Obsidian Order

I look at Xavier with my best version of puppy dog eyes, hoping to appeal to his softer side.

"No," he says firmly, side-stepping me and heading towards his table of trinkets.

"But Xavier, I thought we bonded! Come oooooooonnnnnnnnnnn," I whine, following after him like a persistent puppy.

"I refuse to give myself an extra workload, no thank you, Shadowcrest," Xavier replies, effectively dismissing my attempts.

I fake a dramatic sigh, playing up the disappointment. "I guess I won't show you the certain blueprints I have…" I say with exaggerated sorrow, watching out of the corner of my eye for any reaction from Xavier.

His ears perk up at the mention of blueprints. "You did say you've been having trouble with a certain creation of a weapon…" I trail off, letting the implication hang in the air.

"I guess I'll just keep my ideas to myself then," I say casually, starting to walk away.

"Wait," Xavier calls out, stopping me in my tracks.

Too easy.

I now have a patron for my club, and all it took was exchanging a few blueprints of a weapon, one that I had tweaked to fit this world's standards.

I leave the documents and application to Damien, knowing he'll handle it efficiently. Whistling a tune to myself, I make my way home, eager to share the news with Selene and make plans for our day.

*

Leaving the credit bureau, feeling a million merits lighter, we make our way to the bustling Tavill market. The workers at the bureau had given us funny looks, probably thinking we were just some naive first-years making bad decisions. In a way, they were right, I chuckle to myself.

As we enter the market, the confusion and chaos of the crowd surrounds us. I hold Selene's hand tightly as we navigate through the throngs of people. Eventually, we find ourselves in a large open area filled with all sorts of beasts, and we decide it's time to spoil our serpent companions.

"May I help you?" A man who looks to be in his 30s suddenly appears before us, seemingly out of nowhere.

"We're just looking around. What do you offer?" Selene inquires, her curiosity piqued.

"My ancestors were here with the first headmaster of the academy, helping to care for his contracted dragon. We still provide services for beasts that have been in the academy before. We have meal plans, care manuals, and even a playpen," he explains confidently.

Intrigued, I call out the names of our beasts, Tenebris and Raijin. I feel the tattoos on my body stir, a sensation I'll never quite get used to, and at my feet, my two serpent friends materialize. Selene does the same, her white-scaled serpent appearing beside her.

"Follow me," the man says, leading us through the area filled with cages and mini stands. We hear the loud sound of hissing and find ourselves at a place with a mini swamp and many snakes. I feel their excitement as our serpents slither away to join their friends.

My forehead twitches at the thought of the extra expense, but I merely sigh. The man explains the care routines, the plants they grow, the diet they provide, and the mana crystals they offer. We end up leaving with a very expensive monthly subscription plan for our beloved serpents.

Next, we find ourselves at a large clothing store, and we decide to splurge a bit. Okay, a lot.

Selene finds ingredients for her alchemy, carefully selecting each item. Meanwhile, I search for a store where I can purchase enchantment materials. My heart bleeds at how quickly a million merits flow out like water, reminiscing about my life on Earth where I had billions. Couldn't I have taken my money to the grave? I sigh, resigning myself to the fact that life in Tavill is a costly endeavor.

*

In our room, the closets are finally filled with the luxurious clothes we purchased from the market. I change into the comfiest material I've ever felt, made from vermilion silk derived from vermilion silkworms said to be native to volcanic areas. The fabric feels like a gentle caress against my skin.

I watch Selene as she struts around in her new attire, looking incredibly comfortable yet dangerously alluring. It's amazing what a simple change of clothes can do, especially on a teenage girl. Right teenage. A cold splash of water on my face.

Suddenly, two rings with black crystalline jewels embedded in them appear on the table next to the bed. I pick up one of the rings and slide it onto my forefinger. It fits perfectly, and I can't help but admire the craftsmanship. Damien must have completed the club registration for us.

We settled on the club name 'Obsidian Order' and decided that these rings would be our symbol. Members of a club could wear pins on their uniforms, similar to the House of Shadows' snake pin in an inverted triangle. Others might choose to wear it as a necklace, or even a piercing like an earring. Some of the more daring members might even opt for tattoos. I love the ominous look of the ring, exactly as I had pictured. Damien truly outdid himself.

Next on the agenda is to earn enough merits to secure our own building for the Obsidian Order. Our room holds so many memories, but we need a space that is uniquely ours.

I pull Selene close as we settle into bed, wrapping my arms around her. Tomorrow's problems can wait for tomorrow.