25 – Banquet! (I)

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PARTE 0

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A little warning about [Proficiencies]. From now on, they will be recognized as [Capabilities].

In fact, I will no longer be following the DnD pattern, as seen below:

I will be expanding this area from now on so that it can cover many other areas. I even have plans to include forging, alchemy, and much more.

This way, Skarla, who has a lot of knowledge of alchemy, biology, etc., will be able to use this knowledge to learn many new things and have benefits proportional to how much he knows.

This would end up leaving me with a lot more work, and I will even show less and less of this information, as I believe that Skarla will have a list with dozens of these skills.

The only thing that I will not portray will be the combat-related capabilities, so that there will be greater bonuses in attack dices, but with this, I will allow those who only know how to fight not to have to abandon certain skills to try to obtain some production skills to make it easier to make money in the area.

So it's likely that in the next chapters, you'll start to notice decreases or increases in rolls on certain dice, especially in things like Stealth and Acrobatics. Skarla's huge body makes this very difficult, but that doesn't mean she will be unable to shine in these areas.

Note that I'm still developing this system correctly; you'll see changes over time, but for now you'll see some changes, like the addition of [Will], something that doesn't exist in DnD, but I'm using it here now.

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PART 1 – Preparation!

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30 hours—that was how long Mirabell, the Elf Rogue, so proud of her abilities, was unconscious.

When she woke up, the world was still spinning, she was exhausted, and the memories of what happened were all so vivid. Even after so many hours, the feeling persisted; she was destroyed, overwhelmed, and unable to resist.

Skarla was a monster; Mirabell already knew that from their first meeting, but with the Elven Marijuana, needless to say, it gave wings for Skarla to fly freely.

Exhausted, she looked at what was left of the potions; they ran out much earlier than desired, and only a few that were useless were left. Counting her losses, she laughed. "Congratulations, Skarla, you made me, an elf, give up having sex!” - Mirabell laughed, feeling a certain fear from the bottom of her heart.

But soon an idea came to her mind; she thought about Phinel, who seemed interested in fucking Skarla, but that wasn't all. Dressing herself up, she took out a magical communicator. - “Sister, you won’t believe it!” - Her eyes shone with mischief, and it seemed like she hadn't given up yet.

–––––

After Skarla left the tavern, in addition to feeling refreshed, she knew that a new weapon was in her arsenal. She can continually feel the energy flowing along with her vitality, coursing through every part of her body.

Even though she's not growing, it's something that will continually make her healthy and always ready to fight. In the event that she becomes seriously injured and is in a coma, her body will naturally accelerate its recovery rate.

Skarla cannot even imagine the full potential that this ability has, not to mention that she faithfully believes that this ability is the secret to achieving something related to automatic cultivation. She always tried to find a way but never figured it out.

Even though the “cycles” of cultivation are limited to the day, being able to cultivate automatically has many advantages, and there will be many moments where she will not be able to sit down to meditate or recover her energy.

In any case, she knows that thinking about it will not be beneficial in any way; she needs to have the right place to work and do her research.

……

Time passed, and tomorrow would be the banquet. The entire castle was already in great activity, with servants walking everywhere, organizing the halls and the garden, and luxurious clothes being handed out to many of the Master Level visitors.

And Skarla naturally received a visit from a butler, bringing with her a cart of beautiful dresses, none of which fit Skarla, but all of which can be readjusted with magic.

“Lady Skarla, I have come at the behest of the Duchess to prepare your robes for the exclusive banquet for the Masters that she will have in the hall.” - Said the butler, and Skarla, who was reading a book until a few moments ago, looked at the dresses.

Calah and Viper were already watching them, their eyes shining with anticipation. It was all very beautiful, but Skarla said. - “If you came here to tell me that I have to wear one of those dresses, rest assured that in the next minute, you will have the most of those dresses up your ass!”

Skarla accepts the fact that she has transformed into a hermaphrodite and that she is recognized as a woman because of her appearance. She really doesn't mind, because she's already used to it and it's her third life.

