Mad God – Reborn

Reaching the gate to the Spire of Ren had already drained Ina of all her energy. She was gasping for air and could feel her heart throbbing in her throat, not only from exhaustion, but also from excitement and deep fear. What if everything was just a hallucination and her son never came to their home? What if he never was there and she never eavesdropped on the exchange? What if everything was just a hallucination? She swayed in the wind like a drunken sailor on shore leave, unable to decide whether to take a step forward. The guards had already noticed her strange behavior as she stood nearby, and after watching her for minutes, one of them finally walked out and questioned her.

"This is the Spire of Ren. Do you have any invitations or any business here?" He asked in a firm but not rude voice, just as he was instructed by Balbeer.

“Ah… ahm… I… I just…" Ina stuttered, unable to find the right words. Her mind wanted to say a lot at once, but everything got stuck in her throat.

"If you have no business, please leave." The guard stepped closer, towering over her skinny frame in full armor, holding a long pike.

"I want to see him… I came to… see him…” She murmured, watching the huge golden gate behind the soldier.

"See who?" He asked again, less patient now, as his voice grew stronger.

"D-dar… Daryan…” Ina said in a trembling voice, surprising the guard, who just blinked and looked over her once again.

"Wait here," he said, turning away, walking back to his post, and speaking with his guard partner, who disappeared into the courtyard.

Ina stood nervously in the same spot, too terrified to walk closer and too afraid to leave, leaving her at an impasse. Her mind was already fighting the thought that everything happening was another hallucination. Maybe she wasn't even outside, just in her room, with another manic episode ravaging her senses. A few minutes later, hurried steps echoed out from the courtyard, and a young man rushed out, gasping for air. When his eyes fell on Ina, he was surprised, shocked, and unsure what he was seeing. She looked old and young at the same time, but he felt something immediately. A connection. A feeling. A whisper in the back of his mind told him who she was.

"D-daryan?" Ina asked with a weak, mosquito-like voice. It was barely audible, yet for her son, it was like church bells ringing in his ears.

"Mom?" He asked back without thinking and took a few shaky steps.

His answer was something Ina had dreamed about hearing for more than a decade, and now, finally hearing it from her own son's mouth was too much for her mind to take. Everything went black before her eyes as every remaining energy left her body, and she fell forward, completely unconscious.

"Mom!" Daryan shouted, rushing forward to catch her, gasping at how thin and light her body was.

"Don't worry, she is fine." Ariana appeared nearby and placed a hand on Daryan's back. "She just fainted. Come, bring her inside. She needs rest and recovery, and I'll ask my Master for some pills that will help her body regain some strength."

"Thank you!" He bowed towards her with teary eyes, holding her mother as gently as he could while they walked back inside.

…

….

…..

"I can't believe it…" Rabout stood beside Ren, watching the Cosmos illusion all around him. He knew what he felt wasn't real... Even though the energy concentration was way better than usual, it was still tainted with their realm's natural air and energy. He watched Ren set up the formation and activate it, yet still... It was the most exciting thing he had ever experienced. What he saw before his eyes was unbelievable.

"I could only set up a defective variant with the things I have now," Ren said, deactivating it with a half-smile. "Here is the list I would need to make a correct one. It can last for hours or even days. It is way better for cultivation, and it could give you inspiration as to what you need to succeed with your plans." She presented him with a paper listing hundreds of resources that would bankrupt many nobles or wealthy trading families.

"Hm… no problem." Rabout nodded, reading through it. "But I'm not a newbie. You don't need at least half of this, do you?" He smiled as he looked down at her, yet he still pocketed the paper.

"True. I don't." Ren replied honestly, without making a fuss. "At least not for this."

"Mmm, give me a few days. You kept your promise earlier than I expected. I'll do the same, then! I just need to gather these things up." He clapped, looking around the empty little room as the temporary formation on the ground crumbled into ashes. It was indeed just a faulty copy of what Pongo built in Thunder Valley. As it was now, Ren wasn't about to share her orangutan friend's actual work with Rabout.

"Take your time. Also… there is something else I want, and we can barter for." She led him out of the room and up to her study.

"Don't need to hold back. Just ask!"

"I'd like to take a tour of your library." Ren looked up at him as they walked. "I learned about the Empire's history back home while growing up… but my mother rarely talked about her time here or how she grew up, always avoiding the topic."

"No problem. In exchange, you could write down a few interesting ideas of yours for me to add to my collection. I would also document your history up until this point."

"Sure, I see no problems with that. Here!" She produced a book for him.

"What is this?" he asked, taking it away with a curious light in his eyes.

"The first draft from my childhood. From when I came up with the new Body Refinement cultivation method. It is the most authentic record of my thought process, and my husband's comments are also recorded in it."

"Ohohoho! Great, great! I love things like this, ahahaha! You understand me well, little Ren! You make your grandpa proud! I'll copy this and then return it to you as soon as possible!"

"Ahaha… you are my grandpa now, eh?" She raised her eyebrows and shook her head.

