The Path of Ascension

Chapter 259

Matt sighed as one of the waitstaff washed away his stress. It was impressive seeing the magic at play and entwined with the mans Domain, delicately picking around the mana already present to avoid disturbing it even by a hair's-width, but still be just as soothing.

And that was just stress from watching Liz have to interact with so many people. She had it far worse, as the small crowd of staff surrounding her attested to. Every last hair was being put back in its proper place, half of her enchantments were being re-applied, and Matt could actually watch as the tension drained out of her, polluting a jar of formerly-pure water with the reddish-purple of a particularly bad bruise set on a nearby table.

It had taken them three whole days to get through greeting everyone, with practically no breaks for either of them. Theyd been well-refreshed the entire time, courtesy of the waitstaff, but it was still utterly exhausting, and no amount of being handed the exact food or drink the exact instant he realized he wanted something like it could reprieve that.

But now, they were in a private room getting a chance to decompress for the first time in what felt like a decade. It was utterly blissful, but all good things had to come to an end.

The hall had emptied out somewhat since they had first made their entrance, with the guests dispersing to the various corners, other halls, and private rooms their crystal sphere had tucked away. That still left several thousand individuals enjoying the amenities the staff were providing, but to Matt the room may as well have been empty.

They were immediately beset by more of the waitstaff, or socialites as the nobles preferred to call them. So far as he understood, they were some combination of service worker, general aide, support staff, and professional party-goer, ultimately there for the same purposes he and Liz were in attendance; networking with up-and-coming-nobility.

They just did so with drinks in the main hall or with more intimate services in the backroom, instead of engaging in tests of mental resolve and discussing the weather.

He couldnt wait for this to be over.

The same silver-haired waitstaff whod been tending to him and Liz approached with a drink, something with layers of blue and white reminiscent of the ocean, complete with a candy shark hunting down schools of bubble-fish forming out of the carbonation. He took it with a quick word of thanks, and took a sip.

True, the party wasnt all bad. The refreshments were absolutely sublime, and he still enjoyed how he was able to get a taste of each layer of the ocean as he drank it, instead of having to fully consume one at a time. He couldnt show it, of course, but he absolutely could appreciate the craftsmanship involved.

That thought brought his eye to the nearest bartender. The man was taking orders from a dozen waitstaff and entertaining a pair of nobles as he flipped glowing bottles through the air, shook drinks both with his hands and magic, and even made a few basic snacks, all only utilizing the circular, portable tray as a working surface.

It was an awe-inspiring display of skill, even for someone at least twice his tier. Of course, the man could have simply mixed drinks faster than Matt could even blink, but the performance was half the point.

Everything about the party was over-the-top, from the bartenders and cooks putting on a show as much as they were legitimately serving food to tens of thousands of people, to the countless waitstaff bringing what was needed to the guests the very instant they started even wanting it, even the nobles themselves looking to puff themselves up and put down others as much as possible. There was some arcane set of rules for what was and wasnt allowable, but Matt hadnt understood it even when it had been explained to him.

It seemed like a phenomenal waste of time, talent, and wealth but when he compared everything around him to the infrastructure on the Capital itself, and its endless spatial expansion, this barely felt like a drop in the bucket. There were tens of thousands of very influential people in attendance, yes, the next generation of nobles and his political peers for once he was a duke, and possibly an equal number of people serving them. Theyd be on an extravagant tour through the solar system for a full week, eating and drinking in style and still, it was nothing compared to the millions of people living in a single building, the thousands of years a smith might take to make a truly perfect Tier 40 blade, even the effort needed to build a single warship, the likes of which were lost by the dozens or hundreds every single day in the war.

So, perhaps it was justified. Werent people entitled for payment, if their jobs were about managing those impossibly vast projects? At the same time, the money on display here could have rebuilt Lilly a hundred times over, wouldnt it have been better spent doing that? After the past three days of being repeatedly insulted for his failure in being born to the wrong people, he was more inclined to the latter, but if he insisted that people who didnt use every last scrap of their wealth, every waking moment assisting those less fortunate than themselves, where did that leave him?