But she refuses to wear a dress because, in the past, she was still a man. Regardless of your current appearance, wearing a dress is unacceptable!

The butler was naturally startled, as he could sense the seriousness in Skarla's tone, and his experienced instincts told him not to provoke this intimidating giantess.

"Dear! Come on, wear one of them; you’ll look beautiful, I’m  sure."- Said Calah, who jumped into Skarla's arms, giving her a pitiful look.

To make matters worse, Viper also jumped into her arms. - “Please~” - She said in a cute tone.

Skarla watched her two beauties in her arms, giving her such pitiful and pleading looks.

[Charisma Test(Persuasion)]

Calah – D20+4 = 17!

Viper – D20+7 = 27! (CRITICAL SUCCESS)

[Willpower Test(Wisdom + Will) – Difficulty: 54]

Skarla – D20+16 = 35! (Failure)

(Author: Seeing a result 35 be a failure is one of the strangest things I've ever seen.)

(Answer to a likely question:)

(Why is the difficulty 54? Because I doubled Viper's Critical Success result, so 27x2 = 54. She would need to resist that.)

Skarla growled. - "No! No! And not!" - She vehemently refused.

…

Minutes later, she was growling as the maids took her measurements and the butler politely presented her with dress after dress, with Viper and Calah giving plenty of input.

Somehow, perhaps because they knew what was happening, the rest of the group came running, and even Edric came to watch the show.

“Hey, that dress isn’t good!” - Suddenly an excited voice came, and there was a huge, muscular warrior with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and white skin. It was Holga.

Skarla narrowed her eyes. The last few days had been so peaceful.

“Why isn’t this dress good? He's beautiful!" - Calah said, growling aggressively and naturally pretending.

“She has a huge fat dick; this dress is very tight around the waist, so the mark will be very obvious.” - Said Hilda, who seems to have given them a great achievement.

“Okay, I know what I’m going to use!” - Skarla said, clapping her hands and speaking to the butler; he listened attentively and seemed accomplished with something.

“This will naturally work; please wait a moment while I speak to the stylists; I will be back in an hour!” - He said, leaving hurriedly.

“What did you say to him?” - Calah asked curiously, and many others were curious.

“She said something related to Toga, but what is it?” -Viper asked in obvious confusion. She has lived a lot, studied a lot, and knows a lot of things, but she has no idea what a toga is.

The others didn't seem to know either; Skarla didn't bother, returning to sit down. - “Hey, you won't see me in any tight dresses. Not in this life, much less in the next, so you can leave.” - She said she was waving her hands and snorting.

Calah and Viper went to Skarla, but she snapped her fingers and used her aura to push them away, knowing that if they continued to be so insistent, they would probably even make her wear panties.

…

Some time later, several luxurious fabrics were brought and with them a stylist, where Skarla began to explain how it worked, where the stylist in his mind already saw the “Toga” taking shape in his mind.

Knowing what it was, he soon started cutting and sewing, taking measurements from Skarla, who helped him.

About 3 hours later, Skarla was wearing a large white and purple robe, which is light, comfortable, and quite loose.

Skarla has no problems moving around; she is beautiful and hides her excessively large parts well. Those who stayed to observe actually really liked the result.

Viper nodded, even though he wanted to see her in a tight dress, as it would certainly be comical. Seeing her dressed like that is truly gratifying.

Calah, of all, liked the least; she really wanted to see Skarla's dick marked on the fabric of the dress.

Holga, who stayed to watch, nodded and smiled, really liking what she was seeing.

…

After everyone left and Skarla put away her clothes for tomorrow, she noticed that someone was still left besides the ones she is used to. - "Do you need something?" - Skarla asked, looking at Holga.

“I want to know if I can be part of your group.” - Holga said calmly, and Skarla narrowed her eyes.

“What is this sudden interest?” - Skarla asked, rolling her eyes, already knowing it was a problem.