"A great-great-great grandpa at that! Or just call me the Best Grandpa! I should make an official title like that and order Milly to address me as such."

“Ahaha… geez… I'm starting to like you a lot, Super-duper-awsome Gramps!"

"Of course!" Rabout laughed with her, and as they climbed the stairs, Sentios rushed up from below.

"Hm? What is it?" Ren looked at him, noticing his hurried steps as he climbed two steps at a time.

"This." He presented a letter, and when she opened it, Rabout almost laughed out loud.

"Her wording is so clear! Keina is going to challenge you!" He patted her shoulders, grinning.

"I've got the same feeling from this notice's tone. Well, I can instruct her a little, no problem." Ren chuckled and handed it to Rabout. "You can come and referee it and act as judge."

"Sure!" Rabout clapped, interested in the whole affair.

"Go, make ample preparations." Ren ordered Sentios, "You don't need to publicize it, but let everyone present in the courtyard know and make sure all of the family members attend tomorrow. It is going to be useful for their cultivation as a demonstration." Just as Sentios was about to leave, another pair of hurried steps rushed up the stairs as Kitten arrived, surprised to see everyone there.

"Something else happened?" Ren tilted her head, sighing.

"Um! Daryan's mother arrived with Ariana. She collapsed, and Ariana would like you to take a look at her!"

"Okay, I'll be there shortly." She smiled. "This is a good development!"

"The daughter of the Nelvis family?" Rabout asked as he followed Ren, who had already turned and gone into her study to brew coffee for them while listening to his question.

"Yes. You know about her?"

"Of course. It was a family scandal, so I recorded it down." he folded his arms, taking a moment to recall the events.

"Are you a scientist or a historian?" Ren asked with a chuckle.

"Some of our family members are philanders, and some are polyhistors. I am the latter," he answered with a smile.

"I see! Sadly, I only met with the former until now, it seems." She sighed and poured him a cup of coffee.

"The Nelvis family is relatively new to the trading circle of Rozex. Their patriarch, Ooda, built everything over four decades of hard work and honesty. Which is the harder route, especially while trading."

"You would imagine it would be better for honest traders," Ren said, slightly surprised.

"How are you going to make continuous big profits without being dishonest with your earnings? Or source of goods? Or your background deals? Or the deals under the table? He did everything over the table with clear records. He built trust in a way not many in Rozex do, so I noticed. He also cultivated to the 8th stage of Body Refinement to defend his name, family, and interests against the other nobles inside the city. If not, he would have been long gone." he shook his head with a soft sigh.

"You make it sound like it is the same as dealing inside Rozex as dealing with a pit of venomous snakes."

"Kinda. It is a field where most suddenly die, and their descendants go from influential and rich nobles to slaves of another family. Anyway! He had one son, who gave him four grandchildren before passing away."

"Natural causes?" Ren asked, and Rabout was already ready with an answer.

"Of course not. Assassination. A rival family that is no longer here. Ooda dealt with them and avenged his son's life with ample blood. He is honest, not a coward, and known to hold grudges. After that, he pampered his grandchildren, especially the only girl among them, Ina. She grew up sheltered and a bit naive, so no wonder the first charming prince coming her way seduced her with a snap of his fingers."

"I read his background. I mean, the guy who seduced Ina. There were details about him inside the tower." Ren recalled it quickly. "He was a footnote only until this affair. Low talent, high libido. Marked as an offspring factory or what..."

"Did you also read about what happened to him?" Rabout smiled, especially when Ren shook her head.

"Only that he died shortly after this whole incident."

"Ahaha… oh yes, he did! He mysteriously died in the arms of a hooker, no less, presumably from a heart attack. Not even the Spire of Rudrick could find any clues of an assassination, or even attempts at one! Believe me, they tried, and when there was nothing, they still exterminated the whole brothel and burnt it to the ground."

"Fuck…" Ren clicked her tongue, listening to Rabout's tale.

"Yep. Ooda has a strong backbone and even dared to pull something like this off after learning what happened to his granddaughter. Even going so far as to keep a cold front up against the Spire of Rudrick. Especially after they came and took away Daryan! Mostly because of pure spite. Of course, this affected his operations going forward. They have fallen weaker and weaker throughout the years. They are holding out for now, but give two more decades like this, and they may fall completely."

"Hmm… Now I am even more interested in roping them to my chariot. I'll announce an official apology soon!" Ren said after a long silence, finishing her cup of coffee.

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows, watching her face, studying her expression and eyes. "That is going to be… a first."

"I could imagine…" She rolled her eyes. "That is also good. It is time to shake things up a little!" She stood up and fixed her clothes. "Let me start with ensuring the poor woman recovers fully first."

"I'll accompany you. I am interested in seeing how everything is going to play out."

"Sure... It seems you are already living with me anyway!"

"I did not expect to be swept up in something like this! But it is a great distraction from working for now. Milly was right in saying I need to relax a little."

"Glad to provide great entertainment, gramps!" Ren grinned as the two laughed and went down to the main floor to visit the unconscious Ina.