Chapter 455: Lighting Lanterns Mynes closed the door behind her with a soft click as they entered the room... or rather, as she dragged Azel into it. She had moved so fast that he barely registered which hallway they’d gone through. Now he looked around the space, blinking. "You know... I partly expected your whole room to be painted with runes or something." Azel said as he scanned the walls, the ceiling, the floor... only to find not mystic sigils, but a very girly setup. There were plushies everywhere and the room was in a pastel-pink theme. It also had a giant heart-shaped rug. And in the center, a massive teddy bear that looked expensive enough to buy a small village. He blinked then blinked again. "What?" Mynes puffed her cheeks and sat down at the edge of her bed, her gown rustling. "I’m a woman, don’t you see these breasts?" To prove her point... and to punish his assumptions, she grabbed both sides of her dress bodice and shook herself aggressively. Her breasts bounced in a way that made Azel look away for a moment. "That’s not the point though." She huffed, looking down at the paper in her hand... the permit he’d gotten for her. "How did you know about the looting license...?" "I just asked the guy and he seemed to know. For some reason, you hadn’t renewed yours." He said calmly. The next instant, Mynes jumped on him. She literally launched herself at him like a pink-haired missile. Azel instinctively moved a foot back, but then he remembered... this was her birthday. So instead of dodging, he let her cling to him like a koala. "Thank you... thank you... thank you..." she muttered into his chest, squeezing him tighter with each repetition as her smile grew. "Do you know how much 10 gold is...? That old woman refused to give me money to renew... she really is a witch." "I don’t think it’s nice to call your mother a witch." She dropped down from him, turning her face away with a pout. "Ne ne ne... she doesn’t mind. Anyway, thank you. This is the best gift I could ask for." ’I had to work at the Academy and try to save enough... sure Mira mailed my spoils to my apartment but it still wasn’t enough.’ Azel just stared at her. "That wasn’t your gift..." he muttered. Mynes froze. Slowly... slowly... she turned to him. "Azel... what do you mean that wasn’t my gift...?" Azel raised his hand, and an object shimmered into existence in his palm. It was beautifully carved from dark wood, polished so smoothly it seemed to glow. Along its spine, runes were etched... they were delicate and unmistakably made by hand but the mana inside it. That mana was extraordinary. It felt like holding sunlight condensed into an object. "I call it the Enchanter’s Comb." Azel said. "I know the continuous use of runes and enchantments creates mana stags in the mana circuits. They’re very hard to loosen, so wherever on your skin you feel a stag... just comb over it, and it’ll leave." A second item appeared... a neatly folded note. "The comb also does a lot of other stuff... just read it through." The reason it was so powerful was because this comb was crafted not only by hand, but by a new ability he obtained after Feng killed that priest which was what he used for the hairpin too. ... [Skill: Aurum Hand] [Rank: SS] [Description: A pinnacle level refinement ability that allows the user’s hands to alter the value, quality and essence of any non-living object they touch. Items handled by the user naturally shift toward their optimal, perfected state embodying the ancient concept of Aurum... the Golden Ideal.] ... ’Unlike that cloning ability I got, this one can be used a lot more.’ Azel thought. ’I’ll be using this nonstop. Clothes, weapons, food... there’s no rule saying I can’t.’ Mynes read the note, and her eyes widened. They widened more when she understood what the comb could do. And then... Her lips began to tremble. She lifted the comb with shaking hands and dragged it across her forearm... a place she did have a mana stag that she had been trying to loosen for a while now. The moment the comb passed over her skin... "Mmm~" She let out a helpless, sensual sound as her entire arm relaxed instantly. The stag dissolved like dust scattering in sunlight. She stared at the comb... and then rubbed it against her cheek as if it were a sacred treasure. "I’ll cherish this gift for the rest of my life." She whispered. Azel stared. He could see she meant it. Completely. "Thank you... so are we getting out of here?" he asked lightly. But Mynes shook her head and suddenly materialized something in her palm... a small packet. She opened it, revealing a pale pill. "It’s a birth-control pill... since nobody is upstairs, we can do it all we want." Azel gave her a long, slow once-over then he chuckled. "You should have said that you wanted it to be your birthday gift." He turned toward the door and Mynes stood frozen. Her face reddened so quickly it was almost instant. ’If I had asked for it...’ She looked at her bed, imagining herself riding him until her legs went numb. ’Would he have really done it...?’ Her knees trembled. Azel opened the door and standing on the other side... was Mira. Her arms were folded and her expression was unreadable except for the faint pink dusting her cheeks. She was wearing a dress that made her look breathtaking, the kind that took one’s breath without effort. The bodice hugged her shape cleanly, her hair was pinned elegantly with a few strands framing her face. She looked like the mature version of what Mynes attempted to be. The instant Mira saw him, she reached out and grabbed his hand. "Come on... spend some time with me, not her." The Knight Commander said it with a perfectly straight face... and then promptly yanked him toward the hallway before Mynes could even process anything. Azel stumbled once before catching his balance. His mind blanked. Gwendolyn materialized beside them, floating sideways with a horrified expression. "Oh... not again. You’re going to die at this rate." Mira continued dragging him without mercy. ... Azel was downstairs at the table where he was before, but this time Mira was beside him, and he was pouring her a drink. "You came even later than me..." Azel said, noticing the faint pink on her cheeks as she settled into her seat. Mynes had already