“Actually, I've been interested in following you since the first time you fought Skadih; it's my instinct to follow the stronger one, but because of how Skadih acted, I didn't see how to get closer, and the following days... all that happened.” - Holga said in a bitter tone while rubbing her head.

“And after the last meeting with Skadih, I... can no longer have the same respect for her as I did in the past. Then I want to leave [Crow's Eye] and join you, of course, with your permission. I don’t want you to fuck me. Yes, I do, but that’s not the reason I want to belong to your group; I just want to be with you because you are strong and I feel like I can achieve more with you.” - Holga said it seriously, and Skarla looked at her.

They both looked into each other's eyes, and then Viper broke the silence. - "What are you waiting for? Accepted!"

"He is sure?" - Skarla asked.

“Of course, without mentioning that you and Sasha may not be enough for the front line, Holga, as far as I know, is a tough-type barbarian, so I believe she can take a lot of hits before falling.” - Viper said, smiling slightly.

“I’m second only to Skadih in terms of stamina!” - Holga said proudly.

“The same one that couldn’t take more than one punch from me?” - Skarla asked mockingly.

“You don’t count!” - It was Calah who spoke, and she suddenly hugged Holga to the surprise of many. - “Not to mention that with her, we will have another meat rod, and I really want to see you, Skarla, fucking this beautiful young muscular girl and see that huge thing swinging!”

“Perverted bitch!” -Sasha growled and rolled her eyes, but there was actually curiosity in her eyes.

“I am willing to satisfy your wife’s curiosity about your desires.” - Holga said without hesitation, taking advantage of the situation.

“…I admit I'm curious too, not to mention you didn't say something about Holga being talented, but is it a shame she was with Skadih? Here she is, asking to follow you.” - Viper said, smiling, and Holga's eyes shone.

Skarla rolled her eyes, looking at Holga, and said. - “Okay, but to be part of it, I have to see if it’s really trustworthy.”

“How do I prove I’m trustworthy?” - Holga asked without hesitation, and thunder exploded in Skarla's fist.

“All you have to do is take a punch from me, without any equipment, here and now, and I won’t hold back! Know that you can die, and if you don’t die, you will be on the verge of death.” - Skarla said coldly, where Calah's complaints came, followed by Cecil becoming worried.

“Skarla, I don’t think I need all of this.” - Cecil said, swallowing his saliva.

“Holga, give up.” - Sasha said it without hesitation. - “I train with Skarla almost every day, and I know how strong she is. Unless you are Level 11 or above, I don't recommend taking her full power punch without any equipment."

Holga shivered under Skarla's intense gaze, but she took a deep breath. - "Let's go! I’m not afraid of a punch!” - She screamed and hit her in the face.

Skarla smiled and pointed to the door. - “Stay facing the door, because if you fly away, you'll fall into the garden, and the duchess won't have to fight with me.”

Holga swallowed her saliva and got into position, ignoring the others' pleas for her to give up. - “I know Skadih must have made her hate all of us, but I hope that after this, you will keep your agreement and not abandon me.” -Holga said, trembling; it's obvious she's scared.

She personally saw what happened to Skadih and the state she was left in. To this day, Skadih has still not fully recovered from the attack, not to mention that the destroyed shield was of incredible quality.

If Skadih had been hit, it's likely she wouldn't even be awake today.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, using all her strength to endure what was to come. She watched as Skarla's fist was covered in strength and electricity, terror gripping her heart and cold sweat pouring out.

Skarla got into position to punch, her instincts even stronger, screaming at her to run away, to give up, but a smile of desperation appeared on her lips, more saliva being swallowed as she looked at Skarla's fist.

Then she moved and punched; everything seemed to be in slow motion. For some reason, she was able to hear the sound of the fist approaching, the electricity crackling, and the wind being pushed in her face.

For her, her world was shaking, and giving up was no longer possible. Dodge? She knew she wouldn't be able to.

'Am I going to die?' -That's what she thought, her body becoming increasingly tense as the fist approached her face.

And then a strong wind hit her; she closed her eyes, and nothing else happened.

