"Hey, NERO! Wake up!" [Gluttatosk] mercilessly screamed.

"WHY?!" [Nero] roared as he opened his eyes.

"They to want to train." [Gluttatosk] enlightened the Halloween Cat while gesturing over toward the motley of Monster Knights and Clive.

...I guess that Clive wants to start getting powerful. I'm tired… Oh well~ It's time to wake! Assuming my most handsome form, I promptly decided to grab my commodities. Yesh… Infant Lantern, Cursed Broom, Coins, Barrel, and (Hob)Goblin King in tow… I began to make my way back to the Wailing Keep. It's an early evening, tonight! We seek only the finest of breaded Fish to satiate our hungers! Lianix has been craving my so called 'pink Fish'. She believes they taste best when breaded and let's just say that my interests have been piqued; okay? The Fish Mongerer is BACK! NyAH!~

"Mary," [Nero] began after slamming the Kitchen door open, effortlessly juggling the cluster of items and Goblin with a wry smile.

"...What's going on?" [Sable Ferretkin Chef] asked with an innocent expression.

"Just accept it…" [Mary] grumbled while seeming heavily exhausted.

"Salmonetti… Breaded and drizzled in the spiciest sauce that you can muster..." [Fish Mongerer] beckoned while fighting back the urge to drool.

"...That." [Roah] hastily agreed while nodding his head and beginning to regain his composure.

"Ahh… So you've moved on to the Salmonetti, have you?" [Mary] asked while raising an eyebrow.

"It came to me in a dream… It hadn't occurred to me, that I had yet to attempt every single dish that our dearest Mary had to offer." [Nero] confessed while glaring off into the distance with a look of sorrow.

"...Wait, what?" [Sable Ferretkin] asked while tilting her head to the side with eyes wide.

"I don't believe that I've formally introduced the two of you yet… This, is our Savior; and undoing… The Fish Mongerer." [Mary] explained while glaring at the Halloween Cat with a blank expression as she began to halfheartedly grab some Salmonetti from a nearby fridge.

"E-Eh?" [Sable Ferretkin] let out, eternally confused.

"I came straight away!" [Gluttatosk] gasped as he emerged from the doorway with an entirely new set of wounds.

"Oh… We forgot you at the Beach…" [Roah] muttered while side-eyeing the Halloween Cat currently bent up over a countertop as he watched the fairest of Cat Crewomen work tirelessly.

"An extra serving for the cretin?" [Sable Ferretkin] asked while pointing toward the Land Shark.

"Yeah… Serve it common." [Mary] muttered.

"If you don't mind… Could you do that thing that you do with the berries?" [Nero] asked while holding his head in his hands with a dreamy expression.

"Flavor pops?" [Mary] asked with a knowing expression.

"Yeah… Just not too much. I don't want it to splash back at me, you know?" [Nero] shot back while side-eyeing the Cat Crewoman.

"I've found that slightly drying the berries out before baking them tends to lessen the impact… Do you wish to try those?" [Mary] begged the question while raising an eyebrow.

"Please." [Nero] calmly accepted the proposal before forcefully bowing to the Chef Sama.

"...Don't break your head or anything… The countertops in here won't break easily, you know…" [Mary] muttered while observing the greatly wounded Halloween Cat.

The meal that I'm about to feast upon… It's going to be far more valuable than the roughly 19000 damage that I just took from slamming my own head into the nearly indestructible countertop… Which actually managed to gain a crack, for a split moment~ I'm ready. I'm here for it. This dish, is going to be the pinnacle of Fish; or I'll be taking it up with the Broom. That twisted old hag… She's going to have a thing or two to hear about if this goes south. Invading my dreams every single day without fail only to harass me about everything that I do is one thing... But invading my dreams to suggest a terrible meal order is another... An unspeakable… Nay; an unforgivable act if I must say.

New idea… What if I have two children? Yeah… I could choose one to be my Heir; the one who would continue to lead the Empire and gain immeasurable fortune… And another to be the Champion, gaining immeasurable power to later win the Clan War; and overtake Halloween... Problem? I don't understand why most of the noble families around here seem to only have one or two children. It seems to me that having multiple would be far more beneficial… It allows for the possibility of an unruly child to take up their own mantle. Think about Cetilla for a split moment… She has no siblings, and due to her own unquenchable whims; her bloodline has no hope to have a head for their household. She'd honestly rather not be around… And will probably end a several centuries long lineage of nobility within Reygid. Even if she manages to have a child, the chances of that child coming of age and choosing to stay within Reygid indefinitely in order to head the Vellisroi household BEFORE Veronica and Roy pass away are slim. Those two need to live long enough to have several adult grandchildren… In this day and age. No wonder Roy stopped participating in wars directly… It's Cetilla. Speak of the devil... she hath arrived in the Dining Hall; and is now approaching our ensemble as we await our feast.

"Roah… I don't understand how you can fall for someone who zones off into space like that constantly." [Gluttatosk] muttered. To which, he received new wounds and found himself crumpled up like a paper ball on the far side of the Dining Hall.

"Nero… Don't listen to him. It's about what you do when you're actually paying attention~" [Roah] reassured the Halloween Cat with a gentle smile.

"What's all this about?" [Cetilla] asked after taking her rightful seat at the table.

"Gluttatosk being a… How did the Ferretkin put it? A… Cretin?" [Nero] explained with a smile.

"Agh… That thing's easily the weakest link. Why don't we just replace it with Grollicus? Let the Tree be the 5th Cat Crewman instead?" [Cetilla] nonchalantly begged the question while shrugging her shoulders.

"Honestly, not a terrible idea… There's just one problem." [Nero] shot back while side-eyeing the Land Shark.

"He's too powerful… There's nowhere to send him that he can gain power at this point, other than perhaps the Orc Mountains…" [Roah] muttered with a dejected expression.

"Precisely. He scares away the Tides… He fails to mere One-Eyed-Slimes… And his one redeeming quality is his hunger. He'd fail against intense magical attacks, but he'd win if it were always a one-on-one close ranged battle. We can't leave him alone in the Cobra Caves, either. He'd probably get lost." [Nero] remarked while visibly uncertain.

"Oh! We can instruct him to train the Potamin Crabs!" [Roah] exclaimed with an excited expression.

"They were the only surviving race originally inhabiting the Forsaken Isles… Gluttatosk has been raising two of them in the depths of the basement… And researching methods to Evolve them..." [Nero] muttered before continuing…

"Has his work come to any sort of conclusion?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide as he glanced toward Roah.

"Most certainly… He managed to help both of his Potamin Crabs Evolve, several times over. One of them in particular is quite frightening… It has even been deemed the Potakolip King, and remained faithful to its peer… Dubbing her the Potriola Queen. The other Potamin Crabs on the Forsaken Isles might be easier coerced into following Gluttatosk's lead if they see their Monarchs acting under him… But they'd need something to fight after training for their Evolutions." [Roah] masterfully explained the situation while puffing out his chest and flexing his immaculate pectoral muscles.

"So… Rita, Roah, Ben, Vana, Orianna, Cetilla, Rosa, Chiffona-Cya-Macaroon, Grollicus and the two unnamed Potamin Crabs can all produce royal hakis of some level. That makes 12 of us." [Nero] muttered with a growing smile.

"We still need at least 9 more if we are to have aided every race that we have inflicted with our cullings… And your own actions." [Roah] remarked with a dejected expression.

"You'll fix it, probably~" [Cetilla] sighed.

"Hey… Over half is still a passing grade. I'll try to solve it, but helping the Goblins takes my first priority. After they're properly fed, we can move on to properly feeding the other creatures… Lessening their war, and causing an increase in their birth-rates." [Nero] shot back with a tired expression.

"Ah… So, we're going to distract them from each other by keeping their mouths full so that we can treat them as livestock for the impending cullings?" [Cetilla] asked with a wry smile.

"Ehh-Uh… I guess?" [Nero] muttered with eyes wide as one of them suddenly began to twitch.

