Chapter 134: Endgame (1)
At the Hummer Manor, things were pretty festive.
Seraphina had gone out on a purging spree, taking action against every single church member she found evidence against. As the church went through turbulent times, she left Lysaria with Riku.
Normally, she would have never done something like that, leaving a Vestal of the Inner Flame with a man who called her a friend. However, something told Seraphina that that was probably the best decision she could make as her own enemies kept growing due to the purge.
And secondly, for some weird reason that even she could not explain, she had come to trust Riku.
Lysaria and Lila had a nice reunion at the Hummer manor, embracing each other in a tight bear hug. Elara also met Lysaria, and just as Riku had predicted, they got along splendidly.
On this particular evening, a grand banquet was being held in the main hall of the manor. Elder Borin, Elder Tharin, and many of the children from the Underbelly, including Korgin and Brina, were honored guests, celebrating the new Marquis Hummer’s rise in status.
The long tables were laden with food. Though the famine was still a concern, the dishes were plentiful—simple roasted meats and root vegetables, but bolstered by trays of Riku’s fluffy matcha buns and frosted pitchers of fizzy drinks, chilled to perfection with his ice magic.
Marquis Gregor Hummer rose from his seat, his voice booming with pride and gratitude.
"My friends! We gather tonight not just to celebrate a new title, but to celebrate a new hope for Luxia!" he declared. "For weeks, we lived in fear of a shadow we could not fight. I myself lay on my deathbed, a victim of not only the Crimson Creep, but also a vile conspiracy that sought to destroy my house from within."