Trembling, Holga opened her eyes, finding the huge fist just inches from her face, where she felt slight tingles on her face. It was the electricity of the aura. Her breathing was labored; she was shaking and feeling weak.

Slowly, Skarla's fist lowered, and she said. - “Welcome to the group. I will train you to keep your eyes open until the punch lands, so get ready.”

Holga collapsed, looking at her shaking hands. She felt cold and mortified.

She looked at Skarla, then at some smiling happily, others in relief.

Of everyone present, only Viper and Phinel knew that Skarla was bluffing; the rest were genuinely worried, as they knew that Skarla didn't like [Eye of the Raven]. In fact, almost none of them like it, but they certainly didn't want to see a young woman who seems sincere about joining them simply be mistreated like that.

But since it was a test, they were relieved, then happy, especially Sasha. - “I won’t be the only one to suffer now.”

Needless to say, Skarla left Sasha traumatized, but now she will have a training partner.

“Okay, you can go back to your rooms and rest. Tomorrow will probably be one of the few calm days we will have for the next few months, so enjoy it.” - Skarla said, clapping her hands.

“What do you think of an orgy to celebrate the new member of the group?” - Calah asked, licking his lips, before certain perverts could give their opinion. - “Not interested!” - Skarla was a killjoy.

“That’s right, I forgot that you’re afraid of dicks, even though you have the biggest one in the entire castle.” - Calah pouted.

“I’m not afraid of dick, I just don’t like it. They are different things.” - Skarla said, rolling her eyes.

“I don’t mind being submissive, because Skadih is very dominant; I’m used to it… even though I’ve never done something so big before.” - Holga said, still trembling, with Sasha helping her a little.

“Girl, stop it and go rest!” - Skarla said, sighing and slapping Calah on the head, who howled and held his head. - “You know my head is soft and my tentacles are sensitive!”

"Want another?" - Skarla asked, and Calah took refuge behind Viper.

“Just one question: do you not like dicks because you’ve never found one that goes deep enough, or simply because you’ve never tried them and don’t know if you like them or not?” - Phinel asked curiously, and Skarla preferred not to answer.

Sometimes remaining silent on certain questions is more harmful.

"Wait! Does that mean you’re a virgin?!” - Holga asked in shock, and Skarla still didn't respond.

“Now I’m shocked.” - Cecil said this with his eyes wide open.

“And I think it's because she's never found someone strong to fuck her, but it's because she's a virgin…” - Pauline said, scratching her chin and smiling slightly.

“Never would I expect you to be a virgin, nor have I maintained my purity.” - Sasha said, laughing.

"OK! ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT! HELL!" - Skarla growled, looking irritated at Phinel for bringing up the subject.

“I'm leaving before this somehow gets to me.” -Tropim said, already running away, and practically no one paid attention to her departure.

Belinda walked over, looked at Skarla, and said. - “I find it difficult that you still have it, but if you have your hymen, I recommend breaking it; it's better in a moment of preparation than in real action.”

Skarla narrowed her eyes at Belinda, who decided to run away.

“Boss, you are lucky that the Shamans of the [Eye of the Raven] had to travel to our homeland, as this time of year is an important ritual; otherwise, you would probably suffer more than being disturbed by Skadih, I assure you." - Holga said, laughing lightly.

“If they’re worse than Skadih, I’d probably kill them!” - Said Skarla without hesitation.

“If you’re immune to sorcery and charm, you’d get it; if not, you’d probably be learning new pleasures.” - Holga said she was already feeling well enough to make jokes.

“Okay, whoever doesn’t come out in the next 5 minutes is going to feel my entire arm up their ass!” -Skarla said it fiercely, and electricity exploded from her fist.

Moments later, everyone began to flee, with Phinel remaining. - “It will hurt a little, but I have received bigger fists, and I admit that it feels good.”

“…so how about instead of the ass, it’s your mouth?” - Skarla said, smiling aggressively.

