Chapter 86: Arcane Hermitage (5)
The meeting concluded with the support of the "Justice-minded" faction represented by Kai Xiusu. "Lord Ember" and "Gray Hawk" engaged in a warm and cordial exchange, thoroughly discussing their respective positions and deepening mutual understanding. Lord Ember expressed grave concern over the safety of the people of Northwind Keep and offered to provide humanitarian aid within his capacity. A tentative agreement was reached to initiate related efforts during the second Arcane Hermitage in several months.
Spellcasters began to depart one by one—some using teleportation devices, others walking on foot, and a few having already prepared transportation, such as that levitating horse. The Levitating Horseshoe remained unsold.
Stravburg, one of Anzeta’s most vibrant cities and the capital of the Bosk Duchy, was bustling with life—crowds flowed like rivers, carriages clattered through the streets, and non-human races occasionally appeared on the sidewalks. Yet the departing Spellcasters drew no attention. They melted into the crowd effortlessly, vanishing like ripples in a stream.
After stepping beyond the boundary of the Talafelan Luo Mansion Spell, Kai Xiusu did not immediately leave. Instead, he stood quietly in a narrow alley, waiting.
“Three… two… one.”
He counted silently.
Suddenly, space before him warped. A rift in reality split open.
First, a pair of long, pale legs emerged. Then, a body draped in a silvery-white gown. The skirt split high at the sides, rising almost to the thigh, revealing glimpses of smooth skin adorned with faint, intricate magical tattoos.
Seeing the arrival she had expected, Kai Xiusu offered a polite smile.
“Long time no see, Lady Stellar.”
Olivia frowned. “We just saw each other.”
Kai Xiusu kept smiling, slipping effortlessly into Minstrel mode. “In my homeland, there’s a saying: One day apart feels like three autumns. Your beauty… it truly stirs the soul…”
Flustered by the compliment, Olivia’s cheeks flushed slightly. But she quickly regained composure and cut in sharply. “Lord Ember, don’t try to distract me with poetry. I didn’t come here to listen to your flattery. How did you really uncover my Status?”
Kai Xiusu feigned confusion. “What Status are you referring to?”
“The Silver Dragon’s Status.”
Her tone carried a hint of gritted teeth, though her poise remained impeccable.
Kai Xiusu finally “realized” with a soft chuckle. “Ah… you mean the Silver Dragon Status, of course.”
“It was simple.”
“Who doesn’t know of Olivia, the brightest star of the Mervold Clan’s younger generation—the so-called ‘Silver Star’?”
“The one who, as a youth, unleashed the Crown of Stars and shattered an entire Dragon Cult conspiracy single-handedly.”
He paused.
Olivia’s elegant features froze in surprise. She had assumed her Disguise Spell had slipped—but this man knew her true name, her lineage, even her legendary feat. Not just that, he spoke of her with such familiarity.
Kai Xiusu continued, “Besides, your mannerisms, your speech… they’re all too unmistakably the mark of a young, unworldly Silver Dragon. You’re simply terrible at hiding your thoughts.”
“Who are you?”
“How do you know all this?”
Olivia pressed, relentless.
Kai Xiusu answered calmly, “I have no obligation to explain myself, Miss Olivia. You need only know my alias: Ember.”
He shifted tone, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Besides… forgive me, but while you may be unmatched in spellcraft, I’ve far surpassed you in the art of disguise.”
“You—” Olivia clenched her silver teeth.
She realized, with a sinking feeling, that he was right. No one at the Arcane Hermitage was bound to reveal their true Status. Yet the sensation of being played—of being led like a puppet—left a bitter lump in her chest.
Kai Xiusu smiled gently. “Until the next Arcane Hermitage, then, Miss Olivia.”
With that, he brushed his hand over the pendant at his chest. A Dimensional Gate flared open behind him. He stepped through, accompanied by the silent form of the Steel Construct, vanishing into the rift.
“Wait—” Olivia stood frozen, fists clenched, face flushed with frustration. She could only watch as the spatial tear slowly sealed shut.
But then, a detail caught her eye.
As the figure disappeared, a faint, golden scale flickered briefly on the back of the man’s neck.
A small, satisfied smirk tugged at her lips.
“You’re not as good at disguising yourself as you think…”
“Your Polymorph is riddled with flaws, Ember—or rather, Gold Dragon.”
She pieced it together. Earlier, when Ember had refuted Black Hawk, he’d referenced both Gold Dragon and Silver Dragon. His unwavering stance against evil forces. And now, the accidental glimpse of golden scales.
It was clear as day.
The Silver Dragon Mage had no doubt: she had uncovered the true identity of the elusive Ember—a pure-blooded Gold Dragon.
She muttered under her breath, “Arrogant, conceited, self-satisfied fool.”
“I will find out your real name.”
“Hmph… I’ll ask Grandfather. Anzeta has few Gold Dragons. They never cared for this place.”
Her impression of Gold Dragons had never been kind. In her memory, they were the apex among metallic dragons—haughty, disdainful, looking down their noses at all others. They claimed authority over everything, meddling in affairs with their own twisted sense of justice.
Now, her prejudice only deepened—now tainted with arrogance, recklessness, and flippant behavior.
But Olivia had no way of knowing—what she had seen was exactly what Kai Xiusu wanted her to see.
…
Kai Xiusu stepped through the Dimensional Gate, returning to the warmth of his private cave. Without delay, he shed the illusion, shedding the human guise to reveal his true form—the towering, crimson-scaled Red Dragon.
Lanpu followed suit, transforming into his massive, hulking Dragnog Ogre form.
Kai Xiusu exhaled a sulfurous breath, hot and pungent. “That Silver Dragon was easy to fool. All her intelligence must be poured into spellcraft.”
“Let’s see if we can trick her into revealing her Crown of Stars.”
Dealing with the Light-aligned was indeed pleasant—no overt deceit, no hidden traps. Though conflicts of interest still arose, at least the intentions were transparent.
Lanpu, ecstatic, pulled the Compendium of Alchemy from the Dimensional Sack. “Master, this is priceless! That human had no idea what he was selling—we got a real windfall!”
The book wasn’t just a spellbook; it served as an artifact capable of enhancing Magic Resonance, and could fuel multiple spells.
Kai Xiusu nodded. “Since we spent gold coins, you’ll learn these spells. I’m particularly interested in Haste. Show me the result as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Master!” Lanpu saluted.
Sorcerers could learn spells—but not through scrolls. Instead, they relied on intuition, sensing the flow of magic and releasing it instinctively. For players, this method had near-zero success rate.
But Kai Xiusu had already mastered Wall of Fire through repeated demonstrations by Lanpu—after all, it was a spell perfectly suited to his innate affinity for Fire Evocation.
(End of Chapter)
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