Well, hed enjoy it while he was here. Matt had never tasted deep oysters that floated through a gas giant, but he was certainly interested in trying them.

By the time the thought had fully crossed his mind, a man offered him a platter of the same, much to the silver-haired womans disappointment. Matt happily snacked on the oysters, and allowed Liz to lead him to where a group of nobles were awaiting, slipping into the conversation with perfect grace.

Discussions regarding upcoming exhibition matches didnt last long, and from there they moved on to a group discussing news of the latest war reports, another sharing some utterly salacious gossip about two of their peer group from families that utterly despised one another being caught in bed recently, another group discussing mana-aspect theory that Matt desperately wished they could have stayed at longer, another group talking about the war, even a group who tried to pull him and Liz into speculating the identities of Torch and Quill. That one had been amusing.

While many of the nobles still snubbed him for various reasons, he ended up having plenty of opportunities to talk to his future peers. Liz made an effort to bring him in on any conversation about enchanting or strategy, and Matt met several nobles more than capable of keeping up with him on runic theory which was fun. Most of them were substantially better than he was, having centuries of experience and the benefit of it being the family business. Talking to them was far more enjoyable than trying to explain his wacky idea to Liz or Aster and he made sure to get their contact information for more personal meetings while he was on the Capital. He needed to make their time here productive and he couldn't really think of a better way to do so than making future contacts.

Whether they were rude or helpful after they found his limits seemed almost a coin-toss. The sweetest-looking girls could be absolutely savage in tearing into Matts lack of knowledge, or the most grizzled and intimidating muscle-bound guys could be fully genuine in explaining the intricacies of a particularly tricky bit of enchanting theory. Hed be literally paying for the advice he got here later, so at times he almost preferred the former.

It wasnt like he didnt know what he was here for, after all. Nobles always tried to cut one another down and build up their own reputation, and the entire reason these parties even happened was to facilitate that in a relatively safe environment.

He had been part of one conversation regarding the merits of the Empires expanded social services for a while when Sciath of house hEachaidh, widely seen as one of the strongest draconic families in the Empire, inserted herself into the group.

I disagree with all of your arguments. She looked between Matt, Liz, and their supporters, as well as those nobles theyd been debating, making it abundantly clear neither of them should expect aid.

Matt happily turned to her and asked, Oh, is there a viewpoint we are overlooking?

Sciath nodded. Yes, and that is the sentient element. It costs nothing for the reforms on a small scale and comparatively little for the reforms on a large scale. Most of the numbers you all bring up take into consideration the efforts to raise low Tier planets to Tier 5, which is expensive. And as you she looked to the other side of the circle, pointed out, it isnt necessary from a pure numbers perspective if the mortals simply had fewer children. But I propose an alternative viewpoint. We at the top must do what we can to help everyone else. Ignore the numbers, ignore the benefits, and what are we left with? People. The world may be vicious, and nature may be cutthroat, but why do we need to mimic nature? Is it not enough to just be helpful to others especially when it costs us pocket change? I dont think that is a big ask, personally.

Matt nodded, but one of his more eloquent opponents spoke up. And being kind is great when one can afford to do it. After a certain point, you are throwing money into the pit that is social services for no appreciable gain. Everyone agrees there are diminishing returns and I believe we have hit them. Besides, as I said earlier, why must we, the noble families, shoulder greater taxes to assist other planets? I think it would be best for taxes to be kept more locally instead of given to the lowest Tier of planets. Those planets have less inherent risk and need comparatively less money. Why do they need to rush to Tier 5? There is no reason when they are simply a placeholder to connect to new worlds that are more valuable.

As the man paused, Matt smiled as he and others started to rebut most of his arguments. Not everything, as he hadnt said anything truly crazy, but a few of his arguments were poorly formed, and he attacked those weaknesses. Some had to do with his own experiences growing up on a throwaway planet like Lilly, but most of them were backed by hard numbers.

