Sometimes when you are invited, you are still not welcome.

Zane knew the difference.

Just after he left the room, he was met with indiscrimination.

He climbed down the stairs of the second floor but one Halocrat wanted to have some fun.

So with the help of his attendant, he made sure Zane felt pain.

The attendant tripped the Gutterborn and as a result, Zane’s forehead kissed the white pristine wall.

The Halocrat laughed.

"Welcome to the Citadel, filth. It’ll be fun."

Instead of anger, Zane couldn’t help but laugh.

Yeah. I was getting paranoid without such a welcome. Now I feel like I arrived.

He made sure to hide his laugh to the two men and with no argument, he stood up and walked down to the first floor.

Fortunately, there was no blood on his forehead and he also didn’t feel dizzy, proving there was no internal injury.

I have gotten stronger, I think? A baton used to break my nose but now I slammed against a wall and nothing happened.

There were no bumps on his head as well that only solidified his thoughts.

But just because he got stronger doesn’t mean he would keep slamming his head. He would stay lowkey. He would try at least. A poor man among the richest stuck out like a sore thumb.

Nevertheless, he found no Halocrats in the stairs of the first floor so in full speed he reached below and found himself in the entry of the Dorms building.

The same counters where he had taken his key to the room from.

He had come down for an important work but he didn’t know where he should start.

He checked his pocket again and the relic was still there.

How should I find the Emberlord now?

He looked around and the only option he saw was asking from the people sitting behind the counters. Which he didn’t want to at the moment.

Each counter had a Halocrat in front of it and Zane had just slammed his head a few moments ago. He wouldn’t want another taste of the wall.

I have to find someone else. A Commoner.

Zane shifted to the corner of the hall and walked forward.

He didn’t meet eyes with the shining men and as he left the building for the Dorms, he found someone.

Someone stood in front of the waterfall and he was asking for something from everyone who stepped inside the Citadel.

Everyone ignored him and kept walking but the man didn’t give up.

He approached each student, be it rich or poor.

He might tell me.

Zane found the man he was looking for and walked towards him.

He couldn’t see the face of the man as he stood with his back facing Zane.

But Zane would talk to him nevertheless.

He reached behind the man and raised his hand.

But before touching the man, he stopped.

He might not like my touch.

Zane retracted his hand and instead of making the man turn around, he walked and came in front of the man himself.

Both of them saw each other and Zane wasn’t expecting what he saw.

He was the most handsome man that Zane had ever seen.

Pale skin, red eyes, golden earrings, silky black hairs and a chiseled face as if carved by the God of craftsmanship himself.

Yeah. Not touching him was the right call.

Shaking his head, Zane turned around and started walking away.

"Wait. Why are you walking away?"

"I am sorry. Forgive me. I am filth. I am taking my leave." Zane repeated the same things he said to the Halocrats. It had become his second language by now.

The handsome man looked like a commoner from behind but his face was that of the Halocrats. The only thing Zane would get from him would be humiliation.

So he increased his pace.

But the man followed behind him.

"What are you talking about? Stop for a second."

I should have chosen someone else.

Zane regretted picking this man but if he didn’t listen to him then problems would only rise.

So Zane stopped walking.

The man came in front of him.

"What was all that?" He asked.

Zane stared at his nose.

"I am sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I should know my place."

"Did you hit your head or something?"

Actually I did.

"I accept my mistake. Let me go. Please."

"What are yo—" The man paused.

He eyed Zane from head to toe and then a long Oh escaped his mouth.

"I see. I am not a Halocrat. You can relax."

Zane’s brows shot up.

He is not?

He raised his eyes but stopped at the last second.

This could be game of his. He is teasing me. He will punish me the moment I make a mistake. Nice try.

Zane came back to his character.

"Surely you jest. Sorry for wasting your time. I am getting lost."

Zane turned around again and stepped forward.

"Calm down for a second."

The man spoke and this time, Zane couldn’t move forward.

The man held his hand.

Zane slowly turned around and this time, he looked right in the man’s eyes.

"Now you believe me?" The man asked.

Zane nodded.

"Yeah. You are not one of them."

The man let go of Zane’s hand and Zane turned to his normal self.

"I was looking for the Emberlord Coin. Do you know where he is?"

"Forget that. Do you want to increase your stamina..."

"Yes."

"In bed?"

"No!"

Zane stepped back.

The conversation took a turn.

"Then do you want to increase the size of your weapon?"

"I have no weapon."

"Oh. So you are one of those men. I have something for such men too."

"Wait. By weapon do you mean..."

"Yes. Of course. What else would it mean?"

Zane’s lips twitched.

Did I encounter someone worse than Halocrats? That’s why people were ignoring him?

"I don’t want anything. If you don’t know where Emberlord Coin is then we are done here. Find someone else."

"Wait. Don’t go. I also have a female calling spray!"

Zane waited for nothing and went inside the Dorms for students’ building again.

He wasn’t compelled to stop at the man’s call anymore as he wasn’t a Halocrat.

He looked around for someone else but his eyes stopped at an empty counter.

He wasted no time and bolted towards it.

A man was sitting behind the counter and Zane asked his question right away:

"Where can I find the Emberlord Coin? I have something to return to him."

The man looked from above his glasses and eyeing Zane’s face, he gave the answer.

"He might be in the Cathedral. Go from the backside. You will find his office."

The man carried on his work and Zane heaved a sigh of relief.

He finally found what he was looking for.

In no time, he would be free from his worry of the Relic.

He left the Dorms’ building again and with long strides he walked towards the Cathedral of the First Flame.

He also had the idol with him in the plastic bag.

He gripped the relic from over his pants and with his beating heart, he carried on walking.

The relic which saved him after he dropped the idol of the God, Zane would return it in the presence of the same God.

He just hoped...

The God didn’t ask for revenge.