Chapter 109: Golden Wheel
The first was a young woman with black hair flowing like silk — her face covered in a black hood. She was Selene, seated on the chair with a cat engraving.
The second was a tall, elegant woman with blonde hair, her face hidden behind a black mask. She sat gracefully on the mouse-engraved seat — Elizabeth.
The third figure was Thomas Hols, the man in the bowler hat and monocle — a persona of Raven himself.
And the last was Noel, a young man about sixteen, broad-shouldered yet slightly thin, an electric serpent coiling lazily around his neck.
Raven rested his hand on the throne’s arm and spoke, his tone calm yet commanding.
“Greetings, everyone.”
“It’s good to see you again, Prince,” Elizabeth said, standing up and bowing lightly.
Noel followed, his serpent shifting restlessly. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Prince.”
Elizabeth’s eyes then turned toward the two new figures in the hall. A faint smile curved her lips. “It seems new mbers have joined the Golden Wheel, My Lord.”
Raven nodded slightly and turned his gaze to the man in formal attire.
“Please, introduce yourself.”
The man in the bowler hat — Thomas Hols — stood, looked briefly toward Elizabeth, Noel, and Selene, and then said with calm clarity,
“I’m a new mber of the Golden Wheel. You can call ‘Devil.’”
He sat down imdiately after.
Next, Selene stood up, her posture calm and elegant.
“I’m ‘Drear,’ a new mber of the Golden Wheel.”
After short introductions from both, Elizabeth and Noel introduced themselves again for formality and sat down.
Raven’s attention turned to Selene.
“How is the situation over there?”
Selene stood and replied, “I still haven’t gone past the Goblin’s Village, Your Highness. But I entered a few goblins’ dreams — including the Goblin Shaman’s — and learned a few things about this world.”
“The region I’m currently in is called Gorak Kingdom, a goblin kingdom in the southern part of this world. Aside from Goblins, there are other kingdoms — races like Dwarves, Orcs, Fiends, Kobolds, and Trolls, which all live across the continent. The Goblins, however, are the dominant race here. They call this world ‘Grimsmoke World.’”
She took a breath before continuing. “There are different kinds of goblins here — Night Goblins, Red Goblins, Dawn Goblins, Drifters, Mole Goblins, Snow Goblins, and more. I’ve only learned a little so far through their dreams. My next goal is to disguise myself as a Goblin and leave the village after a few months.”
Elizabeth tilted her head slightly. “You an you’re in an entirely different world?”
Selene nodded. “Yes. I ca here due to an unexpected accident. But thanks to this artifact—” she gestured to the black cat sitting lazily on her shoulder “—I can still communicate with all of you.”
Raven leaned forward slightly. “What’s your next plan?”
“I plan to move to the nearby goblin town called Sres and gather more information about this world first, Your Highness.”
“That’s a wise decision,” Raven said. “But remain cautious. Avoid large cities — soone might see through your disguise.”
He then turned his gaze to Elizabeth. “I need information from Velvet Eclipse.”
Elizabeth’s masked face tilted slightly. “As long as it’s not directly tied to the organization, I can share it. Of course,” she added with a faint chuckle, “every piece of information cos with a price.”
Raven nodded. “War is nearing, Shadow. I want to know who assassinated Viser's envoy. Also, gather everything you can about Sparrows, Vipers, and Falcons. I suspect they all belong to the sa hidden organization.”
Elizabeth’s expression turned serious. “Velvet Eclipse has been watching them, too. From what we’ve gathered, Viper and Falcon are tied by so business contracts. I’m not sure about Sparrow, but it’s true — soone outside the Ivory Island is controlling both Viper and Falcon.”
She continued, “As for the assassination of Viser’s envoy, it was pre-planned. Our informant in Viser revealed that the envoy’s death was ant to trigger war. A royal mber from Zenith is also involved. The assassin was a woman nad Alia Morgan, working as a maid for Concubine Inna. After killing the envoy, she vanished with several other maids. Currently, Concubine Inna is under arrest and being interrogated.”
Raven nodded slowly, impressed. “So you even found the assassin…”
He then asked, “How should I repay you?”
Elizabeth folded her hands politely. “I recently reached Radiant Wizard Rank, but I need a Rare-rank Spirit Technique compatible with darkness and fire. If possible, help acquire one.”
