Chapter 45 – Pies, Wine, and the Favor of the Lotus.

Late afternoon in the inner courtyard of the Bastion of Arcane Greed seemed calm.

Kael was sitting on a wooden bench polishing his 460 HP Volcanic Steel Shield, Aurelia-Elysia organized dried herbs on the laboratory table, and Rhea rested beside Diana under the shade of the purple-leaf willow.

Suddenly, three-dimensional space in the center of the courtyard simply folded like a sheet of paper.

A glowing whirlwind of silver lotus petals and pink mist opened in midair.

Kael and Aurelia-Elysia, who had never witnessed that entrance, felt the impact of the Level 118 passive aura leaking through the portal.

Kael dropped his four-hundred HP shield onto the stone floor with a dull thud, his mouth open in pure dread. Aurelia-Elysia let out a sharp squeak, dropping the bundle of herbs onto the table, her legs locking beneath the overwhelming pressure of that presence.

"S-SUPREME INTRUDER ALERT!" Kael shouted, his voice cracking.

From the midst of the silver petals emerged Cassian, the Level 118 Candidate for the Sin of Lust, wearing a dark-blue silk coat with silver embroidery, carrying two bottles of aged mana wine in one hand and a decorated wooden box in the other.

"Relax, four-hundred HP vanguard!" Cassian smiled with devastating charm, waving at Kael. "I brought Abyssal fruit pies and two-hundred-year-old mana wine!"

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Rhea let out a soft laugh, adjusting her silk overcoat. "It's just Cassian, guys. You can relax."

Kael and Aurelia-Elysia looked at Rhea, then at Cassian, and then at Diana, unable to comprehend how the group treated a Level 118 entity like an inconvenient neighbor who dropped by for coffee.

Diana rose from the stone bench, arms crossed over her Dragon Chestplate, her dark eyes blazing with pure irritation.

"Cassian!" Diana raged. "You broke into my own headquarters again without asking permission! We have an iron gate and a magic barrier in the courtyard!"

Cassian sat comfortably on the wooden bench, opening the box of fluffy pies with strawberry and honey filling.

"Barriers are for ordinary people, cutie." Cassian said, taking a sip straight from the wine bottle. "I heard you executed that Malakor in the neutral Valley of Mirrors dungeon and devoured his Fragment of Greed. Congratulations!"

"AND STOP CALLING ME CUTIE, YOU LEVEL 118 SHOW-OFF ELF!" Diana yelled, her face red with rage and embarrassment. "I AM THE COMMANDER OF ARCANE GREED!"

Cassian let out a loud, amused laugh. "But you ARE cute, Diana! Look at you, with that giant dragon chestplate and that angry little face! You look like a baby dragon trying to roar at the sky!"

—Worst part is it's true, Diana.

The System's voice echoed in her head, the interface floating in the corner of her vision in black gold.

—He's 100% right. You are hilariously short and angry.

"SYSTEM, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Diana growled mentally, sitting down on the bench with an ugly scowl, though she snatched a slice of fruit pie from the box, because she categorically refused to decline expensive, delicious food for free.

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Cassian poured goblets of wine for Rhea, Kael, and Aurelia-Elysia, who gradually lost their dread of the Level 118 aura and sat at the table, delighted with the refined foods brought by the Candidate.

Cassian reached his hand into the inner pocket of his silk coat and pulled out an ancient scroll made of silvered beast hide, placing it onto the stone table.

"Here is my official gift for your progress, kiddo." Cassian said, his voice turning a bit more serious.

Diana approached and unrolled the parchment.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[LEGENDARY ITEM RECEIVED: RARE MAP OF THE THIRD CIRCLE PORTAL]

- Description: Detailed map of covert routes and patrol blind spots at the Portal Crossing to the Third Circle of Hell (The Circle of Gluttony).

- Estimated Market Value: 25 Silver Coins.

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Diana stared at the map.

"The Third Circle…" Diana said, her dark eyes glittering.