"We could always just try to leave them be, and pluck a few of them from the pack before sending them off to gain easy kills near the Beach?" [Roah] offered while shrugging his shoulders.

"Makes sense. Let's do that. There's no need to continue staging cullings if we have Dungeons." [Nero] agreed with a smile as he nodded his head. To which, Cetilla grumbled.

"Nero… It's going to be absolute torture for people to fight the Tides while also protecting a weak Deer or Spider which doesn't even know friend from foe." [Cetilla] groaned.

"...I see your point. Incredibly strong individuals cant lead the way… But perhaps a Tier 7 or 8 individual could manage it on their own?" [Nero] suggested with an optimistic expression.

"It's not impossible… But they should also have someone competent to support them from unexpectable attacks." [Roah] explained while visibly thinking.

"Okay, but what if the creature gets too strong for them to handle?" [Cetilla] asked while shaking her head.

"If a creature gets too powerful… We can always jump in and drag it away to face a different challenge within Halloween. If we keep a few different people raising monsters at a time on different sides of the Beach… Then we might be able to obtain several unruly yet also powerful critters, and can force them into fighting each other in a safer environment… Under Grollicus' watchful eye." [Nero] explained with a wry smile.

"If all of the creatures in the cullings start off as being somewhat powerful, then the cullings will progress far quicker; and it won't cost as many lives to the population of the Lost Kingdom as it did before." [Roah] remarked before smiling.

"We've outsourced mass cullings…" [Cetilla] muttered with eyes wide.

"Food's here~" [Mary] chimed in while carrying the three dishes toward the motley.

"Ah… Thank you." [Nero] replied with a blissful expression.

"Gluttatosk not eating any longer?" [Mary] asked while side-eyeing the Land Shark.

"No… You can toss his dish to me. Cetilla can have mine." [Roah] explained with a thumb held high.

"How kind…" [Nero] mumbled.

"She'd slay me if I knowingly gave her the worse dish." [Roah] explained with a terrified expression, while admirably holding a strong smile the entire way through.

"Oh." [Nero] let out before turning to taste his highly anticipated meal.

Oh… 'Oh' is right~ This Fish… Lianix! We're good. Yep… It's great. It breaks in my mouth, but only after a slight nibble… In which, it truly breaks. All. Over. My. Tongue. The moisture, still lightly held within the tenderness of the inner Fish… The crispy exterior, guided across the skin by the flow of my saliva, crumbling more and more with each passing moment… Colliding with the already ripped open flesh of the Salmonetti… Mixing into a chaotic mess of absolute perfection! It's FREAKIN' NEXT LEVEL! By the time that I had reached the berry… I had lost myself. Every last piece of me was gone in the wake of its glory… It was then, at that very moment; when the berry broke in my blessed mouth… And unleashed its fury, instilling total ecstasy within me… That I had decided I would feast upon this very meal every single night before I had Prestiged. Yesh… How could I possibly not? It was the greatest meal that I hath ever feasted upon, since… Ever. Mary's my chosen Deity. Screw Janus and his three cups on instant Ramen! Give me more Enchanted, Breaded Salmonetti cooked to perfection and inserted with slightly dried flavor pop spiral Berries from the old Goblin Village!

"So you don't want the Ramen?" [Janus] asked with a tired expression while raising an eyebrow.

"-utting-Janus! You need to stop interrupting all of our conversations!" [Cetilla] shot back while getting up from her chair and pointing a finger toward the God.

"No one cares about your exchange with Rei, sweetie…" [Janus] exclaimed with a soft voice and a wide grin as he bent down and began to pat the Dutchess' shoulder.

"Oh… Hey, Rei~" [Nero] greeted with a smile.

"Hello!~" [Rei] replied while waving toward the dazed Halloween Cat.

"I still want them… But can't we get a better brand?" [Nero] asked while turning to face Janus.

"That's the cheapest one… Don't get picky~" [Janus] scoffed while snubbing the Halloween Cat.

"...The amount that you can help is decided based on consumer value?" [Nero] asked with an exasperated expression.

"That, and the distance from which my apartment back on Earth is away from the nearest grocery store selling Instant Ramen." [Janus] explained with a distant gaze.

"...What?" [Nero] muttered.

"Look… I've been playing around back on Earth for about twenty years or so, and have my own identity down there… But I only have a part-time job because it's strictly for my own leisure… So I don't have very much money. I'm not about to spend a whole ton on you, and then get accosted by another God seeking further benefits given to their Champions… I just can't afford to give you all a ton of stuff, or I'll become a part-time slave. 3 cups of that brand are something I can manage, even if I need to buy it for every single Holiday Clan Leader within Melchiodore." [Janus] explained with a nonchalant expression.

"...Why are you so absolutely typical?" [Nero] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"Why are you so absolutely weak?" [Janus] shot back with a smile.

"Why is your Rebirth System so poorly explained?" [Nero] asked with a wry smile.

"Why is the most powerful Allwe Halloween Clansman Candidate on the entire continent within your domain yet also not even Captured?" [Janus] asked while furrowing his eyebrows.

"Why am I the only Cat on the continent? Doesn't that seem suspicious to you? Where are my birthparents?" [Nero] asked while squinting.

"Why is your greatest goal to one day have suitable Heirs?" [Janus] asked while shrugging his shoulders.

"Why do you feel entitled to request me to win Halloween for you if you can barely ever be bothered to shed any useful information for my quest?" [Nero] asked while raising his aviators.

"Why can't you control your tails yet? You've been a Cat for months now~" [Janus] sneered before sipping his coffee.

"Why can't you conjure yourself some money to spend back on Earth… Or perhaps, conjure the Ramen itself? You're a God..." [Nero] spat back with eyes wide.

"Why can't you find any Candy Men? You lead two Kingdoms..." [Janus] asked while stifling a laugh.

"Roah!" [Nero] angrily shouted as he took a stand and slammed both hands down onto the table.

"Eh?!" [Roah] let out with a confused expression.

"Please find Rudou for me. I need to speak with him." [Nero] beckoned with a terrifying smile.

"Right away." [Roah] exclaimed with a nod before rampaging out of the Wailing Keep.

"Good luck." [Janus] said with a calm voice before disappearing as he began to take another sip of his coffee.

"What are we doing?" [Cetilla] asked with a smile.

"I've recently become acquainted with a Candy Woman… And we also know of one particularly skilled one within Reygid. I'm thinking that with our connections, we'll be able to greaten the search for necessary ingredients overseas." [Nero] explained before taking a seat once more.

"It was that Idol girl, Edith; I think." [Rei] explained with a smile.

"What are we in need of?" [Cetilla] begged the question while twirling her hair.

"Orange Peels, Rose Petals, Pecans, and Sugar weighed in the tons." [Nero] confessed with a tired expression.

"Yikes… We can find some of the Rose Petals and Sugar in Reygid, but Orange Peels and Pecan are not easily found. I hate to say it… But Orpia grows Oranges." [Cetilla] explained with a look of uncertainty.

"Either way, we'll need to get all of the ingredients overseas. We need too much of them to leave it all for Reygid." [Nero] replied with a dejected expression.

"Funding Candy seems way more costly than just waiting around like usual…" [Cetilla] sighed.

"It honestly doesn't seem like a very lucrative business venture~" [Rei] agreed while nodding her head.

"Nah… We'll save some, but we'll lose our own time… Or, I'll lose my own time; as I'll need to make another trip to Monastazia." [Nero] grumbled.

"Uhm… Nah. I want to go to Monastazia too~" [Cetilla] shot back with a smile.

"Can we go at night?!" [Rei] asked with an excited expression.

"You'd better be on good behavior… I don't plan on staging a revolt there for awhile..." [Nero] groaned.

"Yes, yes… We must abuse their City as a Trade Center until we're ready for another war… I know!" [Cetilla] remarked with a pompous attitude.

"Losing your marbles has really calmed you down, huh?" [Nero] sneered while winking.

"Why would I rush into battle if I wasn't at full strength?" [Cetilla] shot back while tilting her head to the side.

