her early leave from the shop as the two walked out.

I think we went to a different place last time, or maybe my memory is playing tricks on me. Jennifer walked with Rumina, idly playing with her glass magic as her friend continued to inquire about the new affinity and prod her for details.

The two made their way towards the central plaza, on their way and Jennifer found her eyes drifting to the dungeon entrance nearby, feeling emotions she couldn’t quite understand. She felt her Mark pulsate once in her mind. A reminder that it had all been real.

“Hurry up!” Rumina exclaimed, walking ahead. Jennifer let her eyes move away from the dungeon as she followed behind.

There aren’t as many adventurers here for the new branch. Wait. Has the new branch been discovered yet-

A sudden tremor shook the ground, making Jennifer stumble from the intensity. She heard a loud rumble and a cracking sound as panic descended upon her within an instant. [Enhanced Mana Sense] told her of the large wave of mana that had spread through the area.

Jennifer almost leapt at her friend, about to drag her away from the site of the dungeon break when her mind caught up. The dungeon break was almost an entire month away, there’s no way things would’ve changed that much so quickly.

She looked around, noting people shouting in surprise as the ground beneath them shook with powerful tremors. The rumbling intensified, spreading in pulses, the ground seeming to breathe as it came alive. A plume of dust rose in the distance. A building had collapsed.

“Jenn, you okay?” Rumina asked, grabbing her hand, as the two girls waited for the tremors to pass.

“The dungeon shift, it was today,” Jennifer said, looking around in surprise. People moved about in confusion, out of their homes and onto the streets, as tremors still shook the ground.

“Advance party coming out! Make Way! Spear of the Sun reporting!” Jennifer heard a scream from up ahead. And then the guild will share the news of a new dungeon branch being found in the depths, causing a massive call of adventurers to the city.

“Jenn...are you alright? You don’t look great,” Rumina asked, gripping her hand tighter.

“I’m alright, but let’s celebrate some other day. I don’t think now’s a great time.”

“Hold on! It’s a bad earthquake, we shouldn't rush around randomly,” Rumina replied but Jennifer continued walking, ignoring her friend’s words as she kept a tight grip on her hand.

“I just have a bad feeling Rumina-” Jennifer’s words died in her mouth, a strange but familiar sensation interrupting her. Her Mark pulsed once, telling her about the familiar presence of another. The foreign Mark brushed against hers inquisitively.

Jennifer turned, almost against her wishes as panic coursed up her spine. Her eyes followed the source of the presence back to its origin.

Near the entrance, surrounded by high ranked adventurers and guards stood a tall, burly man decked in magical armor. Blonde hair and bright orange stared into hers from across the plaza as his presence burned itself in her mind, shining like a beacon of magic and strength.

A voice whispered in her head, the presence similar to the Mark she had seen and felt the night she had died, but yet not the same. Jennifer didn't know how she knew, but she was certain.

That man had another Mark.

A familiar terror filled Jennifer, as she felt a wave of power reach out towards her. “Rumina run!”

Thankfully, her friend did not tary beyond a moment’s hesitation before she began to run alongside her.

Jennifer shoved her way out of the crowds as she ran through the main streets, trying to think of a good place to go to. She was not going to risk another encounter with a Mark, especially with Rumina by her side.

“[Hidden Steps]” Rumina muttered as Jennifer felt the world around them blur for a moment. Sound seemed to fade from the world, their footsteps dimmed.

Jennifer eyed her friend. She hadn’t seen the skill from Rumina before.

“Turn here,” Rumina said, as Jennifer took a sharp left into an alley running through the streets. The two kept running for a while until they had gained sufficient distance.

Jennifer tried to sense Mark's presence but failed to find anything. Whoever that Mark had been, she couldn’t sense him.

“Who was that guy?” Rumina asked, her gaze sharp as she stared at her.

Turning towards her friend, Jennifer tried to reply between her laboured breathing but found herself failing to come up with a reasonable explanation.

“I don’t know. I can’t explain everything right now Rumina, I just know that we need to avoid that man. Call for the [Guards] if you can, and go to Master and tell him I found another Mark. He’ll understand,” Jennifer said.

“I’ll be getting the end of this from you,” Rumina said, running off. Jennifer sighed in relief, as she watched her friend dash away.

That should be enough to keep her safe, I hope that man doesn’t chase after her or is bold enough to go against the city guards.

Jennifer took a deep breath. Trying to think of what she needed to do now. There was no indication that this Mark had been hostile like the other one, but with how her encounter with another Mark had gone she didn’t feel confident enough to risk another. She also wasn’t confident enough to let herself die to test if her Mark really would send her back in time again. Dying just once was enough.

