Chapter 241: Carmilla’s Request
Chapter 241: Carmilla’s Request
Following his monumental victory in the Heavenly Ascendent Tower, Rhain spent his days within the Core Palace.
He was meticulously stabilizing the massive cultivation gains he had acquired, as well as thoroughly reinforcing his newly forged Origin Domain of Darkness.
The power contained within that thirty-percent comprehension of a law was incredibly powerful, and he needed complete control over it.
However, despite his desire for peace, the outside world simply refused to leave him alone.
The problem was Crown Prince Lucius.
In the span of just a few days, Lucius had dispatched his royal envoys to the Celestial Elixir Pavilion three separate times, demanding a private audience with "Grandmaster Korryn."
When Vulcan respectfully stalled them each time, claiming the Grandmaster was in deep seclusion, Lucius actually showed up at the Pavilion in person.
Fortunately, Vulcan had managed to handle the pressure and politely turned the Crown Prince away, but it was clear that Lucius’s patience was wearing thin.
To make matters worse, Lucius had also sent messengers directly to the Stormveil Academy, formally requesting a personal meeting with Rhain himself.
Rhain had originally assumed the Crown Prince would leave Stormveil City once Seris’s grand ceremony concluded, but unexpectedly, Lucius had extended his stay
Rhain had no desire to involve himself with the Crown Prince, but repeatedly refusing the future Emperor from both his identities—as Korryn and as Rhain, was drawing too much unwanted scrutiny
And surprisingly, Lucius wasn’t the only one creating a headache for him.
Elara Thunderwood had also paid a personal visit to the Celestial Elixir Pavilion.
The Thunderwood Noble Family was hosting a massive, extravagant banquet to publicly celebrate their historic, century-defining partnership with the Pavilion.
Naturally, as the backer of the establishment, Grandmaster Korryn was invited as the guest of honor.
Simultaneously, a formal invitation had been delivered to the Academy, inviting "Rhain Voss, the strongest prodigy of the young generation," to attend the very same banquet.
Rhain had already made up his mind to refuse both requests.
Attending the banquet as Grandmaster Korryn was an unnecessary risk.
While the Faceless Emperor Mask was an exceptional artifact, walking into a grand hall and sitting under the concentrated, unblinking scrutiny of multiple Domain Master Realm experts, including Patriarch Thorian would be just pushing his luck.
He doesn’t have enough confidence that his Epic Grade Faceless Emperor Mask could trick the sharp eyes of veteran Domain Masters.
"Husband!"
A sweet, melodious voice pulled Rhain from his thoughts.
"Come here, husband! Look who came to visit!" Seris called out happily.
Rhain slowly opened his dark grey eyes, withdrawing the swirling pitch-black essence of his Origin Domain of Darkness back into his dantian.
He stood up, adjusted his dark robes, and stepped out of his cultivation chamber.
Rhain’s gaze shifted past his beautiful wife, landing on a figure standing slightly behind her.
It was Liana.
She wore the neat, simple robes of an Outer Palace disciple, but her beautiful features still radiated that peerless elegance.
However, as Rhain approached, he could clearly see that Liana was completely mesmerized, and utterly overwhelmed by her surroundings.
Her silver eyes were wide as she looked around the Core Palace’s frozen domain.
The sheer essence density in the air was so thick it practically formed a tangible mist against her skin.
Seeing Rhain approach, Liana hurriedly turned her head, a trace of nervousness flashing across her face.
"Rhain," she greeted softly, her fingers fidgeting slightly with the edge of her red dress. "Did I... did I disturb your cultivation? I didn’t mean to intrude."
"Not at all," Rhain replied, his expression softening as he gave Liana a reassuring smile. "I was already finishing up. It’s good to see you, Liana."
Seris beamed as she saw Rhain. "I invited Sister Liana over for a casual chat. She has been working so hard in the Forging Division, I thought she deserved a break in a better environment!"
The three of them settled around a sculpted table.
Under Seris’s warm, bubbly chatter, Liana’s initial stiffness melted away, and the trio began to chat casually, sharing stories of their recent days.
For a brief while, it felt exactly like the peaceful times they had spent back in Mirravele City.
But this tranquil atmosphere was suddenly interrupted.
Swoosh—!
Without a single ripple in the surrounding space, a red blur descended from the sky, landing lightly on the frosted tiles right beside their table.
