Rise of the Weakest Summoner

Asterios and Irelia walked past the castle grounds and entered the Old Town. The young Knight had only a few more questions regarding the topic of his connections since she had been filled in on most details. Many of those questions helped her formulate a proper explanation for her parents rather than satisfy her own curiosity. He could see how hard she was thinking as they strolled through the streets.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the residence of the Richtenstein family and the two parted ways with polite nods, Irelia throwing a respectful bow into the mix too. That made a few people glance their way, but it was only the travelers who usually showed any reactions or interest in the duo. The residents already knew about the growing Knight sworn to him and most of them admired the little lady for her maturity and composure.

Turning around, Asterios spotted a figure in one of the windows. It appeared to be Marquess Richtenstein, luckily catching them at the moment of their return. The man didn’t make his presence known but silently observed both his daughter and his new lord. 

The satisfied smile on Irelia’s father’s lips was hard to miss and Asterios couldn’t help but roll his eyes. While Wilhelm wasn’t too pushy or aggressive with his wishes, it wasn’t a secret how much the Marquess wanted Irelia to get closer to Asterios and the girls. In some way, he would technically be getting his wish if his wife didn’t have anything to say about her daughter’s desire to serve under a magical contract, without getting in on the actual details yet, of course.

Thankfully, Irelia herself didn’t seem to be infatuated with him and instead was driven by her gratitude and respect for Asterios. As he had said, she still had plenty of opportunities ahead of her, including those for relationships. Especially considering the fact that school years were usually the best time for friendly encounters and forming bonds and friendships that lasted for life. Simply look at Asterios and Tina or so.

He hoped that with such a diverse cast of teachers, students, subjects, and themes throughout his three institutions, school life would be something truly exciting for all the involved students. Asterios and Tina would certainly make sure that everything worked properly, without incidents like those in Rosewind. That was why the faculty was being carefully handpicked. And they still had a lot of time before finalizing everything.

Nevertheless, as long as Wilhelm wasn’t going to try and influence Irelia’s path more than just offering the young girl guidance, it was all fine. To some extent, the man wanted the best for his daughter and that was understandable. Sometimes, that didn’t align with the person’s own plans and desires and could lead to a bit of a conflict of interest, but Asterios didn’t think either of the Richtensteins would ever treat their beloved daughter unfairly after their past behavior. From what he could see, they were doing their best to make it up to her and would most likely continue that for a long time.

Leaving the premises of Irelia’s home, Asterios headed for the Adventurer’s Guild. The building was bustling with life as it always had after the many big events and changes in the vicinity of Glimmervale. It was hard to move through the crowd without causing a ruckus with his presence, but he somehow managed to slip by more or less unnoticed. At least no one had shouted out at the sight of him, which was fortunate.

Arriving at the counters, he saw Truvi just coming back from her break and opening her station once more. Being near enough, Asterios walked up to her as the first person to approach and waved warmly at his dwarf friend, who smiled happily in response.

“Ay, My Lord, do ya need help with a commission?” she asked cheerfully. “Ya’re lucky as I just came back from da lunch.”

He chuckled softly and shook his head. “I’m only passing by and saw that you weren’t yet swamped with work. How is it going?”

“Ah, same old.” Truvi flicked her hand dismissively. “But I love it so I can’t complain. How can we help ya, then?”

“I’m going to talk with the guildmaster about the dungeon so there isn’t much. I’m glad to hear that you are still passionate about this. We’ve been getting more and more adventurers from afar and I bet it’s tough handling all of them. Especially when some might even come from your previous post,” Asterios replied.

“Yah, that actually happened already.” The short woman rolled her eyes and snickered after. “Ya should have seen da bastard’s face when I chewed him inside out and spat on the side. It’s so refreshing not having to worry about an angry supervisor breathing down yer neck for every little thing. Ah, of course, am not being rude to everyone, only those pricks who think they are hot shit.”

He smirked. “I’m aware. It’s alright. You know we want our receptionists to feel comfortable and valued so they are allowed to defend themselves verbally if necessary. It’s a privilege for the adventurers to be here and speak to them, not the other way. It should always have been like in a bar, where the rowdy and unruly bunch gets thrown out of the window the moment they cross the line.”

“Yer da best boss a lady would want.” Truvi laughed cheerfully. “I have a feeling this little nation is going to be legendary with ya at its top.”

“We shall see. That is definitely much more complex than looking after a single guild.” Asterios shrugged noncommittally.

“So… What about yer trip to my homeland?” The dwarf girl glanced up at his face.

