​As the gilded elevator doors slid open at the base of the spire, Finn expected to see a traditional carriage, perhaps pulled by high-grade magical beasts given the wealth on display so far.

​But instead, waiting for them was a dedicated station platform and a sleek, enclosed pod crafted from polished mahogany and glass. It rested on a single, glowing metallic rail that stretched out into the district, disappearing between the manicured trees and towering walls of the upper city.

​There were no horses or beasts of burden whatsoever, it was just a pod, sitting silently on the track.

​It looks like a cable car, Finn thought, fighting the urge to raise an eyebrow. Or a monorail.

​The design was quaint and relatively simple-looking, yet the glowing light radiating from the tracks beneath it suggested a complexity that rivaled high-grade combat artifacts.

Within Finn's knowledge, he knew no other method Arcanists created Artifacts besides nurturing it themselves. So, the fact this was laid down all the way through the district, and evidently glowed like an artifact, made Finn know this must've been very expensive, considering it must be bound to an Arcanist — most likely a powerful one too.

​Steward Valerius gestured for them to enter. The interior was plush and tailored to comfort, with silk seats that faced each other. As soon as they were seated, the vehicle hummed to life and immediately began to glide forward, rapidly picking up speed without so much as a single jolt.

It's wafting… Finn thought with a trace of a smile, remembering the term used to describe this same smooth transport experience back on earth. Especially with luxury sedans.

​Valerius, noticing Finn's smile, and his gaze tracing the passing scenery and the mechanism of the track, offered a polite, explanatory smile. His attitude had shifted perceptibly since the incident on the landing pad. He now treated them not as just regular Initiate Grade Ossuarists, but as valid, esteemed guests.

​"This is a Spirit-Way Carriage," Valerius explained smoothly. "It is a dedicated transport artifact line exclusive to the Upper District. It allows for rapid, private travel between the major estates without the indignity of traffic."

​He gestured vaguely toward the distant, lower tiers of the island visible through the downward sloping gaps in the architecture.

​"In the middle and lower districts, they utilize a… coarser version. Larger, connected carriages linked together in chains to transport the masses. They are efficient, certainly, but quite slow and crowded. Here, privacy and speed is valued above all."

​Finn nodded slowly, maintaining his noble facade while internally processing the information. Well, what do you know? They have trains too... Except, they're just magical ones…

​As the carriage glided effortlessly along the rail, they passed by other colossal estates, and Valerius dutifully pointed them out like a tour guide.

​"To the left, the estate of the Rothsman Family, primarily dealers in raw magical materials. To the right, the summer residence of the Grand Duke Bolton of Mechanus…"

​But it was when they finally slowed down, approaching a colossal set of gates wrought from black iron and gold, that Finn truly felt his jaw threaten to drop.

​"And here we are," Valerius announced with a swell of pride. "The Feuguer Family Estate."

​If Finn had thought his own family's estate — the Slade Estate back in Aethelos — was extravagant, he was abruptly and brutally humbled.

​The gates opened to reveal not just an estate, but a literal city within a city.

​The estate was enclosed by high walls, but within those walls lay a vast landscape that seemed to defy architectural logic. To one side, there were rows of Victorian-style manors with golden-colored roofs and meticulously trimmed gardens, looking like a visage ripped out of an old European city.

​But mere hundreds of meters away, separated by a man-made river that meandered through the estate, was a dedicated business district — an internal business district, filled with tall, extravagant towers gleaming with glass and enchanted stone.

​It was like a self-contained world for the Feugeurs. They had residential zones, business towers, lawns that were large enough to be called parks, and even what looked like a private research facility, all housed within the boundaries of a single family's estate...

​The Slade estate is basically a mud hut compared to this, Finn thought in awe. This estate had been built such that any of the Feugeurs could decide not to leave the estate for a whole year, or even longer, and it wouldn't impact them in any way. Every single thing was available here.

This was a level of extravagance Finn didn't think any family in Aethelos could match… Maybe except the Queen herself, as Finn hadn't been to Queen's City at all.

