Everyone immediately saw Lone upon his arrival at the Merchant's Guild. While his high-quality clothing wasn't very identifiable, his massive nine tails were certainly a big giveaway as to who he was.

Very quickly, a staff member got Lone's attention and politely requested that he followed her. "Sir Immortus, Chairman Lithmon and Young Lady Anita are in the auction hall. Please, if you wouldn't mind, I shall lead you to them."

"Sure," Lone casually replied as he put his hands in his pockets.

In truth, he just wanted this whole thing with Anita and Richard to be over. He really didn't have the time to waste of this. He was kind of regretting asking for a public apology now. 'I hope neither of them tries anything. I wouldn't mind more stats and levels from some assassins, but really, I'd rather be out on the streets spamming Soul Rooting...'

Lone walked behind the woman, and after about 3-minutes of travelling down hallways and stairs, he found himself to be inside a massive underground stadium.

'This place reminds me of the Deposit auction hall back in Milindo...' Memories of him bidding on and winning Kyuubi then being attacked by Duke Griffset's private assassins, resulting in his first encounter with Void, flooded his mind. 'Man, what a lunatic. Sure, I beat his son black-and-blue, but the little shit tried to forcefully enslave me. I'm getting nostalgic, but not the good kind of nostalgic.'

An unpleasant frown covered the foxkin's face as he was led to one of the six private booths that overlooked the entire auction hall.

The employee who had brought him here started sweating upon seeing Lone's frowning face, but she still bowed and said, "Chairman Lithmon and Young Lady Anita shall begin their public apology in 15-minutes now that you have arrived. Please, if you need any refreshments, let me know."

"I'm good," Lone replied passively as he slumped down into his cushioned chair.

"I-I see," the young lady responded.

Bored as he was waiting, Lone decided to used Soul Rooting on as many of the hundreds of guests in the stadium as his MP would allow him to. He hardly cared for their reactions to the notifications of having their souls rooted. If he was going to sit here for 15-minutes, then he'd certainly make full use of that time.

Congratulations! the host's soul skill [Soul Rooting] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 2. Congratulations! the host's soul skill [Soul Rooting] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 3. Congratulations! the host's soul skill [Soul Rooting] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 4. Congratulations! the host's soul skill [Soul Rooting] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 5.

His MP was starting to run low after the 25th cast of the skill since it used almost 20,000 MP per cast, however, thankfully, Richard and Anita Lithmon had taken to the stage at that point and were just about to start their formal apology.

Holding an enchanted magical gem up to his mouth, Richard coughed to clear his throat then projected his voice through the hall via the gem. "Thank you all for gathering here today. As you all know, less than a week ago my daughter accused a very notable figure of being a fraud and a swindler with no basis to back up those claims, then the very next day, I foolishly attempted to have the figure in question killed by the now-deceased seeker of the Church of the Primals, Cross."

Lone was surprised. "Wow, he actually sounds sincere. I was half expecting assassins to try to poison me or someshit. It's a shame that he only sounds sincere though. I've seen plenty of his type before," he muttered with a shake of his head.

He continued watching as Anita took the gem from her father and said, "Lone Immortus, I am deeply sorry for my immature actions, and I've since reflected. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"Hahaha," Lone laughed. "You're so full of shit."

The staff member silently standing to the side of the room felt the slight amount of cold sweat on her back suddenly multiply upon hearing Lone's remark.

"Well, I only asked for an apology, not a genuine one," Lone said before he spun his head to look at the Merchant's Guild employee. "Hey, I'm done here. I've seen enough. Let the two of them know that I'll kill them if they fuck with me or my friends ever again. I only have so much kindness in me before I have to put my foot down."

'T-Throwing Young Lady Anita out of a building so far that you broke 24 of her bones and killing Seeker Cross was you showing kindness?!' she replied internally and very privately before she smiled and said, "O-Of course, Sir Immortus."

Lone casually waved her goodbye then promptly left the Merchant's Guild. He had more important things to do instead of wasting his time listening to a dishonest apology.

By the time he'd reached his store, Soul Rooting had ranked up once again, though he had been forced to use three mana orbs to refill his expended MP. "I hope the Soul hall doesn't take too long with those mana orbs... Soph and Eolande can barely sustain my mana needs on a day-to-day basis as it is, so a big bunch of orbs like that'd be super handy..." After saying that, Lone pulled up Soul Rooting's information.

Soul Skill: Soul Rooting

A soul skill that roots souls in place. While physically unbound, when near the designated area, a rooted soul shall become stronger and more stable.

Strengthens and stabilises rooted souls by 30% [+15%] when in the designated area (limited range of 10-meters-squared [up from 5-meter-squared]).

Cost: 15,750 MP or SP [-1,750 MP or SP] (25,000 MP or SP [-2,500 MP or SP] to reroot a previously rooted soul) Mastery: Advanced Level 1 [Up by 6 levels]

"No new effect yet?" Lone grumbled. "It must get a good one at expert-rank then," he concluded as he pushed open the door to his emporium.

"Ah, Lone! There ye 're," the hoarse and aged voice that could have only belonged to Frodley Goldsbane said joyfully.

Lone smiled upon seeing his shop's guest. The dwarf was calmly sitting in a chair behind the counter next to Annie - who bowed politely to her master.

Walked over to the forge on the other side of the small store, Lone asked, "What brings you here today, Frodley? Got another trinket to throw away?"

