Journey to Become the Zenith

Shadows Beneath the Northern Lanterns

Victor and Videl returned to the guild where Clara and Lane were waiting, and the moment Victor stepped through the heavy wooden doors, the restless currents between the women stirred in ways even he pretended not to notice.

The guild was louder than usual. Tankards clinked. Adventurers argued over contracts. Roasted meat, ale foam, and woodsmoke hung thick in the air.

Victor’s golden eyes swept over the three women.

Lane stood first, black-haired and silent as moonlit water, yet the softness in her gaze shifted the moment she saw him.

Clara crossed her arms.

"You vanished to talk secrets and came back smiling. That usually means trouble."

Victor smirked.

"Then come. Let me at least feed my conspirators before dragging them into more trouble."

That earned an involuntary laugh from Videl.

He led the three women to the guild restaurant attached to the main hall, a more refined chamber where wealthy adventurers and merchants dined beneath brass lanterns.

A steward approached immediately.

Victor didn’t even glance at the menu.

"Bring your best fire-grilled wyvern ribs, river eel broth, mountain boar skewers, saffron rice, honey bread... and the aged fruit wine."

Clara blinked.

"You ordered like a king."

"A hungry conqueror," Videl corrected.

Lane quietly added, "Same thing."

The food came in waves.

Sizzling platters hissed.

Steam rose fragrant with spice.

Golden broth shimmered.

Victor ate without false elegance, but with calm confidence—as if even the act of eating was battle discipline.

The women watched him almost as much as the meal.

Lane leaned close while serving him a portion.

"You always choose the best food."

Victor looked amused.

"Because life is uncertain. Good meals should not be postponed."

Videl nudged him.

"Is that philosophy or greed?"

"Yes."

Even Clara laughed at that.

For a moment—only a moment—it felt less like allies circling a dangerous man... and more like something warm.

Something dangerously close to home.

...

Once Victor was done eating, since learning that Eon was more interesting than what he initially thought, he and the others headed to the Northern District where Eon was at.

Victor had decided Clara would eventually become one of his lovers.

He did not voice such thoughts.

But somewhere beneath irritation and caution, he knew she had already begun orbiting him.

Feelings often recognized themselves late.

And if she was to one day stand among his women... it was about time to show Clara what he was doing on the side, so he brought her along as well.

Night deepened as they crossed into the Northern District.

Red lanterns glowed from balconies.

Perfume drifted through alleys.

Music hummed behind closed doors.

Yet Clara slowed.

Something was wrong.

Or rather—different.

When the group got to the Northern district and headed deeper in, Clara’s face changed greatly. The Northern District was a den of prostitutes and had a lot of drug dealers. Yet now she noticed the prostitutes, but the usual shady drug dealings that usually happens here and there were nowhere to be found.

Gone.

The street predators.

The furtive exchanges.

The poisonous undercurrent.

Missing.

Also, Clara noticed the change of atmosphere in the Northern District. She couldn’t pinpoint the change but she was sure that something was different in the air. This wasn’t the same Northern District she remembered, but what could have possibly happened that would change it this much, so suddenly?

She glanced toward Victor.

His expression told her too much.

He knew.

This was his doing.

Her pulse tightened.

Just how much was this man hiding?

Videl noticed Clara’s stare and gave a knowing smile.

"Surprised?"

Clara frowned.

"What did he do here?"

Victor answered without turning.

"Sometimes rot must be uprooted before a place can breathe."

That line stayed with her.

Lane walked slightly closer to him after that.

Proud.

Possessive.

...

Victor finally reached the place where Brinda and Eon were staying at. Brinda sensing Victor’s presence immediately went out to greet him.

She emerged beneath lantern light like temptation given form.

Long purple hair spilled over her shoulders in waves.

Purple eyes glimmered with foxlike mischief.

Her high-slit violet robe revealed long toned legs as she moved, the silk clinging to her narrow waist and curving over generous hips with deliberate cruelty.

Her voluptuous figure—full breasts, soft but proud, balanced over a sensual hourglass frame—made even the air feel aware of her.

And she knew it.

"Oh my, Sir Victor to what do I owe the pleasure of you visiting?" Brinda smiled coquettishly, her voice would tickle the strings of any man, well at the moment there were two men that weren’t really affected.

Victor’s mouth tilted.

"Only pleasure? I’m wounded. I thought I ranked at least as trouble."

Brinda put fingers lightly to her lips.

"Dangerous men are always pleasurable trouble."

Lane’s eyes narrowed instantly.

Videl folded her arms.

"Oh she is doing this on purpose."

Brinda stepped close enough her perfume touched the air between them.

"And if I am?"

Victor leaned slightly nearer, lowering his voice.

"Then you should know provoking jealous women near me is a battlefield."

Brinda laughed, delighted.

"I like battle."

Lane moved beside Victor.

"Careful," she said sweetly to Brinda, "he collects dangerous women."

Videl added dryly,

"And they bite."

Brinda looked openly entertained.

Clara watched this bizarre exchange with growing disbelief.

Why did this feel... wrong?

Not morally.

Personally.

A strange irritation stirred in her chest.

She hated it.

And hated more that she understood it.

Victor noticed.

Of course he noticed.

He decided not to comment.

Brinda let one finger lightly trail against Victor’s sleeve.

"You vanish for days and return only to make my heart restless again."

Victor answered with maddening calm.

"Then I should vanish more often if the effect is so dramatic."

She gave him a scandalized gasp.

Lane muttered, "I may stab him."

Even Clara almost smiled.

Then Victor let the playfulness fade.

His eyes sharpened.

"I need to see Eon, I have something important that I need to talk to him about."

The moment Victor said this, a huge giant of a man popped out.