“Consider it done,” Raven said calmly.
A faint smile curved beneath her mask.
The hall remained silent for a few monts after Raven finished speaking.
Elizabeth leaned back in her seat, her masked face tilted slightly as her calm voice broke the silence.
“Anything else? For an exchange of a Rare-rank technique, the information I gave you isn’t worth that much.”
Her tone carried a teasing sharpness, but the glint in her eyes behind the mask was entirely serious.
Raven rested his elbow on the throne’s armrest, tapping his finger lightly as he thought. The rhythmic sound echoed faintly through the empty chamber.
After a mont, he looked up. “Can you tell more about the Fallen Knights Army?” he asked. “How many commanders are there? What are they specialized in?”
Elizabeth didn’t answer right away. She crossed her legs, her gaze falling to the glowing floor, as if weighing the risk of what she was about to say.
“Information about armies,” she finally said, “is a top secret in every nation.” Her voice was quiet but steady. “But…” — she looked up again — “I do know a little.”
Raven’s eyes glead.
“The Fallen Knights Army is divided into ten command regints. Each regint has around one hundred thousand soldiers. Even their lowest-ranked fighters are at least at the Official Rank — trained, disciplined, and deadly. As for their highest-ranking mbers…” she paused, “there are at least a few Pseudo-Legendary Powerhouses among them.”
‘So, there are at least 1 million soldiers… Each of them is an Official Walker or above.’
Raven sat in silence for a mont, the faint hum of the throne filling the gap.
Then, he spoke.
“Can you get detailed information about their regints and commanders?”
Elizabeth folded her hands and thought for a mont before nodding. “Give a week,” she said softly.
Raven gave a slight nod in return. “Good.”
Then, his gaze shifted — from Elizabeth to Noel, the youngest mber of the Golden Wheel.
The boy had grown since their first eting. His once timid posture was gone, replaced by the quiet confidence of soone who had learned to endure solitude.
Raven’s eyes softened briefly as he recalled Noel’s past — the harsh winter four years ago that took his grandmother’s life in Ancaria. Left alone, Noel had survived by sheer will, spending countless days speaking to Levinthar, learning the common tongue of Ivory Island, and practicing the arts Raven had allowed him to study.
He had learned swordsmanship, shadow steps, and even the complex Mindstorm skill — though only at a beginner level. Still, it was enough to live alone in the wild.
Now, Raven leaned slightly forward.
“Noel,” he said, his voice calm but heavy with purpose, “have you made your decision? Do you wish to live a comfortable life in the Lower Land… or climb to the Upper Land as a true citizen and conquer it?”
Noel’s eyes didn’t waver. His young face was set with determination.
“I want to beco an Immortal,” he said firmly.
The hall fell silent again — but this ti, the silence carried weight.
Raven’s expression remained unreadable as he studied him. “If you choose this path,” he said, “you’ll have to leave the lower lands for years. You’ll live alone in the wilderness, facing hunger, cold, and danger. There will be no one to protect you.”
Noel didn’t hesitate. He bowed his head. “I’ll do it.”
A faint smile appeared on Raven’s face — rare, fleeting, but genuine.
“Good,” he said. “I’ll give you a Spirit Technique book later. morize every word, every rune. Once you’ve mastered it and start increasing your spirit power, we’ll begin constructing your Elental Circlet and spell models within your Mind Space.”
“Yes, Mr. Prince,” Noel said with conviction.
Raven gave a single approving nod. “Let’s conclude the eting here. I’ll inform you all about the next assembly later.”
He waved his hand slowly.
The glowing sigils beneath the seats flared for a brief mont, and one by one, the illusory figures of Elizabeth, Noel, and Selene shimred — and vanished like fading glass.
Only silence remained.
Two minutes later, the image of Thomas Hols — the man in the bowler hat — cracked like glass and scattered into a thousand glimring fragnts before fading away.
The hall fell still once more.
Raven leaned back against the throne, exhaled softly, and whispered to himself, “I should take so rest too.”
His body dissolved into light — and in the next mont, he opened his eyes back in the real world.
The familiar ceiling of his bedroom ca into view. He lay back down, feeling the softness of the cotton sheets beneath him.
Within seconds, exhaustion took over.
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