Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Rewards

Chapter 208 – Rewards

Cassius watched the scene with quiet wonder, feeling the sharp but peaceful winds ruffle his hair.

His eye wandered over the four sentinels adorning the city, alongside the wide, towering buildings that looked as though they were made of the most precious materials.

In a single glance across the whole city, Cassius saw that the Academy was divided into three rings, and with his knowledge from the Game, things began to come back to him.

He looked at the outer ring, where the dormitories, shops, restaurants, and even activities to enjoy life were located.

Then there was the inner ring, where classes and training were held for each year.

But the fourth and fifth years were set quite apart from the first three, sitting close to the Core Ring of the whole city, where a single enormous Silver Tower made of what looked like translucent scales stood tall and proud.

This was the Tower where the Dean and teachers lived. The Dean’s office was at the very top of the tower, overseeing the whole Academy like a god watching over mortals.

It was called the Tower of Power.

’Is this where the Paragons are too?’ Cassius thought, still observing everything with a wide eye.

No student, regardless of ranking, had the right to step inside the tower, even if they had a master.

Training between master and disciple was conducted in the Inner Ring, where rooms specially designed for it had been built.

Cassius whispered in slight wonder, feeling as though he had stepped into a completely new page of his life.

He was technically still in the Badur Kingdom, yet he couldn’t help but feel as though he wasn’t.

’And I wouldn’t be wrong. The Academy is high in the clouds, like a hidden Eden out of legend. I wonder who created this Academy, and how. No first, was there even a Dean before Mallory Octavia?’

He was lacking some serious knowledge about the Academy. And it was something Cassius only realised after stepping inside it, not as an avatar controlled from behind a screen.

But as his own person.

A surge of excitement and nervousness bloomed in his heart as he thought of all the countless things he could achieve within this Academy.

This was where almost all the Chosen Ones gathered. Not only them, there were also the villains, and the characters with more unique roles.

All of them, converging into one single place.

’I can almost taste the GeumGeum in the air. So many blessed.’

Cassius thought at last, before his mind was pulled back to the present by the usual voice that claimed to be the Dean’s beast.

<Your rooms have been chosen.> it said, still echoing all around as if omnipresent. <As all three of you are in the Top 5, you will each have a room without sharing with anyone. In addition, as the Palatine, Cassius will not have to pay rent each month.>

"What?" Raven and Esmeray exclaimed, frowning, still floating. "Rent?"

Cassius was not surprised. When the voice said that Elysia Points were one of the most important things, it had not been joking.

Nothing was free in the Academy. Except if you were among the very top, just like him. Yet even then, you still paid in another way.

And sometimes, the price was far steeper than simple points.

<Yes, rent. Elysia Points will be your second greatest asset in this Academy. You can do anything, as long as you have enough Points.>

It paused, and Cassius smiled.

<Absolutely anything.>

<You can check your EP on your new phone, there’s an app for it. Now, as for your rooms...>

It paused, then continued immediately.

<Cassius and Esmeray are assigned to the Hades Building, while Raven, you are in the Hel Building. Your room numbers will be sent to your phones.>

<You have the rest of the day off. Tomorrow, classes start.>

That was the last thing they heard before each of them was teleported into the Outer Ring, more specifically, in front of their own buildings.

Cassius and Esmeray found themselves standing, still swaying a little from the unexpected teleportationX before a tall black skyscraper.

In big, crimson-red letters was the name "Hades".

Around them, throngs of students walked past, sparing them glances, whispering and pointing.

The name "Angel" could be heard constantly on the tongues of most of them.

Cassius’s eye twitched.

’Queen’s skirt, how does this title follow me everywhere?’

Their phones chimed, breaking his annoyed thoughts. He looked and saw his room number.

"Oh my." He exclaimed, stroking his chin thoughtfully with his wooden hand.

"Where’s your room?" Esmeray asked, leaning in to look, and saw that Cassius’s room was at the top of the building.

She lifted her eyes and stared at him with obvious annoyance. "Why do you always get the good stuff? I wanted to be at the top too."

"You’d need to be Palatine for that." Cassius smiled provocatively. "You’re only fifth. And mind you, you should have been lower, aunt."

He walked forward, heading toward the building.

"Are you looking down on me?" Esmeray narrowed her eyes, following, walking beside him.

"I’m just trying to make you understand how foolish it was to let Theophane get into your head." He shook his head. "She gave you a poison strong enough to make you sleep for a whole week. And no one knows what other sneaky things she might have done to you. You were truly reckless."

"Hey, I know, okay? No need to rub it in my face." Esmeray almost pouted. "And can you blame me? I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. And the way she made me feel was strange. It felt like I needed to—!"

"Worship her?" Cassius continued, nodding. "That’s the natural effect her beauty has on beings with weak wills against appearance. I don’t need to tell you this for you to already know it, but still, aunt..."

He spared her a glance.

"...give Theophane even a bit of space in your mind, and she’ll control you in one freaking second. Don’t fall for her smile, or her filthy words, or anything she might do. Theophane feels none of it. Look."