Her mind made up, she began to rush through the side lanes, slowly but surely heading towards the guild halls. With the number of adventurers and guards present in the area, she doubted anyone would try and attack her out in the open.

With a plan set in mind, Jennifer gathered the wind, weaving Agile Wind as she shot off with a strong blast of air.

The wind swirled around her as she ran through the streets. Her eyes scanned the city around her, watching the panicked atmosphere from the recent tremor. Lienmont was used to tremors from the dungeon, but as the city would soon come to know, this one had been anything but a normal one.

A strange nervousness crept into Jennifer’s mind as she felt her anxiety rising. She’d felt no trace of the other Mark beyond her first encounter. I need to go faster.

Jennifer pulsed more mana through the Agile Wind spell, the swirling world intensifying. Yet the spell was a weak Tier-1 spell, the added effects barely noticeable. An idea came to her as she ran, and she used one of her new skills.

“[Lesser Arcane Analysis]” she muttered under her breath as the skill activated. The spell matrix unraveled in her mind, until she found a suitable modification to the matrix’s structure for her purposes.

No time to experiment, just gotta run with it.

Jennifer prepared herself for being shot out and flung around by her own spell, ready to dissolve the matrix if it broke. Let’s try this then.

Mana pulsed through her spell, wind swirling around her feet as she kicked the ground once more. The sharp gust of wind sent her flying as her feet lifted off the ground by a few inches. Jennifer swiveled, dropping back down as she reduced her mana output. Taking a few more test leaps, she grew comfortable with the burst of winds launching her ahead, leaving dust clouds as she flew past people.

Her mana dipped at a much faster rate with her new spell as she shot faster than some [Runners] she knew. A strange exhilaration filled her mind as she ran, the rush of the wind in her ears making her heart thunder loudly.

Her gaze shifted to a crowd of people gathered ahead and she cut off her spell, spotting a large pile of rubble that had collapsed on the street blocking the way ahead.

Elphion damn me, I need to find another way out.

She turned to look behind her nervously and noticed no one trailing her. Am I overreacting? The man was chasing me, I'm sure of it. But did I really lose him? No, no point. I need to get somewhere safe.

Walking ahead, she inspected the streets. A large chunk of the area was filled with debris, blocking the relatively narrow path completely. The building that collapsed seemed to have taken a few other buildings down with it, sealing the road on all sides. She’d have to climb through the mess if she wanted to reach the other side this way.

I had forgotten just how much chaos the discovery of the new dungeon branch caused.

Her shoulder throbbed in phantom pain as she closed her eyes. Images of falling buildings and fire flashing as sand spread everywhere. She frowned, turning away. Stepping through the crowd she spotted a narrow alley nearby heading in the direction and began to make her way through.

The sunlight dimmed in the dark alley, as Jennifer jogged ahead quickly when a presence flared in her mind, stopping her in her tracks. The weight of a mountain descended on her shoulder as an overbearing presence pushed down on her. Her mind went blank, a bright light shining in her mind if she were staring right at the sun.

“[Restrict Movement]” Jennifer heard the voice speak as her body clamped up completely. She felt her will being crushed, her body refusing to move despite her wishes. A sword rested on her neck, pressing against her as her legs gave out under the crushing presence.

She tried to scream for help, but her lips refused to move. The heavy presence crushed her, as her heart trembled in fear. Once again, she was powerless to do anything about it. Her breath started to turn labored, before ceasing completely. Pain spread through her chest as the Mark’s presence in her mind started to consume everything.

She closed her eyes and saw the sand. It covered her feet, slithering over her body as it choked each ounce of life from her breath. She was dying. She knew she was dying. It was over. Again. Death would take her again.

“A kid?” the man said, as his presence receded.

Jennifer gasped, air filling her chest again. Her eyes blurred with tears, and she coughed. The tension in her body snapped and she collapsed onto the ground, like a doll with its strings cut loose. She could hear the man speaking but his voice was a blur amidst the static of her ears as the world spun around her.

The man’s golden eyes looked at her, his hands arresting her fall as the world turned dark.

***

A cool liquid tinged with mana washed down Jennifer’s throat as her eyes shot open in alarm. She flared her arms out, mana rushing through her veins as she tried to pull herself up.

“Calm down,” a voice said with a pulse of power put behind the words and Jennifer found her body freeze. Her heartbeat settled against her wishes, her breath coming in equal intervals. Slowly, her mind began to piece together information.

