Cathe looked at her Boss with the same, inexpressive countenance that characterizes her kind. Elves were known for their beauty, but not for having warm personalities.

And Cathe was not the exception.

Her posture was as straight as it could be; arms folded behind her back as her gaze was fixed on the fiery red wax seal stamp that decorated the back of the pitch-black envelope. Cathe’s ice-blue eyes sparkled in anticipation, she wasn't sure what the Draker Family wanted this time, but it was surely going to heat her blood up…

She hoped.

Cathe had always had a thing for gossip, political conflicts and blather in general, especially when it comes to stretching out her muscles and venting out a bit of accumulated stress. There weren't a lot of things to do on these remote lands, so one had to take advantage of every opportunity.

And the small quarrels between the forces were a good source of entertainment. Despite not being of much use for a half-step Copper Ranker like herself.

But if her ten long cycles of service under Ivor had taught her something—it was to never, never, poke her nose into his businesses. Which were, honestly, much more engaging than one could actually expect from a Mayor of a small village… if this conglomerate of farmers, orphans and four-rated practitioners in the middle of nowhere could even be deemed as that.

Cathe’s gaze shifted towards the face of her Boss, suppressing the feeling of disgust from surfacing onto her face.

He was ugly beyond understanding.

The long ivory tusks sticking out from his mouth filled with black razor-sharp teeth, the jet black orbs of the abyss and the pair of goat-shaped horns protruding from the top of his head were some of his most remarkable traits. Though his short but heavily muscled build, bronze skin and long metallic hair were no less startling.

He was like the demons in the stories her mothers used to narrate during the moonless nights at the tribe; the creatures of the deep abyss. The black eyes, the horns, the blood…

Cathe had always wondered if Ivor could be included under any sort of beauty standard, as he never forgot to boast about his ‘superior looks’. Something she found difficult to believe. But at least his fashion tastes were not all that bad, the long silky black robes he wore with the occasional silver details were gorgeous. Even on somebody as ugly as him.

Humanoid races had different definitions of what fell under their pretty, handsome or gorgeous standards. For instance, elves and humans could be said to have similar fancies, which were, actually, the only two races Cathe’d ever interacted with.

Her knowledge of the rest of humanoid races was practically nonexistent; which made the task much more challenging.

But I have time, she thought.

Cathe peered at her reflection on the long and tall mirror at the side, eyes tracing the black and white maiden dress clinging tightly around her curvaceous figure. It was one of the few requests Ivor had for his female staff, and while she wouldn’t say she loved it, it did make her look extremely sexy.

Cathe wasn’t a narcissist, but she knew she was hot, very hot. Even for elves' standards. She couldn't help but cup the parts she was the proudest of, feeling the large and firm sensation of her assets around her fingers that any male would kill to feel.

Or most of them.

The half-dwarf half-ogre looking male didn't spare a glance at her sexy display and continued engrossed in the content of the envelope.

“It seems the next months will be quite fun for us, Cathe,” Ivor said, his voice rough and low in pitch. “Honestly, I never expect the old serpent to last this long. But it would be a good thing to give Seth a perspective of how the external world works,” he paused, looking at Cathe before passing her the envelope. “Tell me what you think.”

“Well,” Cathe said after a minute, not really surprised by what the higher-ups of Darkhold City were planning. “Even with the fall of their peak Copper Ranker King, it is not as though the rest of the Black-scaled Snake Kingdom’s experts are any weaker than those from Darkhold City. I've heard they even have a greater number of white cores in their ranks, and we have already seen what the Rankers at their disposal could do.

“It would not be easy even if the rogue practitioners joined them.”

Ivor nodded at that. “Yeah, but that wouldn't be the case if we gave them a hand.”

Cathe was fairly taken aback by his comment. “Since when do you involve yourself in these affairs? Have never seen you bother with anything except the Blakura boy.”

Ivor leaned back on his chair, closing his eyes and positioning his hands behind his head. “I’m not talking about myself, idiot, but your sisters and brothers.”

