Watching Eina nearly skip away with excitement, the amiable smile on Royman's face gradually faded, replaced by the shrewd calculation of a merchant appraising a rare treasure.
He was greedy, indulgent, and addicted to pleasure, but that didn't mean he was a fool. On the contrary, his competence as the Guild Master was unquestionable.
He had recognized the Focalors Familia's potential the moment the War Game began. The young man named Aiden, in particular, had been his primary target of interest.
In Royman's eyes, any Familia with the potential to grow into a pillar of the city was worth investing in and supporting early on. He had always kept the door wide open for top-tier factions like the Loki Familia and Freya Familia—those who actually stood a chance at defeating the One-Eyed Black Dragon and completing the Three Great Quests. Even when they crossed the line or broke the rules, he generally turned a blind eye.
Now, a new opportunity had presented itself.
This nascent faction, the Focalors Familia, was displaying the terrifying potential to become a top-tier Familia.
Having the chance to make them owe the Guild a favor was something he was thrilled about. Why would he ever offend future powerhouses over petty, short-term profits? If Royman lacked that kind of foresight and political finesse, he would never have sat in the Guild Master's chair for so long.
He glanced back at the documents on his desk. Aiden's file lay right on top.
Originally, he had several suspects for the recent anomalies in the Dungeon—the emergence of bizarre, unheard-of monster species. But now, after witnessing the War Game and seeing Aiden's incomprehensible magic firsthand, he was absolutely certain: the root cause of the Dungeon's mutation was this young boy.
However, this mutation was a good thing.
The materials dropped by these new monsters were extremely valuable and had already triggered a minor economic boom in Orario. Therefore, not only did he have no intention of making things difficult for Aiden, but he also planned to heavily invest in him. He wanted to place his bets early, using favors and mutual interests to firmly tie this future titan to the Guild's chariot.
That way, once the Focalors Familia fully matured, the Guild would actually be able to direct them when dealing with troublesome issues. Otherwise, they would end up just like the current Loki and Freya Familias—forces the Guild had absolutely no control over.
Granted, the Loki Familia was still manageable. That Prum, Finn, knew his boundaries and was generally cooperative. But the Freya Familia... they were the ultimate nightmare for any administrator.
Royman had zero desire to personally nurture a second Freya Familia. One was already enough of a headache.
.....
Eina practically jogged all the way back, her face flushed with uncontainable excitement and wonder.
"Oh gods, you will never guess what just happened!" she exclaimed the moment she burst through the door.
When she relayed the Guild Master's decision in full detail, even the perpetually composed and elegant Robin was visibly astonished.
"The Guild didn't just buy back the Apollo Familia's headquarters at an above-market rate, but they're even actively providing a vacant plot of land in a prime location of the First District? This... this is far too generous," Robin murmured, massaging her temples in disbelief. "This completely contradicts the public reputation of that Guild Master. Did the sun rise in the west today?"
"Don't worry about it," Aiden said, having fully expected this outcome. He waved his hand with a light chuckle. "That Guild Master is a shrewd man. He's just investing in us early, wanting us to owe him a favor. But hey, if they're handing out free real estate, I'm not going to say no."
With the decision finalized, the group followed Eina to the designated plot in the First District.
The land was exactly as Royman had described—an exceptional location. While it wasn't situated in the absolute peak commercial center, the surrounding environment was serene, the transportation was convenient, and the overall square footage was massive.
More importantly, their neighbors were extraordinary.
"That estate to your left is the headquarters of the city's largest agricultural faction, the Demeter Familia. It's called the Wheat House," Eina explained, pointing toward a magnificent structure practically overflowing with natural vitality and abundance.
The "Wheat House" was less of a traditional building and more of a fully integrated ecological manor. The main structure was a luxurious three-story mansion built from warm, beige stone and high-quality timber, its walls completely draped in vibrant ivy. Through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, warm lights glowed from within. Surrounding the mansion were meticulously planned fields and massive glass greenhouses, overflowing with exotic plants that emitted a refreshing, sweet fragrance.
On the other side of their plot stood a building of a vastly different architectural style.
"And over there... is the property currently managed by the Guild. It's the former headquarters of the Familia of Justice, the Astrea Familia—the Stardust Garden," Eina's voice instinctively lowered in reverence.
The Stardust Garden was a temple-like structure constructed entirely from flawless white marble. Its lines were clean and solemn, with countless stone pillars carved with stars and scales supporting a towering dome. Though it was now empty and its grand doors tightly shut, one could still feel its past glory and majesty radiating from the pristine walls and carefully manicured courtyards.
It stood there like a silent giant, quietly reciting an epic tale of justice and sacrifice.
Aiden's gaze deepened as he looked at the Stardust Garden.
What a coincidence... The new Familia of Justice is about to build its headquarters right next door to the former Familia of Justice. The threads of fate were truly fascinating.
The rest of the group was equally satisfied with the location. After all, this was the prime real estate of the First District; anyone who could own land here was a major player. One look at their neighbors proved it: on one side was a crucial pillar of the city's economy, and on the other was a top-tier faction that was once second only to Loki and Freya.
With the site confirmed, Eina immediately led them to the industrial zone in the Second District, arriving at one of the massive workshops owned by the Goibniu Familia.
When the dwarf master craftsman was shown the romantic, fantasy-style blueprints of the Palais Mermonia—personally drafted by Furina—his eyes practically lit up.
"No problem, we'll take this job." The dwarf patted his broad chest, guaranteeing their work. Considering the Focalors Familia was currently the most famous group in the city and had just absorbed all of the Apollo Familia's assets, there was no way they couldn't afford to build a headquarters.
"Based on the craftsmanship and material requirements listed in the blueprints, we estimate that building this 'Palais Mermonia' will take roughly one month."
The dwarf offered a shocking timeline.
"One month!?" Aiden and the others wore expressions of sheer astonishment. That was far faster than they had anticipated. They had fully prepared themselves to wait half a year or more. After all, building a castle-style headquarters from scratch was no small project.
Seeing their shocked faces, the burly dwarf puffed out his chest and laughed boisterously. "Youngsters, you underestimate the prowess of the Goibniu Familia! It's just a single headquarters. If you're really in a rush, I can have the boys work some overtime and we'll have it done in half a month!"
"No, no, no, a month is perfectly fine! No need for overtime!" Aiden frantically waved his hands in refusal.
Are you kidding me? Do you think overtime pay is free? His internal abacus was clicking furiously. The vast majority of the funds they earned from crushing the Apollo Familia had to be poured into constructing this new headquarters. The remaining budget had to be used to buy top-tier equipment for Robin, Jeanne, Tifa, and Hyacine.
Better staves, sturdier armor, and custom-tailored Magic Dresses—every single one of those items was a bottomless money pit. Not to mention, he also needed to replace his own weapon with something capable of withstanding his magic. The Fire Spirit Sword Lefiya had gifted him was on the verge of an honorable retirement.
Right now, every single Valis saved was a victory.
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