A blonde man stood in front of her, his Mark’s presence touching against her own. The man held a vial filled with a deep red liquid sloshing inside, looking at her with an introspective glance. Her throat was wet, and she could feel the familiar sensation of mana vapors from a healing potion filling her nose.

“The potion should be taking effect, although there’s no real harm done to you,” the man spoke, the vial in his hand vanishing with a flicker.

Jennifer found her hands gripping the sheets beneath her. A glance around showed her to be in a clean white room, layered with powerful wards and tastefully decorated with vases and paintings. Far too luxurious of a place for her to be in.

Her gaze returned to the man. She felt like she should’ve been shaking at the man’s intense presence but his words were like an iron clamp upon her mind, refusing to let it embrace the primal terror and forcing her to be calm.

She was almost grateful for it. Almost.

Jennifer looked at the man furtively, filled with a myriad of questions. She’d been certain that she had died right then and there, crushed underneath his heavy aura like a bug that couldn’t even resist. Yet she was here, being fed a potion and without a scratch on her body.

The man continued to look at Jennifer, almost as if waiting for her to speak first. Jennifer stared at him for a while, trying to see if he’d speak up. A few minutes passed by in silence as the two stared at each other.

“Where am I?” she said, giving in first. It wasn’t as if she could’ve resisted if the man had wanted her to talk, but the small defeat still stung nonetheless.

“The Adventuring guild chambers. You’d lost consciousness so I decided to bring you with me. The city is in turmoil from the earthquake, and I couldn’t have left you alone in either case.”

A knot of tension loosened from her shoulders. She was in the guild. Far better than the hundreds of possible answers that she thought of in the few minutes of silence. Jennifer possessed no special love for adventurers but dying in the middle of the guild surrounded by so many people was going to be unlikely.

“I’m curious,” the man continued. “How are you still alive?”

Jennifer paused, the tension returning to her. Had he expected her to die? Had her Mark saved her life once again?

“A girl like you, barely qualifiable for Iron from what I can tell of your mana, who keeps projecting her presence freely. How has no stray Mark killed you yet? Or more importantly, how did you even find your Mark?”

Jennifer stared at the man. Oh that, well I just fell into the dungeon and had a mysterious [Royal Knight] take me to a trial and help me, before an invasion destroyed the city and a guy slinging sand spikes killed me and I got sent back in time, that’s how.

She opted to stay silent.

The man shuffled his arms, and Jennifer saw hints of gold coming from his neck. She felt a strange sensation of trust towards the man, as she looked at the Mark. Something within her soul told her that the man could be trusted.

She opened her mouth, trying to find a place to begin when a loud crack stopped her, as the door swung open.

“Good, the runt is up. Was about to slap her awake if she’d taken too long,” the woman who entered said.

Jennifer found her words stop in her throat as she looked at the woman’s eyes. Pits of black looked at her for a brief moment, as if trying to suck her into them. The dark skinned woman had eyes of pure black that reflected nothing. Her bronze tinged skin was similar to the Ostiri and she carried a massive bow on her shoulders that didn’t fit through the door frame.

“Nathaniel is sorting things with his uncle. He’ll be there soon. Get the girl and come, Valencia’s hounding my ass to do some dumb clearance work instead of sending Silver or Gold plates. A few monsters broke out from the dungeon in the city or something. Stupid work. I’d rather stick here and let her clean up by herself.”

The man nodded. “Noted, Anghul. I’ll sort this out and be there in a moment.”

The archer—Anghul—clicked her tongue in response before slamming the door once more, hard enough to make Jennifer jump, as she walked away.

“We’ll need to have a talk, to explain the importance of that thing on your hand. I understand you don’t trust me and I won’t ask you to. But I suggest not lying. It’ll make things easier for both of us.”

Jennifer looked at the man, and then nodded. She was aware of truth spells, but even without them, she’d rather not risk it. The guild was more likely to protect her if she was honest.

“Now if you can walk, then let’s head on. We have a few people to meet,” the man said, turning around.

Jennifer followed behind, slinking out of the bed when she noticed he’d stopped. “I never introduced myself, did I?” the man said, turning towards her, and she saw a glint in his eyes.

“I’m Viel Skywrath. Ranked plate adventurer, and the leader of the Spear of Sun,” he said, his Mark glowing a bright gold at his next words. “The Mark of Valor.”

Jennifer sucked in a sharp breath at the man’s words. A Ranked plate with a Mark. She wasn’t sure if she was more concerned or less after the revelation. Ranked plate was a special rank for those recognised by the guild for their exceptional strength and abilities.

