The Burning Fiend

Not many people were crazy enough to attack a metallic life form imprinted with the Fiend Castle ensign, so the return trip became quite boring. Reynolds spend 10 years analyzing the mist obtaining a few insights in what he thought was 'decay' before returning to fusing laws while leaving only his two Demigod avatars to ponder the Edicts.

During the last 5 years before his return to the Silver Grass City, he managed to find the starting point of fusion for 'Fire Elemental Essence', 'Flame Body' and 'Mirage' and smiled thinking that these two 3-way fusions will keep him occupied for decades. The clerk controlling the metallic life form had another divine avatar at the Fiend Castle, and he had already reported the events and the general failure of the main mission. The task management department was frustrated as the mission had to be reissued to another group while the people responsible for ranking the Fiends were discussing if killing two 4-star Fiends in an instant was enough to grant him the rank of a 6-star Fiend or if they should only award him with a 5-star Fiend medallion.

Reynolds was oblivious to all these, he had expected that the Fiend Castle would not care for the events, but he had never considered that he might be awarded with a higher rank. As they arrived in Silver Grass City, Reynolds made his way towards the Fiend Castle after thanking the clerk with a warm smile that would remain haunting him in his nightmares for a few centuries, so the clerk decided that he would not sleep until he was sure to have forgotten about this incident.

Reynolds entered the Fiend Castle and delivered the medallion along with the crystal orb full of gray mist to the attendant who appeared to be a young man with orange hair and an extremely bored expression. "You can take a seat, and we will inform you when your Fiend medallion is ready". His voice was as bored as his expression making Reynolds chuckle as he started talking with Koral through their soul contract.

"My beautiful horned wife, your husband will arrive in a while after receiving my Fiend medallion. Is everything all right with you and the girls?" He could feel Koral's happiness and playful mood as she replied. "The evil master is back! Did you bring us presents?" Reynolds almost laughed out loud at her response.

"I will show you how much of an evil Master I am in a few hours my little vixen". He answered teasingly as they keep playing for a while until the orange haired youth returned and started talking to him. "These are your medallions, bind both of them with blood, and we will keep one to know if you are alive if a customer ask about the status of a mission in progress. With the other medallion you can enter the task hall to select mission... and that would be all. Congratulations." His voice was so bored that Reynolds was sure it had to be an innate trait and Reynolds wondered what kind of creature the clerk was while chuckling, but a moment later he frowned when he saw that his medallion had 5 stars.

"Is this medallion correct? Shouldn't it be a 1-star medallion?" The orange haired man looked at the papers and shook his head. "I don't know about it... something about killing two 4-star Fiends with a glance, the medallion is correct. You can go now." The youth did not wait for an answer and returned to his seat ignoring Reynolds.

He chuckled again and made his way towards the courtyard deciding that tomorrow he would pay a visit to the Jadefloat Palace to sell his loot. He was happy to see his family after 30 years, and he smiled fondly when they greeted him warmly, even Catherine nodded at him before returning to her room.

They were happy to tell him about their boring life during the last 30 years that besides Talia becoming a Demigod though the 'Fire Elemental Essence' and Jenne reaching the prime saint level only a step behind becoming a Demigod, nothing important had happened. In return, he told them of his adventure and the trials, his words made them frown at being reminded how cruel and dangerous the Infernal Realm was.

It was not long before the girls started discussing among themselves to decide who was going to go with Reynolds to the Jadefloat Palace tomorrow. Jenne, Windsor and Talia formed a joint front to ban Koral and Rosarie who had already taken a turn to escape the 'courtyard prison', they reluctantly accepted defeat when Talia's eyes turned tearful and the discussion resumed a moment later with new intensity as the three remaining contestants argued among themselves.

Reynolds watched the process with amus.e.m.e.nt, but after a while he took Rosarie and Koral to his room to play while the three girls reached an agreement. He remembered his promise to show Koral how much of an evil Master he could be and Rosarie's complaints that it had nothing to do with her were completely ignored.

---

The next day Reynolds walked calmly while Windsor smiled happily by his side, his hand rested on her thin waist as they made their way slowly toward the Jadefloat Palace while making a few stops to look at a store where he took the opportunity to hug her from behind as she looked curiously at the items on display.

