Keynes finished recounting his story that ended with Vivena and Wagner’s reaction wasn’t what he expected.

“Having Vivena Sael as an enemy is dangerous, Keynes. We’d have to double our security and find a way to neutralise her Talent, otherwise, I’m not sure if Columbus would be able to stop her.”

“Wagner,” Keynes said, his voice growing cold like the night air. “Vivena is the least of our problems. If I must, I should be able to handle her. The issue is that you, Columbus and Esopp cannot do the same.”

Wagner froze, then narrowed his eyes in disbelief. Even though there were four Levels of difference between them, Keynes was on the verge of entering the next Spirit stage. This, coupled with his lethal [Chaos Aura] made him much stronger than his business partners.

“You’re forgetting that we’re Level 7s,” Wagner said, a touch of surprise in his voice. “You’re Level…” And there it was. Keynes felt Wagner’s aura probing him but Alice ensured Keynes that Wagner’s spiritual stage was too low for him to see Keynes’s Level.

“That’s right, Wagner. You’re no longer able to tell how strong I am.”

Wagner looked away, then took out a vial with some liquid. He downed it without explanation. Keynes waited until the other man exhaled and his body relaxed.

“It’s a calming elixir, unfortunately, I hit the limit for now. Anymore than that, and I will start building tolerance, which I don’t want.”

Keynes said nothing to that. They sat in silence for a while, then Wagner stood up.

“Thank you for coming back, Keynes. I'll take into consideration everything you’ve told me. Even if I want to go and level up, I cannot leave the company without someone in charge. Especially now. As I mentioned earlier, there are some critical matters we must discuss, the four of us. Go rest, sleep, eat, whatever. You still have the same room. I will schedule a meeting with Columbus and Esopp in ten hours.”

***

Keynes resisted an idea of rest but when stepped under a hot shower, his body started melting. He’d missed hot showers in the World Reserve. Although [Create Water] was a big step toward having a hot shower on demand, it didn’t exactly solve the issue. [Create Water] didn’t allow him to manipulate water. To do so he needed [Water Manipulation] skill. [Create Water] also didn’t control the temperature of water. So two skills then, he thought to himself.

His sleep was brief and dreamless. Alice woke him up after four hours. He couldn’t wait when sleep wouldn’t be needed for him to function. It was still many Levels away but it was there.

Sylv visited him soon after he woke up and inquired about food and if he wished to keep his presence secret.

“Is my family still here?”

“Your parents are. Your brother has left after his Talent Unlocking ceremony.”

“Where has he gone to?”

Sylv did change a little, Keynes noticed. The plant cream she used was of a higher level, but applied in thinner layers. She also wore more clothes and shortened her hair. Her cool attitude remained the same though. Keynes was fine with it, although the constant application of the cream intrigued him. Was there purpose to it or simply a personal quirk?

“We don’t know,” she replied.

“Officially,” Keynes said, mimicking the coldness of her voice. “What about the unofficial version?”

She is using Level 3 plant cream.

Several messages popped up, informing Keynes that debuffs were blocked by his Purifying Body buff. What he found interesting was that the layers of the cream started to vanish from her body. So it functioned like a spell fuelled by this cream? Hmm.

“You cannot affect my Perception, Sylv, and you still owe me an answer.”

She frowned, not expecting Keynes to resist her little manipulation stunt and even less to call her up on that.

“What answer would that be?”

“Where’s my brother?”

She glanced at her forearms then at Keynes.

“You got stronger.”

“And you’re forgetting that I’m your boss now.”

This caught her off guard. Even to Keynes this notion was as alien as the stars in the night sky.

“I am not allowed to tell you.”

“And why is that?”

“Mr Zimmermann doesn’t want you to go after him.”

Keynes’ first reaction was to storm out of here and go to Wagner. Then he got his emotions under control and calmed down, even though he gave nothing away outwardly. Given Keynes’s reckless behaviour so far, it was understandable that Wagner didn’t want Keynes chasing after his brother. Still, Keynes worried.

“Is he safe at least?”

Sylv nodded.

“We have a Level 5 tracker keeping an eye on him. He’s safe.”

Keynes thanked her, asking to not tell his parents about him for now. Keynes wanted to surprise them.

After Sylv left, Keynes was oddly pleased with himself. The fact that he’d withstood the Level 6’s attempt at manipulating his Perception was strengthening conviction that he’d be able to take on the higher Levels now.

Remember that she is a human essence ascender, master. If she was a rift essence ascender, you would not be able to stop her debuff.

Doesn’t essence affect the attributes only?

It does not. The strength of your Spirit is also affected by the kind of essence you have absorbed during progression, master.

It was a new piece of information. Another thing that pointed at the importance of essence. By now, Keynes knew that once an ascender started using rift essence, he’d no longer be able to absorb human essence. In fact, human essence for the rift ascender was barely percible, similarly to how Level 1 rift essence felt to Keynes now. It lost its density, becoming air-like. At this point, he couldn’t use essence lower than Level 3 to cultivate his Spirit. It would be like gently blowing air against a metal sphere and hoping to shape it.

After eating a pretty good breakfast with many Level 2 and 3 plants, Keynes changed into the clothes provided by Wagner. They were comfortable but he didn’t like wearing colourful silky robes. They made him look like Wagner! Both men shared long black hair and fair skin after all.

