City of Desire Novel Chapter 704: Death of Theatre

Caena Aris

"He is asking you to deal with it," inford the mage.

Click!

I nodded and opened the door of the room. Bell was already there waiting. It will take so ti for others to arrive, but it would be fine if they didn't.

This ti, I am confident enough to finish the job alone.

I was working the spell when I sensed it. I was really focused and wished it had happened an hour later.

It happened. So, I stopped what I was doing imdiately and ca here.

"It happened earlier than we had expected," said Bell. "I thought the woman would live for another year," I replied. She didn't.

The woman was very old and could have died at any mont.

Once the legacy enters its waning period, it becos increasingly complex to predict when it will co to an end. They could die in a day or ten years.

A decade is very rare.

On average, the masters of Grade III and below legacies die in three and a half years of waning.

I activated the spell, and nine seconds later, the core of Taurus Theater was above us.

Its form is a picture, showing a play. The characters inside it move when one looks at it.

A mont later, everything turned dark, and then the sun appeared, along with two planets. The holder planet shone and swallowed the core.

Imdiately, aura blazed out of Bell and focused on the planet, along with the weight of her artifacts.

I pushed the essence into the Rhidon's Vitae and put its magical weight on the core.

It's much heavier than the weight of Bell's artifacts. It's not because it's more powerful, but because it's part of the legacy and could bring all its weight down ideally.

At the sa ti, the spell in the theater was activated.

It might not have been the right ti for , but it is the right ti for the legacy, as the play is running in the theater, with people from Velvet Theater and Taurus Theater working together.

It is the best scenario we could hope for the spell.

"The spell is quite powerful. I don't think we need anchor strings," said Bell, to which I smiled.

I could have used Bell as the substitute for Remus for the anchor strings. She would have needed to form many more connections to achieve even half of the result.

One cannot simply replace the master.

Thankfully, the spell is powerful enough that we do not need the anchor strings.

Three seconds later, two thick streams of essence ca out of the core. One went to the extraction planet, while the other went to the core, where it was quickly absorbed.

The core had beco powerful after absorbing the core of Tranquill Bathhouse and that Grade IV essence in it.

My spell has also beco quite effective, especially since we were using a different spell when we dealt with the Tranquill Bathhouse.

We wouldn't have faced the difficulties we had.

The to is helping

trendously. It contains imnse knowledge of witchcraft. Additionally, knowledge of the legacies is significant for us witches, as it is the most potent source of our craft.

After the first ti, I limited myself to opening it in the presence of Bell. I cannot be too careful with it.

Click!

Half a minute had passed when the door opened and Eudo walked inside.

He didn't say anything, just sat in his place, and a mont later, he brought out his aura. Putting even greater pressure on the core.

Imdiately, the flow of the essence increased.

Two minutes later, Margaux ca with Barb, and both of them sat down. Increasing the flow of essence out of the core even more.

The last one to arrive was Lola.

She looked around before sitting on the knot and adding her aura, creating a surge.

"It's very fast. I don't think it will take us long," said Barb, looking at it in wonder. She wasn't present here last ti, or there wouldn't have been the wonder.

"It's such a regret that we can't harvest more than half of it," replied Lola, sighing.

We could harvest the entire core at the speed we are moving, but we have to follow so unwritten rules that state you should leave at least half for the other legacies.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

It wouldn't be much of a problem to break it, but it will needlessly put focus on us.

Besides, 50% wouldn't be bad. I am sure the core wouldn't consu that much, and the rest will go to the harvester. It will be enough for our current needs.

Still, we are considering making agreents with the other legacies, but not imdiately.

There is already too much attention on us. Therefore, we will not do it unless it is a legacy aspect that we need.

…

Remus Silver

'They had begun,' I thought. I could sense it.

My core and I are connected. I could feel things happening to it. With what Caena had told

about the upgraded spell, it shouldn't be a problem for them to take 50% of it.

It will help

a lot, especially with the aspect and emotion scale. With them, I will be able to harvest even more emotions.

I pushed the thoughts of legacy away, since I couldn't do anything from here, and focused on the party.

I talked to a few more people before appearing beside the Blackwells.

"How bad is it?" I asked, and the smiles on their faces slipped for a fraction of a second. Lord Blackwell opened his mouth, before closing it, and then opened it again a mont later.

"The tide is coming in; it will reach them in an hour," he replied.

I wish I could say I am surprised. I am not. If the tide had been gathering, he wouldn't have left so quickly; it takes ti for it to form.

Even the quick ones.

"It's coming from the deep, correct?" I asked, and surprise appeared on their faces, but they nodded.

I have been here and know the monsters. While the condition then wasn't as bad as it is now. I have read everything about it.

I had said it is coming from deep because they have scouts spread.

If the tide begins to form, they will know quickly. The only reason they ca to know so late was that the tide ford deeper into the region where scouts couldn't reach.

When they found out about it, it was already too late.

