The next day, Levi arrived at the coordinates provided in the D-mail, which led him to the Void-Anchor Terminal.
It was a gigantic building that resembled a neo-Gothic cathedral of glass and steel. It served as the primary transit artery in the Boundless Expanse for those able to afford it.
It had dozens of towers that connected the cathedral into a hexagonal shape... each tower was perfectly positioned as an anchor point, with its peak flashing nonstop toward the sky.
High above, a rotating clockwork sphere known as the Boundless-Map realigned itself every millisecond, clicking with mechanical precision to match the coordinates of each successful teleportation.
The entire structure oozed the vibe of a dimensional station exclusive to the rich, as thousands of Rifters, noblemen, businessmen, merchants, and celebrities entered and left the terminal.
The moment Levi went inside, his nose was assaulted by a thick scent of expensive, soothing perfume... a single scent that dominated everyone’s fragrance regardless of how much money they spent on their own.
Levi scratched his nose and walked in the direction of a long row of Gate-Stalls that resembled grand confessionals.
Levi approached his assigned stall and waited in line for about three minutes before his turn arrived... then, he input House Zen’s estate coordinates and the code handed to him by his hosts after paying for his teleportation. Although they were broke, a noble family would never make a guest pay the teleportation fees.
Then, he stepped onto the platform... the moment he pressed the ’Ready’ button, the platform roared to life and released a flash of pressurized spatial energy... it was so concentrated, and yet, not a single particle left the platform’s area. All the pressure was sucked into a crystal tube that connected the platform with one of the towers.
As the pressure reached the tower’s peak, it was released as a thin pillar into the void... As for Levi, he was sent through a transit tunnel toward the Zen family’s territory, his figure reemerging from a shadowy portal.
He was pushed outside of the portal against his will before it closed shut... Levi wasn’t bothered, as he knew it was done this way to avoid interfering with the traffic.
"Sir, you’ve arrived!"
Suddenly, Sati’s excited voice resounded in Levi’s ears, coming from the right side. Levi used his Harmonic Spine to swiftly paint his world through frequencies. Immediately after, he was met with a breathtaking scene... he stood in front of a small cottage on a mountain peak, surrounded by a serene lake of clouds that stretched to the limits of his vision.
’Dad was right... placing our teleportation coordinates here always puts our guests in a peaceful trance.’
Sati smiled in delight after seeing that Levi seemed to appreciate the view around him... his face wasn’t hidden fully, leaving his mouth exposed to a serene smile. It was a look that made her feel like Levi wished for nothing more than to sit here for eternity.
"Welcome to our humble estate," Sati welcomed Levi with a slight bow. "If you’re interested in a tour, I am happy to show you around."
Levi let out a faint exhale and then shook his head. "Thank you... But maybe another time. Is it possible to meet with the estate head?"
"Oh, of course... he is waiting for you."
Sati was slightly disappointed by his rejection of the tour, but she knew better than to waste the time of a guest here on business. Soon, she guided Levi through the mountains at a moderate speed until he found himself standing at the entrance of the grand brown temple at the summit.
Then, she led him through the serene, incense-filled corridors until they reached the simplistic office of the estate head.
"Father, the guest has arrived," Sati announced.
Levi wasn’t that surprised to find out about Sati’s heir status... the moment he saw her wearing the Zen insignia, he knew that her status within the family was quite high. Sati bowed and exited, closing the sliding wooden door behind her, leaving Levi and her father alone.
Zen Brahmin was seated on a woven mat, his eyes closed in a state of perpetual calm... he gestured for Levi to sit across from him.
"I am Zen Brahmin..." the elderly goat-man said, his voice as serene as the lake of clouds around them. "I am told you wish to finalize a significant order of spiritually reinforced artifacts... It is rare for a buyer of your caliber to visit our peaks in person these days."
Levi had no intentions of continuing the lie after landing the meeting... he didn’t even bother to take a seat at first, standing in the center of the small room, his shadow flickering across the wooden desk.
"My name is irrelevant... and I am not here to make the order," Levi said bluntly. "I needed a face-to-face meeting with you, and there wasn’t enough time to follow common protocol."
Hearing this, Brahmin didn’t flinch... in fact, he barely opened his eyes. His breathing remained slow and steady, his calmness completely unchanged by the admission of the lie.
"I see," Brahmin replied softly while pouring a cup of tea for his guest using his mind. "Then I must ask the purpose of this visit... are you an agent of House Targon? If you are here to deliver another ultimatum or an offer to buy our soul for pennies, you have wasted your energy on the climb."
Brahmin wasn’t scared that Levi was sent here to assassinate him... he knew that House Targon would never aim for his head or his daughter’s.
He had made sure that the moment he was targeted, all the properties of House Zen would be donated to Nocturn’s Administration... in return, the Administration would keep the Runehoof citizens in the realm and give them a decent head start to survive for a couple of decades. Whatever happened next was their own responsibility.
Seeing Brahmin’s undisturbed calmness, Levi finally took a seat and picked up the cup of tea... he took a small sip and immediately felt refreshed, as if he had just drunk an actual delicious recovery totem.
"Great tea..."
Levi praised the drink and then placed the cup back on the desk... Brahmin nodded with a mild smile in appreciation.
"I’m not with the Targonians... in fact, I’ve done my research on your little neighborly dispute," Levi stated calmly. "I know about the assassinations, the economic sabotage, and the fact that you’re three months away from losing everything... I’m here to offer my services to help you sue House Targon and provide the evidence the Courtroom requires to rule in your favor."
For the first time, Brahmin opened his eyes... they were milky white and rich with wisdom. He looked Levi up and down, his expression transitioning from calm to a faint amusement.
"Why?" Brahmin asked.
"I have my eyes on the Zen Relic Store... and most significantly, the entire House Targon’s estate and their properties."