[Artifact obtained!]
[Name: Dice of Luck.
• Usage: 1
• Purpose: Raises your luck by 100% in any situation for 5 minutes.
• Obtain difficulty: B]
Nolan grinned as he rolled the dice in his hand. One of his favorite artifacts—one he stumbled upon in life 42.
It did as explained, but it always annoyingly disappeared before the second Crimson Moon, even if he had it with him. The Dice of Luck just vanished from existence and made sure there was no cheat if such class for that period.
Nolan already planned out where he was going to use it in his mind.
The system pinged,
[Add to Inventory?]
"Yes please."
The dice started to fade and soon disappeared as they approached Cedric and Liana who were standing in front of the statue of a masked woman. The mask’s only details, aside from the design on it, were the slits for eyes.
"The One Protector,"
Liana and Cedric turned around to find Melvin and Nolan walking towards them.
"What a figure to be intrigued by," Melvin added, stopping just beside them, his eyes on the statue.
"Mm... I just had this strange feeling when I saw it. I think it’s my curiosity," Liana stared at it again, skeptically. "Why did she wear a mask?"
"The One Protector always had on a mask, as only few who were in her inner circle managed to see her real face. Not all of them at that. So, this was a better reference, since even if her face was put up, most wouldn’t recognize her," Melvin explained.
Liana nodded, then turned to Nolan . "So... did he get in as well?" she asked Melvin.
"Indeed. A Novice-rank though. Standard," replied Melvin.
"Now that, I’ve approved of you, you three can go ahead with the registration. The tower where we met," he added. "I’ll send a word."
The trio went back to their starting point and entered the tower, welcomed by a long line of recruits also registering.
... ...
Outside, sitting on a small crate was a hooded man, watching as they walked in.
The hood hid his features, save for his mouth and nose.
"Hmm, interesting batch we have here. Very interesting," he muttered to himself before standing up and leaving.
... ...
Three hours.
That was how long it took before the trio got registered and were given keys to their accommodations.
Their measurements were taken and they were told their uniforms would be ready the next day.
Nolan, Cedric and Liana walked through Clover City, in search of the quarter they were assigned to.
After five minutes of asking for directions, and a ten minute walk from the spires of the Royal Palace, they finally arrived at their quarters.
It was quiet, compared to how noisy the rest of the city was. The air in this part of the city was different. It didn’t carry the familiar incense of gardens, but the warm smell of baking bread and laundry soap.
This was the Artisan’s Quarter. A quiet utilitarian neighborhood that housed the palace’s support system. Life was simple here in the side lanes.
They walked to the area they belonged and stood in front of their ’new homes.’ Or just home.
It was a tall, narrow building made of grey stone and timber, with a slate-tiled roof that looked like it passed through a lot under the different weathers. It had three floors and each was for one person.
Thankfully, it wasn’t like the other ones around. There were more buildings similar, but those ones were joint, sharing walls with the next building.
"Alright," Cedric clapped his hands . "I’m going with the middle floor."
"That’s not how it works," Nolan gave him a blank stare .
"I’m staying at the top then," Liana chirped, completely oblivious to Nolan’s objections. Intentionally? Something like that.
They both went ahead to enter the building, leaving Nolan outside.
He scoffed. Arguing with two people that completely disagreed with him was a battle he had already lost. Somethings never changed.
Soon, he fell into step behind them, shaking his head.
Quarters did change with rank. The higher you rank, the better your quarters. Though that was only for the top three ranks.
Two quarters were set specifically for Aces and Elites, while Masters stayed in the Royal Quarter’s extension.
Though one can decide not to stay in the quarters provided by the guild and live elsewhere in Cloveland. Just that all rent and maintenance fees were then theirs to pay, because the guild owned these quarters and paid for their maintenance.
Of course, feeding, clothing and other necessities were a person’s to provide for themselves.
Nolan didn’t worry about getting a better place for now. His sole priority was to monitor Liana and also a little on Cedric as well.
Whether the pathfinder ability didn’t ping on him, he was still a variable that had to be checked.
... ...
Rose Quarter aka Ace Quarter...
As its name implied, this part of the kingdom was where its finest roses were grown. The air, of course, carried the scent of roses and other flowers from the manicured gardens around.
Nobles frequented this place, and even the royal family often took walks here from time to time.
The guild just purchased a part of it, since there weren’t many Ace-ranks.
The houses here were mini apartments, set for more privacy and dignity.
The twilight poured in through the windows, casting orange rays on the furniture of a well arranged simple room as the sun went down. Cyndy laid in bed, staring at her shaking hands.
She sighed and turned on the bed, her eyes holding something in them. Something that looked like... fear?
The truth Nolan never knew was, Cyndy was never evil, selfish, or weak-willed. She was cursed, monitored, and controlled.
Back when she first manifested her Ice ability as a teenager, a mysterious, powerful faction—who called themselves the "Weavers of Fate"—approached her. They didn’t give her a choice. They placed a Geas of Subjugation on her, a powerful magical compulsion woven into her very soul, that was impossible to resist or remove.
They gave her a simple mission that was as horrifying as it seemed easy: Infiltrate the Cerulean Guardians and identify any individual who shows the potential to become an "Anomaly"—a person who can significantly alter the predetermined flow of fate.
And the moment such an Anomaly is identified, her Geas activates, overriding her free will and forcing her to eliminate them by any means necessary, even if it required months or years of planning.
The three paths Nolan observed were not her choices. They were the different ways the Geas manifested based on the circumstances and her relationship to the target (comrade, lover, superior).
Even though in the lover path she tried fighting it, they appeared before her and threatened her again.
Whichever the case was, the outcome was always the same: Betray and Eliminate the Anomaly.
At this time, she hadn’t identified the anomaly yet—which usually happened in the next two or three years—but she still had frequent dreams reminding her of the "Weavers of Fate" and the Geas. And it always scared her.
She may seem tough, nonchalant and overconfident on the outside, but she was just as equally inverse in the inside.
"Leave me alone," she muttered, hugging her pillow. "Please."