The sheer absurdity of the Status Screen plunged the meeting hall into silence.
No one spoke at first. The air felt heavier than before, as if even breathing too loudly would break something fragile. A few Lords shifted slightly in their seats, but even those small movements felt out of place.
Could it be that Isaac had found a way to trick the Inspect items?
The thought appeared in more than one mind, but it didn’t last long.
No, that wouldn’t be possible.
The Lords exchanged brief glances. Some of them gave small, almost imperceptible shakes of their heads.
All of them possessed Legendary-grade Inspect items. These were not tools that could be fooled with cheap tricks. Hiding a Status was possible. Overloading an Inspect item, like Isaac had done earlier, was also within reason. But showing a completely false Status was not possible. Not against a Legendary grade Inspect item.
The only remaining explanation was that they were inside an illusion.
But even that didn’t hold.
There were too many powerful figures present. Lords, their subordinates, and the Third Priest himself. Even the Water Elemental Spirit wouldn’t be able to trap all of them inside an illusion without someone noticing something was off.
Which meant the Status they had seen... was real.
That realization settled quietly, but heavily, in everyone’s mind.
"Greetings, Lords."
Isaac’s voice cut through the silence with ease. He stood there with a faint smile, calm and composed, as if nothing unusual had happened.
The Lords responded almost immediately, pushing aside their thoughts for the moment.
"Greetings, Lord Isaac."
"It’s good to finally meet you, Lord Isaac."
"You look much more handsome in person."
The exchange was smooth and polite. No one brought up the Status. Not yet.
Isaac walked forward and took the empty seat prepared for him. Avery followed without hesitation and sat beside him.
Under normal circumstances, that alone would have caused friction. Many of the Lords present would not tolerate a weaker Lord sitting among them so casually. But this time, no one showed any displeasure.
Instead, they smiled and greeted Avery as well.
Averon and Alice remained standing behind Isaac.
Several Lords glanced at Averon. They recognized him. He had a powerful Talent and Class, something that made him stand out in combat. But that was all.
He lacked a Lord Talent.
For a Lord, personal strength was secondary. What truly mattered was the ability to grow a City and lead others effectively. Averon might be exceptional in battle, but as a Lord, he was nothing special.
With him at the helm, a City wouldn’t progress much.
But now he stood behind Isaac.
That alone changed how they viewed him.
So he has already pledged allegiance.
The thought spread quietly.
Then another realization followed.
Isaac Hargraves has a way to hide his Lord Talent.
It had already been confirmed that Isaac possessed a 100%+ Drop Rate Lord Talent. Yet it hadn’t appeared in his Status.
Items capable of hiding Status were extremely rare. But seeing Avery sitting beside him, the Lords could guess where such an item might have come from.
Their attention shifted.
It landed on Alice.
For a brief moment, the atmosphere changed.
Greed flickered in their eyes.
A Saintess.
She was an invaluable piece. A figure that could stabilize a City, influence populations, and attract attention of Gods. She was the kind of existence wars were fought over.
The Lords suppressed those thoughts quickly.
There was no need to rush.
If they secured Isaac, Alice would naturally fall under their influence as well.
Then their attention moved again.
To the dark blue-haired woman leaning against the wall.
She stood apart from the others, arms crossed, watching them with a calm, almost indifferent gaze.
She was observing them.
A faint displeasure appeared in several Lords’ expressions.
They didn’t know who she was, and yet she carried herself as if their presence meant little.
More importantly, there had been a clear rule. Each Lord could bring only two subordinates.
Everyone here had followed it.
They could overlook Isaac bringing the Water Elemental Spirit. That was understandable. But this?
An unknown human woman casually present without any explanation...
It felt like a deliberate slight.
"Who are you?"
Sisyphus spoke, his voice measured. At the same time, he activated his Inspect item.
It failed.
That alone made his expression tighten slightly.
"She is with me."
The Third Priest spoke with a smile, though there was a faint strain in his voice, as if even he wasn’t entirely pleased with the situation.
"Whoever she is, you have already brought two subordinates, Third Priest. Tell her to leave," Fafnir said calmly.
The blue-haired woman didn’t react. She continued observing them, her posture unchanged.
That only made the Lords more displeased.
"I am afraid I cannot give her orders," the Third Priest replied.
That answer shifted the mood instantly.
The eyes of the Lords sharpened.
