“Hello there, how may I help you today?” said the worker at the booth, who was the only desk-handler there at this time of night.

“I would like to withdraw from the adventurers’ guild reserves.” Lucien said.

“Of course, may I see your badge of identity please?”

“Yes, of course. Grant me a moment.”

The worker waited.

Lucien shuffled through the myriad of pockets in his furs, as well as throughout his suit. Only when he reached the final pocket did he pull out a shiny looking badge. He showed it to the worker.

“Lucien Torch, adventurer guild administrator.” The worker said as she read out the words on the badge. “May I see the back of the badge please?” She held out her hand for Lucien to hand her the badge.

“I don’t see why you would need to but by all means.”

Lucien handed the badge to the lady.

She grabbed a small contraption of some kind from the desk beside her and looked through its small glass window at the back of the badge.

“Yep. All seems good here.” She handed him back the badge. “Please fill out this paperwork in the waiting area just to your left and an attendant will be with you when they’re ready.”

“Right...”

Lucien took the paperwork from the lady and made his way to the seating area towards the left after shooting Kallad a quick smile.

Kallad walked in front of the barrier that separated the workers from their clients. It functioned as both security as well as a metaphorical barrier. If the people that lived in the city were to find their way into the building, then these barriers only solidified the gap between them and reality.

Kallad only knew of the subliminal meaning as he’d once talked to the owner of the place when deciding where to store his treasures.

“Hello there, how-... Ah. Mr. Raven... H-how may I help you t-today...?”

“No need to be nervous. I’m here to withdraw everything.”

The worker stared at him blankly.

“... P-pardon?”

“Everything.”

“I’m... afraid I’ll need a b-bit more clarification, sir.”

“I don’t have to spell it out for you, do I?”

*Eep*

“No sir! I’ll... please... uh...”

“The paperwork, hand it over.”

“No no, we recently changed our p-policy for Aspect withdrawals. You’ll... just have to wait for a few m-minutes. Please... in the area to the l-left.”

“Right. Could’ve sent out a letter or something mentioning the policy change. Bring that up to your manager. I’ll be in the waiting area.”

“Yes sir.”

Kallad left the nervous wreck of a banker and took in the dichotomy that was prevalent throughout the Banks.

The Kin Reserves building was completely different to the rest of the Banks. The loan sharks in the rest of the city often burrowed themselves in worn-down buildings left abandoned. But the Kin Reserves was clean. It was well-maintained and ran relatively smoothly.

It also boasted the greatest security one could ask for within a city of this stature. Many of the fighters who were once elite within clan forces, or the adventurers’ guild, made their way into the security business. Kin Reserves’ management would pay a hefty sum to anyone with the experience to keep their business secure.

The building itself was beautiful. It sported exquisite masonry, extravagant lounges, and only the best for its high-paying clientele.

Kallad sat opposite Lucien in the lonely, well-lit, room.

As beautiful as it is, there’s hardly any people here. Though, I suppose it is just past 1 in the morning...

“Kallad, why must they have us fill out these useless pieces of parchment for such a simple thing. I’m here for one thing and one thing only, would my badge of identity not be enough?”

“Whew. Do you not run a guild Lucien? I’m sure you would know of the vast amount of paperwork necessary for doing so. Simply keeping logs for visitor timings is difficult enough.”

“Yes yes. I am aware. Still, the workers here are so very scrutinising. I tell you, I’ve been here once before, and it was the same thing then. Though the desk-worker working today was far more... curvaceous, wouldn’t you say?”

Lucien giggled to himself.

The nobility of Zenith really don’t see these people as anything more than objects. I’m a bit disappointed in myself, since that fact only dawned upon me after Milly died...

Kallad didn’t engage with Lucien’s degrading talk. He simply waited until he could be rid of this fool.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long.

A slightly wrinkled man with light grey hair made his way over to the two of them.

He wore a very expensive looking tailored suit, and had clean white gloves on.

He looks like the manager...

“Sorry to keep you waiting-”

“It’s about time! I hope you know that I’ve wasted hours here while waiting for someone to come and sort this out! My paperwork is done, so may I please make my transaction?!”

Eh? It’s not even been an hour... What are you doing Lucien?

“My apologies. However, I’m here to personally attend to Mr. Raven. I’m the night manager, Gus. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Gus said as he held his hand out towards Kallad.

Kallad shook the man’s hand.

“Likewise.”

Kallad noticed Lucien quietly fuming. In Lucien’s eyes, he probably would’ve seen this as an attempt to embarrass him.

Whatever. Not like I give a shit.

“Please follow me, Mr. Raven.”

“Just call me Kallad.”

“Yes, of course Kallad.”

Kallad followed Gus through the lobby, leaving Lucien behind.

“My worker tells me that you plan to withdraw everything. Is this truly the case, Kallad?”

“Yes, it is.”

“May I ask why? We may have a no-questions-asked policy, but when it comes to such large transactions, those policies must bend.”

“Do not misunderstand me, I am not withdrawing because of poor service, nor anything of the sort. I simply... see our world changing its ways, right in front of us.”

“Hmm... curious. Very well, I will not question it further. Aspects tend not to provide illuminating explanations regardless.”

“You would do well to remain silent about my dealings, however.”

“Yes... our guarantee of anonymity is always in place, even when you are not using our services at the time.”

“A smart business model.”

