“Yes, wow,” said Robin as he looked at the city hall. It is different from what we have been seeing for the past few days and nights.
 
“Well, it seemed like those embedded gems and precious metal paint weren’t just for the show,” I said. Seeing how those gems had lighted up the whole city hall.
 
The thing that makes it even more amazing is the precious metal paint, which radiates the lights across it.
 
Whoever created it must be a genius. The way the lights from the gems accented the city hall was amazing; it gives it a majestic feel.
 
The city hall always looked beautiful at night, but it had never looked this beautiful.
 
We stared at it this work of art for one entire minute, before walking toward the mansion. Soon, we reached the main gate of the city hall. During our visits here, we had never used this gate, as all our negotiations were held in the left wing.
 
At the door is a lich welcoming the guests, the same lich who had welcomed us from the dungeon. 
 
He is a great Lich, a Level 40 powerhouse, but not the strongest one. There is another Lich in the city, stronger than him. They are the bodyguard of the city lord and are said to be close to Level 50.
 
There is also one mage, and seven warriors, who are at Level 40 +.
 
This is the power of the regional capital, and it is what they are showing. I am sure their strength is greater than they are showing.
 
Greltheaven couldn’t be compared to them. We did not have a single powerhouse at Level 40, our small city couldn’t afford them.
 
“Welcome to city hall, guests. I hope you both enjoy the party.” Said the Lich. “Thank you, Great Lich Yatsal,” I said, while Robin just nodded shakingly. He had gone pale seeing the lich and shaking in fear.
 
Thankfully, he did not freeze and followed my lead.
 
“This way, please gentlemen,” said the beautiful elf woman with earth-brown hair as she appeared in front of us and led us inside the city hall.
 
“How can you stay calm in front of a Great Lich? I was barely able to breathe in front of him,” asked Robin as we walked away from the lich. “He is not going to eat us, especially in Navr,” I replied with a smile.
 
He glared but did not say anything and instead focused on the city hall as I was doing.
 
The main wing of the city hall is even more beautiful than the left wing. Every inch is carefully crafted and every piece of art that is placed here is amazing and expensive.
 
If we loot the city hall with everything it has had, it will be enough to pay all expenses of our city for decades. 
 
A minute passed, and we took the left turn and appeared in front of the large silvery doors, which had elaborate designs painted on them. I would have definitely admired them, if not for looking ballroom, which those doors lead to.
 
“Enjoy the party guests,” said the elf as she took us to the door, before turning and leaving, while we entered the ballroom.
 
The ballroom is the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It is large, with a realistic mural painted across its roof and walls. If one stared at it long enough, one would find them moving.
 
The one who painted them is not only talented but also had been high leveled. Only they could create such an effect.
 
There are a few hundred people already inside; all of them dressed impeccably. Mingling with each other. Under the melodious music of the band.
 
The music felt so wonderful that I wanted to kidnap the musicians and take them to my establishment.
 
“Wine sir?” we had just taken a step inside, when the waiter appeared in front of us, with glasses of golden wine.
 
“Thank you,” I said and picked up the glass. Robin did the same before drowning half of it within a second, while staring at the corners.
 
It seemed like seeing a couple of liches had stressed him out. Eight liches are standing in every corner of the ballroom; gazing at the ballroom and even talking to the guests who are daring enough to approach them.
 
Navr is smart. 
 
They have unabashedly placed their undead around. These are not common undead, but liches, with each one dressed impeccably. This will lessen the aversion of people toward the undead and make them look normal.
 
The people invited here are not common; each one of them has some influence. Even Robin and I have some in our city.
 
Through us, they wanted to reduce the terrible reputation of the undead. As less aversion brings more trade, and no matter how powerful Navr is, it needs that trade as the world needs its goods.
 
“Lord Lancel had not arrived,” said Robin as he looked around the ballroom. “Viscount Atre isn’t present as well,” I said. He nodded.
 
I was just looking around when I saw a familiar face, and at the same time; he looked toward me. He said something to the man standing beside him and soon, both of them came toward us.
 