Despite there being three sides, the argument never fell into one side just repeating their own facts or getting angry, as both would have been surefire proof that their side's arguments were weaker than their opposition and the nobles were well versed in debates of this type.

In time, they left that conversation as well, moving to the windows to appreciate the views of Galavan, the planet they were passing by. Around them, the staff set up massive tables and chairs, preparing for the main meal of the party.Orbiting the gas giant would have been special in and of itself, and Matt would have happily enjoyed it, but this was still a noble party, and nothing so mundane could be sufficient.

No, they got front-row seats to a Tier 40 fight between two of the most famous ring fighters.

Cassius Avenger was a younger but upcoming fighter to the Tier 40 Tier class, having created a following from a young age when he fought in the Tier 5 mortal divisions until becoming dominant in that bracket. He then moved on to the Tier 10 division, where his record was rougher but still impressive. A decade later, when he had been crowned the king of the Tier 10 division, he moved on to the Tier 15 division to repeat his earlier actions. Everyone had expected his role to come to a halt in the immortal divisions, and he had certainly slowed down, but he had never stopped. That unique approach had earned him a fervent following among those who were fans of ring fights.

His opponent was the current Tier 40 champion, Conclusion. The man's real name was Avery Lexur, and he was dominant for a reason, despite not having the best reputation in or out of the ring. Conclusion hadnt started as younger fighter, like most of his competitors, but instead, he had been a fairly normal delver until he reached Tier 15 and joined the army.

There, he had had a fairly nondescript first few enlistments, slowly reaching Tier 25 as someone fairly unremarkable. When a war broke out early in Emperor Georgios' reign, he had shown himself as a formidable combatant who reveled and excelled in combat versus other cultivators. From that war, his name had become fairly well known, which helped him as he left the military and joined the ring fights at Tier 35. From there, he had become a menace to anyone in his Tier class, and had been the undisputed champion of the Tier 40 bracket for six hundred years.

Today would be Cassius third challenge to Conclusion in as many decades, and people were fairly hopeful that this time, he would win the title.

Matt wasnt so sure, but he had been anticipating the fight since he had first gotten wind of it.

Not that they would be able to keep up with Tier 40s movements, but that just made the highlights all the better, as these battles usually lasted the entire match duration of two hours.

It was the perfect thing to accompany a marvelous view and wonderful meal.

Just as they were being served, Peter Wyatt stood up and raised a bet. Anyone want to take my bet on Conclusion winning once more? Three Tier 25 swords with a flame, wind, and metal affinity, respectively. Made by Aunt Rela just last year. Who wants to match me?

That started an outpouring of agreement and people joining the bet on the side of Conclusion winning and another group that hoped the newcomer could finish his journey here and now.

Matt would have rather not have to participate, but Liz, Aster, and himself had no choice but to join in as the hosts.

Liz bet on Conclusion, as did he, but Aster went contrary and put her bet, a small Tier 20 potion that would help one strengthen their bloodline, on the line. It wasnt really hers, but rather was part of the package they had been provided to bet with should the opportunity to do so arise.

Liz was betting the same potion, but Matt had put up a full-expenses paid dinner to a prestigious Tier 45 restaurant for his own bet. He would have rather used that coupon himself, but that was impossible, just as it would have been impossible to use any of the rewards they might have won. It, like everything else, would have to wait until they completed the Path.

While it took a little while for the fight to start, Matt happily dug into the oysters, which both he and Aster liked, but Liz only tried one before going back to her steak and lobster combo.

Just as their meals were coming to a close, the fight started, and in a series of rapid flashes of light, the space next to the gas giant erupted. Some of the explosions of mana were even large enough that they would have destroyed the gas giant and half the star system, but the ring they fought in prevented any collateral damage. It still let the waves of mana and elements wash through each other before starting to merge as one side took the upper hand.

The ceiling of the ballroom projected a commentated highlight reel, with which they were able to see a slowed down, blow by blow version of the fight.

