Chapter 66: Selection
The murmurs in the foyer died the moment Raven stepped out of the living room. Dozens of hopeful faces turned toward him—some expectant, some nervous, all waiting for judgment.
"First of all," Raven said, his voice carrying easily across the marble hall, "thank you for coming here."
He let the silence settle before continuing. "Although many of you have good skills, I only need a few members to maintain this mansion."
Dozens shifted uneasily. Hope flickered and dimmed across faces like candles in a draft.
Raven's gaze swept over them and stopped.
"Emanuel. Step forward."
A young man with cropped blond hair stiffened, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Y-Yes, my Lord!" He stepped out of the line, posture rigid but trembling slightly.
Raven studied him for a beat, then smiled faintly. "I appoint you as the Butler of this house. Don't disappoint me."
Emanuel's eyes widened before he bowed deeply, relief and pride washing over his expression.
Raven turned his attention to the next candidate—a woman in her thirties, with dark hair that framed a calm, composed face. Her eyes, warm brown and intelligent, didn't waver when he met her gaze.
"Stephanie," Raven said, tone measured. "You'll serve as the housemaid."
Her breath hitched, then she dropped to one knee. "Thank you, my Lord."
Raven gave a small nod. Stephanie wasn't the most skilled, but the others carried shadows in their eyes—spies, opportunists, or worse. She would have to do.
His gaze flicked to the next group. "Briana, Kate, Lyra—step forward."
Two young women with jet-black hair and one older, silver-haired woman obeyed, bowing low.
"You two will serve as housemaids," he said, pointing toward the younger pair. "Lyra, you'll manage the kitchen."
All three voices overlapped. "Thank you, my Lord."
A few among the crowd sighed quietly, realizing their chances were over. But none dared speak.
"Jace," Raven called.
A round man with a flushed face and nervous smile shuffled forward. "Yes, my Lord?"
"You'll be the chef," Raven said, then added with a knowing smile, "and your wife, Lyra, will assist you in the kitchen. Don't disappoint me."
Jace blinked. His jaw went slack. "H-How…?"
He hadn't written her name anywhere on his application. A ripple of unease crossed the room. Raven didn't explain—his faint smile was answer enough.
Then his gaze landed on a boy standing near the end of the line. Red hair, worn clothes, and eyes that darted between the exits like a cornered animal.
'Do I need to hire him, Zera?' Raven thought, fingers brushing his monocle.
A faint hum resonated in his mind, and a translucent screen blinked into existence.
…
[Name: Roland]
Age: 14
Title: Gardener's Son
Traits: Bartering, Pruning and Trimming, Street Genius, Tool Maintenance
Past: Lost father a year ago. Supported by elder sister. Elementary education. Learned gardening from father.
Current Status: Nervous.
Attributes:
Strength – 0.6 | Agility – 0.7 | Vitality – 0.8 | Spirit – 1.0 | Luck – 1.1
Skills: None
Affinity:Time (Intermediate)
…
[People born with Time affinity are rare. Even at an intermediate level, he could one day wield the Star Constellation Book. If trained well, he'll be a fine strategist—a valuable ally during wartime.]
Raven's expression softened. 'Then he stays.'
"Roland," he said aloud, drawing every eye. "You'll tend the lawn and garden. Emanuel, teach him basic etiquette."
The boy blinked, disbelief written across his face before he hurriedly bowed. "Y-Yes, my Lord!"
Raven turned back to the crowd. "That's all the people I needed. Thank you for coming."
The disappointed shuffled feet filled the hall as the others filed out. None dared complain.
When the doors finally closed, only Raven and his chosen staff remained.
"Now," Raven said, hands clasped behind his back, "regarding your salaries. Emanuel and Stephanie—one gold and fifty silvers per month. Briana, Kate, Lyra, and Jace—one gold each."
His eyes landed on Roland. "You'll start with seventy-five silvers, boy. Learn well, and your pay will rise."
He pulled a leather pouch from his inventory and tossed it to Emanuel. The heavy jingle of coins drew quiet gasps.
"Fifty gold coins. Buy everything the mansion needs. Return what remains. Work together to clean and restore this place."
"Yes, my Lord!" they echoed in unison.
"I'll be in the living room. Wake me if there's trouble."
