Chapter 30 : Zither Moon Town

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Leylin had meticulously prepared for the journey ahead, and now the moment to leave Extreme Night City had arrived.

In six months, the academy's returning order would be issued, granting him a three-month window to report back. The direct route to Abyssal Bone Forest Academy spanned two months, affording him a generous buffer to detour through Dylan Gardens, conquer its secrets, and catalog his gains. To preempt any disruptions, he decided to depart soon.

'By the time I return, the knight specimens should be primed for the next phase of experiments,' Leylin mused, sprawled naked across his bed. The room was warm, the air heavy with the musk of exertion and the faint floral notes of his slaves' perfumes. Anna, Rede, and Shera tended to him after an intense bout of intimacy. Anna, her blonde hair spilling over her shoulders, knelt beside him, sucking him in a ritual of devotion.

Rede and Shera flanked him, their hands working in tandem to massage his shoulders and legs, easing the tension from his frame with practiced care.

Leylin roamed his hands fondling their soft bodies causing them to moan every now and then.

"Anna," Leylin said, his voice languid yet edged with authority as he patted her hair, "carry out my orders tomorrow morning. I want to join the subordinates for breakfast."

"Yes, Young Master!" Anna replied, her tone soft but attentive. She finished cleaning him.

Leylin preferred solitude, delegating daily tasks and mundane affairs to Anna, Greem, and his other trusted subordinates. He spent most of his days cloistered in the experiment lab, emerging only sporadically to indulge in the company of his female slaves.

He rarely ventured beyond the manor's walls and never dined with his underlings, so this sudden command startled Anna. Yet she was sharp and perceptive, bowing her head without question. The motion revealed the elegant curve of her bare form, reigniting Leylin's desire. With a swift motion, he pinned her beneath him again, her surprised breath lost in the heat of their renewed entanglement.

...

The next morning dawned crisp and clear, the manor stirring to life with quiet purpose. Its grand halls were more than capable of hosting a meal for Leylin and his subordinates. Built from massive red stones, the dining hall exuded a rugged permanence, its small windows admitting only thin shafts of sunlight that dappled the floor. A towering silver candelabra, laden with hundreds of flickering candles, hung overhead, casting a golden glow that illuminated every corner and softened the stone's harsh edges.

At the hall's center stood a long red table, its surface soon bustling with activity. Servants hauled heavy chairs with cushioned backrests into place, their movements punctuated by the occasional squeak of wood against stone. A thick white cloth was unfurled over the table, smoothed by deft hands, followed by an array of silver cutlery—forks, spoons, and knives laid out with precision—alongside polished plates and crystal goblets.

When breakfast was served, the table groaned under the weight of its offerings: platters of steaming scrambled eggs flecked with herbs, crisp bacon strips glistening with fat, fresh-baked rolls still warm from the oven, and bowls of creamy porridge topped with honey and dried fruit. Pitchers of chilled milk and tart orange juice stood ready, flanked by jars of fruit preserves and slabs of golden butter.

Leylin claimed the head of the table, the seat of honor, and surveyed the gathered crowd with a calm, commanding gaze. To his left sat Fraser, Faisal, and Mandal; to his right, Greem—his earliest Knights, their loyalty securing them places of prominence. Fayern, leader of the Roran Hawks mercenary group, occupied a spot nearby, his grizzled features a testament to years of hard service.

Behind the knights stood seven boys, apprentices training under their tutelage, too low in status to sit. Fraser and Faisal each mentored two, Mandal two as well, while Greem guided a single lad—the strongest of the lot, a prodigy whose talent had earned Greem a coveted knight potion, cementing his status as the mightiest among Leylin's guards.

Of the four knights, Fraser and Faisal were intermediate rank, Mandal a top-tier knight, and Greem teetered on the edge of Grand Knight status, his strength bolstered by Leylin's potent concoction.

Anna stood silently behind Leylin, a dutiful shadow, with Shera and Rede at her sides. No one dared view her as a mere maid—her favor with Leylin was an open secret, her access to him constant, her hand entrusted with the gold vault's key.

The table stretched further, lined with other subordinates Leylin vaguely recognized but cared little to know. Their names and faces were filed in the A.I. Chip's memory, a convenience he relied on to mask his indifference. Like most Magi, he shunned the trivialities of daily life—the path to power demanded his full attention, leaving no room for petty concerns.

"Young Master!" The assembly rose and bowed as one.