returned to her throne, and every few seconds she glanced in their direction. "Did something come up?" "I was just attending to a bit of personal business." Mira replied as she lifted the cup and drank the wine in one go. "Arranging knights here and there... apparently we’ll be helping out the Aegis Empire a bit more for some reason." "Are we at war?" Azel asked. He wasn’t joking... There wasn’t supposed to be any war until the fifth calamity, but he had changed too many key events already. Any new divergence was possible. "No, nothing like that." Mira shook her head and rested her elbow on the table. "They’re having a surge of dungeons appearing everywhere. Usually it appears on the outskirts or in designated regions, but now they’re popping up in the capital, in people’s houses, even inside the Academy grounds. Their forces are stretched thin, so we’ll assist them in raiding." She turned to him with a small smile... one that tried to comfort him more than necessary. "Don’t be worried for me. They’re ranging between Rank 3 and Rank 4. I’ll be very safe." Azel stared at her quietly for a few seconds. He trusted her but something still itched at the back of his mind. He dismissed it a moment later. Mira was a Knight Commander... A dungeon raid of that level shouldn’t threaten her. "Okay then." He finally said and looked around. In the whole room, the quadruplets... the same performers from Astra City’s stadium were moving around with bursts of wind, receiving cheers from everyone present. Their coordinated movements and matching outfits had already made them a favorite among nobles as well as their styles. "If you die though... I’ll be cashing in on your wealth." "Eh?" Mira blinked at him, stunned, then burst into a bright, unrestrained laugh. "Sure sure... I’ll even write it in my will." Across the table, Gwendolyn... floating and trying her best to keep quiet suddenly widened her eyes. "Will... Will... I can’t believe I forgot about my will!" Azel closed his eyes. ’Why is a ghost worried about inheritance?’ She slammed her palms against the table and shook him by the shoulders. "We need to go and inherit my will!" ’What do you mean by your will?! You don’t even have a recognized identity in this era...’ She puffed up in indignation. "I do! Somewhere! Probably! Just ask the current Emperor or something!" ’Even if I do, there’s zero chance Aldric hands me land, houses, or some... cursed witch library.’ 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖 Gwendolyn deflated then inflated again. "I’ll just write one myself! Easy!" Azel opened his mouth, shut it, then sighed as she scribbled imaginary letters in the air. Mira tilted her head, confused. "Why are you shaking your head?" "No reason." He muttered before looking at her again. "Anyway, when you write your will, put it in my name as a loved one." She choked on her wine. Her cheeks... already warm from the alcohol flared even redder. She placed a hand on his head in a flustered attempt to distract him from her expression. "You look so cute." She muttered before looking away abruptly. "I’m... uh... going to meet up with a few friends. Wait for me." She stood up quickly and walked toward a group of women near the wall. Even from behind, he could see her shoulders tense with embarrassment. "What was that all about?" Azel wondered as he leaned back in his chair. The performance ended on the wide stage with a flourish, the quadruplets spinning outwards before bowing deeply. The room erupted in applause, whistles, and cheers. Sybil was nearly standing from her seat as she clapped like her life depended on it. ’I wonder what the next event is going to be.’ Azel thought. Hopefully something relaxing... The lights in the hall suddenly began to dim. A ripple of whispers passed through the guests. Maids moved gracefully, opening a grand set of doors leading to the back of the mansion... revealing the famed Moon Garden of the Duvraine Estate. The silver glow of hundreds of moon lilies washed over the garden, painting it in an ethereal light. "As expected of the Duvraine household..." one noble whispered. "It’s beautiful..." another murmured. Azel had to admit it too, the scenery was breathtaking. The head butler, Sebastian, stepped forward. "Before we continue with any more of the celebrations..." Sebastian announced, his voice echoing smoothly through the room, "we will proceed with the Lantern Release Ceremony to pray for an even longer life for our Grand Mage." Guests murmured in excitement. The Lantern Ceremony was a rare privilege... most nobles had seen it only once or twice in their lives. Some never at all. "It is a very ancient tradition, reserved for birthdays of great significance." A lady whispered to her husband. "This is proof of the Grand Mage’s prestige." Everyone was led outside to the garden. Lanterns in shades of pale gold and soft purple floated atop trays carried by maids, each one awaiting the mana of its holder. "You can perform the ceremony with a lover, or someone you care about... it could even be a close friend." Sebastian continued as the maids positioned themselves. "Light your lantern with mana, and together, you and your partner will release it. The lantern will rise according to the bond between the pair." Azel blinked. ’Rise according to the bond? What is that supposed to mean?’ Before he could think further... His right hand was grabbed. Warm fingers laced around his as Stella dragged him toward a specific open area in the garden. "Huh...? Shouldn’t you be doing this with someone like Mynes?" Azel asked as she stopped in front of one of the maids and took a lantern. "Mynes wants to do it with you..." Stella answered, her cheeks were pink. The hairpin in her brown hair glittered under the moonlight. "But I got you first, so you’re with me for now." They stopped and a maid handed him a lantern. She soon placed her hand atop the lantern he held. A faint violet glow spread across the paper surface as her mana ignited the ceremonial flame. Azel watched it quietly. Her mana really was beautiful. "We have to place our hands together and send it up at the same time." She said, trying her best to maintain her dignity despite how flustered she looked. Her voice softened slightly. "So give me your hands."