Annan and Black Widow, unaware of everything that had happened outside, passed a peaceful night... separately.
At dawn, Annan finished meditating and ignored Black Widow's resentful gaze as he felt the lively Mana Vortex within him.
Good. I'm getting stronger every day. Ninth-Rank Sorcerer isn't far off now!
He couldn't help wondering what his Innate Spell would summon. With a disturbance that big, surely it wouldn't drag the gods from beyond the barrier over here?
If it does, I'll have to touch Lady of Wealth's toes more often...
Maybe touching statues of Cat and Midnight Maiden or Spider Goddess would work even better?
"Let's go see if Wilson found anything."
After refreshing himself with a Cleaning Spell, Annan left with Black Widow.
They had barely stepped outside when they saw the Golden Guard from last night waiting for Annan at the corner.
"Lord Annan Reeves, the Grand Lord invites you to dine with him."
"Now?"
Annan glanced out the window. The sun had yet to rise.
"Tell the Grand Lord I still have leads to investigate. Another day."
He walked past the Golden Guard, who looked as though he wanted to say more, and left the Golden Palace.
"Aren't you going to meet the Grand Lord?"
"I can guess what he'd say. There's no point. He wouldn't tell me anything anyway."
Annan didn't want too much contact with the Grand Lord. He worried that as they grew more familiar, his resolve might... waver.
The terrain of the Broken Mountains meant Towns could only be built in basins between the peaks. Every morning, thick fog flowed through those basins like milk, gradually dispersing as the sun rose.
Some basins were said to fill with deadly miasma that silently killed any caravans or travelers who entered.
As Annan left the Golden Palace,