Chapter 107: A Legendary Mage for the Fleet

Aveline froze. Then she sprang to her feet.

"What did you say?"

Elara opened the Blueprint’s attributes for her to see.

"Look for yourself."

Aveline read the panel in silence. When she spoke again, her voice was low.

"Working backward from a troop to a Sigil normally takes years. A whole recruitment Building can take longer still. How did he do it so quickly?"

"He’s made a fortune recently," Elara said. "And he seems to do everything quickly."

"He certainly knows how to turn money into results." Aveline looked at the name again. "Eclipse Chapterhouse. A branch. Does that mean he has a headquarters too?"

Elara smiled at her expression.

"Mum, I think you’ve been shocked more often this month than in all the years before it."

"I may have been. The last time I was this surprised was when I found out I was going to have you."

Now Elara was staring at her mother instead of the Blueprint.

Aveline quickly turned the panel back toward her.

"Check the materials. Let’s see what these troops can actually do. Are they stronger than ordinary Epics or weaker?"

"Sea Melody Stone... Blue Rain Gold..." Elara went through her warehouse list. Her face brightened. "I have enough!"

She committed the materials and began construction.

Before long, an Eclipse Chapterhouse stood in her Domain. It occupied only a few hundred square meters, a smaller version of the headquarters Building.

Mother and daughter opened its training catalogue.

Aegis Fold. Mistveil March.

The full training content was there, ready for the new Epic Legionnaire line.

Aveline went quiet again.

"Epic troops with training like this... they should be well above an ordinary Epic line."

Elara paid the recruitment cost for the first Legionnaire.

When the troop emerged, both women looked at its combat rating.

Over ninety stars.

For a moment, neither said anything at all. They had been surprised so many times that morning that another exclamation seemed pointless.

"This is worth far more than access to the Royal Hall," Aveline said at last. "Get to Rank VII as soon as you can. Then recruit the Chapter Captain."

Elara looked back at the Blueprint’s name.

"Mum... we can’t take something this valuable for free."

"No, we can’t." Aveline rose. "I’ll find the money. At this rate, Cassian really will drain me dry."

Elara caught her hand, a teasing smile returning to her face.

"If it’s that difficult, you could give him me instead."

——

Cassian smiled at the Hero stepping out of the light.

"Finally. A spellcaster."

She carried a staff as tall as she was. With its thick shaft and heavy head, it looked sturdy enough to serve as a weapon even without a spell.

Her loose mage’s robes did little to hide her full figure. None of his other female Heroes had a figure quite as striking. A delicate face and bright, curious eyes gave her an innocence that only added to her appeal.

He opened her panel.

[Liora Ashmere]

[Quality: Legendary | Level: 1]

[Physique: 10 | Aether: 32 (+180) | Spirit: 35 (+180) | Load: 10]

[Equipment: Archmage’s Staff]

[Foundation Art: Order Power — Grade A / Beginner]

[Skills: Frost Will — Grade A / Beginner; Flame Will — Grade A / Beginner; Arcane Will — Grade A / Beginner; Teleport — Grade B / Beginner; Blizzard — Grade B / Beginner...]

[Hero Command: Human Mages — Grade A | Warships — Grade B]

[Combat Rating: 111 stars]

[Standard Hero Contracts: 3 / 4]

Her background identified her as the daughter of a naval admiral.

Strong attributes. A strong foundation. And the list of spells kept going after the entries he had first opened—dozens of them.

Frost Will, Flame Will, and Arcane Will passively improved their respective schools of magic. Celia’s Sword Intent did something similar for her sword attacks. Liora had that kind of support across three schools.

Then there was her Warship Command.

Cassian had only just started building a navy. Now the Sigil had given him a Legendary caster who could command it.

Liora blinked and looked around.

"I only just became Master Aldren’s apprentice. Did I somehow cast my summoning spell backward?"

Her gaze moved across the unfamiliar surroundings.

"The material plane, the ether plane, the elemental planes, the astral plane... I don’t think even Master has mentioned this Realm before."

She looked at the information appearing before her with growing interest.

"Levels? Attributes? What strange rules. And there are Humans here too. Elves, Dwarves, Orcs..."

At last, she turned to him.

"Are you my Lord?"

"Cassian Vale."

She was new to all this, and it showed. Cassian was pleased. With that strength and a little direction, she would be a tremendous help.

He took out a Skill Book.

"Liora, see whether this suits you."

She accepted it almost automatically. Then her eyes widened.

"Meteor Hell? A Legendary spell? I don’t think I’m capable of—wait. Here, a Skill Book lets me learn it directly?"

She looked from the book to him, her face lighting up.

Cassian’s smile grew. That had been easy.

Varkos had left him the book during the Boundary Defense. It had sat in storage ever since, waiting for someone who could make proper use of it.

Now that person was standing in front of him.

After a while, Liora’s excitement quieted.

"I wonder whether I’ll ever get back to the material plane. I’d like to see my father again."

"Get stronger first," he said easily. "With enough strength, you’ll find your way back."

Liora nodded hard.

"I will, Lord. The Ashmere family doesn’t lack determination."

Her new Lord had given her a Legendary spell before asking anything of her. He seemed very kind.

And he was handsome, too.

A new notification appeared before Cassian.

[First Eclipse Chapterhouse completed.]

[Veyra recognizes the expansion of the Eclipse line.]

[Covenant Stability: Greatly Increased]

Elara had built it already.

And the first branch had pleased Veyra enough to strengthen their Covenant. Cassian’s grin widened. That Blueprint had been well spent.

A pale hand waved in front of his face.

"Lord? What are you thinking about?" Liora asked cautiously. "That smile is a little frightening."

Cassian straightened his expression and raised a hand.

"Level up."

Light swept over Liora again and again.

[Liora Ashmere: Level 1 → Level 30]

[Battle Essence consumed: 12,000,000]

He had kept that Battle Essence ready for his next Hero. If the Sigil gave him someone strong enough, he would raise her straight to Level 30. Otherwise, he would spend it on more Dawnwings.

Liora had met every expectation.

She was still staring at her changed attributes when Cassian took her hand and led her toward the Gate.

"Come on. I have a job for you."

She recovered enough to look at his hand around hers.

"Lord... you’re very strong."

At the Goblin harbor, another Ghost Carrier was sliding into the water.

The second ship Cassian had ordered was already complete. Over the intervening days, he had bought the materials for nine more, spending another ninety million Aether. This was the last of those orders—the eleventh Carrier in his fleet.

Cassian gave Liora a brief account of Sunset Bay and the waters beyond the Marches.

"Your job is to keep hunting. Get as many Ballots as you can."

He placed the overseas force under her command, then handed her ten bottles of Life Water to replenish her Aether at sea.

For a moment, Liora looked nervous. She had only just arrived, and he was already handing her an entire naval operation.

Then her grip on her staff firmed.

"You can count on me, Lord. I won’t let you down."

Cassian nodded, pleased. Some people took to command naturally.

Heloise and her squad boarded with Liora. Harriet’s squad was already out at sea, where the new Hero would direct the hunt.

Soon, the eleventh Ghost Carrier was moving downriver with Liora and the Dawnwings aboard.

Cassian watched it go.

The home force could handle Crystal Bastion. Liora could handle the ocean.

"I might finally get some time off."

He had barely returned to Forgotten Shrine when a video request appeared.

Darian looked eager the moment the call connected.

"Cassian, Mira and Gareth have both finished their Embassies. Shall we form the Alliance?"