CHAPTER 110: AFTER THE FACTORY TOUR

The meeting room’s air hung heavy with the weight of Cayame’s proposal.

The second cube, its geometric patterns swirling like a cosmic puzzle, pulsed faintly on the pedestal.

Kivas’s halo flickered, her gaze fixed on the device as she weighed its implications. Samael and Oizys stood nearby, their expressions a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

Kivas spoke first, her voice calm but resolute. "It’s a tempting proposition, Lady Cayame. But I don’t think this is a path the Consortium wants to pursue."

Oizys tilted her head, her shadowy tendrils twitching slightly. "Are you sure about that, Kivas? It’s a rare opportunity."

Samael’s lips curved into a faint smirk, catching the undercurrent of Kivas’s hesitation. "She’s right to pass. The Antihetero Core is a beast of a project—too big for our research department’s current plans, or even what we’ve got lined up. We’d be stretched thin chasing it."

Oizys then realized what was going on and shut her mouth before she could retort. After all, Samael’s words about how the research department’s current plans won’t make space for the Antihetero Core project was such bullshit.

After all, Oizys was the self-proclaimed head of the research department, not Samael.

Cayame’s hawk-like eyes softened, though a flicker of disappointment crossed her face. "I understand. It’s a loss for the potential we could’ve shared, but I respect your decision. Monochara values the Consortium’s alliance regardless."

Kivas nodded, her halo steadying. "We’re grateful for the offer. And for your trust in sharing the Living Black Cloud schematic. That alone will keep us busy."

The tension eased, and Cayame gestured toward the door.

"Before you return to Vaingall, Monochara insists on honoring you properly. A grand ball is being prepared tonight—a celebration of our victory over the Nihil and the bonds we’ve forged."

Samael’s smirk widened. "Hmm, I think I know what this ball is all about."

Five hours afterward, a large section of Monochara’s bastion had been fully consumed by festivity, giving more colors than its current gothic black and white looming spires.

"Well, this is certainly quite the sight, alright," Blanchette commented.

The grand ballroom was a spectacle of gothic opulence, its vaulted ceiling shrouded in a haze of crimson and violet light filtering through towering stained-glass windows. Iron chandeliers, wrought like skeletal branches, cast jagged shadows across the polished obsidian floor.

The air thrummed with the low hum of soothing energy, mingling with the delicate strains of a string ensemble playing from a balcony above.

Tables draped in black velvet groaned under the weight of exotic dishes—roasted void-beast skewers, shimmering aether-infused wines, and crystalline fruits that pulsed faintly with inner light.

The room buzzed with voices, filled with meetings of Monochara’s elite and visitors from distant corners of Fathomi that just happened to be in the right time to be part of the Consortium and Monochara victory.

Kivas stood at the center of it all, radiant in a white noble dress that seemed to glow against the room’s dark grandeur.

The gown’s flowing silk hugged her form, its intricate embroidery tracing patterns of celestial motifs that mirrored her halo’s divine shimmer.

As the sovereign leader of the New Vaingall Consortium, she moved with effortless grace, her presence commanding yet approachable. Political figures, merchants, and high-grade Void Hunters gravitated toward her, drawn by her reputation and the Consortium’s growing influence.

A merchant from the distant Solvish Keep, clad in robes of sapphire and gold, bowed deeply. "Lady Kivas, your aid against the Nihil has bolstered trade routes after so many days of instabilities resulting from the bastion constantly trying to avoid its impending doom."

Kivas’s smile was warm but measured. "We just happen to be available in lending our helps, that’s all."

A high-grade Void Hunter, her armor adorned with a remarkable violet sheen. She was one of the people in the eradication phase that contributed greatly on the Monochara side.

"Does Vaingall accept a new citizen?" she flusteredly asked, appearing to be overwhelmed by Kivas’ divine presence and appearance.

"You can try visiting first before making a choice. However, we have no formal Void Hunter Guild established yet."

Before the conversation could deepen, a ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.

Samael entered, her presence cutting through the room like a blade.

She wore a noble outfit tailored for the occasion, but it leaned distinctly masculine—tight black trousers, a fitted coat of deep indigo, and a high-collared shirt accented with silver chains.

Her hair was swept back, emphasizing the sharp angles of her face alongside the magnanimity of her horns, and her deadpan expression carried a hint of mischief.

The crowd parted instinctively, some stepping back as her piercing gaze swept over them.

Samael approached Kivas, ignoring the nervous glances of the dignitaries. "You’re hogging all the attention," she said, her voice low and teasing. "Care to share the spotlight?"

Kivas’s smile widened, "Only if you can keep up."

She extended a hand, and Samael took it, leading her to the dance floor with a confidence that silenced the room.