The place has changed, landed on Keynes’s shoulder. She was almost tangible now.Remembering Shaper’s spiritual companion, Keynes wondered what it would be like to have Alice walking about like some ghost…

Do not even consider this, master. There is something wrong in exposing ourselves to ascenders and their spiritual companions.

What do you mean?

I wish I knew, Alice replied, vanishing though their bond indicated that she was still here. Some of these walls are made out of Level 3 steel! She changed the topic.

So?

You cannot find steel inside a rift at this level. They must have made it. This is a progress I have not expected.

It was the second time today that Alice gave away information she normally wouldn’t. It felt like a lot but Keynes didn’t think that was the case. He was pretty sure that, if asked for details, Alice would say nothing more. Keynes suspected that his proximity to the next spiritual stage was at play here and affected their bond.

***

Keynes found Wagner in his lavish office. The walls, floor and ceiling were covered by runes now. Keynes also noticed a few formations but didn’t investigate their purpose.

Once you increase your spiritual stage, master, I would be able to do it without restrictions, Alice informed him. Unless there are counter-measures in place, she added quickly.

Keynes tuned her out and focused on Wagner. His business partner looked tired. Keynes could tell that the other man hadn’t slept. Wagner stood up, waving Keynes closer. When Keynes passed through the middle of the office, something changed. It felt like the air membrane at the entrance to the labyrinth.

Wagner noticed the surprise and explained.

“Privacy runes augmented by several formations. Costly but a necessary expense.”

Each formation here worked separately. Keynes was aware of complex, multi-layered formations that were used by the tribesmen in their flying constructs. The formations with variables as the tribesmen called them, required mana upon changing of their variables. In the case of the flying constructs, the variables controlled altitude and speed. While the concept of a flying formation sounded appealing the reality was less refined. If one didn’t provide mana to stop rising, the formation would keep going up until it failed to rise any further. Neither Haruka nor Keynes knew what that point was. So yeah, these flying formations weren’t as ideal as they appeared to be. Not that Keynes needed them now… Neither does Vivena. I haven’t told Wagner everything, Keynes realised. He didn’t forget about it but it didn’t seem important last night. Nevertheless, seeing Wagner’s state, Keynes decided against telling him now. There would be time for more bad news.

“You have to translate it for me,” Keynes said, hoping to lighten up the mood. The hot shower loosened his muscles it seemed. “What does ‘costly’ mean for someone like you?”

Wagner didn’t understand the joke. He took out a tablet out of his dimensional space, typed something on it and then handed it over to Keynes and his eyes bulged upon seeing the amount. It was a surreal number.

“One billion? Really?”

“Yes.” Wagner nodded. “Most of these runes were found in rifts. Only those who hold the original rune blueprint can licence them. Even if we try to copy these runes, we’d not be able to reach even half of their effectiveness and efficiency. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t dodgy businesses who do that but it isn’t worth it. The runes are already mana-hungry. Using the imperfect copies increases the mana cost through the roof.”

An insane notion popped up in Keynes’s head.

“Does it mean that all pre-rift runes are imperfect?”

Wagner nodded and a weak smile crept on his face.

“Not only runes. Glyphs, formations, recipes and magical constructs. Essentially, we’re rediscovering everything as we speak. Your father’s Talent turned out to be quite a game-changer. Perfecting a proper glyph can even add new modifiers to it. He is a busy man now.”

That made Keynes chuckle. Was his father ever anything but busy?

“What is it?” Wagner asked.

“It’s nothing.” Keynes waved at him. “Better tell me about what’s coming. You sounded ominous last night.”

“Ah.” Wagner’s mood instantly dipped. “Yes. Take a seat, while I connect us to Columbus and Esopp.”

“What about Persephone?”

Only after Alice mentioned it, Keynes noticed Wagner to go stiff. Keynes grimaced internally. If the other man did anything to alienate Persephone they'd be in trouble. That woman was a true threat. Next to her Vivena was nothing but a nuisance.

“She’s fine. We work together but are keeping it off the books. She’s the head of the White Masks after all and they are considered a terrorist organisation.”

Once you have mentioned her, his aura has started leaking emotions, Alice warned Keynes.

Should I worry? Keynes inquired.

How can I know? His emotions are mumbo-jumbo to me. Keynes frowned at Alice’s use of the new, odd word.

“So, she’s still an ally?” Keynes asked.

“Very much so,” Wagner confirmed. It was a relief.

“Can’t she help with this problem?”

“That’s something our company must face on its own.”

With that Wagner pressed something on his tablet and connection was established. Two large wall screens came to life with faces of Columbus Curt and Esopp Earl. Two other owners of… what’s the name of our company?

Have you forgotten? Alice asked teasingly.

No. I--

“Wag--oh, Keynes Kid!” Esopp said excitedly, interrupting Keynes’s conversation with his spiritual companion. “When Wagner told us about the urgent matter, I hadn’t imagined you would honour us with your presence.”

Keynes squinted at Wagner who rolled his eyes.

“You can tease each other after we’re done with this,” Columbus said, his face perfectly still like a mask. “I just got the word from my spies, Wagner. I can’t say I didn’t expect this but still, I am surprised how far they went to get to him.”