It had been two months since the 'Devil Conclave' case concluded. The dust was settled. Not by Jack and Reina's hands, but by the Trinity Churches. They had taken over the aftermath investigation. Fortunately. It was a troublesome task Jack had no interest in after all.
The churches handled the surviving children. Guiding them through trauma and back to their families. They also organized the funerals for the children sacrificed. A grim reminder of the devils' depravity.
Jack, Reina, and the three transcendent artists had simply stepped back. Letting the established powers deal with the cleanup.
Jack, however, harbored a persistent knot of unanswered questions. The entire affair seemed off.
Lonestone City was the national capital of the Elrush Kingdom. It housed powerful transcendent beings. There were even illuminated level characters here, even if most of them stayed in a different spatial dimension. The True Lonestone City.
For six devils to operate a child kidnapping and ritual sacrifice ring within its walls for an extended period seemed audacious to the point of suicidal. Logically, it made no sense.
Then there was Viscount Loreclay. From the investigation reports, the Prince of Charming Haven had masqueraded as that noble for years. Infiltrating high society without a whisper of suspicion. How could such a prominent figure go unnoticed in this city?
The churches had extensive networks. Yet the Prince had eluded them completely until Barnaby and Mirella, independent transcendent artists, stumbled upon the trail.
And the reveal itself was suspicious. After successfully hiding for so long, the devils made what appeared to be ridiculous mistakes. Allowing themselves to be tracked.
It felt too convenient. Too sloppy for entities that had demonstrated such cunning. They started as a high-level conspiracy. But they acted like amateurs in the end.
Jack's suspicion had congealed into a working theory. He linked it to the Royal Faction's recent acquisition of the [Forbidden Chalice]. The struggle for its possession involved many factions. As a result, then the Lonestone's Devil Conclave might have been collateral.
His theory was simple. The devils in Lonestone weren't acting alone. They had high-level backing, protection, or at least a strict set of rules to follow. That backing would have kept them hidden and organized.
However, if those higher-level backers died or were severely weakened during the conflict caused by the [Forbidden Chalice], then the Lonestone devils would have been left adrift. Without their controllers, their discipline would break down. Leading to the sloppy mistakes that exposed them.
They would have gone from operating under strict parameters to acting on impulse and desperation. Making them visible. It was a plausible explanation for the sudden shift in their operational competence.
But plausible or not, it wasn't Jack's concern anymore. The investigation was not his mission. He left the churches to sort out the political and mystical implications. His focus shifted back to his own projects. His constant pursuit of power and understanding.
The Devil Conclave Mission had given him a lot. Other than the improvement from slaying the devils, his kamaitachi form had gained a phantasmal skill [Lightning Web] tattooed as a gold pattern on his right forearm. Stolen from the Devil Child.
And there were two objects stolen by Envy from the Jester of Golden Haven. The bone dagger-flute and the golden flute. They were cursed infernal artifacts that he had to seal do to their ridiculous negative effects.
However, they gave Jack's human form two additional spellcards... [Bone Blade] that could shapeshift one's arm into a bone sword. And [Melody of Greed] that could multiply the targets' desire to acquire wealth in any way. Clouding their logical judgement.
Other than those gains, these two months had been productive for him. His Jack o'Lantern puppet had received a significant upgrade.
Jack had completed the full set of Seven Sin Bizarre Puppets. Previously, he had created three... Sloth, Envy, and Gluttony. Now, he added Greed, Pride, Wrath, and Lust to the collection. He could only control five of them simultaneously. But it was still a great advancement.
He recalled the bizarre puppets he created.
The Greed puppet looked like a baby goblin carrying big rucksack on his back. Its skin was was green while its strange clothing was gold and black in color. It had short, tiny limbs coated with gold mittens and shoes.
Its power lay in distraction, material collection, and object alteration. Jack envisioned it as a tool for chaotic misdirection and resource acquisition.
Pride manifested as a miniature snowman wearing an imperious crown. It shone with a cold, haughty light. And constantly floated just a little above the ground. Not willing to touch the ground at all.
Its main ability was to inflame arrogance on targets that made them underestimate their opponents. And it could also emit a devastating aura that suppressed the targets. Causing them to experience deep fear. Its final ability was a curse that temporarily turned targets into a harmless pig.
Wrath was a blood red plushie in the form of a boar-man cub. It radiated a wild and unbridled vibe. Yet it still looked cute and silly.
This puppet could taunt opponents. Provoking uncontrollable fury from the opponents toward a designated target. It could also summon fireballs for ranged attack. And its final ability was suicidal self-destructing explosion. It would re-spawn after a day, but it was definitely a trump card that shouldn't be used unless there was no other way..
The last puppet he created was Lust. It took the form of a delicate, bunny-girl baby. Wearing a stylish sky-blue coat. It had pure white fur, long white hair, and sapphire eyes. And the eyes seemed to pulse with a captivating, almost hypnotic rhythm.
Its power was mainly illusion and curse. It could amplify and distort carnal desires. It could also petrify the aroused target. And finally, it could curse targets and temporarily reverse their genders.
With these additional four puppets, his Jack Lantern form now commanded a full arsenal of bizarre power sets. Each puppet was useful on its own. But when they cooperated in their actions, they would be a nightmare for any opponent.
Beyond his puppet projects, Jack had attended the monthly Fateless Gathering twice. The meetings were always illuminating. A unique convergence of special individuals seeking esoteric knowledge.
For the Fateless, the gathering's host was a truly reliable source of information. She was Rainsister after all. The one known as the ancient Goddess of Knowledge.
The first-month meeting focused on mystical creatures. The topic was started by the Lingreen Twins, Adam and Alice. Rainsister answered their questions and ended up giving detailed explanations about the ecology of various rare beasts.