The music swelled, a haunting melody that wove through the air like a living thing. Kivas and Samael moved in perfect sync, their steps fluid yet deliberate, as if the dance were an extension of their battlefield coordination.

The crowd watched, captivated, as Kivas’s gown flared with each turn, her halo casting faint glimmers across Samael’s sharp features.

"This timeline’s going better than I expected," Samael murmured, her lips close to Kivas’s ear. "No catastrophic resets yet. Almost makes me suspicious."

Kivas laughed softly, her voice a playful lilt. "Don’t jinx it. I’d rather keep dancing than having to start everything all over again. Then again, as long as I have you by my side~"

Samael’s smirk deepened. "Careful, Kivas. Keep talking like that, and I might think you’re enjoying this too much."

Their banter flowed effortlessly, laced with flirtation that drew curious glances from the onlookers.

Though most of the time, it was flirting.

After the dance finished, both of them bowed to each other. Timedly, Oizys entered the ballroom with as much impact as Samael’s.

Her outfit mirrored Samael’s masculine elegance—sleek black coat, crimson vest, and a single silver earring that caught the light—but her presence carried a sharper edge, her shadowy tendrils subtly coiling at her heels.

She strode directly to Kivas and Samael, her gaze locking onto Kivas with a predatory grin.

"Mind if I cut in?" Oizys asked, her tone daring as she extended a hand to Kivas, right in front of Samael.

Kivas hesitated, her eyes flicking to Samael, expecting a spark of conflict.

But Samael’s expression remained calm, almost amused. "Go ahead," she said, stepping back with a mock bow. "Just don’t dance too long. I’d hate to get bored."

Oizys simply lowered her eyelid, her voice dripping with humor. "No such thing as a dance too long in a ball like this, Samael."

Kivas took Oizys’s hand, her heart racing with a mix of amusement and apprehension. The music shifted to a slower, more intimate tune, and the two moved across the floor, their steps less polished than with Samael but charged with a different energy.

Oizys’s grip was firm, yet soft and careful, like tendrils subtly weaving around them, creating a private cocoon of shadow as new music weaved with a much slower pace and somber tone.

"You’re bolder than I expected," Kivas said, her tone teasing. "Challenging Samael like that."

Oizys leaned closer, her voice a low purr. "Life’s no fun without a little risk. Besides, there is no such a thing as bold action when it is about you."

Kivas’s cheeks warmed, and she laughed, caught off guard by Oizys’s brazen flirtation.

From the sidelines, Samael watched, her arms crossed and her smirk tightening into something closer to annoyance.

The crowd murmured, sensing the tension, but the dance continued, a delicate balance of charm and provocation.

When the music ended, Kivas stepped back, her halo pulsing brightly. "You’re in trouble, Oizys," she said, half-laughing.

"Always," Oizys replied, winking as she released Kivas’s hand.

Samael rejoined them, her tone dry. "Enjoyed your little rebellion?"

Oizys shrugged, unfazed. "Just keeping things lively."

The ball continued late into the night, a whirlwind of laughter, intrigue, and alliances forged over wine and dance.

Kivas navigated the remaining hours with grace, solidifying the Consortium’s standing among Monochara’s allies and Fathomi’s broader factions.

However, amongst all of these festivities, Cayame was nowhere to be found.

Kivas had her time unwrapping her divine influence over Monochara within the time she stayed there, and she had covered quite the areas within the bastion with her existential essence.

With it, she could farsight her perception to some of those lingering divinity, like how she did it with Vaingall.

Within a small section of the Monochara’s church, Cayame could be seen alone with the coffin of what appeared to be Vervendin Monarcha.

Kivas could only hope that this won’t turn into her problem somewhere in the future.

The return to Vaingall was swift.

Kivas stood in her chambers, the ever-shifting cube of the Living Black Cloud schematic floating above her desk.

Its smaller fragments orbited lazily, casting faint violet glimmers across the room’s sigil-etched walls—Vaingall’s Claturian aesthetic in full display.

Kivas’s gaze sharpened as she willed the cube to resonate, streams of holographic glyphs unfolding before her.

Equations, magical patterns, and philosophical notes danced in her vision, a treasure trove of knowledge waiting to be explored.

She leaned forward, her mind already racing with possibilities—new utilities, enhanced defenses, perhaps even a way to counter the unknown lurking behind the future’s aggression.

"Yeah," Kivas murmured with a grin. "We can definitely utilize this."

The victory in Monochara was a triumph, but the work was far from over. With the schematic in hand, Kivas knew the Consortium’s next steps could put itself into the map far wider than a mere nudge of the Karasu Association’s influence.