Finn was lost in his own thoughts, admiring the estate as the​ Spirit-Way carriage glided further in, bypassing the business towers and the main Victorian manors, heading toward a secluded, lushly vegetated zone near the rear cliffs.

​It finally came to a smooth halt in front of a breathtaking structure.

​The Emerald Villa, Finn realized without needing to be told. Because, ​true to its name, the villa was immediately identifiable by its masterpiece of green emerald-stone and white marble. It almost didn't look built, but rather, sculpted by a master artisan.

A dedicated team of servants, lined up in two perfect rows, bowed low in unison as the carriage doors opened.

​"Welcome, Preceptor," a head butler standing at the fore of the rows of servants, greeted reverently, stepping forward as the Preceptor exited the carriage. "We have awaited your arrival."

​They were received as if they were kings. Showing just how much importance the Feugeur family head placed on them — or rather the Preceptor.

The head butler and Valerius exchanged a few words, before leading the Ossuarists into the exquisite villa. ​"Your quarters have been prepared in the East Wing, overlooking the private gardens," the head butler said smoothly, gesturing to a grand archway. "The family Master will be expecting you, Preceptor, at the Twilight Banquet which is set to begin in four hours. A separate carriage will be sent to collect you then."

​"Leave us," the Preceptor commanded with indifference, but nodded to show he had acknowledged the information.

Neither Valerius nor the head butler hesitated. They both bowed deeply and retreated, signaling the array of servants to vanish into the shadows of the house, leaving the three Ossuarists alone in the overwhelming luxury of the villa.

​Preceptor Elias walked over to a massive, floor-to-ceiling window that offered a panoramic view of the estate and the city of Xanth beyond. He stared out for a long moment with his hands clasped behind his back, seemingly unimpressed by the billions of gold coins' worth of architecture surrounding him.

​"You handled that well earlier," he said suddenly, without turning around.

​Finn blinked, realizing the Preceptor was referring to the landing pad incident.

​"Arrogance and haughtiness are common diseases among the talented," the Preceptor continued, turning to face them. "When faced up against such, it is best addressed early, and with overwhelming force."

​Finn allowed himself a small smile. "I didn't think they would react so strongly. They could barely even move..."

​"That much is expected. Your soul density is surprisingly high for your age," the Preceptor said, but didn't seem surprised, as if he had known the whole time, or perhaps Finn's 'high' soul density wasn't worth mentioning in his eyes.

Still, he gave Finn a curt nod to show that he approved.

"But do not let that encounter get to your head. There are more capable Arcanists than those two, who will resist the call of your Soul Edict fairly easily," the Preceptor warned. "While I agree that you address haughty individuals with overwhelming force, you must also be mindful enough to gauge the strength of your opponent—"

​The Preceptor spread his hand in a grasping motion and pulled out two small, metallic-looking soul masses from his shadow. They looked like scarab beetles, with dull, shadowy-black iron for carapaces.

​"—In which case," he tossed one to Finn and one to Althea. They caught them easily.

​"Tracking bugs?" Althea asked, turning the shadow beetle over in her hand.

​"Safety measures," the Preceptor corrected. "Attach them to your shadows. They are soul masses that contain a trace of my soul essence. If you are in danger that you cannot handle, destroy it. I will know instantly."

​Finn eagerly dropped the beetle onto his shadow that was cast on the floor, and immediately, at the edges of his mind, he felt it 'ask' his permission to latch onto the periphery of his soul to allow integration into his shadow.

Finn watched with intrigue as immediately he allowed it, the beetle blended into his shadow seamlessly, disappearing without a trace. But Finn could still very clearly sense it.

Damn. This old guy has so many cool stuffs. Finn couldn't help but wonder just how extensive the Preceptor's soul register was. He had to have lots of soul masses bound to him for sure — Powerful soul masses.

Perhaps overzealously, or maybe just in a sense of competition, the thought made Finn wonder just how he compared to the Preceptor in that regard. There were still nineteen soul masses that remained dormant within him, thirteen of which were apparently stronger than Syf.

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