Apparently, I fell asleep in the middle of my date with Franchesca.
When I woke up, I apologized over and over to the cold princess, but surprisingly, she didn't seem angry. Sure, she scolded me for going on a dungeon exploration on such a bad day, but beyond that, she actually seemed... in a rather good mood.
She seemed to enjoy our date, so I am very pleased about it since I also enjoyed spendig time with her.
Although, I never had the time to buy her a gift... maybe I could buy something for her and surprise her one of these days.
And just like that, the second day came to an end. The moon shone fully above, the signal I had been waiting for.
With most of my classmates in the Golden Dragon house already asleep, I decided it was time to move forward with my plan.
After casting Breeze Step and Feather Fall, I readied myself. Before leaving, I grabbed the black cloak that concealed the monsters and pulled it tightly over me.
If there was anywhere in Aurum Academy's city where I could gather information about illegal dealings, only one place came to mind.
I sprinted through the darkened streets until I reached my destination.
"Catlonia's Bar."
The very same bar Zagressa had dragged Cecil and me to as punishment for disrupting her class. The one that served as the gateway to the underground arena known as the Pit. A sprawling labyrinth of lawless bloodsport, divided into territories. A place where I had already carved out a name for myself as Lord of the West.
The bar hadn't changed. Patrons smoked, laughed, and drank themselves numb. This was no family tavern—its very air reeked of lawlessness, fitting for its location in the poorest district of the city.
"No point wasting any more time."
As soon as I stepped inside, I felt eyes lock onto me. The customers' gazes pressed heavily, but none were as sharp as the piercing stare of the old woman behind the counter.
"You finally arrived..." she said at last, tilting her head for me to sit at the counter.
"If you'd chosen not to come, we would have dragged you here against your will. Smart of you to show up willingly."
"It may take me some time, but I never leave stones unturned. I was bound to return here eventually," I said, sliding onto a stool and resting my arms on the counter.
"Well, well. The little new Lord of the West finally graces us," she replied with a smug smile.
That expression really doesn't suit someone her age!
"Speaking of being a new lord... what exactly does that entail? Do I get orders now? Benefits? Responsibilities in the arena?"
"Such an eager little kid... why don't you come with me?" She opened a side door that led behind the counter.
"Histan! Watch the bar while I'm gone!" she barked to one of her workers.
The demi-human stammered an answer before hurrying behind the counter.
I followed the old woman through a hidden passage that led deeper underground, undoubtedly toward the Pit—or at least a private room tied to the arena's operations.
"As a Cardinal Lord, you're expected to manage your side of the arena," she explained as we entered a wide, organized chamber. "The fighters in your territory, the arena itself, those who work under you—it all falls on your shoulders. This is a business. We expect our Cardinal Lords to maintain a certain level of professionalism."
The room was starkly different from the chaos above. A long meeting table dominated the space, built for lords to gather and plan.
"The last Lord of the West didn't exactly live up to those standards," I muttered, remembering the fight where I had risked my life to overthrow him.
"Exactly. His failures are the reason we've tightened expectations. Learn from that example—don't repeat it."
"You can fight dirty all you want, but at least have some respect. We're no cavemen," I quoted Karla's words firmly.
"Nicely put," she smirked.
Feeling the moment was right, I pressed a request. "Do I have a private training room?"
"Every lord has one for training their fighters."
"No—I mean for myself alone. I want a place to train in secret."
She tapped her cheek, thinking. "There's no rule against that. I suppose you could use it as you like."
"Good. Could someone show me the way later?"
"I'll send a worker to guide you," she said with a nod. "For now, wait here until the other lords arrive."
She left, and I was alone.
A private training ground… if that worked out, I could finally train alongside the goblin squad without interference. To anyone else, they weren't "allies," just monsters. I needed a controlled place to prepare with them, and this was my best chance.
As I lost myself in thought, the door burst open with a thunderous kick.
"So this is the kid, huh?" A bear demi-human, scarred and battle-hardened, strode in with a wide grin. He wore a green suit that was personalized to look just like what the boss of a criminal organization would wear.
"Oh, so uncivilized..." Another man entered behind him, this one an elegant human in his thirties. He pressed a handkerchief over his mouth to block the dust kicked up by the bear-man. "I don't have high hopes for the new lord. Please, do us all a favor and don't turn out like North over there."
Three men followed behind the bear, and three more stood at the elegant man's back. Lords, each with their personal fighters.
The last to enter was a woman in a long black dress, topped with a frilly silk hat of blue and black. Three confident fighters followed her.
"Oh, you!" One of them shouted as his eyes landed on me.
"Snap!" I recognized him instantly—the fighter I had been ordered to face before, though the fight never happened.
"I thought I'd never see you again after last time," he said, grinning as he trailed behind his lady.
"How's Little Bear? And that girl you wanted to date?" I asked in a friendly tone.
"Little Bear's making a name for himself in Lady South's territory, but he still has a long way to go. And my girl... ah, things are going great. She's strong, cute—you'd be jealous!" he beamed.
"Not fair, South!" North bellowed at the woman. "You've got an advantage already!"
"Those things happened long before the boy became a lord. Call it a blessing of fate," she replied smoothly.
"As if someone as plain as you could be blessed by fate. Don't make me laugh," East sneered, shaking his head.
By process of elimination, the elegant man was clearly the Lord of the East.
"Now, West..." Lady South turned to me. "Let me be the first to properly welcome you as a lord. May our dealings be prosperous."
"I hope we can be suitable partners," I replied with a respectful nod.
"West," North slammed his palm on the table. "Unlike South, I only value fighting power. And I've heard plenty about how you crushed the last champion of the West."
"What a brute..." East muttered under his breath.
"Unfortunately, I can't demonstrate my abilities now. Lords aren't allowed to fight," I reminded, careful not to spark hostility.
"That's right," East said, smoothing his sleeve. "Lords are forbidden from battling in the Pit. Disputes must be settled either through wagers with your fighters... or through more sophisticated negotiation."
"Whichever method you choose, West, as a show of good faith, I'd advise you to check on your territory. These past few days, the western side of the Pit has been suffering without a lord," South remarked. Her speech was confident and refined, yet still carried the blunt edge expected of a ruler in this place.
"I appreciate the advice," I said with a respectful nod.
"You'll need to pick a champion, start enforcing order in your area, and make your sector presentable. The previous West left that place in ruins... I almost pity you."
"Kid, if you want advice from me—don't fight us. Once you're out there, we won't show pity just because you're a new lord or a child," North added, his tone sharp and direct.
"I understand. I'll keep that in mind when managing my territory."
As much as I wanted to dive into rebuilding my sector of the arena, there were other, more pressing matters demanding my attention.
"I was actually hoping to ask you all about something important."
The room quieted. All eyes turned toward me.
"I need information—and I'm willing to pay for it." I kept my gaze steady, studying their expressions for any sign of interest.
"You think we'll hand out information on your first day?" North burst into laughter, his voice booming. "What makes you think you can buy secrets so soon?"
"I explore dungeons," I replied evenly. "That means I'll always have something valuable to trade."
The silence that followed was confirmation enough—I had their attention.
"As you may know..." I hesitated, though whether they truly knew didn't matter. I just needed a lead. "There's been a group involved in illegal dealings—specifically, with a certain drug. I just need to know where they're operating."