the era of calamities

Chapter 140: the Babylon Palace (1)

There existed no pleasure, no form of entertainment, that money could not provide.

The capital of the Republic of the Palm Groves, nicknamed the City of Cards, was renowned for its extravagance. Its architectural beauty, conceived more as a work of art than a city, attracted tourists from every corner of the world.

Skyscrapers brushed against the clouds, suspended roads defied gravity, and breathtaking monuments lined every avenue. Luxurious hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, colossal stadiums, lavish villas, grand theaters, and extravagant casinos seemed as though they had been lifted straight from a dream.

And tonight, as countless lights illuminated the darkness like artificial stars, the fishers would undoubtedly indulge their desires once more.

At the heart of this bustling metropolis stood the Babylon Palace: a renowned complex, famous even within the city of sin as a true tower of temptation. Luxury and collector’s cars converged toward its entrance, dropping off a diverse clientele before the monumental doors. Under the supervision of a butler, a dozen valets and doormen worked tirelessly to welcome guests.

A black limousine pulled up in front of the lobby.

The moment a doorman opened the door, a woman stepped out whose beauty could only be described as fatal. Her sapphire eyes seemed capable of transcending the soul itself. Dressed in an elegant violet evening gown that delicately embraced her figure, she wore a matching veil that concealed her hair.

Iris was not alone.

Not without effort, she had managed to convince the Eleven, as well as Bruno and Carla, to join her for this outing.

The girls wore magnificent gowns adorned with jewelry. The boys were dressed in elegant suits, some of them even agreeing to wear ties. Their simultaneous arrival caused a brief moment of astonishment. Guests seemed frozen in place, and the valets hesitated, unsure whom they should greet first.

It was ultimately the butler who approached the group. He bowed with measured elegance.

"Welcome to the Babylon Palace."

He personally guided them toward a private reception lounge beneath the captivated gazes of the other visitors.

("An Intermediary..."), Sirius and the others thought as they followed the butler.

Once they had been seated and refreshments served, the butler briefly introduced the various activities available throughout the palace before asking:

"Where would you like to begin your adventure?"

---

A few minutes later, Iris, Sirius, Kritos, Ronel, Fidri, Elizir, Bruno, and Carla found themselves standing before a casino cashier.

"Welcome to our establishment," he greeted them. "This casino is reserved for the awakened. Here, you are free to use your Resonances however you wish or wager on a winner... provided that no violence is committed."

"So cheating is allowed?" Elizir asked with a crooked smile.

The cashier returned a smile, clearly accustomed to the question.

"Cheating is such a vulgar word. Let us simply say that if no one can prove an irregularity has occurred, then there is no problem."

Mounted on the wall behind him, a golden plaque displayed the very same motto:

"Cheating is a vulgar word."

Those words drew faint smiles from both Iris and Fidri.

"How much would you like to exchange?"

At that question, Elizir and Fidri turned toward Iris. They were completely broke and were counting on her to provide them with a starting bankroll.

"Fifteen thousand credits," she replied, extending her phone.

The cashier took a payment device, processed the transfer, and handed over chips corresponding to the amount.

Then the doors opened.

The gaming hall stretched before them, vast and brilliantly illuminated. A piece of jazz played softly in the background. Slot machines flashed endlessly, bathing the room in a cascade of artificial colors. Dozens of gaming tables stood in neat rows, covered in green felt. Chips clattered together with metallic clicks. Cards slid across surfaces with sharp, crisp sounds.

The moment they stepped inside, they felt as though they had entered a silent battlefield.

Every player was awakened.

A creeping hostility lingered in the air, barely restrained, mingling with the scent of whiskey and cigars.

While some were discovering the pleasures of the casino, others had chosen an entirely different way to enjoy the Babylon Palace.

---

"Wow, I’m exhausted!" Rana shouted as she threw herself onto the bed.

While the others had chosen the casino, she had preferred to enjoy the comfort of one of the rooms provided by the palace.

"Come lie down, it’s so soft and comfy," she offered to Ereis, who had followed her.

Ereis stammered, his face reddening beneath his hood. He had never been fond of crowded places and never truly felt at ease in them. If he had agreed to come tonight, it was mostly because he feared Rana would not be able to manage on her own.

Yet finding himself alone with her in a room was making him far more anxious than he had anticipated.

"Your loss," she said, pouting in disappointment.

She turned toward the tablet provided by the hotel and browsed through the various services available. Iris had promised she could order anything she wanted. She immediately opened the dessert menu, nearly drooling over the enticing pictures.

"Wow, there are so many! Come look, Ereis."

He approached slowly.

But the moment he was close enough, she seized the opportunity and closed the remaining distance until he could feel her breath against his skin.

"Huh? U-um..."

Rana seemed completely unaware of how close they were. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"The chocolate fountain looks so cute. I want one. What about you?"

"M-Me too," he managed to say.

His heart was pounding furiously.

(Am I going to die of a heart attack?), he wondered anxiously.

---

Several floors above, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Inside one of the palace’s restaurants, Gracia, Lucy, and Ana were enjoying dinner while chatting.

"What should we do afterward?" Ana asked, initially reluctant but now thoroughly excited.

"Shopping, obviously! There are over a hundred stores here. I want to visit every single one of them," Lucy replied.

"An opera performance is scheduled for midnight. We could attend it after shopping," Gracia added.

"Can we really afford all that? It must cost a fortune," Ana reminded them, thinking about her salary.

"Don’t worry. Iris is paying. She’s going to make so much money that we won’t even be able to spend it all. So let’s forget our worries and enjoy ourselves after this hellish month."

Lucy raised her glass.

The other two nodded before clinking their glasses against hers.

---

Far removed from the carefree atmosphere that reigned in the rooms and restaurants, some were already observing the newcomers closely.

Hidden from sight at the top of the tower, the butler who had welcomed the group was delivering his report.

"Master Croesus, a rather unusual group of young people has just arrived. Their thoughts were too heterogeneous for me to determine their objective, but they appear to belong to an organization."

Images of the group’s various members scrolled across the surveillance screens.

Croesus observed them for a few moments.

"Watch them for now."

"Yes, Master."

The butler bowed and turned to leave.

But Croesus’s voice, suddenly deeper and more authoritative, stopped him in his tracks.

"I am receiving privileged guests tonight. I will not tolerate any disturbances."

The butler flinched.

"Of course."

---

AN:

The currency used here is the credit, a common currency shared by all nations administered by the Order.

1 credit = 1 dollar.

The base salary of an Initiate-rank enforcer is 5,000 credits per month, with mission bonuses that can reach 20,000 credits.