“I don't like that anymore; I appreciate the invitation, but I think I'll leave it to Calah, and... don't forget to invite me when you're having an orgy, I have no plans to fuck you, but I want to know my limits.” - He said this, smiling and winking, then running away too.

“Well, I didn’t get out, so do I get the fist?” - Calah asked, smiling provocatively, and Skarla grabbed his head. - “You will get the complete package!”

“YUP!” - Calah clapped his hands, and not long after, the sound of clapping was coming from his rear, being much more intense and heavy.

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PART 2 – Finally, The FUCKING Banquet!

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The day arrived, and the city was beautifully lit up. It seemed to be some kind of festival, but in reality, it was the people of the duchy celebrating the many heroes who would risk their lives to make the duchy even more safe and prosperous.

And in the duchess's castle, except for the catacombs, the upper floors, the ground and first floor, and an adjacent building where the servants live, next to the huge garden and courtyard, any adventurer or mercenary was allowed to pass through.

Naturally, there are many guards and knights patrolling to maintain order. A lot of food and drink is being served; the expenses for this banquet are difficult to measure.

And inside the castle, in the banquet hall, the best-guarded place in the entire castle and also the safest, were renowned adventurers, famous mercenary leaders, powerful merchants, and nobles from various parts of the Empire.

Influential figures who combined all their strength and wealth could certainly shake entire nations, but the chances of this happening are zero, as everyone has their own personalities, friendships, and enmities.

Not to mention that this is not a banquet to conspire against the world, but rather a banquet with the intention of allying and receiving resources to face the dangers that could spread to the Empire.

And among so many powerful and rich individuals, there is Skarla, accompanied by Viper. It was preferable for Calah, Pauline, and the others to stay in the garden and courtyard, as it is necessary to have a certain individual or political power to be here.

Calah and the rest of the group are level 10 or below; it is best to avoid getting involved with the individuals inside.

Skarla, in her white and purple Toga, drank wine, and naturally, due to her height, she attracted a lot of attention without mentioning her beauty, with many wanting to know who she is.

Nobles and bourgeoises approached, discovering that she is an unrenowned adventurer, but if she is here, it indicates that her strength has been proven and recognized by the duchess.

Even though many decided to back off and no longer interact with Skarla, thinking it was a waste of time, some tried to learn more about what she has to offer, as there really are many benefits for these people to help support adventurers and mercenaries here.

If, at the end of the mission, those who supported it made large contributions, individuals could be richly rewarded not only by the Duchess but also by the Emperor.

If it is discovered that they invested and had an effect on the success of the mission, naturally they will be rewarded as well and can expand the power and influence of their names or families.

For nobles, fame and power are more important than wealth, as they can obtain this from taxes or the natural resources of their lands.

As for the bourgeoisie, increasing their renown as well as the influence of their companies, in addition to allowing them better commercial contracts in the future, will have a greater influence on the tastes of the common people, who will prefer their services over those of their rivals.

In the end, there are many rewards, and best of all, it is likely that after the end of this mission, many masters will emerge, a new legend will form, and if they can have connections with these individuals, they will have enormous rewards in the future.

……

"I hate this!" - Skarla said, sighing and placing her empty glass on the tray.

“So dealing with a lot of people is one of your weaknesses, noted.” - Viper said, smiling and accepting two new glasses of wine and handing one to Skarla.

“I know how to deal with large numbers of rich, powerful people with arrogance and excessive confidence. It's just that it's too annoying; since I don't have a reputation, I can't brag and make them shut up!” - Skarla said, growling, and Viper laughed.

In her first life, even as a young girl, she was a genius researcher and naturally attended many fundraising parties and celebrations, so she knew how to inflate the egos of these idiots to give her all their money.

But this was only possible because the rich and powerful had respect for her, her genius, and her bright future in the world of science. But in the end, people don't change; the ego is the same, the rules are the same, but Skarla is nobody in her eyes.

“Skarla, how long?" - A cheerful voice sounded, and a beautiful red-haired woman with incredible curves and proportions approached.

