novelraw Chapter 146 - 145 - Social Obligation
Chapter 146 - 145 - Social Obligation
"You were invited to Valery Hall, were you?" Lind was sweating buckets as he was secured to a robust wooden chair. Even if he used his full cultivation strength, the chair was made from peak grade 4 materials. He wouldn't even dent it.
Qing was staring at him coldly while Shoti was simply flicking her new whip in practice. Annabelle looked at him with teary eyes. How did Annabelle know about Valery Hall?!
"I did not know who was speaking to me nor what that hall was. I swear it!" Lind had said as much before and they clearly believed him but they still tied him up!
"Of course, the most prestigious owner of brothels simply slipped your mind." Shoti made that shot but Lind finally felt his veins pulse on his forehead.
"Why would I give a damn about brothels when I have the best women in the world in my heart?!" He spoke before he thought and for the first time he openly admitted his feelings. The room seemed to become very awkward. QIng was blushing dark enough to bring out her pale eyes that glowed both blue and green briefly. Shoti had dropped her whip as her jaw hung open staring at him, while Annabelle was now crying but smiling as well.
Lind wanted to explain but his voice would not come. He felt like he had to run but he was currently secured to the chair with no chance to escape. The 3 women moved forward and Lind was unsure what they were going to do.
The bindings were released and he was pulled into a hug.
"If you had started with that, we could have skipped this part fool." Shoti's words made them finally laugh. Annabelle was trying to melt into his right arm while Qing just looked down shyly.
"I–I know we need to talk but I promised Cyntilla. I can't break that." All 3 nodded and Lind did not know what to say anymore after that. His right cheek seemed to sting a bit but it might have been his imagination.
His 2 years at the Lotus Academy had only 1 highlight and Cyntilla was the one defying orders to bring it to him via puzzles. He was allowed to know someone cared and cared enough to risk it all. He had to answer that plus he did like her.
"So what are your plans for this week?" Qing brought them to a somewhat related business but Lind only knew of one.
"Vice-Sect Masters Lydia and Cora are taking me up to Starfire House offices and then the ballroom. I will be meeting with Lady Mythra and Su about my auctions so they can get promoted during the masters month of the competition." All 3 nodded as they knew that but Qing frowned.
"He won't let it go if you do not have a good reason. You have to go to Starfire but that is only 1 night out of 5. You also could meet with Masters Cain and Harold for 1 day as well. Delenn will also take at least part of a day I assume?" Lind nodded. He wanted to discuss his inspirations with her on forging to see if he was on the right track. "That only takes up to 3 days. There is a day of the parade of masters at the end so you still have 1 day."
Lind frowned.
"Surely I can get out of it, right?" Shoti and Qing looked at each other before shaking their heads.
"You underestimate how powerful the Midnight Guild is. They are subtle and discreet which is why they are not openly hailed as a major power. They have the power to disrupt your work in either elixirs or Forging if not directly ordered by Starfire House or Stardust Emporium" Qing put a finger on her chin as she thought about the issue.
"If it was not public, you could have avoided it, but that man played the opportunity well." Shoti was chagrined that Lind might have to go to a place she really did not want him to.
"Couldn't we go with him?" Annabelle asked the innocent question but the response was immediate.
"NO"
"Sadly, no."
"NO CHANCE IN HELL!"
QIng, Shoti, and Lind respectively looked at each other before smiling.
"I do not want you to ever be exposed to such a place. Hell, I don't want to be exposed to such a place!" Lind was flummoxed. He had the obligation to go but did not want to. He sure as hell did not want any of his close ones to be there but he needed someone.
Lind wished he had someone he trusted that could walk into that minefield and out with him again. Who could face such pressure? He wished Cyntilla was there. She would have been the best and he could trust his back to her.
The thought made him smile but he had a sudden flash of inspiration. An evil smile came to his face. It made him look creepy but he looked at Shoti who suddenly paled.
"N-no. Whatever you are thinking, no!" Lind was saddened she had so little faith in him but they had far to go to read each other's minds. He smiled softly but then spoke.
"You know someone perfect to guard me. She is a fierce power on 2 legs and seems to enjoy driving me crazy. I trust her to protect me and I believe she has been through far worse." Shoti and Qing looked confused until Lind pointed to his golden badge. It only took a moment for Shoti to start giggling.
"She will kill you. She is after you, you know that right?" Lind shook his head. She teased him, but she was not after him. She was simply someone that enjoyed seeing his reactions.
"I have seen what she will do for me and I believe in her as my friend." Qing looked confused until Shoti looked at her meaningfully. He was sad they had not reached such a point but perhaps in time as Qing suddenly looked at him in shock.
"Are you mad? She is far stronger than you!" Lind nodded but then he pulled Annabelle to his side. He then pulled the other 2 in as well.
"I would be happy to always be at your side but not in that place. It will be a pit of vipers and I need to take a dragon with me. Not only do I trust her, but she has the authority to block any schemes." Annabelle was looking confused but then Lind looked at them firmly and stated his plan.