"Hahaha," laughing as he got up and walked next to Lone, the dwarf replied, "Dinnae put it like that. Ya wan' this shite, I wan' yer goods. Ain't no throwin' away goin' on 'ere."

Lone smiled as he pushed up the bridge of his glasses. "It's just a saying. So, is that why you're here?"

"Partly, aye," Frodley answered as he held his chin with one hand and his hip with the other while he stared intently at Lone's new glasses. "Is that fookin' divine starlite? I sweat tae the Primals, if ye've only gone an' fookin' make a pair ah specs ootta one of the hardest tae find and smith materials on the whole cuntin' continent, then I'll hae to go visit ma master's grave an' gae 'im an earful fae naw teachin' me whatev'r techniques ya seem tae ken!"

'Man, this accent is so frustrating. I can't believe I'm from a country where the older generation pretty much all talk like this... It's certainly nostalgic, but it's a nuisance flipping my switch to understand it on and off so regularly. I wish that whatever was making the language universal made the accents universal too,' Lone thought but then shook his head. 'But, then again, Soph's sexy hints of Russian in her accent would disappear too, and that'd be a fuckin' tragedy.'

"What ya shakin' ya head fae, Laddie?" Frodley asked as he straightened his back, leaned against a part of the wall that was without a shelf, then crossed his arms over his chest.

"Nothing," Lone replied as he started up the forge and began welding a simple set of alterion dagger blades.

He did this almost every day to stay on top of his blacksmithing abilities. While he had a fairly high level in the Blacksmithing skill, system given skills didn't account for everything, and actual practice and talent would increase a skill's potency if applied by a more capable person when opposed to someone who blindly relied on the system and nothing but the system.

"My technique for making my glasses is unique to me," Lone answered the dwarf's earlier concern. "Anyway, what gizmo have you got for me today? Also, what else did you need? By the way, if you can, bring me some strong glass or magic-based glass next time instead of a steamforged artefact."

Frodley raised an eyebrow. "Glass, aye? I can dae 'at. Naw soon though, mind ye." He reached into his trousers then took out what looked like a pocket watch covered in gears and a few tiny pipes. He put the watch on a shelf and then took a dark-steel helmet in exchange.

He started inspecting the armour piece as he said, "The next hoose gatherin' is 'appening in aboot a year. I've got a plus one, and since yer interested in steamforgin', I figured ya might wannae meet ma pa. E's the cunt who makes all this steamforg'd shite 'at I'm tossin' yer way."

Lone's interest was immediately piqued. "I'm in Mystopolis for at least two years, so I've certainly got the time. You mentioned these house gatherings before, but what are they, exactly?"

Frodley shrugged. "They're what they soond like. It's just a party 'at lasts fae three days. The whole family gets togeth'r an' exchange gifts an' stories. It ain't a complex affair. Sometimes we bring guests like ah'll be daein' wae ye, Laddie."

"Huh. I look forward to it then," Lone replied. 'I should try and see if Soph's Remembrance Teleportation works on people... If it does, then can't I go rescue Grimsley, Gilbert, and Shana, from the northern ocean?'

That thought had just crossed his mind, and for some reason, it made an incredibly large amount of sense.

With that idea in mind, Lone said goodbye to Frodley and resumed his forging. He was later disturbed by the orphan children who came by to tell him stories and rumours in exchange for meals and treats.

"Um, I can try?" Soph replied in an unsure manner to Lone's question.

The both of them were in their diamond suite at Madam Cortelle's Palace of Rest. Soph was sat next to Lone, and Kyuubi was being held carefully by the man.

Nodding, he answered, "Please do. This could be super helpful both to get those three to safety and for a myriad of other future situations."

"Em, okay." Soph closed her eyes and imagined the gruff man who shared her height. She made sure to get a very clear picture of him in her head then said, "Remembrance Teleportation."

Like a candle being snuffed, Soph winked out of existence. Lone who was cuddling the sleeping Kyuubi wore a shocked expression. "Wow... It actually worked? So a person can be a place?"

Mere moments later, Soph returned, so Lone asked, "Are they in The Glade?"

"Um... no..." Soph replied as she scratched her cheek bashfully.

Lone cocked his head to one side as he stroked Kyuubi's fluffy tail, resulting in the baby girl purring like a kitten. "How come?"

"Well, uh, Grimsley started shouting that he would never leave Grelda... Um, Grelda is the name of the ship, apparently. Shana and Gilbert were sleeping, but I didn't really wanna argue with him about the ship, so em, can you come with me this time?" Soph asked with a light blush on her face.

'She's so cute...' Lone unconsciously thought before he nodded. "Sure. Let me into The Glade."

"Okay, thanks," she happily responded.

Once Lone was in Eolande's pocket dimension, Soph teleported once again, leaving the hotel suite.

"Hmm?" Grimsley snorted. "Ah told ye naw tae come back unless ya can bring Grelda anaw."

Soph ignored the dwarf and opened The Glade, allowing Lone to step out onto the ship's deck. "Wow. There're thousands of souls in the ocean... They're monsters, not fish, judging solely from their strength..."

Grimsley's eyes almost popped out of his skull. "Where the fook did ye come fae?!"

"Would you stop shouting!" a grouchy voice yelled from below deck. As he scratched his neck, a two-horned White Dragonkin stumbled on deck in just his skivvies. "Are you getting startled by monsters again? I told you, didn't I? Shana and I already set up our Gravity Domains, so... so... Lone? Sophie?"

Lone grinned and put a hand on Soph's head. "This is Soph, not Sophie, and yeah, it's been a while, you two."