Leylin waved them down with a casual gesture. "Everyone, today marks an important moment for our estate." His eyes swept the room, his spiritual force—steady at 15—lending his gaze an almost physical weight.

It was as though his irises were carved from the finest gems, sharp and unyielding, causing those caught in his stare to flinch, their eyes watering involuntarily. Even Grand Knights would bow their heads, unable to hold his look.

"Please give your orders, Young Master!" they chorused, voices hushed with respect.

"I'll be departing on urgent business," Leylin announced, his tone deliberate. "In my absence, Rene and Shera will manage the manor's daily affairs."

A murmur of shock rippled through the hall, followed by fervent whispers. Curious glances darted toward Rene and Shera, who shifted uncomfortably, their hands twisting in their dresses.

Leylin rapped the table with a finger, and silence fell like a curtain. "From today, they act in my stead. Their word is mine."

"We obey!" The response was swift, laced with awe. Though Leylin rarely engaged in manor life, his aura was formidable, amplified by rumors of his ties to enigmatic forces.

"Anna, Greem, Fraser, Faisal, and Mandal—meet me in my study after breakfast," he added, then nodded. "For now, enjoy the meal."

The group settled back into their seats, the clink of cutlery resuming. Yet the hall felt subdued, the air thick with unspoken questions as they picked at the sumptuous spread.

After breakfast, Leylin retreated to his study, a chamber of dark wood and towering shelves, its single window framing a gray sky. Greem, Fraser, Faisal, and Mandal entered in their metal armor, the clank of steel underscoring their imposing presence.

Anna followed, clad in a standard servant's outfit—simple yet fitted, her poise that of a proper maid.

"You know I'm a magician," Leylin began, seated behind his desk, his voice grave. "I'm embarking on a journey soon, and I need you with me."

"We understand, Young Master!" they replied, bowing in unison. Greem and Fraser's faces were set, Faisal and Mandal attentive, while Anna's eyes gleamed with quiet delight at staying near him. They knew his power, his terror, and their loyalty was unshakable.

"Faisal, Mandal," Leylin continued, "you'll oversee the knight trainees. Take them to Craig Town, a few days' journey from my academy. I'll provide funds and potions—train them well. Notify me when they reach knight rank; their progress has been swift thanks to my brews. Coordinate with Greem on communication."

"Yes, Milord," Faisal and Mandal said, bowing deeply.

"Dismissed," Leylin said to the knights. They filed out, leaving him with Anna.

He handed her a parchment. "Give this to Rene and Shera."

Anna unfolded it, her breath catching. "Letters of authority…"

"Though we're taking our fighting strength, leaving them exposed, Viscount Jackson's witness ensures their safety," Leylin said, fingers crossed. "These possessions are trivial to me—I can reclaim them at will. Let them have a better life for their service."

His gaze was unreadable as Anna nodded, tucking the parchment away. "All that's left is to dismantle the lab and cells."

....

Pitter Patter!

Rain fell in heavy sheets, drumming the earth as night descended. Thud Thud Thud! Two carriages thundered along a muddy road, wheels splashing through puddles, scenery retreating in a blur. They halted at a small town's gates, where the carriage driver, cloaked in black, exchanged words with the keepers before rolling into town, parking by a quaint inn.

A black-clad figure stepped out, shedding his coat to reveal Leylin's sharp features—brown hair damp, eyes glinting like polished stones. Anna emerged beside him, her beauty radiant despite the drizzle, followed by eight others from the second carriage.

"Finally, after four months, I've reached Zither Moon Town," Leylin said, a note of satisfaction in his voice.

The direct route would've taken two and a half months, but a detour through Ellinel Market had stretched the journey. Unhurried, he'd visited Magus hubs, building networks for future dealings. Along the way, he'd dispatched a Level 3 Acolyte who'd dared challenge him, lured by his wealth and backed by two Level 2s.

Their ambush had crumbled against Leylin's might, and now that acolyte served as a new summon, a pleasing addition to his arsenal.

Zither Moon Town nestled at the base of the Zither Moon Mountain Plains, a gateway to his goal. Leylin glanced at his retinue—ten in total: Greem, Fraser, and eight knight slaves from Ellinel Market.

Each were veterans of the battlefield, Six experienced Knights, two Grand Knights, costing him 2,200 magic crystals—800 each for the latter, a premium over the fair 700 due to scarce supply.

He felt no regret. A single Dylan Gardens plant could eclipse that expense. These men were cannon fodder, tools for the trials ahead, and Leylin stood ready to wield them.