I was back at our arranged temporary residence in Border Town, but I didn't stay inside for long going to the Dungeon along with Nicole.
There were things I needed to handle, but before that, I needed to talk to Nicole and that's why I went to a restaurant inside the Dungeon, they had a private room just for me and those directly connected to me who are also the highest hierarchy in the Dungeon.
"While we wait for the food, tell me what you were doing in Orsel's office." (I)
"I saw that the whole room was littered with weapons and traps everywhere, all made using Engineering Magic." (Nicole)
"As I was interested, I went to open one of the hidden doors to confirm how he did all that without causing interference between the different magic items and still without causing resonance with the powerful magic that permeates this entire city." (Nicole)
"I must say he's amazing, but his approach is different than mine." (Nicole)
"Like this?" (I)
"I create very specific things for each of my creations, this increases the cost of construction, maintenance, and time to finish a project." (Nicole)
"Thanks to that, my creations are more flexible and have better final performance." (Nicole)
"His approach from what I can understand comes from combining more general pieces and broader processes in order to adapt in countless ways." (Nicole)
"You mean that while you like to create things from scratch, Orsel uses what he has to adapt something of his own?" (I)
"That is a very simplified and incomplete explanation, but fundamentally it is correct." (Nicole)
"..." (I)
His Golems are square, at least the ones I found while I was still in the Castle of Dragons, but I saw many other Golems with resemblances to robots in this city, most of them being in that building where Orsel's office is.
Unlike Nicole, who likes to start from scratch in her creations by doing something totally original, Orsel seems to use established things to innovate not in theory but in practice.
If I think about it that way, I think it's easier to understand.
"Would you like to talk to him more?" (I)
"Of course, in centuries I haven't met someone with as much experience in the same area as me, his methodology being different from mine just means there's a lot I can learn from him." (Nicole)
"After this so-called meeting passes you will have time, but if you want you can visit him as soon as we speak with this messenger tomorrow." (I)
Before we left the office I asked Orsel a few questions, after which I overheard how magic items were used to replace body parts as prosthetics, all while hiding what they really are by posing as real body parts.
Hearing about these things made me think of something that happened a little while ago, but I needed to confirm and so I asked if I could meet this messenger before deciding whether to go to this supposed alliance meeting or not.
"What did you think of what Orsel said about the messenger?" (I)
"Hard to say with so little known, I'll need to be in front of him to be sure, but the chances of him being connected with the one I mentioned are at least 62%." (Nicole)
"..." (I)
"Did you finish the project?" (I)
"Yes, but it's not suitable for most people, which confirms my suspicions." (Nicole)
"Fine, so we'll have to wait until tomorrow anyway." (I)
After talking with Nicole we returned to our tasks after a nice meal, she went to her lab and I to the office in the middle of the city to find Nira for whatever she wants to push me to do this time.
--------------
Next day, morning.
I was with Nicole and my Familiars, apart from them, only Hades was with me since I can't get too far away from him.
We were all together with Orsel in something akin to a roofless carriage flying to a building that sits on the edge of town.
It looks like they brought the messenger inside once more because of my request, I'm glad to do it here instead of going outside.
As soon as we arrived I noticed that the building was half destroyed, some explosion marks everywhere, the building seemed to be made largely of crystal and I realized that the crystal was growing to cover the holes in the building.
Orsel took us to the highest floor of the building where 4 men were already waiting, 3 of the men were Dragonewt with star marks on their shoulders while the last Man matches Orsel's descriptions, last name messenger, if I'm not mistaken his name is Marlon by that Orsel told.
"What happened to get me invited back? Did you decide on the meeting proposal?" (Marlon)
"We are inclined to accept, but first one of the participants you requested wants to speak with you." (Orsel)
"That participant in question will be me, nice to meet you Mr Marlon." (I)
"My name is Zenos." (I)
"Hail the Primordial, may the stars be witnesses of its greatness!!!"