From the very first exchange, Cassius was on the offensive and was trying to batter down Conclusions defenses, but even with him taking a dozen attacks that could have cracked a sun in half, Conclusion just smiled through it all.

A massive explosion that seemed to rattle space itself shook the protective barriers of the ring, and the highlight reel jumped forward to show Conclusion punching Cassius descending arm with a ball of silver mana, cracking the challenger's armor like wet paper. But that hadn't been what caused the explosion; it was Cassius counter strike. He had kicked Conclusion in the face with a formation on his boot, amplifying the damage to an insane level.

Armor of all types was allowed in these fights, but few chose to use offensive armor, thanks to the inherent risks that came with the lack of protection.

As the crowd of nobles started to yell and cheer, the fight continued as blasts of mana covered the fighting area before being blown away like smoke in the wind, just to be replaced moments later.

While Matt enjoyed seeing the fight with his own eyes - one did not get to witness apex Tier 40s fighting every day - he did keep most of his attention on the battle highlights above, which slowed the spells and unique moves the fighters had down to something he could comprehend.

Conclusion favored slower but stronger attacks that had massive amounts of power behind them, while Cassius liked to move and attack quickly with relatively less power. When Matt heard the caster say weaker attacks, he chuckled out loud at the strange thought. It was a weaker attack, yes, but any one of those attacks could have sterilized the star system of life if it wasnt contained. At that point, what was the difference between a weaker and stronger attack?

Still, the fight was entertaining, and everyone in the ballroom got into it.

Nobles cheered and yelled as the tides of battle ebbed and flowed, joined by their guests and the courtesans who accompanied them.

That said, as the fight approached the forty-five-minute mark, it was clear that Conclusion was going to win once more. While he had taken more hits from Cassius, the few that he had landed on the challenger were devastating. Cassius was missing an arm and had a massive burn along the side of his face that exposed his skull to the view of the audience watching. Despite that, he didnt give up. He had to be battered unconscious by Conclusion for the fight to stop, while those who bet on the challenger cried for him to keep going.

Aster snorted quietly enough just so they could hear, Damn it. I really thought he had a chance.

Liz shrugged. He beat the odds most people put on him for how long hed last. I think he's got a chance in another century or two.

Matt nodded as he agreed with her conclusion.

Cassius was no pushover, even if he couldnt quite battle with someone as established as Conclusion.

Now that everyone had finished dinner and the fight ended, those who either lost or won the bet got their blood pumping and adrenaline flowing, and small challenges started popping up between nobles everywhere.

The fights that ensued weren't the same massive battles they had just witnessed. As nobles, while they were expected to fight, they couldnt be decimating each other to that degree at a party. Instead, they did something called flitting, which meant they would each wear a small, Tier 5 piece of cloth and try to destroy the others while trying to protect their own. It was a clever way to show off the balance between strength and control, as simply moving too fast was enough to shred the cloth.

Matt, Liz, and Aster wanted to keep out of the fights, but were inevitably pulled into the fray. But thanks to Lunas varied training methods, they had some prior experience with the format and had a decent feel for the game, even if they were in no way experts.

Matt faced off a few people for fun, and despite claiming a few victories, found himself well out of his depth. Hed practiced flitting a few times with Luna, who set it as a control exercise, but that was woefully inadequate next to nobles who had practiced the fighting style needed for decades. It certainly didnt help that as a Pather, he needed to extract every last scrap of advantage possible from his every swing, and that full-force attacks were the exact opposite of what flitting required.

He was getting ready to step down from the small stage that rose up for the fight, when a man hed met recently, Charles Longspear, better known as Chuck, joined him on the stage, fresh Tier 5 cloth on his wrist.

I must keep you here a little longer. I have heard so much about your abilities. Making it to the fourth floor of Minkalla is impressive for one of your background, I must admit.

Chuck's smile seemed sincere, but Matt had already introduced himself to the man and knew how fake he was. When Chuck arrived, he had politely nodded to Liz before snubbing Matt and Aster by saying he saw someone calling to him.

