Corvina straightened abruptly, her usual calm nearly slipping. Clearing her throat, she motioned for Lucavion to stop before he could activate the spatial ring.
“Cough… Let’s not do it here,” she said, her tone cool but hurried. Her sharp eyes darted to the adventurers around them, who were already craning their necks and murmuring in anticipation.
Lucavion raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth quirking into a knowing smirk. “Something wrong, Guildmaster?”
She hesitated for a fraction of a second before regaining her composure. “Only that this is hardly the place for… such a spectacle,” she replied smoothly, gesturing for him to follow. “Come. I’ll take you to a more appropriate venue.”
Without waiting for a response, Corvina turned on her heel, her cloak billowing slightly as she led the way through the guild hall. Lucavion followed at a leisurely pace, his cat purring contentedly on his shoulder, tail swaying in rhythm with his steps. Behind them, the hum of the crowd rose as the adventurers speculated wildly about what was about to happen.
Corvina pushed open a set of heavy double doors, revealing a spacious, well-lit room tucked away at the back of the guild. The chamber was clearly designed for high-value transactions. A long, sturdy table occupied the center, surrounded by reinforced storage cabinets. The walls were lined with shelves holding various tools for appraising and preserving rare materials. A few enchanted lanterns cast a steady, warm glow over the polished stone floor.
“This should suffice,” Corvina said, stepping aside to allow Lucavion entry. Her voice carried its usual authority, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of anticipation.
Lucavion gave the room a cursory glance, his smirk deepening. “Quite the setup. I take it you don’t do this for just anyone.”
“You’d be correct,” she replied, her tone clipped but not unfriendly. “Now, let’s see what you’ve brought.”
Lucavion stepped to the center of the room and raised his gloved hand, holding the spatial ring between his fingers. With a subtle pulse of mana, the ring activated, its energy shimmering as its contents spilled forth.
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The room was suddenly filled with the overwhelming sight of monster carcasses and rare materials. Frost Wyrm scales glinted like shards of ice under the lantern light, their iridescent sheen mesmerizing. The enormous, crystalline claws of a Sandstorm Behemoth sprawled across the floor, their size dwarfing the table. Thundercloud Serpent fangs, Void Elemental cores, and heaps of smaller but no less valuable components were piled high, the sheer volume threatening to overrun the room.
Corvina’s mouth fell open as she took an involuntary step back. “What…?”
Her voice trailed off, her sharp mind momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the collection. The assortment was beyond impressive—it was staggering, a haul that could rival the spoils of an entire expedition.
Lucavion’s smirk never wavered. “Too much?” he asked, his tone laced with amusement.
Corvina snapped her mouth shut, quickly recovering her composure. She straightened her posture, though her eyes continued to flicker over the treasures sprawled before her. “Hardly,” she said, though her voice was a touch strained. “But I wasn’t expecting… this.”
Corvina’s sharp eyes scanned the sprawling collection, but her attention was soon drawn to something that dwarfed the rest. At the far end of the room lay an enormous carcass, its sheer presence commanding the space.
The creature’s body was long and sinewy, covered in shimmering, oceanic scales that glistened in the lantern light like a cascading waterfall of blues and greens. Its massive fangs, each as long as a broadsword, jutted from its powerful jaws. The faint remnants of its mana radiated through the room, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
Corvina took a cautious step forward, her eyes widening as recognition set in. Her breath hitched, and she whispered almost reverently, “An Evolved Sea Serpent… And it’s even of a peak rank-4 strength.”
Her voice carried a mix of awe and disbelief, the weight of her statement causing the aides in the room to exchange stunned glances. Peak Rank-4 monsters were not only rare but dangerously close to the upper limits of what most adventurers could handle. For one to be taken down and brought back in such pristine condition was nothing short of extraordinary.
“How did you even kill it?” she asked, her voice sharper now as she turned to Lucavion. Her disbelief was palpable, her usually composed demeanor giving way to genuine curiosity.
