Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Buying more
Egon sat alone in the small office at the back of the Flower Garden, the door locked, the single mana-lantern turned low. Dawn had not yet broken. The city outside still slept under the fragile truce Hilga’s victory had bought.
The system window hovered in front of him, invisible to anyone else.
[Quest Update: The Siege of Dolan — SUCCESS]
[Secret Objective: Mantle of the Hidden Architect — ACHIEVED]
[Reward: 5,000 Luck Points]
[New Title Available: The Shadow Behind the Throne]
[Current Luck Points: 5,000]
He stared at the number for a long moment.
Five thousand.
Enough to change everything.
He opened the Dimensional Merchant interface with a thought. The familiar black void unfolded, the faceless hooded figure appearing in its center like smoke given shape.
"Merchant," Egon said quietly.
The figure inclined its head. No voice came from its mouth; words simply appeared in Egon’s mind, smooth and genderless.
"Welcome, Walker. Your balance is unusually high. What do you seek?"
Egon didn’t hesitate.
"I need weapons. Armor. Artifacts. Things that can turn a small force into something unstoppable. Show me your best stock for five thousand points."
The void rippled. Items materialized in neat rows, each one tagged with a glowing price and brief description.
Egon scanned quickly.
[Abyssal Fang – Cursed Shortsword]
3800 LP
Binds to wielder. Every kill permanently increases attack power by 0.1%. Stacks infinitely. Corrupts user over time.
[Starfall Plate – Legendary Armor Set]
4600 LP
Grants temporary flight and meteor-summoning once per day. Absorbs ambient mana to repair itself.
[Titan’s Reach – Giant-Killer Glaive]
3200 LP
Extends reach by ten meters on command. Pierces any armor below Legendary grade.
[Voidheart Amulet]
2900 LP
Allows short-range teleportation through shadows. Costs 1% maximum health per jump.
Egon’s eyes narrowed on the last one.
"Show me more defensive options. And anything that boosts group performance."
The display shifted.
[Banner of Unyielding Dawn]
4200 LP
Plants in ground. Creates 30-meter aura that increases ally stamina regeneration by 300% and reduces incoming damage by 25%. Lasts until destroyed or recalled.
[Ring of Soul Resonance]
3500 LP
Links up to five allies. Shares 20% of damage taken among linked users. Shares 10% of healing received.
[Phantom Cloak – Epic]
1800 LP
Grants partial intangibility for ten seconds, three uses per day. Perfect for assassins or scouts.
Egon rubbed his jaw.
He had exactly five thousand.
He needed to prioritize.
Hilga was already a walking divine weapon with Excalibur and the Holy Physique. The combat slaves, though skilled, were still mortal. Vienna and Noella had no combat training beyond basic self-defense. The Flower Garden staff—Lira, Tobin, Seline, Corvin, Maraelle—were civilians.
If another rift opened inside the city, or if Veyle hired stronger mercenaries, they would be vulnerable.
He needed protection that didn’t rely on him being present.
He selected three items.
[Banner of Unyielding Dawn] – 4200 LP
[Ring of Soul Resonance] – 3500 LP
[Phantom Cloak – Epic] – 1800 LP
The Merchant’s voice echoed in his head.
"Total exceeds balance. Please adjust selection or provide alternative payment."
Egon frowned.
Gold couldn’t be converted. Neither could mana crystals or other currencies. Luck Points only.
He recalculated.
He dropped the Banner—too expensive—and kept the other two.
[Ring of Soul Resonance] – 3500 LP
[Phantom Cloak – Epic] – 1800 LP
Total: 5300 LP.
Still over.
He hesitated, then removed the Cloak.
Only the Ring.
[Ring of Soul Resonance] – 3500 LP
Remaining: 1500 LP.
He browsed again.
A smaller item caught his eye.
[Guardian’s Ward – Rare Amulet]
1200 LP
Wearer gains 15% resistance to all elemental damage. Once per day, can reflect a single attack back at the caster with 80% power.
Egon added it.
[Ring of Soul Resonance] – 3500 LP
[Guardian’s Ward – Rare Amulet] – 1200 LP
Total: 4700 LP.