"You say that now… But just wait until you feel insulted~" [Rei] laughed.

"I'll have you know that I possess a great temper." [Cetilla] remarked with a proud expression as she lifted her head toward the sky.

"How do you figure?" [Nero] asked, now intrigued.

"This ought to be good~" [Rei] scoffed.

"I allow all of those beneath me to call me by name, and not title." [Cetilla] confessed with a smile.

"You gave up your title when you chose to be an Adventurer, and even went so far as to proclaim yourself an Sorceress rather than a Lady." [Nero] shot back with a tired expression.

"Regardless of my goals, I still possess the right to rule as Dutchess of Reygid; or perhaps even Queen should I usurp that Lionkin… Hence, my allowing those clearly beneath me to call me by my name is a true testament to my own temper." [Cetilla] explained with absolute, and unexpected grace.

"Very well. I secede this argument to you. Truly, you are an astonishingly great and humble being; Cetilla Vellisroi… Rightful Dutchess of Reygid." [Nero] declared with a snide expression.

"Yep, she's too good for us meow~" [Rei] sighed with a smile.

"The Cat Crew is fine, but thank you." [Cetilla] smugly shot back.

"Your grace… I couldn't possibly call you by name!" [Nero] dramatically gasped.

"No, infact; I must insist… I know where this is leading~" [Cetilla] sighed.

"Oho? Where to, might I wonder?" [Nero] asked with a wry smile.

"You call me as your greater, and I wind up being thrown the job of handling Reygid. It's a fool's errand. I won't be participating~" [Cetilla] explained with a smile.

"Fine, you win... I'll rule the Empire~" [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders.

"An Empire? Surely you jest… Two Kingdoms is one thing, but an Empire?" [Rudou] chimed in with a grin as he entered the Dining Hall alongside Roah.

"It's been a long-held aspiration of ours, but that's a topic for another day; or year." [Nero] grumbled.

"Well, pour some drinks and be a proper host for me; will you? I've got a feeling that tonight, you'll want to talk for hours~" [Rudou] flamboyantly beckoned.

"Very well... Scarecrows! Please fetch me a new barrel~ This one's nearly finished..." [Nero] commanded while raising his Lantern.

"...No flames going to spontaneously emerge this time around?" [Rudou] asked with a nervous expression.

"Some of them must have been nearby a barrel, and in Halloween. They'll be here in a few moments." [Nero] explained with a smile before filling a glass from his barrel.

"Ah… So, what is this I heard about Empires?" [Rudou] asked with a smile.

"The other Holiday Clan Leaders rallied several of the Kingdoms in their attempts to quell the Dungeons… So I should probably do the same. The Lost Kingdom doesn't have any seriously pressing Dungeons right now, so it made sense to have them support a nearby Kingdom. In this case, yours. What happens after we help you all to save your Kingdom? How will your people feel about us?" [Nero] explained with a serious expression as he removed his aviators and placed them down onto the table.

"If history serves as any reminder to how our people have treated the Clan Leaders who achieved greatness… They'd probably worship you if you could help them defeat the Dungeons plaguing these lands." [Rudou] remarked with a calculated expression.

"Would their worship be strong enough to entice them toward helping me save the Elves from their own Dungeons… Or perhaps, the Witches?" [Nero] asked with a smirk.

"Tough call, but I see where you're going with this." [Rudou] replied with a skeptical glance.

"Nero… I believe that you may be overlooking something rather important." [Cetilla] chimed in with a sharp gaze.

"Hm?" [Nero] turned to face the Sorceress.

"You've convinced several others to lay their lives down for your cause through other means… Surely, defeating the Dungeons is not the only course of action that one such as yourself might take to gain favor within Reygid." [Cetilla] remarked with a grin.

"Clothing Villagers, Cursing the gravely wounded in order to resurrect them as Vampires, rescuing captives, orphans, or homeless, promising or instilling power, promising or bestowing a chance to reproduce, promising to save the nation, promising a safe chance for immortality, bestowing a chance for honor, delicious food, an enjoyable lifestyle, and luxurious shelter." [Roah] recited effortlessly with a smile.

"Hmm… Yeah, I guess we could probably come up with a few new methods to rally comrades…" [Nero] sighed while shrugging his shoulders.

"You've kept rather busy, it would appear~" [Rudou] muttered with a look of astonishment.

"Master… Your barrel." [Daphnic] solemnly exclaimed as she knelt down beside the Halloween Cat and placed the barrel down alongside a fellow Scarecrow.

"Thank you kindly~" [Nero] sighed with a smile before taking more glasses and filling it them from the two barrels, before passing them out to all of those present.

"Cheers… To raising an Empire~" [Cetilla] exclaimed with a grin as she raised her glass.

"Cheers!" [Nero & Roah] screamed with excitement.

"Cheers!" [Rudou] chimed in with a nervous laugh.

"By the way, we originally called you because of our desperate need for Orange Peels, Pecans, Sugar, and Rose Petals. We need too many of them, to be frank. I haven't done the calculations yet, but I'm thinking… Somewhere around 1400 Gold Coins worth, spread out between those ingredients. Sugar is by far, the most important of all the ingredients, and should likely come counted as around 40 percent of the needs in pure quantity, not price." [Nero] explained with a tired expression.

"Good grief… You'll overwork me to death trying to calculate this issue whilst planning a purchase order..." [Rudou] groaned.

"Nero's good at that~" [Rei] sneered with a mischievous glance.

"It's fine if you can work through the order in increments… I doubt that we could make use of it all in one go; regardless. It's far too late for us to be deciding to wait around on the order's completion, either." [Nero] confessed while shrugging his shoulders.

"So it's not a pressing issue, but you're in desperate need of it?" [Rudou] asked with a mocking expression.

"I would honestly prefer to have as much of it as I can within the next few nights… But I'd understand if it were deemed an impossible order." [Nero] explained before lifting his glass to take another drink.

"The deadline is fast approaching, huh?" [Rudou] shot back with a wry smile. To which, Nero turned to face the (Hob)Goblin King.

"3 nights including this one if it is to be done before the festival." [Roah] chimed in with a knowing expression.

"You heard the King… Whatever possible, must be procured posthaste if it is to be of the truest help to our cause. Also, no charge." [Nero] declared with a terrifying expression.

"...No charge?" [Rudou] asked with eyes wide.

"No charge." [Nero] shot back with a smirk.

"It would appear that a long night for us to mingle is actually not in store… I must prepare you for the upcoming festival if I hope to find myself feasting upon the finest dishes served… I shall take my leave at once." [Rudou] declared whilst determinedly taking a stand, before turning to leave.

"Help us, Rudou… You are our only hope~" [Nero] called out with a smirk as he waved the Catkin off.

"I shan't falter!" [Rudou] screamed fervently before exiting the Dining Hall.

"He's insane…" [Cetilla] grumbled while side-eyeing the disappearing Catkin.

"No, Cetilla… He's a Merchant." [Nero] enlightened the Dutchess.

"But… You didn't offer him any Coins for his work…? Why is he so enthusiastic to take up the job?" [Rei] asked with a baffled expression.

"Aha~ That's just it… He's going to go off and calculate the generalized costs and make up a list for us. After he returns, I'll be the one to fly him to Monastazia where he can make full use of the Trading Power Metropolis. While he's there, ruthlessly attempting to complete my order; he'll undoubtedly come across materials requested by other wealthy and notable individuals of Reygid. With the Scarecrows to help him carry all of the goods, and the Hallowed Gate; he'll make light work of his orders. I've witnessed his masterful work with my very own eyes. Every time that I normally help Rudou complete his orders, he's sworn to grant me half of his earnings from each commission fulfilled… But this time, I'm not charging him for transportation. So… In this way, my requesting his aide with finding me ingredients; is actually working to his benefit." [Nero] explained with a mischievous smile.

"I see… You've found a way to swindle the greatest Trading Company of Reygid into fully prioritizing your own orders, without paying them a single Coin." [Rei] muttered while visibly thinking.