“Remus, it’s nice to see you again,” said Ethan as he appeared in front of me. “It's nice to see you too Ethan and I am really sorry that I couldn’t meet you, with all the work,” I said to the man.
 
He is Ethan Ashav, a scion of one of the very powerful merchant houses in the merchant union.
 
“I know. I have been too busy, with the incident taking a day from my schedule,” He replied, and I got slightly alarmed by his mention of it, in front of the people.
 
Even though he did not mention it explicitly. I would still prefer it if he did not speak in front of other people. Things are going well in Navr, and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.
 
He smiled seeing that and turned to the green orc beside him. He looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties; it is hard to tell with orcs.
 
“Remus, this is a Yaguk Almphu; the leader of Ax Storm mercenaries,” he introduced and my eyes widened in surprise.
 
He is the leader of the mercenaries to which Brul and Borg belong and is likely the uncle who had survived the dungeon a couple of decades ago.
 
The information, he had told Brul, had helped us tremendously in getting out of the ruin.
 
“Hello, I am Remus Silver. I have heard a lot of things about you from your men,” I said as I shook his hand. 
 
A smile appeared on the green orc’s face, making him look slightly younger.
 
“I have also heard a lot of things about you too, young man, and let me say. Not many with your strength survive what you have survived,” he said with all seriousness.
 
“Thank you for your praise,” I said with a smile, and he shook his head. “It is not a praise,” he said.
 
For a moment, there was silence. Thankfully, the delicious-looking appetizers arrived to fill the void. We each took one, and they were delicious; as good as the wine, I am drinking.
 
“You are leaving tomorrow, right?” Ethan asked. “Yes. We will be back in the empire, a day after tomorrow,” I replied, and an unconscious smile appeared on my face at the mention of the home.
 
It would have been great. If my bastard of the brother hadn’t died. His funeral and other things going to waste at least two days before I could return to Greltheaven and my business.
 
A few minutes passed, and we talked about a lighter topic when a new guest had caught my eye.
 
Seeing us, he turned.
 
“My lord,” I and Robin greeted with a faint bow as he appeared beside us. He nodded and turned to Ethan. 
 
“Mr. Ashav, thank you for your help. You saved me a lot of time,” said Viscount. Mentioning the business, I know nothing about and did not dare to look even curious about it.
 
“It is a small thing, Lord Viscount,” said Ethan, before he turned to the old orc. 
 
“Chief Almphu, this is Viscount Atre of the Harsoth Empire. The sole reason we were able to get out of that place,” he said, and Viscount's eyes lit up. 
 
“Thank you, Viscount, for bringing my men out of that place,” he said to Viscount, who smiled. “It is I who should thank you, Mister Almphu. Without your information, we would have been food those plants,” he said, and the orc smiled.
 
Viscount remained with us for a minute more, before he left, and a few minutes later Ethan and Orc.
 
We mingled with other people; we do not know any of them, but one does not need to in a place like this.
 
The purpose of these parties is to meet the people one had not met before.
 
Half an hour passed when something happened in the ballroom. Fifty-two men and women of all races entered in four lines, wearing stylized mage robes with an emblem of Navr on their chest.
 
They walked into the center and formed a large circle before taking out their wands.
 
People turned toward them, including me and Robin, and the half-elf man we were talking to, who seemed to realize what was happening seeing a big smile on his face.
 
“What is happening?” I asked Ralan, the merchant from the Kingdom of Mahal. “Something amazing,” he replied without elaborating. 
 
Hearing that, I did not ask further and focused on people whose wands have lit up and a moment later, spells come out, as they raised them in the air.
 
Spells came out of their wands, with Lumen Balls and Flair being the most common. They floated in the air and came together, forming an emblem of their city. 
 
It is a black stag, with white burning eyes on the red triangular shield.
 
It stayed in it for a couple of seconds, before the real performance started, and it is mesmerizing.
 
As the emblem dispersed, they begin to cast the spells rapidly. They all were grade-one spells of light and fire elements. I was only able to recognize a few of them, even among those, half of them were highly modified.
 
