Chapter 57: Shopping Spree

An hour later, the three of them... Evren, Amber and Zephyra, enjoyed a quiet lunch on the panoramic sky terrace of the penthouse.

Warm roasted chicken, fresh garden salads, and iced berry juice were laid out across the marble table. The cool breeze blew gently from the upper clouds, rustling the linen napkins.

Zephyra ate in small, neat bites. Her hands were calm, and the occasional static twitch in her left wrist barely disturbed her fork.

"Everyone finished?" Evren asked, setting his cloth napkin on the table.

Amber dabbed the corner of her lips with a smile. "Ready whenever you are."

"Let’s get you two some real clothes," Evren said, standing up.

They took the private elevator down to the VIP lobby. Outside, their driver was already waiting with the main SUV idling at the curb.

The vehicle smoothly pulled into the midday traffic, cruising down the wide boulevards of the Upper District before turning onto Platinum Boulevard.

Platinum Boulevard was the center of high fashion in the Capital.

Rows of marble shops lined the street for blocks, displaying fine jewelry, designer dresses, and custom battle coats behind crystal windows.

The SUV pulled up in front of a three-story boutique with a gold-leaf sign: Maison Valoria.

Doormen in tailored black suits opened the heavy glass doors as they walked in.

The interior was magnificent, with plush cream carpets, crystal chandeliers, and racks of bespoke designer clothing.

A sharp-dressed senior sales manager hurried over, giving a polite bow. "Welcome to Maison Valoria. How may we assist you today?"

"We need a complete wardrobe for both ladies," Evren said plainly. "Formal dresses, casual wear, traveling coats, combat wear and everyday boots. Give them the best pieces in the store."

The manager’s eyes lit up. "Right this way, sir!"

Amber immediately took charge. She guided Zephyra over to the coat racks, pulling out several elegant designs.

"Look at this one," Amber said, holding up a midnight-black traveling coat made of lightweight shadow-silk with silver buttons. "This would look amazing on you, Zephyra."

Zephyra looked at the fine fabric, hesitating to touch it.

"I... I have never worn anything like this," Zephyra whispered, looking down at her plain guest trousers.

"There’s a first time for everything," Amber smiled gently, taking Zephyra by the arm. "Go try it on. I’ll pick out a few more."

While Zephyra went into the private fitting suite with an attendant, Amber browsed through the dress collection.

She picked out a stunning emerald evening gown, two tailored white combat suits, and several casual silk blouses.

A few minutes later, the fitting room curtain slid open.

Zephyra stepped out onto the plush carpet.

She was wearing a fitted charcoal blouse, dark tailored trousers, sleek leather combat boots, and the midnight-black traveling coat. The high collar framed her jawline, and her raven hair fell neatly over her shoulders.

She no longer looked like an arena prisoner; she looked calm and confident.

Amber clapped her hands with a bright laugh. "You look incredible! Doesn’t she, Evren?"

Evren looked up from the lounge chair with an approving smile. "It suits you perfectly. Take that one, and get more in different styles."

Zephyra looked at herself in the full-length mirror, her violet eyes wide. For the first time in years, she didn’t see chains or scars. She saw a person who had her life back.

"Thank you, Evren," Zephyra said softly.

For the next hour, Amber turned the boutique into their personal showroom.

She pulled Zephyra through every rack on the floor, picking out tailored dark coats, soft silk sleepwear, fitted combat pants, and insulated leather boots.

Zephyra gradually relaxed, even pointing out a deep plum jacket and a silver-buckled belt that caught her eye.

Amber didn’t hold back for herself either. She selected a gorgeous emerald evening gown, a white double-breasted pantsuit, and several pairs of designer crystal heels.

Attendants moved around them with measuring tapes, neatly wrapping and packing each chosen outfit into boxes and shopping bags.

When they finally finished browsing, the lounge counter was stacked with over thirty luxury boxes and designer garment bags.

Evren walked over to the checkout counter, setting down his glass of iced water.

"With the enchanted shadow-silk fabrics, bespoke tailoring, and jewelry sets, your total comes to four million, eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars, sir," the sales manager said, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

Evren pulled out his black card and tapped the terminal without blinking.

Beep.

[PAYMENT APPROVED: $4,850,000.00 USD]

At that exact second, a familiar golden flash lit up Evren’s vision:

[DING!]

[DETECTED DIRECT LUXURY & WARDROBE INVESTMENT IN BOUND HEROINES: AMBER STERLING & ZEPHYRA NIGHTSHADE!]

[TOTAL AMOUNT SPENT: $4,850,000.00 USD]

[TRIGGERING 100x PERMANENT REBATE MULTIPLIER!]

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE RECEIVED: $485,000,000.00 USD CASH REBATE!]

[FUNDS TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY TO HOST’S APEX VIP MASTER ACCOUNT!]

Evren pulled out his phone. The banking app refreshed instantly, showing his new liquid balance: $1,845,197,542.50 USD.

He pocketed his phone with a faint smirk.

By late afternoon, the SUV returned to The Grand Pavilion.

Hotel attendants carried the shopping boxes up to the Presidential Penthouse, while Evren, Amber, and Zephyra sat down in the private ground-floor VIP lounge to enjoy fresh iced tea.

Just as the waiter set down their glasses, the glass doors of the lounge opened.

A young man in the blue uniform of a High Council junior clerk walked into the room.

He looked around nervously, clutching a thick dark leather folder with the gold-crested imperial council seal. When his eyes landed on Evren and Amber, his face flushed with nervous excitement.

He walked over to their table, holding the folder tightly in both hands.

"Excuse me... you are Chairman Evren Crawford and Vice-Chairman Amber Sterling, right?" the young man asked in a timid voice.

"We are," Evren nodded calmly. "Who are you?"

"I’m Caleb... a junior clerk from the High Council’s scheduling office," the young man said, swallowing hard. "I was assigned to deliver your official hearing dossier for tomorrow morning at ten."

He set the sealed folder on the marble table.

"I... I watched your live broadcast during the Sector Four rift crisis," Caleb said with genuine admiration in his slightly nervous voice. "While the big guilds ran away, you two went in alone and saved thousands of innocent people. You’re real heroes. Could I... could I get your signature on my courier receipt?"

Amber smiled warmly, taking his pen and signing the delivery slip. "Of course, Caleb."

Evren signed his name right below hers and handed the pen back. "Thanks for the delivery, Caleb."

Caleb took the pen, holding the slip like a prized treasure.

He glanced around the empty VIP lounge, then took a step closer to the table and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Chairman Crawford... please be very careful tomorrow," Caleb murmured, looking anxious.

Evren raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Caleb leaned in slightly, his eyes darting toward the glass doors.

"I can’t say for sure what’s going on," Caleb whispered. "But they moved your hearing from the normal review room to the Grand Citadel Chamber. And when I passed the lobby earlier, I saw representatives from the Capital’s top three guilds being escorted into the private viewing galleries. Your meeting tomorrow... it feels less like a routine review... and more like... a trial."