"Nero's been on his game these past few weeks… I'll be the first to admit it." [Cetilla] chimed in before taking a rather unladylike swig of her glass and demanding that it be refilled.

"Managing the Cat's Costumery was beginning to get easy… I figured that I should start new business ventures so that I could get more Candy… But it wasn't working out, so this is the solution. After the festival's success, I honestly debated the idea of having a nightclub… Or, a dayclub; really..." [Nero] confessed with a shrug as he effortlessly refilled Cetilla's glass and handed it back to her.

"A… Dayclub?" [Rei] asked while tilting her head to the side.

"A festival… Every single day, when the Clans(wo)men are usually confined to Halloween. We could sell food and drink, while showing the talents of the Bands(wo)men." [Nero] explained with a smile.

"That could be fun… But aren't most of them supposed to be getting freed soon?" [Rei] shot back while raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah… We couldn't do it until everything was back to normal again." [Nero] sighed.

"We could probably do the Festival of Night after that, as well~" [Cetilla] chimed in with a laugh.

"Oh! Wouldn't that be something?!" [Nero] asked with an excited expression.

"The Festival of Night?" [Rei] asked, eternally confused.

"Up north in the Forest of Witches, they have a Magic Arena. It's pretty much just an impenetrable location built for battle, and for putting on a show." [Nero] explained with a wry smile before being brutally interrupted.

"NERO! Come quick!" [Kendra] hysterically screamed from the doorway of the Wailing Keep.

"What's going on?" [Nero] asked with eyes wide as he picked his aviators up off the table and placed them on, before grabbing his Broom and Lantern as he turned to face the Kitsune.

"A Dragon is invading the City!" [Kendra] screamed in frustration.

"Say no more. Roah, get on." [Nero] beckoned with a look of determination as he hoisted himself up on Lianix. To which, Roah courageously took Nero's hand and got on behind him.

Moments later... Cetilla, Roah, and myself; were all flying out of the Wailing Keep, and into the skies above Reygid. Immediately upon exiting the Wailing Keep, we noticed it. It was quite obvious… To be frank, it's a huge balloon floating above the City. It's… A Dragon Shaped Balloon monster. I don't know whether to be relieved, or disappointed. The sheer madness going on outside is totally uncalled for… Everyone in the streets is panicking beyond belief, but the monster… It's a balloon. Guys! Calm down… It's not a big deal, right? I mean… A balloon? Cetilla and I are looking at each other with the exact same expression... Not impressed. She gets it! This is an absolute joke of a boss monster… Freaking… Red Dragon Shaped Balloon Monster… According to Roah, it's classified as a 'Fiery Dragoloon'... Tier 17. Name? Peter. Stupid... Stupid... STUPID!

It has high fire resistance, the very same as I. It floats, in a similar fashion to myself. It's incredibly cute, and way too large to be so cute; not unlike myself by any means. It has flame beam attacks… And I can't relate. Seriously… It just decimated half a freaking street of houses with one attack… And left a fiery trail in its path. I… Why? Why, Peter?! Who pissed in your rubber this evening?! Mustering all of my patience, I earnestly awaited the full report on stats and abilities from the valiant Roah… It took awhile. Long story short? The thing is weak to physical attacks of any caliber. Seriously… Conrad could probably finish it off if given a few minutes. All that thing's good for is long range, high burst damage, god-like fire talents, and high HP. It's not a big deal. Conrad can handle it. First thing's first… I'm madly rushing off to the Hallowed Orb. Sorry, I don't want that. I don't need that experience, and I'm within paw reach of the Wailing Keep. I'm releasing Conrad, and he's going to kill it himself; as most others seem too utterly terrified, or incapable of flight… And I honestly find this to be way too lucrative of a scenario. Conrad needs the experience.

Conrad… If you're listening to me… After I release you, you'd better go and kill that Fiery Dragoloon before returning to me… We've got 3 days to prepare for the next festival and I shan't have you missing them to go off on some joyride; got that?! Okay… [Release Clansman]! Moments later… Swirling orange light engulfed the pedestal of bones for a split moment… Before dispersing into thin air, and a notification appeared before me; stating 'Clansmen Released! Conrad (Aerial Reaper Crowli) has been let go.'

It's a done deal. Conrad shall get stronger before my highly anticipated Prestige. Turning to leave Halloween, I took Roah back to Peter; in our attempts to catch a glance at the battle. To our total dismay, Conrad defeated the beast in record time. We left the Wailing Keep to see the Fiery Dragoloon explode, and fizzle out into just a mere red balloon… A shadow of its former self, completely deflated of all life. Exactly how I feel… As I didn't get to watch it all happen. Looking up, Conrad's Evolved. He's… Way different. Not the same guy we all once knew and loved, that's for sure. He's changed, ladies and gentlemen… I, with the helpful knowledge from my dear friend and potential lover; Roah… Present to you, Conrad; the Tier 16; level 74039 Crowliphistador… Completely, and totally; committed to serving yours truly. Sort of. He's somewhat of a big-shot now, slightly unruly if I might add. He claims that he's debating on continuing his quest for growth meow… But he's willing to stay if he's granted the special right to be called my 'side'. It's a whole thing. Conrad is meow my side.

"Capture Clansmen!" [Nero] chanted with a smile as he raised his Lantern high into the sky, and obtained the Tier 16 Crowliphistador.

Name: Conrad

Race: Crowliphistador (Halloween)

Class: Aerial Reaper/King

Tier: 16

MP: 1280/1310720

P. DEF: 163840

M. DEF: 98304

STR: 327680

INT: 131072

DEX: 262144

LUK: 131072

AGI: 655360

Titles:

[Vulture+4], [Sky Reaper+3], [Basked in the Night+3], [100 Souls Harnessed], [Dragon Slayer], [Savior of Reygid], [King of Crows], [Halloween Clansmen]

Abilities Learned:

[Aerial Dive+4], [Sharpened Claws+2], [Enhanced Eyesight+1], [Flock Storm+1], [Enhanced Scent], [Aerial Maneuvers], [Shadow Sight], [Conjure 100 Crows], [Return to Shadows], [Shadow Flight], [Sense Dragon], [Return to Reygid], [Crow Enlightenment], [Call Crows], [King's Recommendation], [Return to Halloween]

Okay… Woah. Conrad… He… Somehow managed to do the unthinkable… He enhanced three different titles, multiple times. One of which, he didn't even possess before the Evolution. Never, have I EVER! [Basked in the Night]?! What is that?! PLUS 3?! Excuse me?! [Savior of Reygid]?! It was a BALLOON! He didn't even take damage from the battle! Honestly… I don't even want to think about the abilities that he gained from this ordeal. It's frightening. [Aerial Dive], the ability which effectively allows Conrad to make intensely more fast flight attacks if he's coming from above… Has been enhanced 3 additional times. Conrad meow has 655 THOUSAND AGI! No one will ever see the meteor coming… To top it all off, he gained… [Aerial Maneuvers]. He can meow perform sharper movements in the air. He's even sharpened his Claws… Which possess a whopping 327 thousand STR. He can conjure 100 Crows… Probably because he's undergone [Soul Merge]... But why did it take so long for him to fully harness them? He's gained an enhanced sense of smell to go with his ludicrous innate haki sensing abilities; which he still has yet to even gain an ability for. He's gained [Shadow Sight], though… He can meow see within Shadows… Which probably has something to do with how he can now [Return to Shadows]… And fly in them, using his [Shadow Flight] ability. Let's not forget… He can also meow [Sense Dragon]s. He's a boss monster, if that shadow thing is literally anything like how I imagine it to be… And we haven't even gotten into his aesthetics.

Conrad was previously like a Crow-Winged Grim Reaper… Wearing a Crow Skull. Almost… Like a Harpy Grim Reaper but a Crow. He was the size of a regular person. He had two skeletal arms, but he also had Crow-like legs, and Crow-like wings. Big ones, but still of the same nature. He had a cloaked black hood, covering his face from most sides, and orange fiery eyes to fill the shell of his skull. He was practically a flying Lich, really. His Talons are on his legs. He usually uses them to kill, but he can also flat out punch someone, or strangle them with his skeletal arms… He's capable of holding them in place for endless thrashings that way… Though I've never witnessed him attack someone with that method. He prefers to swipe at them cleanly, like all of the other Crows. Keeping a safe distance in-between strikes, only appearing for a quick combo.