Remaining: 300 LP.
Close enough.
"Purchase," he said.
[Purchase confirmed.]
[Items delivered to spatial inventory.]
Three soft thumps sounded inside his personal void storage.
Egon exhaled.
He stood, pushed the chair back, and walked out into the main shop floor.
The first light of dawn crept through the windows.
Lira was already there, sorting yesterday’s receipts.
"My lord. You’re up early."
Egon nodded.
"I need Krag and Mara. And the escort team. We’re going to the slave market."
Lira blinked.
"Now?"
"Now."
She didn’t question him further.
By mid-morning Egon stood in the central slave auction yard—the same filthy stone platform where he had once knelt in chains.
The auctioneer recognized him instantly.
"Lord Egon! Back so soon? We have fresh stock—strong fighters from the eastern wastes, obedient house servants, even a few rare bloodlines."
Egon ignored the sales pitch.
"Show me combat-capable only. High endurance, loyal temperament, any elemental affinity preferred. Budget is no object."
The auctioneer’s eyes gleamed.
He clapped twice.
Assistants dragged out twenty fighters—men and women in light chains, stripped to the waist, muscles gleaming with oil.
Egon walked the line slowly.
A tall orc-blooded woman with red skin and curling horns caught his eye first.
"Name?"
"Ragna," she answered, voice deep.
"Affinities?"
"Fire and strength."
Egon nodded.
"Next."
A lean human male, scarred, eyes sharp.
"Former arena champion," the auctioneer said. "Lightning magic. Fast. Deadly."
Egon moved on.
He selected eight in total—four men, four women. Mix of elemental affinities: fire, lightning, earth, wind. All had the hard eyes of survivors.
The auctioneer tallied the bids.
"Twenty-eight thousand gold for the lot."
Egon transferred the sum without blinking.
"Brand them with the Castros crest. No obedience seals. I want their loyalty earned, not forced."
The auctioneer hesitated.
"My lord... without seals they could—"
"They won’t," Egon said flatly.
The man swallowed and nodded.
The new slaves were led away to be branded and outfitted.
Egon turned to Krag.
"Take them to the courtyard. Start integration drills. No special treatment. They earn their place the same way the others did."
Krag saluted.
"Yes, my lord."
Egon walked back toward the estate alone.
The streets were still crowded with people heading to work, whispering about the Hero who had saved them, about the rifts that had gone quiet—for now.
He felt the Ring of Soul Resonance in his inventory—small, black, warm to the touch.
The Guardian’s Ward—simple silver chain, blue gem pulsing faintly.
He had bought time.
He had bought strength.
He had bought a chance.
Now he needed to use it.
When he reached the estate, Vienna and Noella waited in the main hall.
Vienna looked up from a ledger.
"You were gone all morning."
Egon set the two items on the table.
"Luck points spent. These are for the estate. For protection."
Noella picked up the Ring.
"What does it do?"
"Links up to five people. Shares damage and healing. If one of us is hurt, the others take a portion. If one heals, it spreads."
Vienna lifted the Ward.
"And this?"
"Fifteen percent resistance to all elements. Once per day, reflects a single attack back at the caster with eighty percent power."
Noella folded the Ring carefully.
"We’ll train with these. Every day."
Vienna placed the Ward back on the table.
"And you? What do you need?"
Egon looked toward the window, toward the northern horizon where Hilga had ridden.
"I need to keep building. The Flower Garden. The combat force. The alliances. Everything."
He turned back to them.
"But most of all... I need both of you. No more distance. No more waiting. When Hilga returns, when the city is safe... we sit down. All four of us. And we decide what this family becomes."
Vienna stepped close, resting her forehead against his.
"We’re ready when you are."
Noella pressed against his other side.
"No more thirty-day games."
Egon wrapped an arm around each of them.
"No more games."
Outside, the city moved on—wounded healing, shops reopening, life clawing its way back.
Inside the estate, three people stood together.
The war wasn’t over.
But the foundation had been laid.
And Egon Novos intended to build an empire on it.