The Longspear clan was only a small ducal family when compared to the families here tonight, but even the smallest fish in this pond was a sea serpent that few could compare to outside of here.

That said, Chuck was a rising star of the younger generation, having gone into Minkalla the same cycle as them as a solo delver.

It was fairly impressive that he had reached floor 6 all on his own before barely winning against his reflection, but it was undeniable that he had gotten deeper inside Minkalla than their official identities.

That in and of itself wouldnt have been a problem, but the Longspear family was old nobility, and thought themselves better than everyone else. Chuck's next words only reinforced that idea.

If you had come from a better background and had the support of your family, maybe you could have made it to the fifth, or even sixth floor. Chuck paused to snort. But that is asking a lot from one who was on the Path, is it not?

Matt smiled back at Chuck and stuck his hand out for one of the waitstaff to replace the cloth on his wrist with a new one. His current one was serviceable enough him having won his last duel, but he was sure Chuck would take any chance to call his defeat, and having a slightly tattered cloth was an easy opening.

He wasnt a pushover, though, and shot back, Yes, being on The Path refined me and my style. I didnt have Mommy and Daddy to rely on to get where I tread. The Empire itself can back that up, no matter what Dominus wants to say.

Chuck snorted. Your insinuation of one's background not being relevant is both an insult to your wife and shows your own naivete. One's background is just another form of one's own strength. Only those without it say otherwise, because they are jealous that others didnt have to struggle to gather food, and could focus all of their attention on honing themselves.

The moment his words ended, Chuck darted forward like a viper, moving just fast enough that the strip of cloth at his wrist fluttered and strained but didnt rip.

With the narrow platform they were on, neither could do more than take a single step to the side, but Matt easily shifted his position to dodge the Tier 16 Chuck. Even with that, Matt had to admit, Chuck was good. He had already accounted for Matts dodge, and his grasping hand didnt waver as it changed trajectory.

If Matt was limited to his Tier 15 appearance, and Chuck was allowed to use his full Tier 16 strength, he might have some trouble beating him. But it was only some trouble, not a question of if he would actually win. Of that, Matt had no doubt. With a quick change in direction to reposition his cloth, Matt stepped to the side, carefully keeping his hand and arm moving slowly enough not to disturb his cloth and keep it slack.

Even as Chuck tried to pull his hand back, Matt rapidly brought his hand down at Tier 15 speeds, having taken advantage of the slow-moving cloth to allow a small micro movement of rapid speed that Chuck couldnt match without tearing his own cloth, thanks to his aggressive attack.

Matt opened his hand to show the cloth he had ripped off Chuck's wrist before extending his hand to help Chuck up from where he fell, trying to avoid Matts grab. You said before that one's family was their own strength, and I agree. My parents took good care of me and made sure I got all the education I could hope for. That said, my foundation was excellent. I made it to the fourth floor of Minakalla. No potions created by Talented crafters riding the edge of Minakallas Tier 14 limit. No items made with the same methods. Just what myself, my bond, and my wife could gather ourselves. A tree that stands in the wind is stronger than one grown in a greenhouse. I remember what floor 6 was. Folded Reflections, having to fight yourself. It's impressive you didnt die.

Matt intentionally ended on a more positive and polite note, which would seem like a peace offering to Chuck, but he knew that everyone here would remember his words, and when he publicly came out as Quill, those words would be a slap to Chuck's face.

Instead of taking Matts proffered hand, Chuck snorted as he stood and brushed off his pants.

A good showing. I can admit that, but you should be wary of making enemies as a newcomer to these circles.

Seeing Chuck wasnt going to take the face he had offered him, Matt shrugged as he turned around, calling out, If one has friends like you, who needs enemies?

Matt brushed past the massive Dominus, who simply ignored his nod.

Not caring, Matt went to a group of nobles who congratulated him on his little victory over Chuck, but Matt couldnt brush past Chuck's parting comment. Had that been more than a veiled threat? Did Chuck or his family know something? That would seem like something out of a drama, but he had seen reports of dumber information slips.