“Bianca, really, it’s been a long time; I haven’t even seen you in the castle in the last few weeks.” - Skarla said, smiling slightly, feeling a little regretful.

So much happened; a lot occupied her mind, and she simply forgot about Bianca, who was one of her targets for creating connections. It's likely that Bianca had the same plan, but as she herself didn't look for her to try to strengthen the bond and establish business, it's natural that Bianca, who is proud, wouldn't accept running after a nameless adventurer just because she has a big dick.

“I saw you were quite busy; I didn’t want to disturb you.” - Bianca said, smiling slightly, looking at Viper. She's not an idiot and knows who she is.

Many may ignore it or not even notice, but as she knows the truth, she knows that Skarla is an important target for creating a connection, as apparently she and the duchess have a stronger connection than one imagines.

Her conflict with her daughter, the visits to her office, the fact that she gave her a Shadow of Veremor—everyone knows that it costs a fortune to create just one.

Bianca knows that even if she had 1,000 Shadows of Veremor, she would not be willing to hand over 1 to any ally, not even her children, much less the Duchess, who does not have 50 Shadows of Veremor in activity.

“I heard you already established your group; how about telling me a little about who you recruited?” - Bianca asked curiously.

Skarla, not seeing any problems with this information, started with Calah, a Level 8 alchemist. This interested Bianca a lot, since alchemists of such a high level are not common. If she reaches Level 11, the capabilities she will have will be no joke.

And if, in the future, Calah retires from adventures and focuses her skills on potion production, imagine a Level 11~12 Alchemist with incredible attributes and several skills that increase the effectiveness of her potions, reduce the production cost, prolong the effect, and much more.

Some of the best alchemists in the world were individuals who ventured across the world with powerful groups, allowing them to grow and experience all types of diverse cultures and knowledge.

Then Skarla talked about Phinel, Sasha, Pauline, Tropim, Belinda, Cecil, and finally Holga.

Bianca listened carefully. It was a very diverse and balanced group, with six different races in the same group, totaling 10 members. This shows that Skarla is not prejudiced by species, which is a very good thing.

“Skarla, what do you think about receiving support from me?” - Bianca asked confidently.

“What kind of support?” - Skarla asked calmly.

“My father sent me to find good candidates for the [Golden Flame]. Among everyone present, you and your group are the ones that attract me the most, and I feel that we can benefit a lot. I am willing to invest 1,000 gold coins initially in you and your group; as more results are shown, more investment will be made, and we will even provide you with various other supports, such as equipment repairs, luxury stays, potions, supplies, and much more.” - Bianca said it seriously.

“It seems like a very advantageous proposal for me and my group, but what exactly will they expect from us?” - Skarla asked, smiling slightly.

“Of course we want to propagate. I will send a letter to one of our associates at a famous forge. You and your group will be able to request weapons and armor, where all I ask is that you first show the quality of our items and say where and from whom you purchased them.”

‘Marketing?’ - Skarla laughed. - “Can you guarantee us that they will be quality items? I refuse to put the lives of my allies at risk just for a few coins.” - Skarla said calmly.

“I guarantee the quality. I’m even willing to allow you and everyone in your group to get a permanent Magical Fertility Control Tattoo!” - Bianca said confidently, This is something expensive, and I am giving it to 10 people.

“It seems like a very tempting offer, and I see how much you can earn, but tell me, what kind of products does [Chama de Ouro] work with and who are its associates?” - Skarla asked.

“We at [Chama de Ouro] have our influence on many products, but mainly we work with the collection of natural resources such as ores, magical and medicinal herbs, and also monster materials. Our associates mainly work with these resources; helping them sell more will mean that we will also sell a lot  more."- Bianca said confidently.

"Not necessarily. Just because they are your associates doesn't mean they have an exclusive contract with your group; correct me if I'm wrong, but what stops them from purchasing materials from others at a lower price as their sales increase?” - Skarla asked.

“Of course, what stops them from such betrayal is that because our associates are direct descendants of the Paravanato family, I can trust my cousins and uncles.” - Bianca said, smiling confidently.