She spoke of the spike-tailed wyverns. About their hidden lairs in the Grimwood Forest. About their affinity for consuming raw mystic energy.
She outlined the migratory patterns of winter-whales in the northern currents. Explaining how their breath could crystallize into potent arcane reagents.
She talked about many other mystic beasts. She even touched upon the elusive phantasmal sprites. The mystical creatures that could only be perceived by those with heightened spiritual sight.
Jack absorbed it all. Cross-referencing her information with the what he had known from books and stories. Knowledge of the mystic beasts' locations and characteristics might be very useful later. A crucial advantage for future encounters.
The second gathering a month later shifted to the topic of runes. It was Baroness Artheim who initiated the discussion on this matter.
Rainsister meticulously differentiated between the ancient runes and their modern counterparts. She explained that ancient runes were raw and general. They were generally tied to the primordial, observable elements of the world.
They were more powerful than the current runes. Capable of bending reality with raw authority. However, they were incredibly difficult to adjust and could be very dangerous if they were misunderstood.
The current runes, she explained, were derivatives. They were more specific, simplified and standardized. They were designed for practicality. Their current widespread use in mystic art and steamrune technology was because they were far easier to understand.
They focused on specific functions like energy conduction, information storage, elemental manipulation; rather than broad, reality-altering or element-creation effects.
She gave many specific runes for examples. Her lecture opened new avenues in Jack's mind regarding the potential of his own steamrune projects. Hinting at the possibility of mixing the two types of runes.
Aside from these significant developments, life continued in a structured rhythm for Jack and Reina. Both of them maintained their daily routines. Reina with her intelligence gathering and charity projects. Jack with his steamrune designs, speedy vigilante actions, and invisible night patrols.
Other than that, they also seriously developed the Orchard within Jack's Mirror Mansion dimension. The mystical trees they acquired from Trentree Sanctuary were slowly maturing. They already produced fruits with unique magical properties.
Every morning and evening, the two of them were also dedicated some of their time to practice the martial art method they had recently acquired. The one with the deceptive title... the 'Dancing Principles'.
It was a movement method that looked graceful. But, it was actually a brutally precise and efficient combat style. Marked by its fluid, efficient, and elegant looking movement.
Jack and Reina spent most of their time these two months following their new rhythm of routine. Today, however, their usual routine was broken.
...
Late in the afternoon, as the sun was about to set in the western horizon, guests arrived.
It was Harold Mason, the logical Mystic Art Apprentice who had joined them on some cases previously. Nick Glaiver's best friend. He stood on their doorstep, accompanied by two older, distinguished men.
Jack immediately recognized the two men. They were Dr. Crafton and Professor Enderson. Both were lecturers from Lonestone Academy. Harold Mason's teachers.
Harold immediately greeted. "Mr. Night! Mrs. Night! I'm sorry to disturb you this time. I've brought Dr. Crafton and Professor Enderson here. They wished to speak with you."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "What the hell is with that Mr. Night thing, Kid? Why do you act like strangers? I've told you to just call our first names."
"Yep. What are you doing? Trying to impress your professors?" Reina added. She stood beside Jack with a faint smile. Her long dark hair was tied in a ponytail.
Harold just smiled awkwardly. "It's a formal visit. I've got to act the part."
Jack snorted and looked at the two other guests. "Professor Enderson! Dr. Crafton!" He greeted them. "It's nice to see you again. Please come in." He stepped aside. Gesturing them in.
The two professors entered. Dr. Crafton was an elderly man of precise movements and spectacles perched on his nose. Professor Enderson had similar scholarly air and wore similar spectacles. However, he was taller and more robust.
Once seated in their comfortable parlor, after Reina served tea, Professor Enderson began. He cleared his throat. "Mr. Night. Mrs. Night. Thank you for receiving us. This time, we come on behalf of Lonestone Academy, specifically the Mystic Art Department."
Jack inclined his head, waiting.
"Let me speak bluntly here." Enderson continued. "We wish to hire both of you."
He looked at the couple and continued. "Our final year students are about to undertake a significant practical project. This year, for a select group of twenty students, that project involves an exploratory expedition into a Spatial Realm."
Jack's interest was instantly piqued. "A Spatial Realm? Which one?"
"The Purplesky Realm." Dr. Crafton interjected in dry voice. "It is a relatively unexplored realm, known for its peculiar atmospheric phenomena and the unique flora and fauna that thrives under its purple skies."
Professor Enderson nodded. "Indeed. The realm is currently stable. But it is not completely safe. It presents numerous environmental challenges. And quite dangerous lifeforms."
Reina spoke in calm voice. "You wish to hire us as bodyguards, then." It was a statement. Not a question.
"Precisely, Lady Reina." Professor Enderson confirmed. "The Academy takes the safety of its students very seriously. For this reason, we are assembling a team of experienced transcendent guardians to accompany them. We require protection for these twenty students during their stay within the Purplesky Realm."
"How many guards?" Jack asked. Twenty students and an unsafe realm suggested a larger operation.
"Ten in total." Dr. Crafton said. Adjusting his spectacles. "We have already secured the services of eight other transcendent guardians. They are veterans of various expeditions. Skilled in combat and survival."
"Dr. Crafton and I would also join the exploration." Professor Enderson added. "We are not experts in combat, but we are quite proficient in Mystic Arts."
Two mystic scholars, eight other mercenaries, plus Jack and Reina. Twelve transcendent beings, responsible for twenty students. That was a significant protective detail. It hinted at the level of danger they expected.
Jack looked at Harold Mason. "Are you also in the project?"
The boy nodded with serious expression. "Nick, Alenna, and I will be in it."