Cathe frowned slightly at this and said, deadpan. “Sorry, but that is out of consideration.”

“Why? I remembered your complaints about the lack of missions and worthy opponents in the area.”

She shook her head, “That’s something different.” She said, crossing her arms over her chest. “We are talking about a confrontation that would have Rankers in both parties, that’s not a please I feel comfortable sending my sibling to train. Even Drindy, the strongest one, had barely reached the peak of the Silver Core Stage a few months ago, and the rest are not even close to that.

“They would be no more than cannon fodder in the conflict.”

Ivor opened an eye with faked, or not, effort. “So, your intentions are to let them cultivate here for the remaining time of our contract? Another ten cycles for anybody at the Core Condensation Rank, being an elf or not.”

Cathe opened her mouth to retort, but Ivor didn't let her. “Don't want to sound rude, but at this pace, neither of you will ever reach the next rank.” He inspected her up and down. “Even you have barely made any progress since the time I picked you up.”

This time, Cathe felt really enraged. “And that’s my fault!? It wasn't my decision to come to this backward place!”

“That’s not my business. I was clear when I stated the terms of our agreement, and all of you accepted it.”

Cathe gritted her teeth, “If I didn’t, we were going to die.”

“Not my business.”

She felt a flame of rage emerging from deep inside her chest, deep inside her she knew Ivor was right, but his nonchalant attitude didn't help. She took a deep breath to calm herself, “What do you suggest?”

“Nothing extreme, just send them with the group of the Draker Family as reinforcements. They should be around your siblings’ levels, if not a bit weaker.” He said. “There shouldn't be a problem with that, and I will talk with Owen’s grandfather to place a Half-step Ranker as a supervisor. It will not guarantee anything, but it's better than nothing.”

Cathe clenched her fists but nodded at the end. “Okay, but I want to be there during the raid.”

“Are you sure of that? You can probably fight back a peak white core in your present condition without stirring the seal, but any more than that will worsen it.”

Cathe hesitated, tracing her fingers over her right shoulder. She concentrated her sense over the area, feeling the hissing bloody mana that pulsed with unexpected intent. Like a prisoner giving a broad smile to the guards outside the cell.

Over the cycles, the little nuisance had shrieked visibly. Going from the size of a fist to the now nearly laughable size of a bean. However, this didn't appease Cathe’s worries.

The dozens of tendrils extending from the compressed spot were a sign that the curse was more than alive, though the purple-black runes and script trapping it did provide her with some sort of relief. Especially after seeing them not even bulged against the unceasing onslaught of the tendrils…

But the loss of lustre was evident.

At this pace, it was a question of who would run out of energy faster; the seal or the little nuisance. Something Cathe didn't have the slightest intentions of finding out.

She shook her head. “It doesn't matter.”

“Your decision.” Ivor shrugged before changing the topic. “Anyway, why was the kiddo here? The competition is around the corner, and in his actual condition he would not do better than a ragdoll.”

“He told me he’d a few errands to run at Diane’s place,” Cathe answered, herself a bit curious of the Blakura’s strange behaviour. She thought for a bit and asked. “Do we send someone to follow him up?”

Ivor shook his head, unconsciously touching his left eye. “No. It hadn’t gone well for us.”

Cathe had to suppress her lips from curling up.

Ivor looked in her direction, hand rubbing his chin. “Now that I think about it, Little Boo’s nest has not been cleaned in a long time.” His smile broadened like never before. “It will be a good opportunity for the both of you to spend some quality time with each other.”

Hearing his words, the image of a particular furred beast couldn't help but flash in Cathe’s mind, a few shivers run down her spine. She took a step back, her body glowing with green-white light as she prepared herself to get her ass the hell out there.

But before she even managed to cross a meter, she was frozen in place.

“Don't worry,” Ivor said, appearing out of nowhere behind her. “I’m sure Little Boo will find your company more than satisfactory.”

Having said that, both the terrified Cathe and half-dwarf half-ogre looking Ivor disappeared in a flash.