Ery, taken aback by the accusation of hiding his real na, reiterated that he had never intended to conceal his identity. His calm response reflected his genuine belief that this accusation was fabricated to serve the council's ulterior motives.
"I have nothing to hide. I never thought my real na would create such a problem, and I will be happy to clear this matter right away," Ery asserted, maintaining his composed deanor.
However, his attempt to address the issue was swiftly interrupted by an elderly council mber who recalled Ery's past. "Mister Ery, you might not recognize , but I was there as one of the judges during your trial in this city. You were defending the murder of the Harlight noble, so forgive if I think that your na has a certain negativity to this city."
The Karat family elder intervened, defending Ery's rits. He cited Ery's contributions during the terrifying Magus Academy bloody incursion and his role in saving Tessa Karat from the pirates. The defense was an acknowledgnt of Ery's positive actions in the city.
However, the Croft elder dismissed these rits, stating, "Huh, one good thing does not grant him the right to be above the law. Only three months ago, he dared to fight in the Golden City street like a common thug!"
As the debate unfolded within the council chambers, Victoria Qin, with an air of wisdom, asserted that Ery's past misdeeds or rits were not the focal point. Instead, she emphasized the issue of Ery attempting to hide his identity, steering the narrative toward this perceived transgression.
Ery, growing increasingly impatient with the seemingly pretentious display, cut through the rhetoric. "Just tell what I actually did wrong, and I will fix it," Surprisingly, it was Victoria Qin once again who was tasked with providing an explanation. With a composed deanor, she addressed the council, stating, "We are just disappointed in how little you think of us... the council. We granted you a permit to set up a shop, and when it does pretty well, it took you only days to attempt on using your apothecary network for a tax deduction. ....That is not right."
Victoria Qin continued to present a compelling argunt, emphasizing the lengthy contributions and efforts that each council mber had invested over hundreds of years to build and maintain the prosperity of Golden City. She urged Ery to be more respectful, acknowledging the costs associated with the city's reliability, the bustling crowds, and the overall safety.
"All co with a cost, and we hope that you too—the new city genius—would contribute," she concluded, framing the council's expectations of Ery's role in the city's continued success.
The deliberations concluded with a verdict: a 20 million spirit stone fine as punishnt. However, this financial penalty was accompanied by a more significant consequence. Ery's plan to align his shop solely with the Earth faction was rejected and resulted in the Qin faction being voted as rlin shop's new guarantor. forcing an additional 5% tax to be given to the faction, akin to other new establishnts in Golden City. "This decision is final, with a 5 years duration, afterwards you may apply once again,"
The elder of the council declared, laying down the terms of the agreent. The ultimatum was clear: Ery had to either accept the conditions or face the consequence of having to close his shop. With only the elder of the Karat family supporting him and recognizing the limited options before him, Ery could only accept the terms imposed by the council.
Exiting the imposing Golden City Council building, Ery couldn't help but reflect on the shifting dynamics within the city. The verdict underscored the reality that the once-dominant Karat family had lost so of its influence. Tessa expressed her apology for her helplessness toward the outco.
"You don't need to apologize, Tessa. You have done plenty for ," Ery reassured her.
Despite the setback, Ery saw an opportunity to realign his priorities. He shared his decision with the group upon returning to the rlin shop. Ery intended to focus more on his cultivation, taking a step back from the intensive role of an apothecary. He planned to dedicate only a few days each month to perfecting new recipes. As for the daily operations, he entrusted Cedric to take charge. This shift in responsibilities ant a larger share of profits for his friends, a decision they all accepted with gratitude.
Ery, undeterred by the setback, envisioned the next five years as a period of growth. When the shop gained more funds, he intended to open another branch in the Alpha quadrant, a place closer to Earth. This expansion aid to further enhance his network and contribution to the Magus alliance and other factions. Ery was determined that, with ti, circumstances would turn in his favor.
With the decisions settled and plans in motion, Ery returned to Terra City and once again activated the Khaos gate, initiating his rigorous training regin. The primary focus of this phase was the restoration of his broken Primal core. Despite the unavailability of Divine beasts for purchase, Ery remained undeterred, exploring alternative solutions.
Entering the Khaos domain, he enlisted VIA to analyze all existing waypoints within it. Each waypoint had erged due to the high concentration of darkness energy, and Ery was confident that amidst these, he would find a few sources capable of aiding the restoration of his core. Simultaneously, recognizing the importance of balancing both light and darkness on his path to becoming a grand magus, he dedicated ti to delve further into the Celestial-recomnded scroll, the [Prism of Light ditation Technique].
"Alright, let's start,"
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Author Note.
The month of February felt much shorter than expected. I hope that the chapters have t your expectations and provided you with enjoynt.
Wish you all to join again for the March chapters. Thank you for your continued support.
Sneak Peek on Next Month's Chapters
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Four and a Half Years Later...
Ery found himself visited by an unexpected guest—an esteed female grand magus whom he could proudly call master. Grand Magus Aurora approached him with a proposition, inviting Ery to join the ranks of teachers at the newly inaugurated academy in the Alpha quadrant.
"Thank you for accepting the position. I am sure your master will be proud," In the wake of the academy's reopening, tens of thousands of acolytes from across the sectors eagerly applied, marking the end of a 15-year hiatus. Among the hopefuls was a determined young female, driven by the singular purpose of finding a man she had recently discovered to be her father.
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