Chapter 93 : Among the Worthy and the Waiting : Coins in the Wind

The boat drifted slowly to the riverside dock, creaking gently as it came to a stop. The wooden planks of the landing stretched ahead, bustling with life as attendants and travelers rushed about.

The moment the boat steadied, people began picking up their luggage with visible excitement, chattering as they prepared to disembark.

Astra slung her Overstuffed satchel over one shoulder and grabbed Xue's arm just as he darted forward. "Xue, don't stumble down," she said, steadying him with a firm grip. He replied with a nod, eyes wide with anticipation as he clutched her sleeve.

They carefully made their way down the narrow ramp, jostled from every side by the sea of bodies flooding onto the docks. Shouts and laughter filled the air, feet thudding against the wood as voices rose in excitement. Astra winced as someone bumped her shoulder, then pulled Xue closer as they pushed through the surge of people. And then—

GONG.

A deep, resonant bell echoed through the sky. The sound echoed through the air, cutting through the clamor of footsteps and voices.

GONG.

Every head turned, every voice hushed. Even the crowd at the dock fell still.

GONG.

Three slow, resonating chimes. Then silence.

Ryoma, still gripping the edge of the boat, murmured under his breath, "The Third Bloom…"

The final vibration faded like a breath held too long.

Then—an explosion of noise.

Cheers erupted like a wave crashing over the crowd.

"HAIL THE HEAVENS!"

"HAIL THE GOD OF WEALTH!"

"BLESS US WITH FORTUNE! BLESS US WITH DIVINE LIGHT!!"

People raised their hands skyward, laughing, shouting with joy. Some clasped their palms together in reverence, while others cried out with gratitude and hope. The excitement surged like wildfire buzzing through the crowd and swelling the push even more. Children squealed, elders smiled with misty eyes, and traders tossed coins in the air for luck.

The Third Bloom had been announced.

Seirou nudged Shion with a sideways glance, smirking. "You're not going to toss a few coins into the air? Maybe ask for some luck, maybe a little wealth?"

Shion's gaze remained fixed ahead, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Why would I?" he said coolly. "I already have enough." His eyes flicked toward the crowd as they tossed coins skyward, cheering wildly.

"They throw coins into the air hoping they'll fall back doubled." he said. "But in the end, they're just flinging away what they already have. That's greed."

Seirou walked a step behind, tilting his head curiously. "You call that greed?"

"Greed dressed as faith," Shion replied. "They say it's belief but belief without effort is just wishful thinking." He turned to meet Seirou's eyes, his voice calm but sharp. "If you want the blessing of wealth, first prove you deserve to hold it. The god of wealth isn't a beggar's fountain. He's like a merchant. And he never trades without value in return."

Seirou raised an eyebrow. "Spoken like someone who's never gone hungry."

Shion gave a quiet snort. "I've been hungry. That's exactly why I don't waste what I have now chasing what I don't."

They stepped aside as a group of travelers pushed past, showering copper coins into the air with wild cheers. Some of the coins landed near them one even hit Shion's boot. He kicked it aside without a glance.

Seirou picked it up, rolling it between his fingers. "You really believe no blessings come free?"

"No true ones." Shion's eyes were fixed ahead, sharp. "He's the god of gain, not gifts. And even if a gift comes without cost, it's either bait or a debt in disguise."

Seirou tilted his head slightly, watching him. "You sound like someone who's paid the price before."

Shion gave a dry chuckle. "Haven't we all?" He glanced at the crowd tossing coins, laughing, hoping."Still..," he added, "I believe the God of Wealth doesn't bless anyone useless. "He's the most cunning of them all, Who knows the difference between stone that shines and a gem still waiting to."

He moved through the crowd with clean precision, never breaking pace. The wave of bodies thickened, people shouting, reaching, stumbling toward the gates but Shion's presence seemed to part them like water around a stone. One man nearly bumped into Astra from behind, but Shion stepped in instantly, blocking the way with a sharp glare. The air around him tightening. The man hesitated, muttered an apology, and backed off.

Seirou watched the it with a faint smirk, arms crossed as he trailed behind.

"God of Wealth doesn't hand out blessings to someone useless, huh?" he mused. "Maybe that's easy to say… when you're born under the same star as him."

He flicked a copper coin into the air, let it spin in the sunlight, then caught it cleanly and slipped it into his pocket.

"The Star of Ginsai," he added lightly. "Rare. Ruthless. Brilliant. Said to favor those who carve out their own fortune… and crush anything that stands in the way." His voice lingered in the air, almost like a whisper.

"You're right, Shion," he said with a quiet chuckle. "But you're wrong too, because he did make a mistake once. He mistook a stone that shimmered for a diamond."

Later, The blazing sun had begun to sink behind casting golden rays over the enormous gates of the Imperial Capital. Shadows stretched long across the stone road where travelers stood packed in a slow-moving line.

At the front, guards in silver-and-indigo armor held long staffs tipped with glowing orbs tools that shimmered faintly with spiritual light. As each person stepped forward, a guard would hold the staff near them, watching for any flicker of corrupted aura. A faint glow meant safety. A flare, a flicker, or a change in the color and the person was pulled aside for further inspection.

"Status badge," one of the guards called. "State your purpose. Hold still."

Each checkpoint took time. Too much time.

Astra groaned, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "How much longer do we have to wait? They're checking every single person! At this rate, it'll be nightfall before we even see the gate!"

Seiya, a few steps ahead of her, turned with a tired scowl. "Are your legs hurting? Mine too. Am I whining? No. Just bear with it. They're scanning for demons, spirits, shapeshifters—anything trying to sneak in behind a human face."

Shion muttered under his breath, arms crossed. "And still, half of them slip through their defenses. The clever ones know how to hide their stench."

Kaen, standing ahead of them, narrowed his eyes at the front of the line where guards were raising their staves higher and pausing longer over some individuals.

"The security's tighter than I remember," he said quietly. "Something must have happened recently. This isn't just routine."

Astra let out another dramatic groan, throwing her hands into the air as she dropped her satchel to the ground with a loud thump. "Why did they have to increase security now—of all days—when I'm finally coming here?! Ugh. I feel sick just standing."

The line creaked forward a few steps, people shuffling ahead under the fading light. Before Astra could reach down, Xue quietly stepped in, knelt, and picked up her satchel, grunting under its weight as he held it up to her.

Astra blinked, then smiled at him with genuine warmth and affection, ruffling his hair. "Thank you, little Xiao." But before she could take a proper step, a sudden push rippled through the crowd from behind an impatient surge. The person behind her stumbled forward accidentally, and their foot came down squarely on hers.

"Ah! Hey—!" she cried out, wincing, grabbing her foot on instinct.

She turned, bracing herself to scold, but the words died in her throat.

The person standing behind her was cloaked head to toe in a heavy, deep-colored cloth. Only their eyes were visible beneath the hood and fabric, and they were striking, Emerald green. Piercing. Cold, yet oddly… familiar?

Astra stared. Something in those eyes tugged at her chest. But before she could speak, someone behind yelled, "Move forward! Hurry up!"

Snapping out of her trance, Astra quickly turned and stepped ahead, clutching Xue's hand and her satchel tightly. Her heart beat faster for no reason she could explain.

The hooded figure said nothing. Just stood there for a moment longer, watching her back as she walked ahead then slowly took a step forward, eyes unreadable beneath the wrappings.