Dark Magus Returns

“What’s a guild?” Safa asked curiously.

“A guild is a place where mages gather under one banner,” Aurora explained. “I think the closest thing in Pagna would be your Clans. But here, guilds are for people like Raze and me, people who know how to use magic.”

She gestured toward the towering building in front of them.

“There are different types of guilds, each with its own focus. Some deal with research, some are mercenary-based, some are political… but the point is, they’re united by purpose. And just like Clans, some guilds are more prestigious than others. That one up there… that’s the Glory Guild. It used to be one of the most well-known and powerful guilds in all of Alterian.”

“Used to be?” Dame caught onto her words, frowning.

“Yeah… that’s because, ” Aurora paused, uncertain.

“Because their leader is gone,” Raze answered for her. “The mage who attacked Pagna during the chaos in Alter… that was their leader. And even though Enaxx was defeated, the rest of his guild wasn’t.”

The others fell silent, letting the truth sink in.

Raze’s thoughts wandered as he stared up at the grand structure. It’s been over a week since Enaxx was sent to Pagna. Are the guilds beginning to worry? What about the Grand Magus?

Most guild members don’t know what their leaders are truly involved in. But the Glory Guild is different. Their high-ranking mages… they’re scum. If I had the power, I’d erase them all. Even with the people I have now, I’m not sure it would be enough.

As the group continued walking, their attention shifted back to the city around them. The technology, the architecture, the sheer presence of magic, it was all like something out of a dream. Compared to Pagna, it was night and day.

That’s when Aurora suddenly perked up.

“Oh! Is anyone else starving? We have to try Alterian food!” she said excitedly. “You guys have never tasted anything like it. And this is one of my favorite chains!”

A chorus of grumbling stomachs followed. They hadn’t even noticed how hungry they were until she said something. Whether it was from the teleportation or just curiosity, the mention of foreign food got everyone’s attention, even if a few were secretly nervous.

Still, they followed Aurora inside a sleek, modern building and took their seats.

“There’s no servers?” Safa asked, looking around the bustling restaurant.

“Nope,” Aurora said with a smile. “You just sit down, and the menu will appear in front of you. It’s easier to show than to explain.”

Sure enough, the moment they settled in, a glowing screen appeared on the table, displaying the full menu.

The restaurant was lively, nearly three-quarters full with about thirty tables. Even though the Pagna crew couldn’t read the Alterian language, they used the photos as a guide. But even then, it was difficult to decide what to order.

Raze leaned over to help Safa and Beatrix navigate the options, while Aurora took charge of explaining to Dame and Liam on the other side.

Eventually, the orders were placed, and in moments, their food arrived, floating gracefully through the air and landing perfectly in front of them.

“I have no idea what I picked, but it smells amazing,” Liam said, already digging in. The others followed without hesitation.

The flavors were extraordinary, enhanced by various magical techniques that made their mouths water from the scent alone. They devoured every bite, unable to resist going back for more.

Using the screen, they continued to order food, and it continued to come to them. It truly was like magic, and there was a disconnect for what was happening as they didn’t even see the chef’s cooking as they would have done in Alterian.

“What… what is this?” Liam gasped, nearly in tears. “Why does it taste this good?!”

“That’s called flavor,” Raze replied, grinning. “You can thank magical researchers and culinary scientists for that. When they combined their knowledge, they created meals like this.”

“I don’t care what happens next,” Liam declared between mouthfuls. “I’m never going back to Pagna after eating this!”

The entire group ate until they were full, enjoying every second. But then came the moment no one had thought about.

The bill.

“Don’t worry, Raze. I’ve got this,” Aurora said confidently, reaching into her pocket. And then she froze. “Oh. Right… I don’t have anything on me. I guess… you’ll have to cover it, Raze.”

“Me?” Raze blinked. “You think I’ve been in Pagna all this time with access to Credits?”

“They don’t take coins?” Safa guessed. “Or Alterian money either?”

“It’s fine,” Beatrix said hopefully. “We’ll just explain what happened. They’ll understand… right?”

They tapped the table to flag an issue on the screen, and for the first time since they entered, an actual staff member came out to speak with them.

“I hope you all enjoyed your meals,” the manager said politely, rubbing his hands together. “Is there a problem I can help with?”

“Yeah,” Raze said calmly. “None of us brought our, uh, bracers. So we don’t have a way to pay with Credits.”

“…None of you?” the manager repeated, raising an eyebrow. “So, you’re telling me that all six of you went out, without the most basic item everyone carries, and ordered food without thinking once about how you’d pay for it?”

His tone had shifted. The warmth in his voice was gone.

“It’s pretty clear you didn’t plan to pay in the first place,” he muttered. “What did you think this was? A free buffet? I’m a hardworking man, and you’re wasting my time. I’m calling the police.”

“The police?” Safa whispered to Raze.

“They’re… like this world’s version of city guards,” Raze muttered. “And this… is not the best situation to be in.”

****

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