Even Isaac’s expression changed slightly.
"What do you mean?" Fafnir asked.
"She is a friend of the Emperor. Even in retreat, he still asks for news about her," the Third Priest said.
This time, the reaction was immediate.
The Lords stiffened.
They looked at the woman again, but their gaze had changed completely. The earlier irritation was gone, replaced by curiosity and caution.
If the Emperor of Florathi paid attention to her, then she was far from ordinary.
Isaac studied her as well.
The connection between her and the Emperor was unclear, but it was enough to raise questions.
Isaac, this is not the time to focus on her.
Avery’s voice echoed in his mind.
Start the meeting, and take the lead before someone else does. Otherwise, you’ll be pulled into their pace.
Isaac glanced at her briefly and gave a small nod.
Then he looked back at the Lords.
"So, can Eleanor stay?"
The question was simple, but the meaning behind it wasn’t.
The Lords exchanged looks.
They didn’t like this. The rules had been clear, and Isaac had effectively bypassed them. Through the Third Priest, he had brought in an additional presence, subtly placing himself above the rest.
But none of them objected.
Not when they didn’t understand who she really was.
"She can stay," Bella said, her voice calm and steady.
Isaac nodded.
"Thank you."
He leaned back slightly, and continued,
"First of all, I thank you all for coming to congratulate me. I am honored to meet every one of you."
"We should be the ones saying that. You defeated a Catastrophe during your Lord quest. Not to mention your Status. I’ve never seen anything like that before," Bella replied with a soft chuckle.
She paused briefly before continuing, "That makes me curious though. How did you grow so fast and so much?"
"You flatter me, Lord of Mists. My growth might be a bit fast, but I’m still a beginner compared to everyone here." Isaac smiled faintly.
The words were polite, but the meaning was clear.
He wasn’t going to answer.
A few Lords smiled knowingly. They understood his choice.
"Haha, fair enough. If you do not wish to tell us, then so be it," Hass said with a short laugh. He had put the matter with Third Priest behind for now, and focused on the meeting.
He leaned forward slightly. "Rather, let us properly congratulate you. It is a great pleasure for us to have someone as talented as you among us."
With a small gesture, a subordinate stepped forward and presented a container.
"We have brought you gifts. Seeds of Whisperleaf Fern and Ashveil Bloom."
A faint stir passed through the hall.
Even Isaac’s eyes sharpened slightly. He recognized those plants.
Hass continued in a calm tone,
"Whisperleaf Fern grows into a sentient tree. It is said to be capable of connecting to ley lines. And Ashveil Bloom is said to invigorate blood within a wide radius. Wherever it grows, the land becomes more fertile. Children are born healthier, the elderly live longer, and recovery from exhaustion becomes faster. Even the number of people who fall victims to diseases will decrease significantly."
Whisperleaf Fern.
Ashveil Bloom.
Neither of them was ordinary.
Whisperleaf Fern could connect to ley lines. Ley lines, often called the Veins of the World, were vast rivers of mana flowing deep beneath the ground. In ancient times, they had been the backbone of countless civilizations.
Even now, despite the Red Rain seeping into the earth and corrupting many of them, some ley lines remained untouched.
Whisperleaf Ferns had the ability to locate those uncorrupted streams.
And once they found them, they connected to them.
They then drew mana upward, redirecting it toward the surface, toward wherever they were planted. Toward the City.
It was a tremendous boon.
A stable, renewable influx of mana would transform infrastructure. The energy sector would see a noticeable increase, at least twenty percent under normal circumstances. If conditions aligned well, the increase could even reach one hundred percent.
And energy was not something a City could afford to lack.
Everything depended on it. Blacksmith forges required it. Potion reservoirs needed it to maintain stability. Training facilities for Awakeners consumed it constantly. Even ordinary buildings for unawakened citizens relied on it for basic operations.
A single tree influencing all of that... its value was obvious.
But there was a reason Whisperleaf Ferns weren’t everywhere.
They were notoriously difficult to find, and even more difficult to grow.
Even before the apocalypse, when the world was stable and resources were abundant, only a handful of regions had successfully cultivated them. The requirements were extremely strict, and failure was common.
We can grow Whisperleaf Ferns easily. Your farm is on par—no, it’s better than holy lands, Avery’s voice sounded in his mind, calm and confident.
Isaac nodded inwardly. His farm was far from normal.