"Well, well. Having a little tea party without inviting me?"
Liana nearly jumped up from her chair.
She instantly recognized the supreme ruler of the Stormveil Academy and scrambled to her feet, bowing so low she almost tipped over. "G-Greetings, Dean Carmilla!"
"Oh, relax, little one," Carmilla chuckled, waving her hand dismissively.
She pulled up a chair of her own and sat down, completely ignoring the formalities.
Rhain looked at the Carmilla, his dark grey eyes narrowing slightly. "Dean. To what do we owe the pleasure of an unannounced visit?"
Carmilla didn’t answer immediately.
With a flick of her delicate wrist, an exquisite invitation card materialized in her hand.
She tossed it onto the ice table.
It bore the roaring tiger crest of the Thunderwood Noble Family.
"Thunderwood Family’s grand banquet," Carmilla stated, her bright eyes locking onto Rhain. "They are celebrating their partnership with Celestial Elixir Pavilion. I assume you have already received your own invitation."
"I did," Rhain replied calmly. "And I plan to decline it."
Carmilla sighed, resting her chin on her hands. "I had a feeling you would say that, little thief. But this time, you cannot hide in your courtyard."
Rhain raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Because literally every major power in Stormveil City will be there," Carmilla explained, her tone turning slightly more serious. "Patriarch Caelan, Matriarch Seraphine, Crown Prince Lucius... and even I will be attending."
Seris blinked in surprise. "You are going, Dean? Does the Academy usually attend noble family banquets?"
"Normally, no," Carmilla smirked. "But this isn’t a normal banquet. Everyone is going for one specific reason. The Thunderwood Family has heavily implied that the mysterious ’Grandmaster Korryn’—the backer of the Celestial Elixir Pavilion—might make a public appearance tonight. Everyone wants to see the man who is single-handedly overturning the city’s alchemical market."
Rhain’s expression remained perfectly placid, though inwardly he let out a dry cough.
Grandmaster Korryn was certainly not going to make an appearance tonight.
"If everyone is going to see this Grandmaster, then my presence is even more unnecessary," Rhain countered smoothly.
"Wrong," Carmilla leaned forward, tapping a finger against the table. "You are no longer just an ordinary disciple, Rhain. You hold the Founder’s token. You are the future leader of the Stormveil Academy."
She looked directly into his dark grey eyes. "You need to step out of the shadows. Familiarize yourself with the political titans of the city. Let them see the face of the man who will one day rule this Academy. I am formally requesting that you attend."
Carmilla then turned to Seris with a warm smile. "And you should accompany your husband, Seris. A future Dean needs his peerless wife by his side."
Seris’s pale purple eyes instantly lit up. "A grand banquet from a Noble family? We’ve never been to one before!"
She turned to Rhain, gently tugging at his sleeve with a look of excitement. "Husband, can we go? It sounds like fun!"
Rhain opened his mouth to refuse again, but Seris suddenly turned her bright gaze toward the nervous Liana sitting across from them.
"Sister Liana!" Seris clapped her hands together. "You should come with us!"
Liana’s emerald eyes went wide with shock. "M-Me? But I’m just an Outer Palace disciple! I wasn’t invited, and I don’t belong at a gathering of Patriarchs and Domain Masters!"
"Nonsense!" Seris insisted, "You are our friend. If you come with us, no one will dare say a word. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to make powerful contacts in the city and build your confidence! You can’t forge weapons in a dark room forever, you know!"
Liana looked at Seris’s earnest, encouraging face, and felt a lump form in her throat.
Even after reaching the peak of the Academy, Seris was still actively trying to pull her up, refusing to let her get left behind in the dirt.
"I... I would love to go," Liana whispered, her heart swelling with gratitude.
Rhain looked at the three women sitting around the table.
Liana was looking at him with tentative hope.
Carmilla was staring at him with an authoritative, expectant gaze that clearly communicated she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
And his beautiful wife was looking up at him with those sparkling, doe-like eyes that he had never, in his entire life, been able to resist.
He was Korryn.
Going to a banquet where everyone was desperately waiting to meet Korryn, while attending as Rhain, was going to be an annoying exercise in deflecting aristocratic probes and dealing with Crown Prince Lucius’s inevitable persuasion.
He let out a long, quiet, and utterly defeated sigh in his heart.
"Fine," Rhain said, his tone carrying a hint of resignation. "I will go."