Making a note of it, he endeavored to look into Chuck and his family, the Longspears. His gut told him they were less clean than they appeared in public circles.

With the party reaching the end of its first day out of the week-long travel, people started spreading out to the various activities the ballroom hosted.

Beds for those who needed or wanted sleep were available, though they were more used for horizontal fun than sleep. Plenty of the waitstaff were more than happy to accompany the young nobles for a little fun, and many took the opportunity to do so.

Others went to the separate lounges where everyone chatted in a more intimate way, complete with dimmer lights and courtesans throwing around their Domains and Talents to relax those around them.

Others still enjoyed the music of the band that the Feather Nestled Inn had contracted. Their work was transcendent, and while Matt had heard Talented musicians before, whose work could paint a picture so vivid in his mind that he lost track of reality itself, this managed to be something a step beyond even those performances. He was sure there were layers of the performance he just couldnt hear, which only made him want to get strong enough so he could enjoy the music.

He stopped by Aster long enough to check in with her as she chatted with Ingrid and a number of other bloodline nobles.

She was arguing with Ingrid the noble scion with the ice bear bloodline, and their conversion seemed to have gotten quite heated, but through their connection, Matt could feel she was both having fun and enjoying herself.

As he joined the conversion, he realized why they were arguing.

Ingrid was dead set on the opinion that ice cream was overrated as a treat for ice bloodlines. Her argument was that ice cream was too obvious and overused, and the best foods for cold element bloodlines were normal foods that could be served cold and or frozen.

A third but smaller group argued that ice bloodlines were best for chilling drinks, which earned looks of disdain from the ice bloodlines, but was gathering more attention and agreement from the non-ice types.

Matt poked Aster in the rib as he joined her, and she elbowed him back before demanding, Matt, tell this stupid bear that ice cream is better than stupid cold foods.

Matt laughed as Ingrid turned her glare to him. I cant comment. I haven't tried the cold dishes she mentioned. They seem interesting. The mix of extreme hot and cold isn't a new idea, but it's not a common technique, with the current trends leaning towards more fresh dishes.

Ingrid jumped on his support while Aster shoved him out of the circle, trying to argue that he wasnt agreeing with her, just saying he hadnt had her dishes and therefore couldnt comment, so his opinion was invalid.

Seeing she was fine and in good hands, Matt rejoined Liz as she discussed more with some of their peers.

He was just a few steps away when Tufa Hamann, the closest guest in age to him at just over a hundred and fifty years old, pulled him to the side and started asking questions. She was a polite enough woman and was obviously trying to get to know him, so he happily allowed her to lead him to one of the edges of the room that were covered by the glass windows to the outside.

Tufa was an interesting woman; Matt had to admit.

She was intensely interested in his life in a lower Tier world born to low Tier parents.

If she wasnt so obviously earnest with her interest, he would have found it rude, but when paired with her willingness to talk about her own life, he got a glimpse of what a noble went through growing up. The two of them ended up chatting for almost an entire day, until the ballroom arrived at their next destination, the asteroid belt of the system. There, everyone competed in shooting the asteroids that were being accelerated to reach incredible speeds through their loop around the star system, just for challenges like this.

Everyone, even the half-dozen mortals in attendance, stood along the open but shielded platform and shot any projectile they wanted at the passing asteroids, while the ballroom kept track of how many points each shot earned. Things like the type of projectile, the Tier of the shooter, and the speed of the asteroid were all taken into consideration, with bonus points awarded for calling your shot and hitting the called target, and using mundane projectiles without a Talent or skill to assist the shot.

Matt, once again, did not do well.

He tried, but despite everything, he really wasnt an archer. He much preferred a blade in his hand to a bow and arrow, despite being proficient thanks to Luna being Luna. Still, he had fun trying to shoot the asteroids with a variety of weapons, eventually resorting to using some of his skills to test out how they fared.

Aster, on the other hand, did surprisingly well with just a simple bow and arrow, as did Liz, who had been using throwing spears. She had more familiarity with the spears despite her not using her own as a long-range weapon very often. Matt even tried his hand with the spears, but while he was better, he just flat out wasnt that good of a marksman.

