“And that’s what Orator said.”

Erredis sighed, “I see. Can’t do anything about it, then. I hoped they would know more but I guess not.”

“What was this fissure thing about, actually?” Sofia asked.

“Phageid.”

“Oh. You wanted to try to prevent the next attack by finding where they came from in advance?”

“That was the idea, yes. I thought that if anyone could know it would be the Lords. But I guess not even them can predict the future.”

“It was worth a try. Should we be worried about them, though? Just with the level 500s that I know of it sounds ridiculous to think the phageids could be a real threat when we know they are coming… ”

“It is hard to tell, but if the scale of their attacks continue to ramp up, it will become a huge issue sooner rather than later. We level 500 are not in so much danger, but everyone else… Protecting is much harder than destroying, I know a lot about that. And speaking of which, I think I know what to do with your Adamian steel.”

“I’m all ears!”

“Do not get too excited, considering you somehow got your hands on the key, and aren’t in need of more armor, the best I can do is use that ingot to upgrade your staff. It likely won’t be a substantial increase in much else than its durability, but it should at least bring it up to par with the rest of your things.”

“It’s held very well until now though.”

“Because nothing reached its core yet, but I can tell this wooden staff of yours would instantly crumble if I were to shatter the small Dragon horn core inside,” Erredis told Sofia as she poked at the staff.

“Then please, do upgrade it… What do you think about the catalyst? Should I change?”

“This one looks fine, although your spells do not benefit much from its speed boost, aside from the lightning bolts. Your fighting style not being heavy on damage-dealing spells, I would leave it as is until something else naturally shows up.”

“I’ll trust your opinion. What do I owe you for the staff?” Sofia asked while she lost herself looking around at all the chaotic-looking things Erredis had filled her workshop in Zephir’s sect with over the year.

“Come on, sweetie, I’m not going to make you pay for something so trivial. It will only take a couple of days to work that in between my other current projects, go see that old skeletal plague and come again.”

“Thank you! Want me to relay a message to Richard? I think you mentioned something about dueling him last time.”

Erredis laughed, “You remembered that? Yes, I fought him once, friendly spar, one could say. He is like… A plague. As I said. If you think my rot is sticky you have never had to deal with this damn lich.”

“That bad? He looked… Not that impressive, when I met him. Just a relatively friendly skeleton.”

“Huh uh. Reality itself could burst and he would find a way to survive. Just tell him I said hi, might just motivate him to help you a bit more, who knows. Now go on, let me work.”

“Will do. Thanks again for all the help and advice, grandma!”

“Pleasure’s all mine, kid,” Erredis answered with a smirk. She grabbed Sofia’s scepter and walked to the back of her workshop, whistling.

That’s that. Now to fly all the way back to the human continent.

---

 

Sofia flew unimpeded across the sky. She flew right into a storm while crossing the sea, and all she had to do to avoid it was to fly over. Above the clouds, the sky was always blue. She went directly to the Red Carpet branch in Couvauz to look for TLDR.

The receptionist called out to Sofia as she entered, “Hey! I know you… It’s been a while. Are you here to see Nicet?”

Sofia walked up to the counter. “Hi. No, I’m hoping to meet Richard today, if possible.”

The receptionist raised an eyebrow, “Wanna see the boss? What’s your name again?”

“Sofia, though he would know me by my title as the Saintess of Scripture…”

“Hmmhmm. Give me a moment,” the receptionist said as he stood up. Leaving the counter, he entered the door right behind him and closed it, as he started talking to someone inside.

Sofia didn’t mean to spy but her hearing was sharp enough to hear everything.

“Lady at the desk wants to meet the boss. Saintess of Scripture, supposedly. She does ID as a Saint. 249. Came in with Nicet once about a year and a half ago.”

Another man answered the receptionist, “Hmm… Sofia A., she’s registered as a temp VIP. No further detail, can you confirm it’s her?”

“Yes, looks exactly the same.”

“Make her wait then, boss should be on-site so I’ll go ask directly. Activate high sec, just in case.”

“Already done.”

“Good.”

The mana signature Sofia sensed from the other man disappeared, and the receptionist came back.

Teleported away.

“Thank you for waiting. Someone is contacting the boss. It shouldn’t take long, you can sit if you want,” the receptionist told Sofia, pointing at the couches against the walls of the Red Carpet’s entrance hall.

“Sure, thank you.”

The couch was comfortable but nothing special. A few minutes later, the mana signature of the other man reappeared in the room behind the reception, accompanied by someone else’s.

It was a skinny and tall elf who walked out of the room, fully dressed in white. His eyes immediately landed on Sofia and he walked up to her. Sofia stood up as she saw him approach.

[Mage - Lv. 300+]

“Lady Sofia. The boss will receive you shortly. Are you accustomed to long distance teleportations?”

“It should not be an issue.”

“Perfect, follow me.”

The elf led Sofia to a room nearby, with a large ritual circle engraved on the floor.

Teleportation platform. I’m guessing he’s a space mage, will do the teleportation himself.

As Sofia expected, the mana within the Elf’s body whirred and the duo’s location changed to a pitch black room. Sofia could barely see even with her dark-vision, the room was a closed cube with no exit and nothing but a teleportation circle on the floor.

The elf lit up a light stone he wore on a ring, “Are you holding on? Please wait, this is a temporary teleportation point.”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

The duo teleported again. Another dark room.

“Still good?” the elf asked.

“All good.”

“It is unusual for non space-mages of your level to hold on that well. Three more jumps, please tell me if you need a break.”

Sofia was curious so she looked at the last-bed locator system tool each time, and unlike what she expected, they seemed to be teleporting in different directions each time.

To make it hard to track, I guess? I couldn’t say at all where we are right now.

A few seconds later, the last teleportation took Sofia and the elf to a large room that looked like another reception hall, but with no entrance, and no one at the desk. The walls were mostly huge clear glass panes, and colored lines on the floor led from the teleportation platform to different doors.

It’s night? Are we on the other side of the planet?

Wait no!

We’re underwater!

A school of small luminous fish swam across the window, confirming Sofia’s read on the location.

“Welcome to the real Red Carpet Headquarters. The orange line on the floor will lead you to the boss’ office. Please refrain from touching anything or exploring on your own. I will be at this desk when you want to leave or if you have any questions.”

Sofia thanked the elf and followed the orange line. The underwater building was very silent, clean, and somewhat empty. Sofia could see her reflections in the windows and the smooth floors.

I don’t get this flooring. It’s multiple layers… Looks like glass but a bit soft?

Is soft glass a thing?

Eventually the orange line led Sofia to a closed door, the underwater building was very large and she had spent a good five minutes walking, but she hadn’t crossed paths with anyone on the way.

A familiar voice made its way directly into Sofia’s mind.

“Come in, teacher Vakaria.”

Wha- How would he know about that?

Sofia opened the door.

Richard’s ‘office’ looked like the most basic space possible: a wide, empty room, with only a squeaky clean flat rectangular desk in the back in front of a huge window giving a good view of the dark undersea abyss, and two chairs. The desk and chairs looked like they were made of the same soft-ish glass as the floor.

Richard was facing away from Sofia, skeletal as ever, looking out of the window, a cup of some steaming liquid in hand. He was wearing what Sofia could only describe as loose pajamas, complete with a night cap and slippers.

Sofia blinked several times. Despite how wrong everything looked, it was all real.

Does he need to sleep?

Can he actually drink?

Why is the room so empty?

Outside is completely dark so what is he looking at?

In the end the question she mustered was: “Did I come at a bad time?”

“Not at all. I was just pretending to sleep. Congratulations on finding your sister, saintess.”

---