Now, Conrad appears to be around four times the size of a regular person… Making him somewhat of a Giant. He also appears to have razer-like Talons. Seriously… I think he could cut through stone like it were paper. There are orange flames radiating from the tips of his wings, matching his eyes and inner mouth. There are small, probably Tier 1 Crows flying around him, really… All over the place; which only started to appear a few moments ago. These Crows are different from regular Crows, though… They all have orange flame eyes, and they're all slightly skeletal. They have bones showing, in patches… But they all have entirely exposed skulls. Looking at his stats… It would appear that each Crow he conjures, also happens to reduce his own overall stats. He gets a negative number beside each stat. I would assume that if he conjures 100 Crows, he loses all power in the main body. It seems like such a strange ability to haphazardly practice for fun in his leisure… But now that I think about it, Conrad can do a whole lot with this ability. Think about all of the Islands we can find if we have Conrad orchestrating a fleet consisting of 100 Crows?! All we must do is protect his heart! Honestly… Even dividing Conrad's current strength into 100… He's still multitudes stronger than he was at Tier 6. Each of these tiny Crows could actually be incredibly powerful, if we were to fully heal Conrad. I'd assume that they're all capable of casting any of his abilities, other than perhaps; the King class abilities, or the [Conjure 100 Crows] itself. Mini Conrads… So cute. The only thing they're missing is humanoid arms~ Ack! They have small little embers dropping from the tips of their wings… I think I'm infatuated with these tiny things.

After a heavy debate, we have decided to spend our night outside. Directly outside of the Wailing Keep, to be exact. We're enjoying our drinks as we watch the small Crowliphistae play. Yesh… Officially dubbed, the Crowliphista; or Crowliphistae if plural. Roah knows all. Also, Gluttatosk woke up a little while ago; and is meow in the corner whilst desperately attempting to break down rubber. He's doing his darn best to make sure that Peter's remains don't go to waste. 'A meal's a meal'. A Land Shark near you approves of this message. After watching the playful little rascals, and Gluttatosk's struggle for around half an hour as we talked about the possibility of me focusing most of my experience from the Prestige onto Luna on account of how Conrad slew a Dragon… Rudou reappeared with a small stack of papers in paw, forcing me to abandon my quest to snub Conrad; and yield… Promising a fair pay to each of the two vital creatures. At least, until I return and get another chance to bargain with the newly titled Crow King.

Flying to Monastazia was a pleasant time. Cetilla joined us in the flight, carrying Rudou for me. It gave me the perfect amount of room to allow Roah to join us, and Conrad chose to come along as well. Him, and around 50 Crowliphistae. We appear to be a swarm, but we're bluffing. Cetilla's hard pressed on marbles, I'm carrying no Candy, Roah's probably still injured, and Conrad's got as much collective MP as a Tier 6 Crowli. We're pitifully weak, but we pack a strong physical punch if we dodge your abilities. We're carrying all of my Coins, just incase. I happen to possess 1 Diamond Coin, and around 1450 Gold Coins; if I'm correct. Cetilla's got her own assets, as does Roah. They're both looking for goods as well. Roah wants to get an absurd amount of high quality lumber, and stone. He wants to send raw materials to the Goblins. Cetilla's looking for new marbles to embed MP into, and also wishes to purchase a few Crowns. According to Cetilla, we can get some lofty additional stats for our beloved Kings if we give them Crowns. Queens get Tiaras. Obviously, the jewels embedded into the accessories matter when debating on giving one to a King or Queen. They need particular jewels depending on their own elements. Not just any Crown will do. One must take into account, the size of their head. Nyah~

Thinking back on it, Conrad needs Talon Guards. It's terrible. He's reached an even higher level than me, and he doesn't even possess a Legendary Cursed Weapon. Yikes. I would hate to be in that position. We need to get him something as soon as possible. Sadly, Legendary Talon Guards are probably kind of rare. Probably almost as rare as Legendary freaking Lanterns... He'll need to settle for a custom piece, fashioned by none other; than Vigi the Minotaur. He's my preferred Blacksmith. Dwarves aren't necessary if you have Minotaurs. Let's be real~ Who would you rather have slaving away over your overly luxurious infant Weapon? A hulking, hot Minotaur with a gruff voice or a small, stubby Dwarf with a long beard? Take the Minotaur. Thank me later~

I was thinking such things as Roah helped me to drink from the tap of the barrel while flying. Roah's the real MVP. Couldn't have done it without him. I don't even mind the thing that he's doing right now. It's fine. Now that I think about it… Rei's won. She's undoubtedly figured it out by meow, and Cetilla might even know. Turning to face Roah, he holds an unwavering smile; seeming completely relaxed and at ease. I suppose that it's fine. Looking around, it would appear that Rudou is giving Cetilla a lecture on how to re-enter Noble society. Veronica and Roy aren't the only ones who believe Cetilla should settle down and take on the family name~ Thing is, Rudou's not suggesting a complete and total return to her old lifestyle… Since we're technically overseeing and protecting Reygid; deciding laws and whatnot… He believes that she could naturally take up the rank of Dutchess even while continuing to live as she does. Nothing really needs to change, but she would do well to at least try and see what it's like to manage the family farming business… For the event that Roy falls ill. Also, she needs to attend the upcoming ball. There's a ball. A ball for Nobles, and the wealthier few of high society throughout Reygid, Vanheim, Nidallia, and Dwalynna; the Dwarven Fortress. It's to be the event of the season. Be there, or you're not even worth a care. The only ones not attending, are the Witches. They're mostly all Femme-Elitists who wouldn't dare sully themselves at an event filled with Men, so they aren't coming.

I'd like to be there… But it doesn't seem likely to properly match up with my schedule. I'll be a weakling by the time it starts… I'd be embarrassed to even show my face. Then again, I have Lianix. She should make me quite powerful from the get-go… But I'd have no abilities. If anyone appraised me… I'd be finished. All of Noble society would see me, the ruler of Reygid… Appearing as a small, overwhelmingly high powered, Tier 1 Halloween Cat. It could literally end me. Next time, on 'How to Spark Rebellion Within a Week!'... I'd need Cetilla to back me up, but thankfully; she's set to attend. Roah would be nice, as well. Grollicus and Conrad would need to make an appearance… I can see it meow~ We would arrive, while being carried by the hundred Crows; all fully healed. We could keep a few of them on our sides at all times. I could actually have some hidden within my clothing, capable of flying out at any given time… Or even flying me; by lifting my clothes. On arrival, we could conjure a Hallowed Gate; and have the Scarecrows exit through it, to clear a path for us to walk to the Castle. We'll probably conjure it in the courtyard. They'll kneel at our sides, and secretly… We could have all of the Wraiths fly directly under the surface of the ground, into the Castle while hiding out of sight. Some of those present might be able to sense them, but they'll be incapable of doing anything about it. When the time comes for us to leave, all of the Crows will vacate my clothes; or return from the shadows alongside the Wraiths… To escort us out, and make clear of where their loyalties lie. The Scarecrows would be awaiting us outside, to finish their job at escorting us out. In addition, we could have Grollicus standing near the Gate; protecting it while the ball is actually in progress. Luna and Benji could even be sitting on his shoulder; alongside a few others. With a show of power like that… I'd find it difficult to assume that any would dare strike against us, even if I were pitifully low leveled.