“If that is the case, then I see no reason to continue with this business. A family company will always have a lot of problems, thinking they can trust each other, but Bianca, business, and family are different things.” - Skarla said seriously to the amazed Bianca.

“In addition to having a daughter, sister, cousin, and niece, you are a merchant, and money is what rules your life. Never trust anyone blindly, even if that person is your family. I'm not saying to be suspicious or afraid of everyone around you, just that you know how to differentiate the professional from the personal. If you want to use me and my group to improve your business, either you grant us even more benefits so that we can ignore this foolish innocence, or you establish a better negotiation for the benefit of all parties.”

“If I accepted your sponsorship, we would have to represent [Chama de Ouro], not its associates with companies with other names and different products. If with this mentality you inherit your family's company, even if you really are very intelligent and talented, as everyone says, I guarantee you that it won't be long before you lose everything."

“You have brothers and sisters who, when you potentially inherit the company, most likely will either report to you or they may develop their own companies in other cities and territories, but they may also end up becoming your rivals, taking contracts and business allies. , without you or whoever is on your side doing anything.”

Skarla slowly stopped speaking, noticing that she had returned to her old habits of talking excessively about her ideas and visions, but looking at Bianca's astonished look, a calmer Skarla finished saying. - “Family is important, but you don't come from a commoner family where money is little and what matters most is relationships; you come from a family full of benefits, where what matters is your value and not your love. I hope that, with what I said, you can grow and think of better plans. Come to me tomorrow if you have made the decision, whether you will want to benefit yourself and the [Golden Flame] or whether you will innocently give benefits to your associates just because you have the same blood and potentially be betrayed.”

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PART 3 – Host!

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Ting* Ting* Ting*

A tinkling sound resounded everywhere—not just the ballroom but the entire castle area, including the garden and courtyard—attracting the attention of everyone sober enough to know what it was about.

[“Good evening to everyone present here. I deeply thank you for your presence in these difficult days, with demons manifesting themselves in my lands and causing so much pain and suffering.”]

Letiphia's calm voice sounded, with her on the inner balcony above everyone in the ballroom, her voice ringing out to everyone through magic.

[“I thank all the renowned adventurers and mercenaries present here, the nobles and merchants willing to donate so much money to a just cause, including the Radiant Church, who sent us great support from their Paladins, Inquisitors, and Priests. I believe that with the support and solidarity of so many kind, honorable, and powerful people, we can avert this crisis and stop it from spreading any further than it already has.”]

Letiphia is in a beautiful black dress embroidered with purple roses, having her usual cold countenance, accompanied by a beautiful calm smile.

[“The Emperor himself, concerned about his people, is doing everything for the success of this mission, thus willing to reward 100,000 gold coins and titles, up to Marquis, to whoever solves this chaos, putting an end to the evil presence in our Empire. But besides, whoever solves this, everyone involved will receive great rewards for hunting down the demonic creatures that plague my people.”]

[“So celebrate, join your allies, whether old or new, and leave your enmities in the past, for we will all be fighting for a goal greater than ourselves. We will prosper and, as always, overcome all difficulties, for the Glory of the Empire!”]

“FOR THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE!”

Shouts resounded and glasses were raised. Letiphia smiled, slowly leaving everyone's sight.

“Short but objective speech, and apparently, the rewards are immense.” - Skarla said, smiling slightly.

“Viper, you can go to the others; I want to talk to Letiphia about some things.” - Skarla said calmly. Viper looked at her with a narrow look and said. - “Don’t cause problems; I know what you will do, but... I don’t want to know, so don’t tell me!” - Viper decided to live in ignorance.

She still has a lot of respect and loyalty for Letiphia Veremor; from Skarla's obvious look, she knows what's going to happen, but imagining who she respects so much potentially being humiliated is something she doesn't want to imagine, sealing her thoughts and ideas from running wild.

Skarla smiled, saying nothing, and just went to the corridors while Viper went to meet her allies.