For many, Gold plate was considered the highest rank that could be reasonably achieved, and if Jennifer could become one, she’d earn enough to fund her father’s mana pathways repairs and still have enough change to last an entire year for their family.

Ranked plates were one rank above them.

No one who’d earned the plate was anything less than a monster in their own right, capable of shaping battles single handedly. Even in a dungeon city like Lienmont, there weren’t many Ranked plates around, and each often had a title associated with them. She was glad she hadn’t been antagonistic to him.

“Follow along,” the man said, turning his gaze away and Jennifer began to follow.

The room led out to a corridor, covered in protective wards and mage lights that hung up above, dim and almost invisible during the day time. Just the cost of fitting the entire guild with mage lights boggled Jennifer’s mind.

Glancing around, she noted the swarm of adventurers running around the guild, alongside other guild staff and healers. Her [Enhanced Mana Sense] ran wild as the clash of auras and mana assailed her senses. Mana pools so deep, that they felt like an ocean she could get lost in. Her eyes shifted to Viel, who walked in front of her, and she noted his aura enveloping her, protecting her from the magical saturation caused by so many auras.

She pulled her [Enhanced Mana Sense] back, saving herself a future headache. She’d already lost consciousness thrice in just under a week. Four times, if dying counted as losing consciousness.

Jennifer watched a few adventurers stumble in, carrying wounded people, others rushed out to deal with monster breakouts or calls for rescue. She saw more than one [Geomancer] running around, cursing as they waited to be sent to some location of the collapse both inside the dungeon and outside. Being a [Geomancer] in a city like Lienmont was a lucrative job, and she finally understood why. She’d expect some extra pay as well if her job involved repeatedly going to cave-ins, and dangerous locations inside the dungeon.

I guess there's enough benefits for whoever finds the route to an entirely new section of the dungeon. Only a matter of days before Lienmont will begin to be swarmed by adventurers looking for rare artifacts.

The dungeon was mapped, with almost the entirety of the first layer completely explored, and a large portion of the second layer. Even if the structure changed often, the areas themselves merely shuffled around instead of changing completely. An entire new section appearing overnight was practically unheard of.

Jennifer felt slightly odd at having a view of a completely different side of the dungeon shift. She had been at her master’s workshop the previous time, and the two of them had remained in his smithy as the earthquake happened. It had been a minor thing, just a larger than normal earthquake, until the news of the new branch had slowly but surely begun to spread.Now she was in the guild, watching the chaos unfold for herself and she gained a new appreciation for the role the guild played in keeping the city together.

She followed Viel beyond the crowded central chamber of the guild, following him further into the guild and up a few stairs to what looked like a corridor full of meeting rooms of some kind. Strong protective wards prevented her from getting a layout of the insides of the rooms and the corridor itself was set up with suppression fields that made mana manifestation impossible. Not that she was going to try.

Jennifer spotted the dark skinned archer from before leaning against one of the door frames, with her eyes closed in a frown. Her massive bow wasn’t present on her anymore, likely put into a storage ring.

“I almost withered away from age, waiting for you to drag your feet,” Anghul said, opening her pitch black eyes, as she stared at Viel.

“Nathaniel’s not here yet?” Viel asked, ignoring the woman’s remark.

“He sent a message. It’ll take a while. Some complications have arrived with the dungeon. We found more than we’d expected to,” Anghul said, her eyes briefly resting on Jennifer.

“Let’s head in. I’ll fill Nat in when he arrives,” Viel said, taking out a dark black plate, made of an odd metal she didn’t recognise.

Likely the Ranked plate. I could probably sell that plate for ten times its weight in gold. Jennifer gulped lightly, her eyes briefly shifting to Anghul. The woman gave her no attention, but she could feel her aura at this distance, and the threat of violence present within it, even when subdued. Almost as if she thrives in the violence. Jennifer decided to avoid the woman as much as she could.

Her attention returned to the door as mana pulsed through the wards present on it. The door clicked open, as Viel strode in, followed by Anghul, and then Jennifer at last.

“Apologies for the delay. We found something, or rather someone who’d be of interest to both you and the Prince,” Viel spoke, nodding his head and Jennifer walked to the side, trying to see past his bulky frame at who he was talking to.

Silver hair gleamed in the light as a strongly built man sat inside, wearing light armor, with an ornate sword by his side.

Jennifer's eyes widened in surprise at the familiar face looking at her. “Irwys,” she muttered, realizing a moment too late about what she’d said.

Silver eyes turned towards her.