"..." (I)
"..." (Orsel)
"..." (Marlon)
"I'm glad you understand who my lord is, now stand up so you don't disturb this meeting." (Hades)
"As you wish, Great Dragon."
As soon as I arrived I noticed the eyes of the 3 Dragonewts on me, but I thought it was because they had their guard up because they were escorting this messenger, but suddenly they fell with one knee on the ground while bowing their heads when they heard my name.
Hades was the only one who reacted without being shocked making them behave, it was only now that I realized that my position among the Dragons could be too high, these 3 Dragonewts are stronger than me and they kneel before me like this.
"Let's try to keep the conversation centered." (I)
"I'm here just as an intermediary, you set up the meeting to clear your doubts, feel free to ask whatever you want." (Orsel)
"I am authorized to answer some things, but not everything that is asked, our leader can and will tell you the necessary during the meeting if you accept." (Marlon)
"We'll talk about that later, I'm also not going to comment on how suspicious this all looks." (I)
"What I want to know is how do you know about me?" (I)
"One of us was on a recon mission and spotted you healing a World Tree, other than that we know very little about you other than your name." (Marlon)
"(Orsel didn't tell me anything about him calling me here by name, so he didn't give Orsel my name and preferred to use what I did to point out who they should look for.)" (I)
"Why should I attend this meeting?" (I)
"I don't know much, I'm just following orders, my knowledge of these things is limited, but it looks like it's not just about you." (Marlon)
"Our leader has a special interest in one of her daughters, by the description it must be the one next to her who has the name Nicole." (Marlon)
"(So far he has only spoken the truth.)" (Nix)
Nix inside my shadow is confirming if he tells any lies, which doesn't seem to be happening, which leaves two options, the first being that he's avoiding the main points or the second option that he really doesn't know, I'm more inclined the second option.
"What do you know about me? Why haven't you answered my first question yet?" (I)
"You seem like someone important to have at the meeting, that's all I know and what we know about you, I particularly only know your name and appearance as well as the names of some of your children, nothing more." (Marlon)
"..." (I)
"Why are you so desperate to get this meeting?" (I)
"I cannot say that, I will only say that if they accept the proposal, the meeting will provide all the answers." (Marlon)
I look at him, and I can tell he was ready to tell, but at the last second, he changed his mind, which means that not to tell was his decision and not orders.
His desperation for this reunion doesn't seem to be just on his part.
"I still don't know who you are, a clandestine organization, belonging to an Evil God's Religion or a nation on some world?" (I)
"I also refuse to answer that as it might compromise my teammates if an alliance is not possible." (Marlon)
If he won't even talk about what kind of group they are, he won't talk about their ideals or location either.
I don't know much about him, the things I've found out so far don't increase my confidence in him, he sure isn't lying or Nix would notice, but he's still hiding a lot of things.
"Layla, go get Lilith here." (I)
"All good." (Layla)
Layla who was standing behind me in her large form changes back to her Fairy form and flies away disappearing into my shadow, everyone is silent for the next few minutes before she comes back with Lilith wiping the blood off her hands being dragged by the Fairy.
"Couldn't wait, I was in the middle of my training." (Lilith)
"He told me to bring it and that's what I did, deal with him." (Layla)
"Sorry to be sudden, but look at the man behind you, what do you think of him?" (I)
"..." (Lilith)
Lilith releases her Aura of Vengeance and Authority derived from mine, then concentrates on her eyes that glowed frighteningly before stopping.
"He doesn't have revenge on anyone attached to him, but he does have a strong thirst for revenge against someone." (Lilith)
"Priestess of Vengeance..." (Orsel)
"Thank you, you can go back to training, Layla..." (I)
Before I finished speaking, the Fairy was already smiling as she pulled Lilith's leg, sinking into my shadow.
"Sorry about that, I needed at least one more proof before making the decision." (I)
I nod in confirmation to Orsel who has stepped forward to speak with Marlon.
"Looks like you got your meeting, I'll pass the details on to you." (Orsel)
"Glad to hear that." (Marlon)
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