"Don't worry about it. Lord Ignatius and others are used to dealing with the tides. Dealing with this one wouldn't be a problem," I replied and walked away.

The monsters are bad news for , but it is a force of nature; I couldn't do anything other than adapt.

Ti passed, and I could see the fear and nervousness in people's minds disappearing. They are relaxing and enjoying themselves.

I enjoyed the party with them, but one of my eyes would always be on Blackwells.

I could see Lady Blackwell casting spells every few minutes.

Over an hour passed, and I was looking at her with the corner of my eye, when I noticed a sudden change appearing in her face.

I could see the deep fear appearing in her eyes, which she hid quickly, and she talked to her husband in private.

His expressions turned serious as well. They talk for a minute before I notice guards entering the ballroom, causing the whole hall to fall silent.

"Ladies and gentlen, may I have your attention, please?" said Lord Blackwell. He already has everyone's attention.

The mont the guards appeared, everyone turned to them.

"The information from the scouts had co that one group of monsters had splintered from the main tide and was coming toward us here," he said, imdiately shocking everyone.

The Fort Renin is quite far behind the fort of Bram Valley. It didn't give much ability for monsters to splinter, unless, of course, they did it quite early.

"They have moved to stop them, but so might co toward the city. "So, to be safe, please follow the guards. They will take you to safety," he added.

Imdiately, guards ca and began to guide people. They didn't co toward

or a few others.

It seed like things were really bad.

Soon, only seventeen guests were remaining in the hall: , Lord Kadyz, and a few rcenaries.

"How many?" I asked, and the expressions on the man's face turned painful. "Around five thousand," he replied, making everyone's expressions change.

It is not a great number when considering numbers in monster tide, but this one ca from deep, and that makes things very dangerous.

It makes things more dangerous when considering the army that will be fighting them.

"Any Grade V," asked Lord Kadyz. "Currently, we have not sensed any," he replied. That made everyone's expression heavier.

"How many n do you have?" I asked. I already have an idea, but I want to be sure.

"Fifteen thousand," he replied with a sigh.

The numbers aren't good. They have good numbers here, but they usually remain entrenched at the Bram Valley, where they fight monsters.

"I will not ask you all to fight for us, but if you do, we will owe you a favour," he said, looking at Lord Kadyz and , and turned to the rcenaries. "And a good price," he added.

"Monsters aren't my forte, besides, it's bad odds," said a middle-aged man with thick hair, and he walked out.

A few followed behind him, leaving only seven people. It made the couple's expressions bad.

He needs powerhouses. Most of their powerhouses, including his son and Commander August, went to Bram Valley. Leaving only Commander Wildewood.

"I hope you have enough ammunition in those big cannons on the fort?" I asked. "We have more than enough," he replied, with a slight smile appearing on his face.

"The artifacts, you have brought them, right?" asked Lord Kadyz. "Yes," replied Lady Blackwell.

It made

relieved.

House Blackwell may be weak right now, but it was once one of the strongest in the rchant state. The progenitor of the house was also a founding mber of the country.

They have a lot of artifacts. If the information is correct, they have four in their hands and another five in the custody of the rchant state.

I didn't count the relic that Ignatius has.

Currently, it is an artifact. It will beco a relic with those gems, which are said to be deep in the amberhold and will only co out in great need.

"Let's go then," I said.

"We are grateful for your help. We will not forget it," promised Lord Blackwell.

I didn't say anything and just walked out, when a smile appeared on my face, with a bit of surprise.

I didn't think it would be this soon. It seed like the new spell was more powerful than I had thought. It made

very happy, but it won't be the last core we will swallow.

…

Rosen

"It's done," inford Audrid.

I didn't open my eyes and just felt the changes that were happening around .

I am not the only one; everyone sitting could feel it.

The theater had beco more pleasant, resonating with emotion much better.

The feelings it evokes beco finer, to the point where it is tailor-made for the theater. It was made for the theater; they call it an aspect.

Every legacy has an aspect, according to Madam Caena.

Now, Velvet Garden had swallowed the Taurus Theater, taking its aspect.

I have underestimated the change it could bring. I felt it from the casino and the bathhouse, but I am not very interested in them.

Theater is my blood and soul. I feel the tiniest changes, and this is massive.

It is going to transform the whole experience.

I looked at the actors playing and those working in the background. Especially the people from the Taurus Theater; they understood their theater was dead, but still kept acting.

Those who have finished the part are crying in the corner. They have just lost their ho.

Taurus Theater will still be a theater, but not a legacy. It is from where its prestige used to co.

"Madam wants you to recruit as many of them as possible," inford Audrid.

In Velvet Garden, there is barely any restriction on art, but it's a work, and sotis, you have to do so uncomfortable things.

I would have liked to give them ti to process the loss, but I couldn't.

I want the sa thing as the madam's. These are very talented people, and they would take the Velvet Theater to the next level, but I just wanted to give them a little ti.

Still, I will do it. It is an order, and also because it benefits my theater.