Raiden was no fool, just like what his parents had shown him ever since he was a kid. There had to be a hierarchy, a clear balance of authority and power.
He hadn't tried anything like it himself, but he'd seen it—how, despite despising his parents, he struggled to see them as anything but omnipotent, even though he knew perfectly well that wasn't the case.
And now, with three people he knew all too well he'd be a fool to trust, he had to make their roles clear and show them what it might cost to oppose him.
He sat on the last stair leading to the second-floor branches while the rest stood below, looking up at him; a quiet implication of superiority he intended.
"This is the arc of the Bookkeeper, the one you are to serve and obey." He paused for a moment. "Why must you? That's an answer I'll leave to you. Find it yourself."
With that said, he didn't want them to serve him just because they were bound to, but because they chose to. Just like his parents had used his desire for vengeance to exploit his weaknesses, driving him to work even harder for them by his own volition.
"It goes without saying that each of you stands to gain something from this." He stood up and began descending the stairs. "My enemies are many, and your help, your devotion, is needed."
He gestured at Leo. "Leo, every single book in here holds knowledge, ancient and modern magic, the forbidden, and the basic." He smirked. "They're all yours to read. But you report to me whenever you find something interesting."
Leo's eyes widened as he dropped his luggage and hurried down the walkway to his right.
"Aeris, I'd like you to investigate the Dawnbringers for me. And while you're at it, look into the elders as well—since the poison won't do much more than give them a running stomach."
Aeris's expression darkened as she gestured with her hands. "Those people are very powerful…" She paused, nervousness and fear lacing her voice. "They might kill me."
Raiden finally stepped in front of her. "If you're caught, right?" he said, tilting toward her with a falsely warm smile. "Trust me; you won't be."
Aeris remained motionless, still perplexed, as Raiden gestured for Levi to follow him and walked out through the mansion.
They walked toward a grassy field, where paved paths stretched out on both sides. At the center stood a fountain, quietly flowing. A long glance revealed a vast forest stretching endlessly. They were truly in the middle of nowhere.
Levi glanced back at the mansion. "Whoa, it looks even more massive from out here."
He had already been informed by King Hannes about the illusion magic, one that expanded the size and altered the exterior to resemble a five-story gothic cathedral. So Raiden barely glanced at it, instead tapping Levi on the shoulder, snapping him out of his daze.
"I want you to follow Aeris. Wherever she goes, stay on her tail." His eyes narrowed. "I only want intel on the Dawnbringers and the elders. Whether she betrays me or not, keep it to yourself."
Levi narrowed his eyes, gently brushing back his ponytailed hair. "Are you sure about this?"
Raiden gave him a nod, and with that, Levi vanished from sight and circled back toward the house. Raiden let out a sigh and tilted his head upward.
To him, Aeris was bound to betray him—because when a person's motivation is money, they follow wherever it calls. And he had no intention of letting her become the center of his problems.
After standing outside for a while, his head tilted slightly upward as he stared into the sky. His expression dimmed—an uneasy feeling settling in, a faint tingling not unlike his danger detection, though far lighter.
He took a moment to scan his surroundings, eyes narrowing, but after a while, Raiden let out a sigh and decided to let it go. He turned and headed back inside.
Now that everyone was occupied, the moment he stepped into the living room, he called for Ash. She was still seated on the stairs, but the moment he spoke, she hurried to him.
"We have to finish what King Hannes asked, Ash."
Ash nodded and gave him a light nudge.
Raiden walked forward, taking the walkway to the left of the staircase. Ahead, Leo stood with sparkles in his eyes, shifting eagerly from one book to another. But Raiden barely spared him a glance. After a few paces down the tunnel-like corridor, he turned into the second room on his right.
The room was opulent, styled in a classical design likely inspired by Greco-Roman architecture and aesthetics. Tall, ornate columns, dark with gold embellishments, lined the space, supporting a high ceiling and a regal canopy bed.
The room was dominated by luxurious white marble with gold veining, used for the floors, steps, and pedestals. At the center stood a majestic four-poster bed, elevated above the rest of the space. The massive, richly decorated posts supported sheer curtains that draped elegantly around it, and several marble steps led up to the bed.
A gentle warmth filled the room, radiating from the crystals and the low, muted light.
He smirked as he looked around—finally, the kind of room he'd enjoy staying in. But he didn't dwell on the excitement for long. Climbing the steps and passing the canopy, he moved toward the wall behind the bed.
With a slight shift of the bed frame, the wall collapsed and slid to the left, revealing a hidden room; one that closely resembled the chamber where the Book of Ashes was kept.
At its center sat a replica of the chest.
He took a deep breath, scratching his dark hair. "This is where you come in, Ash."
Ash gave a nod, leaped to the floor, and began to grow in size.
"The book has already released enough dark energy into the previous room," he said, gesturing toward a switch on the wall.
"Flipping this will teleport this chest into that room and the real one into here."
He scratched his head again. "We're out of stickers, so he has to be faster than the teleportation; fast enough to stop the dark energy from leaking into this room."
He turned to Ash with a concerned expression. "Do you get me, Ash?"
[Yes, Papa.] She gave a nod.
Raiden took a deep breath—a long one—as nervousness crept in.
"On three, Ash."
[Okay, Papa.]
One.
Two.
Three.
Raiden pulled the switch inside the room, and at the same moment, Ash pushed the bed back into place. But Raiden had to move with lightning speed to keep the wall from smashing his hand.
Ash immediately shrank, and Raiden gave a confident smile. "We did it, Ash…"
However, the smile on his face dimmed in an instant, the sensation he'd felt earlier was growing denser.
Still, he wore a faint smile and picked Ash up, and she nudged him with one of her own.
"Let's go train a little while we wait for the others."