But if I did this… There wouldn't be much of a point to me laying low after my Prestige. Should I… Proudly declare that I've weakened, to show that I don't value my own strength...? Our power does not lie solely within me, or something to that effect? Don't forget about these guys, teehee? Reygid's stronger than ever, with the help of the recently reclaimed Monster Kingdom and the rising sect of Allwe? Are we calling it that again meow? The Monster Kingdom? If we're being honest… I'd prefer that we call it the Allies of Allwe, but that's just me. I'd just… For the Allwessistant Dott… I'd like to spread the word of Allwe. Unlike Sophie, or Lilica, I won't be spreading the name of Nero forever… I want to name our line to be remembered as Allwe. We could be forgotten individually… But Allwe shall not. Besides… We'll remember what really went down here~ We're the ones that matter, right Conrad? Yep. Ahh… Monastazia is approaching~

That beautiful, rusty, highly magical City… Monastazia. The technology here almost rivals the Wailing Keep. It's just… More logical. The Wailing Keep thrives off of bottomless nonsensical abyss magic, which probably works like a vacuum on this realm. This stuff, it's of a different breed. It works alongside science, generating electricity with their water dam. Also, it's mixed with some form of Rune magic. The Mousekin of old drew magic circles on a lot of their devices, allowing them to make use of certain magic types in exchange for completing actions or expending MP. For example, a Mousekin might fly a Kite infused with Wind Extraction magic, allowing the Kite to continue flying for longer than naturally possible… As the Kite begins to exude Wind magic to keep itself afloat when there is no natural wind to make use of. It's very common-play around here, but none of the Mousekin seem to understand how to actually draw the Runes… Or how to actually operate the dam. They know how to slightly fix things, but that's just about it. All of that knowledge… Was somehow wiped away from their culture, while they all continued living on; absolutely fine. It makes little to no sense. Above all else, I would like to learn how this lack of knowledge came to be. Something just doesn't add up with this picture! Detective Nero shall solve this case, though it might take him awhile. He's quite the busy Cat, you see~

I'd like to say that I'd be doing it for the unfortunate enough Mousekin who happen to appear more Human than Mouse… But really? I'm doing it for the Runes. I want the Runes. Rune magic shall make an appearance within the Forsaken Isles. I'm absolutely positive about it. We need Rune magic. It could probably solve all sorts of problems, we need it. That's why, I made sure to ask Roah to keep an eye out for anyone with a hysterically suspicious ability. I'm thinking… Memory magic is the cause of the lack in understanding around here. Someone particularly strong, is wiping the memories of every single citizen… Or a few extremely notable citizens. We need to check up on Scholars, Craftsmen, and Nobility. Those three social circles… I just find it incredibly hard to believe that none of them have been affected by some form of magic. What worries me most, is that the case may already be too cold. According to Rudou, this lack of Rune magic understanding is not a new ordeal. It's been like this, for centuries. It would be absurd to assume that the culprit is still alive, right? Seriously, though… Not a single record containing information on Rune magic in the entire City? This City is massive… It's larger than Reygid, that's for damned sure. If we had, say… 15000 creatures in our three locales; including the Chasms as entirely our own domain... This City has 50000 creatures. At least. There must be records.

As far as civilians go, I basically just see Mousekin. There are also less appealing creatures hiding beneath the streets… But it's basically Mousekin. At some point in time, all the weak little Mice decided to pack their bags… And make use of their ridiculous technology to build this place. Either that, or this place is a Dungeon which the Mousekin have conquered and continue to conquer even to this night. One way or another, these Mousekin had some serious influence as a nation during their prime. How... How do you manage to group together even just 20000 of the same breed?! It's practically impossible with this messed up world! The rest of us are all just trying to freaking survive… Yet these guys built a freaking Steam Punk themed island AND managed to forget the whole thing! As if it were simply too forgettable, the mere deed of building this run-down UTOPIA! I'm upset... I'm very upset. If I worked up some incredible way to easily build a City, and have it maintained for potentially even centuries later… Absolutely fine, even in my absence… And then the whole damn lot of them absolutely forgot how I did it, or even who did it to begin with... I'd be assuming dominance within Halloween and rewriting the rules of the system simply to get the nuclear codes aimed at that coordinate. It's insulting. Lilica and Sophia have practically been immortalized in tales or by religious followings… And they barely even did anything. They maybe stopped a Dungeon or two, they definitely rallied a couple Kingdoms… But they didn't build a dream City.

Whoever did it, assuming that the Mousekin didn't all forget their own hard work, and actually didn't build the City… Didn't deserve to be forgotten. Neither the Mousekin deserved to forget about it, nor the individual(s) responsible deserved to be forgotten. It leaves a very sour taste in my mouth, so even if I can't unravel the hidden mysteries behind Rune magic… I'd at least like to try and figure out the original source behind it… As many details about them as possible. For once in my two lives, I'd like to watch an autobiography. That's why… We're heading to the School. Yesh… It's the one, the only… The illustrious 'School for fine, young Mice'. We're searching for a Library, but we'd also like to speak with the Headmaster… And at least glance at as many Professors as we can. Rudou's currently off handling all of the business, with the help of the Scarecrows. Cetilla, Roah, and Conrad have all been filled in on the plan, and we're invested. Cetilla's also quite interested to learn about Rune magic, and Roah's intent on learning it in order to help the Goblins. Conrad's too stoic to admit his reasonings for joining the spy group, but he's coming along for the trip. Great minds think alike. Imagine… Me, possessing Rune magic!~ It could be my ultimate trump card… That Hoen Cat could never predict that I'd venture down such an obscure path of magic, and neither could the others! We had absolutely no abilities related to Rune magic on birth, but if we can actually manage learning other abilities… This route is quite ideal.

It can only work if we can obtain hidden documents, or convince the Monarchy to spill the details. One of the two, please! Rune magic! Let's pray on it, shall we? Incredible haki... Please work your wonders, and obtain us every audience desired! Should do the trick~ We haven't gotten an audience yet, we're currently waiting outside of his Office. His name is Headmaster Gerald Troffington. His Secretary was a Firamousekin… Which is probably something to do with Fire, judging by her apparel. She's got red eyes, black fur circles around them… And white fur. She's got glasses, and seems to be diligently working a Quill as she cavalierly speaks with Roah about all manner of things. He's a charmer~ It's all small talk, so I doubt that it has anything to do with the case… Rather, Cetilla and I are currently deadlocked down the hall having an argument about whether Rune magic is actually what I should be endeavoring to learn right meow. It seems too difficult, and our lack of time is her current argument… But I see it in another light. If I continue doing business with Rudou, I'll be seeing this place quite a lot. It can't be helped. I'll need something to do while I'm here, so that I don't blow my entire fortune on overpriced souvenirs. So, why not insert myself directly into the plot and try to figure out what happened while I'm here every so often? Sounds better than casually leading a rebellion, right? Wrong. Cetilla's ALL about the idea of masterminding a long and drawn out, casual uprising. The more that we plan and prepare for it, the better. She wants to experience it all first paw, too. She wants to be there, by my side… Holding my Lantern for me as I give every single speech to the poorly treated Mousekin… Helping me sway them to fight, and train for their upcoming revolt.

Cetilla's got a point. It honestly seems like a rather enjoyable way to spend my winter. I've worked it out. Monastazia is southwest of the Forsaken Isles. It should be warmer here during the winter. It's the perfect place to relax, and nonchalantly form unbreakable levels of trust from vast quantities of a foreign nation's people. We can do it while we casually uncover the plot of a wonderfully kept, and desired state secret. It sounds wonderful. I'm all in. The Monastazia and Forsaken Isles Arc shall begin! Reygid is SO last season~ In with the new! I'm going to train my body on the Forsaken Isles in hopes of gaining new abilities, sharpen my wits in Monastazia in hopes of uncovering the secrets behind Rune magic, and allow my wonderfully competent family to harden their skin while they protect Reygid... I'm determined to see the Beastkin finally meet us eye to eye… And truly unionize alongside us. It hasn't happened yet… But I think that we're warming up to it. We'll know, when they start seriously signing up to be Monster Knights.