Being better than only eighty percent of the gathered nobles and courtesans was pretty embarrassing for someone who wanted to be an ascender, but he comforted himself with the fact that he wasnt a precision fighter. It helped a little, and in the end, he wasnt trying to compete here, just have fun. It was just years of being under Lunas tutelage that didn't allow him to settle for just better than most.

In the end, the top five were Boutaje, who, despite his claims he wasnt using his Talent, had a knack for knowing what asteroids to hit, which earned him fifth place. Ingrid claimed fourth place, her hulking form belying her dexterity, but her lacking cultivation ultimately allowing the others to edge her out. Heracleonas Staurakius, a man from a military family, showed remarkable weapon proficiency and took third.

The top two were unsurprisingly the dragons, Sciath and Dominus, with the massive man taking first place by a substantial lead over Sciath, who had almost double the points of Heracleonas in third place.

With that event over, they went back inside to another feast, this time catered by a number of luxury restaurants back in the capital who teleported to the ballroom a number of times to bring over everything.

After all, it would be in poor taste to store fresh food in a spatial ring like some kind of poor person.

That idea had taken Matt for a loop, but apparently, there was a distinct loss in taste for food stored even in time-stopping Tier 40 spatial rings. Matt had never noticed anything different when eating food stored in a spatial ring. Even Aunt Helen had a ring for the purpose that Matt was sure cost a large fortune, considering she was only Tier 24 and had an enchantment that took a Tier 40 to make on it. Through all of that, he had never tasted anything off, but all the nobles he brought it up with commented that there was a distinct flavor profile that one could notice.

He had tried it out thanks to some of the Tier 40 waitstaff at the insistence of some of the nobles, and while he felt it might entirely be in his head, he could taste a muteness to the dishes stored in a spatial ring. They weren't bad by any means, but they seemed lesser somehow.

His dreams of storing entire banquets in a spatial ring were destroyed. Matt started pondering if he needed to upgrade his house in some way so as to not affect fresh ingredients when he was eventually able to put a time slowing formation on his food storage items. He was only a few Tiers away from Tier 25, when those runes became manageable, and he didnt want his fresh produce to become even slightly bland if he could mitigate it somehow.

The final three days of the week-long party were produced in the same manner, with the ballroom visiting interesting locations in the capital star system, such as the living ice sculpture field in the distant reaches of the star system, right at the edge of the gravity well. There, all sorts of ice sculptures moved around in a pantomime of life. If it had just been enchantments powering the ice statues, it would have been one thing, but their formation was a living natural treasure that an old Emperor had found in a rift.

They also stopped by an inhabited moon to catch the finals of a mundane blade fighting competition, and then visited a gambling hall long enough for Liz to once more show her dominance in the game before no one would play with her, and the party moved on to the next event.

Thankfully, there was an ending in sight, as despite Matts worst fears not being realized, he was growing impatient with the grandeur the party called for. By the end of it, he was dreaming of vegging out with Mara and Leon on their couch and doing absolutely nothing for a day or two.

Or, maybe they could sneak away for a delve. They werent scheduled to delve for another month to better cement their cover stories, but killing things seemed like a nice reprieve right about now, and Matt wondered if he could convince Luna of that.

As the last guest vanished through a [Portal], Matt, Liz, and Aster stepped through the one that led back to Mara and Leon's living room, just to see Luna yelling at the two sheepish-looking royals.

Throwing up her hands, she glared at the two with a look Matt knew meant the conversation wasn't over, and she would bring it up later before vanishing.

Matt looked at his in-laws and wondered why they weren't moving before their skin started to turn into stone, and they crumpled into ghosts and started bemoaning their oh-so-tragic fates of dying young.

Chuckling, Matt grabbed Liz and Aster in each hand and then flopped all three of them onto the couch, where the two ghosts were wailing at them for being rude to the deceased and laying on their bodies.

It was good to be home.