Lucavion gazed at the enormous carcass, the shimmering scales of the Evolved Sea Serpent reflecting faintly in his dark eyes. He stepped closer to the creature, his movements unhurried, and then turned back to Corvina, his expression unreadable.
“That one,” he said, his voice calm but firm, “is not for sale. At least, not yet.”
Corvina blinked, her sharp gaze narrowing. “Not for sale?” she echoed, her tone carrying a mix of curiosity and incredulity. “You brought it here, Luca. Why would you hold it back?”
Lucavion’s eyes gleamed with a faint edge of amusement. “Because,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, “I need to talk to someone before I decide what to do with it.”
Corvina tilted her head, her mind already racing. ‘Talk to someone? That’s… unexpected.’ She studied him closely, searching for any hint of deception in his tone or demeanor. “And who might that be?” she asked cautiously.
Lucavion folded his arms, his cat purring contentedly on his shoulder as if completely unbothered by the gravity of the discussion. “It wasn’t just me who brought this serpent down,” he admitted. “There was someone else involved. Without their help, I wouldn’t have been able to kill it.”
‘He didn’t do it alone?’ Corvina’s thoughts flickered with intrigue, her respect for Lucavion tempered slightly by this new revelation. ‘So, even someone like him has limits. Interesting.’
“And who is this mysterious helper?” she asked, her tone carefully neutral.
Lucavion’s smirk returned, though it was softer now, almost contemplative. “Did someone named Elara come to the guild recently?”
The name sparked something in Corvina’s memory, and she frowned slightly, her sharp mind sifting through the influx of adventurers she’d encountered over the past few days. ‘Elara… That does sound familiar.’ Her gaze flicked away from Lucavion as she delved into her thoughts.
And then it clicked. ‘That girl. The one with the striking frost magic. Elara and her knight… Cedric, wasn’t it?’
Corvina straightened, her expression sharpening as she looked back at Lucavion. “Elara and Cedric. Yes, I remember them. They came in yesterday to log their participation in the expedition. They stood out—not just because of their skills, but because there was something extraordinary about them.”
Lucavion nodded, his smirk deepening slightly. “Then you’ve met her. It was thanks to Elara that I was able to kill the serpent.”
Corvina raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in her gaze. “I see. She must have made quite the impression on you if you’re giving her credit for this.”
Lucavion shrugged, his tone casual. “It’s not a matter of impression, Guild master. It’s a fact. Her frost magic snared the serpent and kept it from retreating back into the ocean. Without that, I wouldn’t have had the chance to strike the killing blow.”
Corvina crossed her arms, tapping her fingers against her elbow as she processed his words. ‘So, this Elara isn’t just skilled—she’s strategic. To coordinate with someone like Lucavion and succeed against a peak rank-4 monster… She’s no ordinary adventurer.’
“I see,” she said finally, her voice steady but thoughtful. “If that’s the case, it’s only fair that you discuss its sale with her. But be aware, Luca—monsters of this caliber don’t go unnoticed. Holding onto it too long might invite… complications.”
Lucavion chuckled softly, his dark eyes gleaming with confidence. “Complications are my specialty, Guildmaster. But I appreciate the warning.”
Corvina’s lips quirked in a faint smile, though her mind continued to churn. ‘Elara and Cedric… I need to keep an eye on them. If they’re capable of working with someone like Lucavion and achieving this, they could be invaluable assets—or dangerous wildcards.’
“Very well,” Corvina said, her tone brisk once more. “I’ll consider this matter pending until you’ve resolved things with Elara. But let me make one thing clear, Luca—if you plan to keep bringing creatures like this into my guild, you’d better be prepared for the attention it’ll draw.”
Lucavion inclined his head, his smirk never faltering. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
As Corvina watched him, she couldn’t help but feel a strange mixture of admiration and wariness. ‘This man… He’s as dangerous as the monsters he hunts. And yet, he’s more intriguing than anyone I’ve encountered in years. Stormhaven is about to get a lot more interesting.’