They gathered and a couple of seconds later, a hundred-meter-long giant dragon materialized in the air. It looked amazing with simmering scales and glowing eyes, and the way it moved its wings made it feel like a real thing.
 
ROOOOAR!
 
It roared so loudly that I felt my hair moving. Robin even took a step back as the dragon roared in our direction.
 
“My god!” said Robin in wonder. “The show mages are quite good and today these looked like mythical beasts,” he said, and he was right. In the next minutes, a hydra appeared.
 
Then it was a golden stag, a lethal one, and many others begin to appear.
 
I have seen the magical shows, but nothing could be compared to this. It is on a completely different level; it is like seeing a regional acrobat to the Olympian.
 
The thing is, they are only using the grade 1 spells. There know bigger spells, but at today's party, they are keeping themselves restricted to grade 1 spells. 
 
Mage talent is considered the best. It opened different roads to the future. The combat mage or scholarly mage is not the only option; there are many others.
 
Show mages are one of the paths one could take. Other mages looked down at them, thinking it was a path chosen by those who couldn’t walk into the other two.
 
I am not looking down on them, but combat is not everyone. Many mages give up after their first assignment and a cushy job. As for being a scholar, which is akin to being a scientist, not everybody could become one.
 
Seeing these show mages, a daring idea appeared in my mind.
 
I will have to test whether it is possible. If it is, I will do it. It will cost me a lot, but if I succeeded, it would also provide me with tremendous benefits.
 
We were watching the show when Robin and I shook. Immediately, we averted our eyes from the show and looked toward the door, where Lancel had appeared, with a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late twenties.
 
“It was nice talking to you, Mr. Woods,” I excused myself and walked toward Lancel with Robin.
 
“My lord,” we greeted in unison and bowed faintly as we stopped in front of Lancel.
 
“Robin, Remus. This is Lady Ahana Harley of Ataren,” He introduced his date.  “My Lady,” we greeted.
 
“Ahana, this is Robin and Remus, my advisers,” he introduced. She nodded politely, but her eyes held no interest in us.
 
The woman is beautiful with a small delicate face, raven black hair, and smooth light brown skin. She is from the Kingdom of Ataran, a central Kingdom, which shares a border with Tabes and Edruin, the empire's dear neighbors.
 
If I remember correctly, she is the daughter of Marquess Altan Harley. He had three daughters.
 
I am confused whether she is a middle one or a younger one. It is definitely not the oldest, as her name is not Ahana. 
 
After the introduction, Lancel walked away without so much nod. Which is normal behavior, and we didn’t think much and turned to the beautiful show.
 
The show lasted for forty-five minutes before the mages disappeared. 
 
Their exit was amazing. The blue phoenix made a loud cry and dived on them creating a beautiful explosion of lights and when it was disbursed a few seconds later, the show's mages have disappeared.
 
I was basking in the afterglow of the show when suddenly the whole hall quieted down, and everybody turned to the central stairs.
 
The empty stairs now had a person. So beautiful that women would feel jealous of him.
 
He is a tall young man, who looked about my age. He had thick blue hair and high cheekbones, with pale skin. The most prominent feature of him is his red eyes.
 
They are crimson in color, with a faint shine in them.
 
“I hope you all enjoyed the show,” he asked in a soft, melodic voice as he climbed down the stairs.
 
“Gawain Phaeron,” whispered Robin in a barely audible voice, he looked at one of the most powerful people of Navr or it could be said, of the whole continent.
 
I have heard he looked young, but still had a hard time believing, seeing him looking young as me. 
 
While he may look young, he is old. Hundreds of years old. 
 
Gawain Phaeron, Lord of Jalrux and the whole Talgek Region. A vampire, a member of the elder race, and a truly terrifying individual.  
 
He is someone who could fight against the Grand Mages head-on and if whispered to believed, killed one, in the present century.
 
His entrance had surprised everyone. He rarely makes an appearance at parties, but when he does, he stays.
 

An.

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