It had already surpassed what most would consider peak conditions.
His gaze shifted to the second seed.
Ashveil Bloom.
This one was as precious as Whisperleaf Fern, if not more.
It affected "blood."
Anyone living within its range would experience a gradual, permanent improvement in blood quality.
At first glance, the effect sounded simple.
But Isaac knew better.
Better blood meant stronger bodies. Stronger bodies meant higher endurance, faster recovery, and better resistance to illness. Over time, it meant a healthier population overall.
And a healthier population meant more productivity.
Every sector would benefit. Blacksmiths could endure higher temperatures. Awakeners would recover faster between training sessions. Even children would grow with stronger foundations.
The effect would spread gradually, but its impact would be massive.
Still, like Whisperleaf Fern, it had a critical flaw.
It took two hundred years to bloom, and show its true effect.
For most Lords, that made it impractical.
I can grow it instantly with my skill.
Isaac’s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
Both plants were treasures.
In the hands of most Lords, they were long-term investments with uncertain returns.
In his hands, they were immediate advantages.
And not just that.
With his farm and Avery’s abilities, they would likely perform even better than what had been recorded in ancient history.
The plants are good. But...
Isaac’s gaze shifted.
He looked at the one presenting the gift.
Sisyphus.
Just moments ago, the man had spoken arrogantly to the Sword Empress, questioning her presence, looking down on her without restraint.
Now, he sat there calmly, speaking politely, offering rare resources as if nothing had happened.
The contrast was clear.
Anyone could see what kind of person he was.
"You don’t need to worry, Lord Isaac. These are gifts to congratulate you. I do not need anything in return," Sisyphus said, noticing the pause.
Isaac didn’t respond immediately.
If something is free, then it will cost the most, he thought.
Sisyphus might call them gifts, but accepting something like this would create an invisible obligation. A favor owed, whether acknowledged or not.
And that was exactly what Sisyphus wanted.
"Since Sisyphus has shown his gift, then I shall do the same," Bella said, her voice cutting in smoothly.
A faint ripple passed through her mist-like form, and a spatial ring emerged, floating just in front of her. She reached into it and pulled out a glowing green core.
For a brief moment, the core was visible before she let it hover between them.
"This is the Genetic Catalyst of the Vinefang Titan. It might be possible for you to grow it into a sentient plant-type monster. Of course, since you are attuned to plants as a farmer, you could also absorb it directly. I suspect you would gain a powerful skill," she said.
Isaac nodded slowly.
Tyr, the treant he already possessed, had been born from a Genetic Catalyst as well.
The treant could grow Hell-Iron Myre, a special ore mainly found in Hell. It was extremely useful in blacksmithing.
The Vinefang Titan had similar level of potential as Tyr.
If cultivated properly, it could become a powerful defensive entity. Something that could guard the City’s perimeter without constant supervision.
Or, if absorbed, it could strengthen Isaac himself.
Either way, it wasn’t a small gift.
"Then, I shall show my gift too..."
One by one, the Lords began presenting what they had brought.
Each item was carefully chosen. Rare materials, unique artifacts, specialized resources. None of them were ordinary.
And with each new offering, the value seemed to climb higher.
Some gifts were meant to strengthen infrastructure. Others focused on personal power. A few were clearly strategic, aimed at influencing future decisions.
Isaac listened, observed, and said very little.
The most valuable gift came last.
From the Third Priest.
It was, surprisingly, straightforward.
A Legendary Grade armor set.
Even without inspecting its abilities, Isaac could tell it was powerful. The aura alone was enough to make that clear.
The hall grew slightly quieter as it was presented.
Isaac understood what the Third Priest was trying to say by giving him something so precious.
This gift was the Third Priest’s way of addressing the incident of the morning.
A gesture of reconciliation.
A way to smooth things over without bringing up the matter directly.
Isaac looked at the armor for a moment before shifting his gaze back to the Priest.
He didn’t speak, or accept it yet.
Accepting any of these gifts wasn’t simple. Each one came with strings attached. Some obvious, others hidden. And once accepted, those strings would tighten.
Just then, Avery’s voice echoed in his mind again.
I always receive a lot of gifts too. Thanks to this, I know how to take gifts without owing favors.
Isaac glanced at her briefly, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
She smiled faintly, clearly enjoying the situation.
She continued, Basically, we need to scam them. Hard, at that.