“Nothing new yet. It’s on our list. We have lots to do before. It will happen, that’s for sure,” he answered. “Do you have anything to add?”

“Nothing new here too. Am just curious. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be able to help out much besides explaining more about things and culture. My family isn’t that high up. But, I do have some recommendations for places to visit and people to meet. Should be able to make some valuable introductions, though.” Truvi tapped her cheek.

“Any little tidbit is appreciated. And you don’t want to leave, right?” Asterios queried.

“Nah. My place is here. I have already warned ya that most of my kin is insufferable, both toward da outsiders and their own. And especially to those who left our sacred profession behind in favor of a different occupation.” She sneered.

“Understandable. We’ll speak more about it before we are ready to go. Thanks for everything and have fun working.” He bumped fists with the cute dwarf and unblocked the queue building up behind him.

Sneaking past everyone, Asterios made his way to the guildmaster’s office and entered after being invited inside. Suanori was looking out of the window at that moment and turned to him with a soft expression.

“I was briefly scared that the massive tremors would level a few buildings, but the final effect was certainly worth it. Seeing the walls slide down and then up was shocking,” she said.

“I’m more impressed by the flat hills for the academies. Those required a lot more finesse. It’s like they are finely sculpted for their specific needs and themes,” he responded.

“I shall take a look after work, then.” The elf woman nodded. “How may we help you today?”

“How is the dungeon? And the encampment? Nothing to report?” Asterios moved further in and plopped down on one of the chairs in front of her desk.

Suanori followed suit, additionally pouring them a rosy drink. “There’s always something to report, just usually not really worth your time or attention. I’m happy to share that the number of critical injuries or even deaths has finally decreased. Kori is learning quickly with Umbra’s assistance. Of course, it can’t be blamed for people being idiots or biting more than they can chew and I don’t mean to complain about this.”

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I can’t imagine what it would be like if we didn’t have limited access and everyone was able to go in at any time. It’s okay. Some accidents are unavoidable. I don’t like to say it but maybe even beneficial as the more hardened veterans won’t think the dungeon is way too easy and completely ignore it.”

“At one point in the future, Kori will be able to kick everyone’s ass without killing them. Right now, Umbra still needs to supervise it quite often and intervene from time to time.” The guildmaster smirked in amusement.

Asterios did the same. “People will get so mad, thinking that the dungeon is mocking them, leaving them alive so that they can grow stronger and try again. It’s an interesting strategy. As long as the rewards are adequate.”

“I saw some while checking on the appraiser’s work. The items seem good. They still need a bit of work but Kori is gradually getting there. I’m fairly sure every single time slot is booked for two weeks ahead. The town is earning a fortune just from everyone staying at the inns and impatiently waiting for their turn,” Suanori mused. “What are your plans now?”

He shrugged. “I might take a trip into the dungeon to see the changes. Today seems to be a day of wandering around examining the progress we made.”

“Stop by the camp, then. Miria and Selene should be on site, helping at the pavilion. The sweet panthergirl is doing a lot and deserves some appreciation. She’s a hard worker and took to her new tasks lightning fast. We could use more people like her amongst our ranks.” The elf lady smiled kindly.

“Got it. I always knew she would fit. Someone this excited about adventuring was bound to be amazing. Let’s just hope the people don’t get too used to her as I’m sure Miria would never miss another adventure with us. She isn’t the type to settle down this early.” Asterios chuckled and saw agreement in the guildmaster’s eyes.

Exchanging a few more pleasantries and listening to a bunch of little things she was willing to share with him regarding the recent happenings at the guild, Asterios left Suanori to her work, jumping through the shadows straight to the edge of the encampment.

Though, it could hardly be called one now. Over a few weeks, many wooden cabins and other structures had been finished, not to mention the paved paths and stone tiles. There still were some tents here and there, including the guild’s pavilion, but even those were somehow reinforced. The Dungeon Village was coming up nicely.

And so, the number of people milling about was also much higher than during the first days. The dungeon wasn’t yet freely accessible, but Suanori gradually increased the limit of access day after day alongside rotating it. Not everyone passed the necessary qualifications, but with this many new arrivals, she didn’t lack volunteers.

Entering the fancy pavilion, Asterios observed the receptionists at work for a moment. Even though the whole place looked extremely busy, the staff managed to keep the order at a decent level. He didn’t spot anyone causing too serious trouble and even witnessed one of the smiling advisors shut her bitching charge up with an accurate riposte, stunning them completely. People didn’t expect those nice ladies to snap back at them no matter how much bullshit they threw at the receptionists.