The clerk looked with jealousy as the beautiful red haired girl allowed that purple haired bastard to do as he wanted while they exchanged whispers, he was even more annoyed as they turned to leave without even buying anything while he started cursing under his breath. "Lucky bastard... but why do you need to come here to show off? Damn you!"

After a couple of hours of playing around they finally arrived to the Jadefloat Palace and made their way slowly towards the third floor, the two guards wearing the familiar green plate armor looked at him respectful after noticing the 5-star Fiend emblem on his c.h.e.s.t and made way for them to enter the third floor.

As look have it, they were received by the silver haired fox woman that they met a few decades ago. Her smile turned flirtatious after she noticed the 5-star emblem and asked with her melodious and alluring voice. "Dear guest, how can I help you today?" Reynolds had closed his eyes to enjoy the full effect of the innate alluring trait of her voice and smiled at her delivering two interspatial rings containing the divine sparks and artifacts he obtained on his trip to the 'Death Mist Grasslands'.

The fox lady soon was focused on counting the items and taking notes, before she turned her bright and inviting eyes towards him saying. "Our Jadefloat palace is willing to pay 14 million inkstones for these items. Dear guest, are you willing to sell?" Reynolds nodded and took the money before taking the 4 Purple Death Orchid seeds and asked. "Pretty thing, how much would you pay for these seeds?"

The silver haired beauty smiled and her eyes shinned brightly as she muttered to herself. "As expected of a 5-star Fiend, managing to obtain 4 Purple Death Orchid seeds..." She then focused on him again while giving an envious quick look at Windsor who was trapped in Reynolds arms as she looked curiously at the exchanged, Windsor smiled back at the silver haired girl.

"Dear guest, the price of this Purple Death Orchid seeds is 500,000 inkstones each. Of course if you have processed into decay poison then each bottle would sell for 750,000 inkstones. Do you wish to sell them?" Reynolds smiled while thinking. 'Just like a Highgod artifact... I should look for a few books that explain the processing of poisons, it might help me to gain insights on the Edicts'.

"I think I will keep them for now... thank you beautiful". He retrieved the seeds and made his way towards the adjacent hall, it would be a good idea to buy more amethyst and see if there are useful books.

"Master, that fox lady seemed to like you". Windsor's voice was pretending to be full jealousy as she increased her hold on his arm pressing the b.r.e.a.s.ts against it. Reynolds chuckled at her and kissed her forehead. "She is quite a beauty, if I were still that young lad, that you met those centuries ago, I would not have hesitated to capture her. But now I don't feel like is worthy... I might just make you change your appearance to look like her to have fun for a few hours". He chuckled satisfied at the scared expression on Windsor's face, and he kissed her forehead again.

They soon bought another hundred amethyst before making their way towards the area where book were on display, and soon an old looking man with a long gray beard approached them. 'Perhaps he thinks that looking old goes in harmony with selling books?' Reynolds thought amusingly as he said to the old man.

"Hello, I wonder if you have books that describe the refining process for decaying poisons, soul poisons and perhaps life pearls?" The man blinked surprised and started going through some boxes looking for a book, if the store were on the commercial area, the clerk would have asked to see the money first as the book were quite expensive. But they were on the third floor of the Jadefloat Palace and the person asking had a 5-star Fiend emblem on his c.h.e.s.t.

"Sir, this book describes the process of refinement for a few poisons, decaying and soul poisons included. The price is 500,000 inkstones... for the moment I do not have books describing the process of creating life pearls". Reynolds nodded examining the book before paying the man.

"I think this book would be useful for me and Jenne, perhaps she would be able to become a Demigod sooner if she gains inspiration from this, don't you think". Reynolds said as he rested his arm on Windsor's waist and added in a whisper while biting her ear. "Did you memorize the appearance of the fox woman?" He chuckled while Windsor's face turned red.

"M-master... I-I don't want to!" Windsor's voice was truly unwilling making Reynolds chuckle and without releasing her, he gave her a gentle spank while saying. "Bad Windsor". And then laughed out loud as they made their way home while Windsor directed an aggrieved look at him realizing she had being played.