"I need to talk to Mythra." Annabelle was surprised but nodded hard. She liked her fellow aether child, especially after protecting Lind to that Alea woman.
⬧⬧⬧⬧
"So these are the elixirs I have created for the auction." Su was in awe as she inspected the vials in front of her. Soul Realms could reach grade 3 if they were gifted, but peak grade 3 was already rare. Elixirs just made it icing on the cake.
"So a batch of the Recovery, Restoration, Tempering, and Cure elixirs. You also have a few of these Clarity and Dantian Restoration elixirs. Those will be very valuable!" Su felt giddy holding the items in front of her.
Even if they only had a handful, Starfire House would make so much money it would be obscene. Lind then waved his hand and a single vial appeared. Shock filled her body as the glowing vial was clear to her.
"I decided to reveal a peak Heaven grade 1 elixir as well. It really is only possible to make 1 consistently and it takes all I have, but there it is. It is a Meridian Cleansing elixir." Lind's limits left her in awe as she carefully picked up the vial.
It was peak grade 1 but the quality was a step up from the Mortal Realm. He had clearly been taking his training seriously to have reached so far. If he could break through, how much more could he do?
"Are you sure? This will bring the attention of other powers?" Lind nodded and then revealed several more vials. The glow from these was far less and clearly lower but she understood.
"My success rate is very low and even if I do succeed, reaching that quality is still a long shot. I have estimated that out of 50 attempts, I can only get 1 like that. It also makes it impossible for me to do any other elixirs for a few days." Su nodded as she set in her own storage ring.
The bright metal band was issued by Lady Estelle. It matched the one on Mythra's hand who was still sitting in shock. She had been that way while LInd and Su discussed business. Su giggled to see the usually teasing woman silenced so easily.
Lind had greeted them and then opened with an unexpected request.
'"Lady Mythra, could you escort me to a troublesome meeting? I trust you and have faith we can guard each other."' Su had been floored but the reaction from Mythra was stunned silence. The game she had been playing with Lind had now been reversed. After a few moments, they left her to sort out her thoughts as the elixirs were decided on.
"L–L–Lind?" Mythra stumbled over his name and pulled them towards her. Her green and crimson skin seemed pale. He nodded at her to continue. "Y-you want me? W-what am I–I mean what are we–?"
Su was shaking from keeping the laughter in. She had spent decades with Mythra by that point and never seen her so off balance. Lind smiled but waved his hand for her to relax.
"I want to be clear. I value you as a close friend. You faced hardship and walked through fire for me with Lady Su. While Lady Su is also a close friend, your abilities are what I need. I have a slight social problem." Lind frowned and scratched the side of his face but he did not make them wait. "I have been cornered into going to Valery Hall. I want to bring a dragon to the pit of vipers."
Su was shocked but had heard about the incident in the arena. Lady Estelle had laughed so hard she had been crying for hours. She had no idea Lind had thought of this solution though!
Mythra looked deflated a bit but LInd then got up and knelt in front of her. The move shocked them both but he looked very serious.
"Do not mistake me, I value your friendship but I believe in your skills. You are a dragon they cannot resist and I will cover your back too." Su felt her heart skip a beat. She wished Lind would suddenly reconsider her grandfather's offer. Men usually only saw her body and then her power, but Lind looked at them head on.
He saw it all and embraced it all. He did not lead them on nor did he belittle them. He was gathering power but he was still the nice young man she had met almost 3 years ago.
"You think I am a dragon?" Mythra seemed in awe and began to smile wide with her usual energy. She blushed deeply as she began to giggle as she looked down at Lind and he began to sweat. "What if I want to steal you for myself?"
Lind smirked but then pointed at his right cheek and his heart.
"I am already spoken for. Also, you enjoy the game but you do not see me that way. You really need to confess." Mythra suddenly looked panicked. Su was very curious. Who was Lind talking about? Also, how did Lind even know who Mythra liked?
"I–I don't know what you are talking about!" The blush was now very deep. Aether children with multiple elements could blush in the many colors they held. Green got darker as did crimson. Lind shook his head but put his hands up in defeat.
"Lady Su, unless there is more to discuss, it is time to see the 3 waiting for me downstairs." Su shook her head as she pointed at his badge and he smacked his forehead. "Forgive me, here is what I Forged and a plate for a custom job at peak grade 2."
A sword, glaive, shield, breast plate, and greaves were set on the table with a simple formation plate carrying the mark of the Heavenly Maiden Sect. It would allow an appointment. Lind then seemed to realize something.
"Also, can you help the sect with the petitions flooding me?" Su giggled and nodded as she picked up all of it. She would have some experts evaluate the items but anything Forged was highly sought after. The fact he was a 6 elemental made all of these items highly desirable.
"Let's go dance!" Mythra suddenly blurred as she dragged Lind out into the hallway before Su could even blink. She shook her head as she moved upstairs to drop off the items safely in the vaults for the auction. It would be an exciting auction after Lind's presentation.