Now that I think about it… Most of my friends came to me simply due to lack of other choices. It's sad, and pathetic to think about… But it's true. Something happened along the way, which led them to join an unseemly yet promising; welcoming group like ours. Cetilla was tired of Reygid, and sought a far greater adventure. Roah, and all of the other Goblins… Well, I came to them. Eventually, I outsourced the need for them; and they chose to follow me as the tides had changed. I gave them clothes. I also added reassurance of safety due to my actions and growing power. I held killer parties, and I'd like to think that I... And the Monster Knights became a part of their Village. We're like Goblins meow. If we choose to leave and go somewhere, it only makes sense that the other Goblins join us; right? We're a team. Mary, Cindy, Jon, Christina, and Penny were all entrapped within the Lizardmen Pyramid. We broke them out of prison, so to speak… We gave them shelter, and food. Something to do, in Mary's case. A place to call home, and a growing family to spend time with. Mary was already fleeing something. Jon's literally lost. Christina and Penny are… Well, I don't really know why they continue to stay here. It might be the concerts, or immortality.

Kendra, Rustle, Rita, Cycleo, Gluttatosk, Benji, Lora, Hugo, Ben, and Wilson all hailed from the Lost Kingdom. They were the chosen ones of their respective races. The ones who rose above the rest, during the trials of brutality that we had once committed in attempts at bolstering the war potential of the Goblin Village. A united front would better help serve the greater good of the Kingdom. In exchange for their unyielding service, we are all directly responsible for the well-being of their peoples. They are, effectively… Tribes within the Monster Kingdom. Primitive, and barbaric; sure… But they're colonies of survivors; from a much greater time. They truly need to be protected. Seeing as how Ben and Rita became Monarchs… They are literally the last colony with a capable individual for their entire race. All of the stakes were on the Monster Kingdom for their races. The Potamin Crabs, Goblins, Caterpillars, and Harpies are all in the same boat. It's concerning. We have 3 confirmed endangered species on our paws, another 3 potential cases… And a whole lot of unknowns.

I know that I'm supposed to protect Reygid in the event that anything goes wrong… But other than the Dungeons or wars… I really have no purpose being here. I'm protecting this land, as this land holds a gate to my responsibility jar… And I'm using it as the target for the very first Dungeons that our militia shall conquer. I killed their King, so I'm sort of responsible for the people here; too… But Orianna still breathes. She can take over for all I care, so long as she waits until after I'm finished saving them all. I'll either need the Monster Knights to seriously upgrade their aspirations… Or I'll need the Beastkin to suddenly decide to fight for their future. Word on the street, there's a respectable number of Mousekin willing to fight for their future over here. Care to get into the logistics? Roughly half of all Mousekin are born appearing to be more Human than Mouse. Around half of those unfortunate enough to be more appealing to my eyes, are executed at birth. The other half are considered stains on their legacy, and are either driven out of the Kingdom or are forced to live in the shadows. That makes… Probably around 5000 to 10000 Mousekin in desperate need of saving. If we can't overtake the Kingdom, we can still rescue the undesirables… Strengthening them by convincing them to train in the sewers before saving them and somehow managing to bring the Rune magic back to Reygid might just be the leverage that we need to seal the deal on whether the Beastkin will join our forces or not.

Ah~ The Headmaster has finally arrived. After being led into his Office… I must once again raise my evaluation of this Kingdom. The decor's well refined, and clearly kept well. Gerald's got two paintings of rather lude Mousekin, a glass wine-cupboard, beautiful green drapes; a view of the Castle… It's a beautiful room. Taking our seats, we began the discussion. So far, it's still a no-go on the memory thing. This guy is neither the culprit, nor does he appear to be afflicted. He's well-dressed. I might have mistook him for a man of wealth had we not been in these circumstances, but perhaps… Grandmasters of Schools are actually rather wealthy within Melchiodore? I'd consider it a higher middle-class, but… He just seems… Too well off. I've walked these streets. I know the rich ones from the poor ones. This guy is first rate. Top of the class. The ones that usually travel by guarded carriages with unrollable carpets prepared to be spread out across the ground on exit? Those ones. Can faculty of a School truly reach such a pinnacle of success? Maybe getting a Teacher for the orphans would be too expensive…?

"Yo, Gerald… Get real with me for a split second here. You're not… Embezzling school funding or something; are you?" [Nero] cut into the conversation, interrupting Cetilla completely.

"I beg your pardon?" [Gerald Troffington] asked while furrowing his eyebrows and slightly twisting his head to the side.

"Born into wealthy circumstances?" [Nero] asked once more, while adjusting his aviators.

"E-Excuse me?" [Gerald Troffington] let out, probably feeling insulted.

"How much are you paid to work here?" [Nero] asked with a determined expression.

"I dare say that my financial situation is none of your business!" [Gerald Troffington] shot back while taking a stand.

"This room is marvelous. Your attire pit you at the upper echelons of society. Where I am from… I do not believe that one such as yourself would be afforded such luxuries… But perhaps I am too forthcoming. For that, I must apologize; though I was intending to hire a Teacher in the very near future… And was hoping the gauge a price range within foreign Kingdoms before I came to a decision." [Nero] calmly reassured the Grandmaster with a smile as he took a stand and walked around the room, visibly admiring the expensive items on display.

"Ah… I see that you have a very discerning eye, and at times; can appear slightly erratic… But are actually quite well-versed in manners and intellect." [Gerald Troffington] remarked while twisting his fur beard.

"Nero's a very special case among us. He's travelled a great distance to be with us, and is quite the successful Majin… Though he's still not very knowledgeable on our varying societies." [Cetilla] confessed while raising her head.

...The successful what, now?

"A success, you say…? I merely thought he here on account of power, seeing as how you're both of considerable status… And he hadn't spoken a word up until now." [Gerald Troffington] let out, clearly confused.

"Please excuse my rudeness… I am Nero Miki, hailing from Halloween. I am the One True Allwe Halloween Cat, and I represent a remnant of Halloween." [Nero] introduced himself with a smile before removing his aviators. To which, the Grandmaster audibly gasped.

"A Majin is an understatement… He's a legend in the making, that man…" [Gerald Troffington] scoffed.

"Yes… Nero has rallied all of my Kingdom's strongest to his side." [Roah] confessed.

"He has also overtaken mine~" [Cetilla] sighed.

"Well on your way, I see..." [Gerald Troffington] muttered.

"Yes… And darn it all to heck, caught up in my whims; I seem to have found myself protecting a classroom filled with orphans lacking proper education… As successful an individual as myself, capable of earning Diamond Coins in just days with little to no effort… Surely I can afford to help these unfortunate children by bestowing them with the right to learn from some of the best… Can I not?" [Nero] dramatically explained his circumstances while holding a Diamond Coin down on the table with a pouting face.

"How many children are we talking about, if I might ask?" [Gerald Troffington] begged the question while tilting his head to the side.

"No less than twenty, numbers may increase as time goes on." [Nero] immediately replied with a smile.

"Aged?" [Gerald Troffington] shot back while furrowing his eyebrows.

"Varies extensively." [Nero] mercilessly slammed back. To which, Gerald seemed to have died a little inside.

"That's a fool's errand. You'll need two Teachers, no less. Three Support Workers would be preferred, for keeping the Students safe at all times; helping them when they get stuck… Cooking meals, and keeping the Classroom clean in their downtime. I would consider having a small school built. It can have just one Classroom... But it requires a Kitchen, an Office, a Teacher's Lounge, and Restrooms." [Gerald Troffington] explained with a knowing expression.

"That's wonderful advice. Do you have any idea on pricings to properly pay those Teachers and Support Workers?" [Nero] begged the question with an innocent smile.

"A few Gold Coins every week sounds fair for the Teachers. You can probably get away with just one Gold Coin for each Support Worker, perhaps less depending on where you are… And whether or not you accommodate their living needs." [Gerald Troffington] explained while seeming quite bored of the topic.

"Thank you for the advice… Would there perhaps be a surplus of staff in this fine establishment?" [Nero] asked while lowering his head.

"...We can spare a Support Worker, but for Teachers… You'll need to search elsewhere." [Gerald Troffington] sighed.