A male member of the staff came to their spot to make sure that nothing more serious developed from the incident and the rude guy was escorted outside to cool down a little. That was when Asterios realized he knew the Nightstalker man as his dark blue skin and pupilless eyes were rather recognizable. It was Dave, the same person who had appraised Ast’s loot from one of the dungeons.

As the demon started returning to his post somewhere on the side, Asterios followed him and politely approached the man the way he could take notice. He did and his eyes widened as recognition dawned on him. With a small smirk, he put his fists on his hips and waited.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Lord. I’m honored.” Dave bowed his head. “Quite a promotion since the last encounter, isn’t it? I wasn’t even aware the guild’s ranking ladder went so far up.”

“What can I say? I guess I always liked to aim big, just lacked a few things to achieve that.” Asterios chuckled.

“I knew there was something wrong with you the moment I saw that armor.” The appraiser shook his head. “I had a hunch you might end up quite high on our scale, but not like this. Are you even still an S-rank?”

“Technically, but I’ve heard something about them wanting to push me into EX-rank or higher now.” Asterios scratched his cheek.

“A king and an EX-rank, what a combination.” Dave snickered. “Never imagined I would find myself amidst something like that.”

“I see the two of you have already met,” a familiar voice joined them and they both turned to see Venera by their side.

“Nice to see you, Ven.” Asterios exchanged smiles with the blonde receptionist. “Just barely, but yes. I’m glad you were able to make things work out in the end. We can now rest easy knowing that our place is supported by an experienced appraiser.”

“Oh, stop it. I heard you can identify any object through solid walls just by sensing it nearby.” The man snorted.

Venera let out a soft giggle. “Or obliterate any boss with a flick of a finger. Just splash, nothing but a stain.”

“Yeah? Sounds like some creative rumors about me are circulating.” Asterios rolled his eyes. “I might have something that helps me look into stuff, but I’m nowhere close in terms of know-how or experience. Don’t let them make me into some kind of a god, please.”

“It might be too late for that.” Dave grinned. “But, don’t worry. I think making you into a Dragon is much more probable. We’ll see if we ever reach the next level.”

“That I can see happening much more likely considering all the decorations around Glimmervale and the other themed things,” Asterios replied, amused by the whole situation.

“Being called the Dragon Lord of the Dragon Valley certainly doesn’t help,” Ven added.

“Guilty as charged. Miria is crazy about them and I guess I have a sweet spot for the charming panthergirl.” He spread his arms in mock resignation, making the other two laugh softly.

“I’m starting to wonder who runs this nation.” The Nightstalker guy patted Asterios on the shoulder.

“If you figure that out, let me know.” They laughed once more at his ridiculous reply. “Speaking of which, I was on my way to find one of the potential candidates. Miria’s still here?”

“She is.” Venera nodded lightly. “They should be in the main office with Selene.”

“Alright. It was nice talking to you two. I assume I’ll see you around now that you have properly moved in.” He shook hands with the appraiser and placed a polite kiss on the back of Ven’s palm before escaping.

More people were starting to gather around them and recognize him so it was the best moment to retreat.

Just as he was going to open the door, someone pulled it in and almost crashed into him with a yelp.

“Ah!”

“Careful,” Asterios cautioned and caught the wooden trunk a certain black-haired Pantherkin almost dropped on contact.

“Master!” Miria beamed at him right after catching her balance.

She immediately snuggled to his side and began nuzzling her cheek into his, purring contentedly. Chuckling to himself, he led them both back inside so as not to cause a scene. A smirking Selene greeted them as the fox lady stood in front of the desk with her arms crossed.

“I told you to focus a little before something like this happens,” she said with a gentle sigh.

“Sorry!” Miria giggled timidly.

“And now, don’t forget what you were doing.” Selene squinted at her playfully.

“Oh, right!” The panthergirl stopped her affectionate rubs and stepped away. “I apologize, Master, but I have to go. We can snuggle later, yes?”

“And where are you in such a hurry to?” Asterios raised a curious brow at her.

“I’m guiding a new group through the dungeon today. They aren’t too experienced but show great promise. I’m going in to watch over them and give some advice if I think of something,” she explained joyfully.

Nodding proudly, he pulled his lovely mate for a tender kiss and Miria melted into him for a few seconds. When he gestured at her with his eyes to go on, she grinned warmly and snuck three more pecks onto his cheek before rushing out like wind.

“I didn’t think she could get even more lively,” Selene commented after her sister-mate was gone.

“Or adorable,” Asterios added and they shared knowing glances. “I heard her talk about offering some guidance before but it looks like it’s a lot of fun for her.”