“Well, we must breed loyalty in our clients somehow. Though, the loss of your stores will make our guarantees just a little less valuable...”

“Pardon my bluntness, but I couldn’t care less.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t expect an Aspect to care.”

He’s ballsy... talking like that to any other Aspect would probably get him killed. Well... maybe not the soft-hearted ones like the Warden or Salacia.

Kallad and Gus walked through small corridors until they reached a gateway. Beside the gateway was a wall of arcane numbers. They ranged from 1-9, and there was a field for inputs.

Gus input a combination of numbers to fill the field. The gateway that was once empty and blank started to fill. A portal formed within. But... it was murky and unclear, which was unlike a functional portal.

Then, Gus input a separate string of numbers.

The portal’s murkiness disappeared, while a clear view of another hallway manifested itself.

Gus walked through the gateway, with Kallad following.

“Each of our clients has their own private storage space. You understand that your storage is of the highest calibre. But, there are lower calibres that we also offer to our... less inclined clientele.”

“So... the first combination is to open the gateway according to the first parameter, the calibre. Then the second combination is to find the specific pocket within said parameter. Your arcane engineers are quite spectacular, I must say.”

“Heh. I’ll be sure to pass your words onto the owner.”

As if. He’s just gloating for validation now, even though he’s only a manager.

Pitiful.

“We’re here.” Gus said.

Kallad looked into the room that Gus had just opened the door to.

All of it was there.

Piles upon piles of platinum pieces, gold pieces, magical gem embeds, all on one side of the room.

Then, on the other side, was a bookcase.

My tomes and grimoires. Grimoires are far rarer than tomes, so there’s less of them here... maybe I should give them to Rai and Sin... but then I wouldn’t be able to guarantee the Chancellor’s vote... shit. I’ll have to think about it before meeting with him. If I don’t have to use them in the trade then I’ll consider having Rai or Sin earn them somehow.

There were other belongings in the room that would all hold value for the right person. For the Chancellor, however, everything was worth something. Kallad would be lucky if the Arbiter was stingy in buying Kiex’s vote. Paying just a bit more than that would be a small price to pay.

Kallad snapped his fingers.

Everything in the room instantly entered his spatial storage.

“That’ll do. I’m leaving now.”

“Very well, thank you for your continued patronage.” Gus said. He bowed as Kallad left.

Kallad left the gateway and made his way back to the lobby.

Lucien was still there, sat where he was before.

“You’re still here?” Kallad asked him.

“I cannot believe that I haven’t been served this entire time! They must be mocking me!”

“Not everything’s a personal attack Lucien. Maybe, just maybe, they’re short-staffed because it’s 1 in the morning.”

Lucien’s face looked like it had just gone through a realisation.

“Ah... You raise a good point Kallad. Perhaps I should cut them some slack.”

“Yes, that would be wise. Anyway, I’m leaving. See you around Lucien.”

“That, I shall. I may have to visit you one of these days to pitch the guild to your daughter. Do grant me an audience at that time, will you.”

“Not my choice. If she wants to, then it’s up to her.” Kallad said without looking back.

“I see... you grant your kid a lot more freedom than I grant mine, haha! Anyways, take care Kallad!”

Kallad left without another word. He simply waved Lucien goodbye, and left with a smile on his face. He was happy that he could finally leave behind the slimeball of a man, and get closer to his goal for the night.

As Kallad walked down the dirt track, he walked past a little girl with a red mark on her face. She had tears in her eyes as she did laps around her home. It was the same girl that he’d seen getting smacked through the curtains. This house was the one he’d seen something odd about.

It... must be this girl.

Kallad looked into the sky. The moon was still climbing.

Ah fuck it. I’ve got time.

“Hey.”

She jumped.

“You okay?”

The girl nodded furiously.

Kallad snapped his fingers.

A warm enveloping light surrounded the girl. The red mark on her face faded away.

She looked less strained.

“What’s your name?”

“... J-... Jasmine.”

“I’m Kallad. Do you know me?”

The girl nodded.

“D-...Dec-... Deceiber.”

“That’s right. Hmm, let’s see. What would you want out of life, little one?”

“Sniffle. Food.”

“Is that all?”

Jasmine nodded.

“Jasmine get food, mum no smack Jasmine. Sniffle.” She babbled.

“I see. If that’s all, then tell her that you found this.”

Kallad summoned an uneaten, wrapped, sandwich that he had in his spatial storage that he was supposed to eat earlier. He looked at it, and thought that it looked just squashed enough to pass as something that was randomly left behind somewhere.

He handed it to Jasmine.

Her face brightened up a touch.

“Th-thank you Deceiber!”

She ran inside the house to give her mother the sandwich.

Kallad found an empty alleyway near the girl’s house.

“You here?”

A black mist formed in front of Kallad.

Out of it came a man who kneeled. He was dressed like a butler.

“Always, master.”

*Whew*

“At least I can rely on you for that. I marked that girl, Jasmine. Assign an agent to ensure her life. She has the potential to be a great mage one day.”

Kallad began walking away, back to the ports gateway.

“Is that all, master? A random girl, who barely has more than a single shoe to her name... you would assign an agent to her? Have you always been altruistic?”

Kallad stopped in his tracks.

“Don’t think lightly of me. She isn’t the first potential, and she won’t be the last. Investments are simply that... investments.”

“Very well, master.”

Kallad made his way to the ports portal and went back through it, leaving Jasmine to his agents.