"Oh, that's quite alright… I'd prefer it if the Support Workers were on good terms with the Teachers… So it would make sense for me to allow them the choice. On another topic, would it be alright if we were to take a quick little visit to your library?" [Nero] asked with a smile.

"I suppose… But why would you wish to?" [Gerald Troffington] shot back while squinting his eyes.

"I just figured that if I were to have a truly noteworthy School built… I should include a Library. I'd like to have a reference to decide how I might deign designing one." [Nero] confessed with a smile.

"Ah… Our Library is surely too grand to be of proper reference, though I can imagine you'll enjoy the sight; nonetheless. Speak with my Secretary, she will guide you to it herself." [Gerald Troffington] happily replied.

And so, that is the story of how we gained access to the Library of the School for fine, young Mice. We were led there posthaste, and the Secretary didn't even bother staying with us. Our latest problem, was the scowling Librarian. The two other Librarians were whispering to each other as they clearly talked about other people. These three Librarians, grouped with 6 Support Staff are what appear to make up those working… Or working right now, anyways. Also, I totally woke Gerald up for our meeting. I didn't know about it, until I turned to leave as he sighed something about being happy to be returning to bed... Yeah. I'm the type of bigshot that arrives to your workplace… And forces someone to come to your home in order to forcibly wake you, and bring you in to speak with me. That's how far we've come. When the Secretary said that he wasn't in at the moment, and I replied that I'd wait… I definitely didn't realize the full scope of the situation!

We wound up asking a Support Worker how we might find the books titled under 'R'... Or if there was a catalog containing the full list of books. As it turned out, the books were not alphabetically categorized… But were instead, categorized by subject. Also, there was no catalog. The shrewd Support Worker forced our paws into divulging our real reason to come, and we had no choice but to yield our immunity. Thankfully, he was an idiot; and led us straight to the section. It was the 'Most Requested to Borrow'. Apparently, the only books that were related to Runes were in the books that also happened to be featured in this section. Henceforth… They were mostly already being borrowed. There was one remaining, but it was incredibly thin. If not for the title, it would honestly have no place being in a Library of this caliber… Yet here we are.

After Roah had finished reading his chapter, he passed the book on down to Cetilla. The Theories of Rune Magic… There are three different notable theories as to how Rune Magic works, but they all agree on one thing. Whatever symbols are written on the Rune, are what decides the type of ability being cast when the beholder bestows MP into the Runic Artifact. The first theory was known as 'Roegrangus Theorem'. It dictates that the original crafter of the Rune must have also been in possession of the ability being replicated, as well as been knowledgeable to an ancient language; now commonly referred to as the 'Runic Tongue'. It also details that the proficiency of the original crafter's ability is perfectly replicated, which is why some Runic Artifacts seem to perform better than others. The second theory was the 'Grendelkus Theorem'. It dictates that the beholder of a Runic Artifact's own elemental affinities and strength determine how well an Artifact may be used; not the proficiency of alleged abilities possessed by the original crafter. Also, it accepts the possibility of the 'Runic Tongue' being a genuine language; and rather than the original crafter having needed to possess the ability being cast by the Runic Artifact... The original crafter simply needed to know of the names to the abilities. The third theory was the 'Alberts Theorem'. Like Grendelkus, Alberts dictates that the original crafter was not required to possess each ability replicated by the Rune… However, it also dictates that it actually required a very particular ability allowing the crafter to imbue abilities possessed by nearby companions into Runes embedded on objects… Making the crafter, actually a conjurer. Nyah.

After Cetilla exhaustedly passed the book to Conrad, we had the chance to learn more about the practical uses of Rune Magic… Obviously, Rune Magic can be used for a variety of different activities. When doing your housework, playing with the local children, getting from place to place, adventuring in Dungeons, fighting terrifying monsters, or even saving lives! Seriously… Any type of magic can apparently be replicated by Runes. The book even goes on to list dozens of different Runic Artifacts that have been discovered within the markets of our great, and beloved Monastazia itself. It's absolutely terrifying. Imagine… Wailing Keep, on Runes. This shit should be illegal!

After Conrad named off all the different common Artifacts… It was once again, my turn. He had the pleasure of informing us all about where Rune Magic is today~ It's all around us, in the wondrous City of Monastazia. That's right… Many brave Mousekin have set out to figure out more about Rune Magic in the distant lands… Yet none have returned with sightings of the strange magic being found elsewhere, even to this night. Apparently, in order to ensure that the search goes on without issues… There's a law against the sale of Runic Artifacts to creatures other than the Mousekin. They're the only ones allowed to hold a Runic Artifact. Particularly speaking? Only the ones who appear more Mouse than Human. It's appalling… But I understand. These Runic Artifacts are a very limited resource to them, as they don't possess the means to produce more of them… And they're also important pieces of their history and culture. One mustn't take Runic Artifacts away from Mousekin… But I seriously wish to. Hero pass? I don't know… I'm like, Hael's Prophet or something. Janus co-signed. I think, if anyone… I should be permitted Runic Artifacts. Imagine all the trouble that I could get into… With Water Magic! Ouu! Toss me some Lightning Magic, too. Really… Just give me one of each element. We've got Fire covered already, but thanks anyway~

Oh, by the way… Janus? What did Hael say about me? Did you talk to him at the party? Did he say anything? Is he rooting for me?

"Hael thinks… That you don't display enough acts of open generosity anymore, and that you don't treat your followers properly." [Janus] confessed with a look of indifference.

"...So… No blessing?" [Nero] shot back with a dazed expression.

"Wouldn't count on it~" [Janus] sighed.

"Okay… It's fine. Down to what really matters… Lilith. Did she say anything?" [Nero] begged the question with a determined expression.

"...Lilith? She wants you to belittle your victims more before you conquer them. Also, listen to every single thing that Lianix says." [Janus] explained with a shocked expression.

"...Got it. Thank you, for sharing the dark mother's instructions with me; Janus." [Nero] thanked while bowing his head. To which, Cetilla scoffed.

"We're following a Goddess now?" [Roah] begged the question with eyes wide.

"She's our enemy's God's wife." [Nero] explained with a wry smile.

"...Why?" [Roah] asked while tilting his head to the side.

"She's a master of getting what she wants. She wants to take her rightful place, as a peer or even as someone greater than Satan… Recognition is her desire. For even just a moment. If she bestows me with her blessing, I'll become her representative for the Clan War. If we win said Clan War… She'll have bested Satan. I've prayed to her in the past. The fact that she deigned to even show up to the party just goes to show that she heard my call." [Nero] explained with a smirk.

"She'll get her moment if you accomplish Lianix's whims..." [Cetilla] remarked with a thoughtful expression.

"Nero… Choosing to side with her will likely mean Hael choosing another, or sitting out of this Clan War. Are you sure that you wish to give up the rights to a blessing of that strength? You draw your power from Hael. He possesses the same elemental attunements as you do. His abilities will work perfectly for you. I understand that she's Satan's Mistress… She commands considerable favor within Hell… But she rarely ever makes an appearance within the Clan Wars… She likely can't bestow you with very much power, especially considering that her magic does not suit you properly." [Janus] lectured the Halloween Cat with an exceedingly frustrated expression.

"If you had to say… 1 to 10… How likely is it that Hael bestows his blessing to a Halloween Cat of Allwe?" [Nero] begged the question while furrowing his eyebrows.

"5." [Janus] confessed while rolling his eyes.

"So it could go both ways. Thing is… Allwe Halloween Cats… They lose. Nearly every single time... They lose the Clan War. Even if half of them gain Hael's Blessing… They still lose. Hael's can't be very powerful, the way I see it. I need someone else's power. It'd be nice to have both, but if that's not possible… Then I shall simply choose Lilith. Her magic might not be the most properly attuned to me, but you said it yourself… She doesn't participate in the Clan Wars very often. Who knows? Maybe she's saved tons of magical energy to bestow me with?" [Nero] shot back with a smile.

"You're making a mistake~" [Janus] sighed.

"We'll see." [Nero] replied with a smile as he tipped his pilot cap to bid the God farewell.