“I’ll admit that it was my idea after Suanori let the first lower-ranked teams into the dungeon, and I mean people around C and D-rank, depending on their circumstances. It might have been a mistake as I completely lost her in a matter of days.” The mature foxgirl smirked impishly.

He moved closer and wrapped his arms around the tall beauty’s waist, threading his fingers through her fluffy tail. Selene exhaled blissfully and rested her chin on his shoulder, leaving herself in his arms almost as much as Miria had. Her quiet humming was just as cute too.

“I’ll have to reward you properly for taking such great care of your sister-mate,” he whispered into her long ear. “Is there anything else I should know about so that I can praise my gorgeous vulpine goddess more?”

“There might be.” Selene released a pleased sigh. “I’ve been talking with Lerisse about something.”

“Uh oh.” Asterios had a feeling it was something rather outrageous again.

“Our people are already growing accustomed to calling me the Destined One or even the Goddess’ Descendant and treating me like the Fox Goddess herself, so the two of us came up with a plan for me to lean into that while introducing you as our generous draconic patron and guardian,” the vulpine lady explained amidst her relaxed breathing. “With enough time, our community could pledge loyalty to you.”

“I had a feeling it was something like that,” he mused. “I don’t know if I should praise or admonish you for abusing your position to chain another group to my rule.”

“It’s not like they won’t benefit from it, my Lord,” she responded and brought her face back to look at him directly with a delicate expression. “We would be finally able to reveal how much your knowledge helped develop a few things on our side. It’s not just Ronye whose progress quickened greatly.”

“You are aware that you would be putting them against Kaguya in case she and Red ever return there, right?” Asterios inquired.

Selene scoffed softly. “She is already dead according to our people. She left without a word, abandoning them. And we do have some dirt on her too if you remember. Hardly anyone of the current generation would follow someone like that. It might have been different in the past, but today is today.”

“And you wouldn’t have left at a moment’s notice for me?” he asked knowingly.

“Of course I would.” His lips were instantly stolen by the fox-eared beauty. “But I would have informed and instructed others about it. She was a Matriarch.”

“And will you have to be one to carry out your plan?” Asterios moved one hand to caress her cheek.

“Not necessarily. We decided that it would be good for the Eternal Guardian position not to be interconnected with the Matriarch. That way, it will be easier to leave the community in the Matriarch’s hands in case something comes up for the Guardian to travel off-world. It will be like a wise, powerful elder watching over the clan without interfering much besides protecting their kin,” she expanded further on the matter.

“And what’s my role in all of that?” he pondered out loud.

“My spiritual mate, of course.” The corner of her mouth lifted a little. “And one of the most powerful beings they would know besides me. A being that might one day unite our whole realm like a true Dragon Emperor.”

“Now, now. We are getting quite ahead of ourselves, aren’t we?” Asterios snickered. “We aren’t even half done with our kingdom and you are already shooting for an empire? Baby steps, Selene, baby steps.”

“Weren’t we supposed to wait a little longer to hear those?” she questioned innocently, tilting her head.

He groaned, making her chuckle charmingly and peck his cheek.

“We won’t go overboard, my Lord. I just wanted to let you know. People might not agree anyway. We are at least introducing the Eternal Guardian.” The scheming vixen shrugged with a ladylike grace. “I have my hands full here too. I’m afraid Miria is taking too much onto her poor shoulders and needs someone to keep her in check before she completely exhausts herself.”

“That’s more believable,” Asterios agreed. “And I’m actually curious how she fares and what she does. For someone repeatedly reminding us that she isn’t fit to lead, she is a bit too excited to continue doing exactly that.”

“You should go after her then, my Lord. It would be a shame not to check on the dungeon while being so close to it and I believe you haven’t been inside for at least five days now thanks to your intense lessons with Althea. You two almost always end up completely spent after your training.” A mischievous glint flashed through her blue eyes.

He tugged on her cloudy appendage gently, evoking a faint shudder from his white-haired lover. “Don’t make it sound like she is the only one of my mates who I keep spending time with. We’ve been working hard on your circuits recently, haven’t we?”

“I didn’t mean to.” A cute pout formed on her lips. “We appreciate your love and care, my Lord.”

“And I appreciate all of you too.” Asterios chose to support his words with a passionate, loving kiss before separating from the dazzling Foxkin. “Let me see what our energetic friend is up to with her proteges.”

Selene looked at his fingers longingly for a moment, clearly considering asking for more brushing and stroking, but she settled for one last tender embrace before freeing her master from her affectionate clutches. She knew he would enjoy watching Miria as she herself had previously spied on her feline sister-mate and she didn’t want to keep him away long enough for him to be late.