"The Third Circle is the Domain of Gluttony." Cassian explained, taking another sip of wine. "It's ruled by Beelzebub, one of the ALIVE Deadly Sins. The guards there are extremely aggressive toward outside hunters. When you and your squad reach Level 50 to cross the portal, this map will keep you from falling into the border traps of the Lords of Gluttony."

Diana stashed the map in her bag with almost reverent care. "This is extremely valuable, Cassian."

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Cassian leaned back on the wooden bench, elegantly crossing his legs, aiming a sly smile at Diana.

"And now that I gave you the map to the Third Circle, gave you the Level 25+ ore, and brought pies…" Cassian smiled, "…the time has come to ask for my first favor of our alliance."

Diana froze with the slice of pie halfway to her mouth.

She knew that when a Level 118 Candidate asked for a 'favor', the word 'optional' simply did not exist in the dictionary.

"What is the favor?" Diana asked in a suspicious tone.

"My personal guild is going on a deep expedition into the volcanic galleries of the Second Circle next week." Cassian explained. "And we need one hundred bottles of Lust Mist Purification Elixir at 85% purity for area poison neutralization."

Cassian pointed toward the basement of the house.

"I want your Arcane Greed Workshop to produce that batch of one hundred bottles for me." Cassian winked. "And since we're allies… you're gonna do it for free."

Diana's eyes widened in pure shock.

"ONE HUNDRED BOTTLES FOR FREE?!" Diana yelled, jumping up from the bench. "THAT IS LABOR EXPLOITATION! IT GOES AGAINST ALL MY PRINCIPLES OF CAPITAL ACCUMULATION! I'M GOING TO SPEND THREE DAYS OF WORK AND REAGENTS ON THIS SHIT!"

Cassian laughed out loud at the human girl's outburst.

"Deals are deals, cutie!" Cassian laughed, rising from the bench. "I gave you a map worth twenty-five silver and Level 25+ ores! One hundred bottles of elixir is a laughable price for my protection and friendship!"

Diana glared at the Level 118 elf, gritting her teeth in anger.

Her analytical mind calculated the quick equation. Painful as it was to her cheapskate soul to produce one hundred potions for free, the alliance with Cassian was worth a hundred times the cost of those reagents. Deals were deals in Hell.

"Deals are deals…" Diana growled, crossing her arms. "I'll produce the one hundred bottles. But next time you ask me for something, I'm charging thirty percent interest!"

"Done deal, kiddo!" Cassian winked.

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— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT]

Balance Maintained Intact: 83 Silver Coins (8.3 Pure Gold Coins).

Items Acquired for Free: Rare Map of the Third Circle Portal (Circle of Gluttony).

Commitment Sealed: Production of 100 Purification Elixirs for Cassian.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Cassian snapped the fingers of his right hand.

A whirlwind of silver lotus petals enveloped his body completely.

"Until next week, cutie!" Cassian waved. "Make sure you keep leveling up!"

With a magic pop, the Level 118 man vanished from the courtyard, leaving the group with the box of fruit pies and bottles of mana wine.

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Silence returned to the Bastion courtyard.

Kael and Aurelia-Elysia let out a long sigh of relief, laughing at the comedy of Diana's outburst.

Diana stood beside the stone table, holding the Third Circle Map in her hand, her face still slightly flushed with anger at the elf's teasing.

Rhea approached slowly, cut another slice of fruit pie, and handed it to Diana with a sweet smile.

"Eat another piece of pie, Diana… it'll help you get over the anger of the free favor." Rhea said affectionately.

Diana took the slice of pie, taking a deep bite.

"That miserable elf…" Diana grumbled, chewing the pastry. "…but the Third Circle map is ours."

With 83 Silver in the vault, the Third Circle Map secured, the alliance with Cassian sealed, and the squad tighter than ever, the Arcane Greed Faction was ready to take the final steps toward Level 25.

Final Notes:

Once again he showed up, and asked his first 'favor'... Hehe.