He pointed at a random stick lying on the street.

"What do you feel about that?"

"Nothing?" She tilted her head. "I guess I’d use it if I needed it."

"That’s how Theophane sees everyone. A tool she’ll use if useful." He side-glanced her. "Even herself."

After that, Cassius entered the Hades Building, ignoring all the students wishing to speak with him, and went straight to the top of the building via a runic elevator.

Esmeray was left behind, turning Cassius’s words over and over in her mind.

Theophane’s face reappeared in her mind during the process, and her hands clenched tight.

’You made a fool of me, my dear sweetheart. Perfect, you want to act like a bitch? It just so happens I’m a professional. Let me show you how we fuck someone over.’

With cold determination, she entered the building, but the moment her thoughts drifted back to Dorian Desdemona, Esmeray lost her footing and almost fell flat on her face.

’Curse my life!!’

...

Cassius stepped into his room, too exhausted to even bother looking at how beautiful and spacious it was.

He immediately found the bed and flopped onto it face first, bouncing a couple of times before coming to rest.

He exhaled loudly, irritated by his wooden hands.

’I need to get my hands back. And fast.’

But with everything he had been through over the past few days to prepare for this day, the only thing on his mind was to sleep first and worry about the rest later.

However, as always, it was at that exact moment that the Fated Quests decided to chime.

A chime so loud and unexpected that he jumped off the bed, pinching the bridge of his nose with deep irritation.

Numerous notifications began popping up continuously, pulling themselves up in front of him.

’My rewards, at last.’

DING!

[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! Most Famous of the Generation!]

[Description: The fact that you are more famous than the Original Protagonist in both the Kingdom and the Academy deserves to be celebrated, Last Born.

This was something completely impossible by the expectations of the Eye of the World.

Your beauty is worthy of a Devil!]

[Rewards: +100 to Charm Stat.]

’Dude... I appreciate it, but I truly don’t need this much Charm stat...’

He sighed and continued reading.

[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! Most Favoured Person!]

[Description: How did you do this, Last Born? We would have believed you possessed a Mind Control skill if we didn’t know you so well.

You succeeded in stealing the affection and respect of the Chosen Ones and the common people destined for Emrys Stormblessed.

They love you more than they love him. But at the same time, Last Born, those who hate you, hate you more than anyone.

You are either too loved, or too hated. There is no in-between in your case.

And one of those cases will be your downfall, Last Born. The Eye sees it.]

[Rewards: Subordinate Token (X3), Lucky Lucky Lucky Ticket.]

The Fated Quests gave him no time to absorb the information, as the next panels appeared in quick succession.

[NEW ACHIEVEMENT! Palatine!]

[Description: You went against the Heavens, and you won.

You did the one thing close to impossible; robbing Emrys Stormblessed of one of his most powerful Fate Points: the one to be Palatine of the Golden Generation.

And you did it in the most unexpected way possible, earning fame for yourself.

The Eye of the World is in awe of your existence.

The gods have taken notice of you and your goddess, Lady Ananke.

The stakes of the game are disturbed.

The gods are whispering... a new player?]

[Rewards: Fate Link (Special Gift from the Eye of the World); Token of Question (Special Gift from the Eye of the World).]

Cassius was growing excited at seeing so many rewards. He didn’t know what they did, but knowing they were special gifts already meant something precious.

Suddenly, everything he had been through was worth it.

But it wasn’t over yet.

There was still one important thing left.

[You have done your duty as a Blessed.]

[With your recent actions changing the most powerful paths of Fate, Lady Ananke receives a staggering amount of GeumGeum!]

[With the appearance of Lady Ananke before a large crowd, the image of the goddess has been imprinted in the minds of many. Those who support you are already considering Praising the Queen as a new Path of Faith. Queen’s skirt! What a sight!]

[Congratulations, Lady Ananke and Cassius Desdemona, you are bestowed rank 89th in the Bonds Ranking by the Eye of the Divine.]

[A reward for such a massive leap has been granted to the Patron.]

[Congratulations, Lady Ananke. Your Blessed, Cassius Desdemona, is now ranked 99th in the List of Top Blessed under the age of thirty in the whole World.]

[A reward for such a fantastic achievement has been granted to the Patron.]

[Lady Ananke has stepped higher up the Ladder. A bit more, and you shall enter the Top 150.]

That was the last notification before everything mercifully ended.

Cassius sat weakly on the bed, trying to grasp everything he had just read.

The information was overwhelming, but it all melted away when a sweet, loving voice whispered in his mind.

[...Cassius?]

A wide smile split his face, his heart suddenly full of peace.

He parted his lips to speak, and closed them immediately when he noticed a silver runic formation coming to life beneath him.

"Huh?"

"My dear disciple~" the cold voice of the Dean echoed deep within his thought-cage. "Come see your master, will you?"

His body shivered.

"Wha—!"

He was swallowed instantly by the silver runic formation, Ananke’s voice booming all around.

[Cassius!!!]

—End of Chapter 208—