Raven turned, the tails of his coat sweeping lightly as he left. Within minutes, he was sprawled across the ornate sofa, sleep claiming him before he even realized it.
…
Three hours later, a sharp knock stirred him awake.
Raven blinked groggily. "What is it?"
Emanuel stood in the doorway, dressed impeccably in a black suit and tailcoat. The young man had clearly taken his new position seriously.
"My Lord," he said, bowing slightly. "Sepoy Mercenary Leader Jacob and his team are waiting in the guest room."
"Oh?" Raven stretched, rolling his shoulders. "When did they arrive?"
"Just moments ago. Shall I prepare a bath? The master bedroom is still under repair, but the guest room bath is functional."
Raven waved dismissively. "No need. I'll meet them soon."
Emanuel hesitated. "But, my Lord… it might leave a poor impression."
"They'll be staying here for a while," Raven said, tone light but firm. "Etiquette won't matter after that. Prepare rooms for them instead. I'll handle the contracts later."
"As you command."
Raven left the living room, passing through the quiet halls until he reached the study. The scent of old parchment and dust lingered inside. A table stood at the center, bookshelves lining one wall.
He closed the door, locked it, and dropped into the leather chair. A quick search of the drawer revealed a blank notebook.
"This should do," he murmured.
Then, closing his eyes, he entered the Memory Library.
…
He appeared in a vast, glowing archive—rows upon rows of shelves stretching into infinity.
Beside him, Zera materialized, silver hair shimmering, long ears twitching slightly.
[What are you looking for?] she asked, voice lilting.
"An Uncommon Spirit Technique," Raven replied, scanning the endless spines of books. "Where's it kept?"
[First floor. Come.]
They passed through sections labeled Alchemy, Rune Study, Spell Models, and finally stopped before a wall marked Physical and Mental Enchantments.
Raven frowned. "Only Common and Uncommon techniques here?"
[Naturally. This library has five floors. But with your current spirit power, you can only access this one—for now.]
"How many spirit points to reach the next?" he asked.
[Twenty. And even then, you'd last only a few minutes.]
"That's ridiculous," Raven muttered. "They're just books."
[Books that breathe with rule power. Touch the wrong one and your consciousness will burn. It's the same as standing before an Expert-ranked Walker's killing intent. You'd faint before you even realized it.]
Raven grimaced. "You make it sound like climbing a mountain barefoot."
[Then grow stronger, lad.]
He scanned the spines again. Lotus Bloom Spirit Absorption. Spectral Essence Gathering. Void Harmonization Technique.
Then his eyes stopped on one. Mystic Spirit Convergence.
'Fifty-four Uncommon, a hundred and fifty-nine Common,' Raven counted silently. 'That one should do.'
Zera nodded. [That technique's safe to share. The original was only a pseudo-Legendary rank.]
"What's the difference between Common and Uncommon techniques anyway?" Raven asked, flipping through the book.
[Common ones gather about 0.01 spirit points a day. Uncommon ones can exceed 0.04—and some help break soul shackles.]
"And Rare?"
[0.08 per day, sometimes 0.1. Epic Techniques? Half a point daily—if your soul survives the strain.] She shot him a look. [Which it won't. So don't try it.]
Raven smirked. "I have the Bloodline Devouring System to help me anyway."
Zera's expression darkened. [That system's not a gift without a price.]
Raven stilled. "Explain."
[Every time you absorb a creature's soul essence, you take in both the light and the dark. The more corruption builds, the stronger Casper becomes. If your soul rots too far, he'll consume you.]
Raven's fingers tightened around the book. "And you didn't tell me earlier because…?"
[Because it wouldn't have mattered. For now, focus on creating your elemental circles. We'll find a purification method later.]
He sighed and began memorizing the technique. For over an hour, the library's whispers filled the silence.
…
When his eyes opened again, the sky outside the window had darkened to twilight. He pulled the notebook closer and began to write, his pen scratching steadily.
After three hours, he closed the book. The Mystic Spirit Convergence Technique—copied and deliberately incomplete—was ready.
Raven leaned back, exhaling. "That should keep them busy."
Then he rose from the chair and stepped out of the study, shadows of the setting sun spilling across the hall as the mansion began to stir once more.