My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 761 The Invitation

The night slipped by unnoticed.

Much of it found me parked at the table by the window, with papers scattered in front of me while I pinpointed weaknesses and wasteful spots in my personal framework. Those Transcendent mastery recollections hadn't tossed any fresh additions into my toolkit, but they'd stirred up a much bigger hassle—they'd exposed exactly where my methods were getting careless.

I tweaked the way my domain settled around me, keeping it neither fully out in the open nor pulled back completely. Just a subtle hum. A force that stayed contained unless I chose to unleash it. I focused on nesting my laws deeper within that area rather than letting them linger at the fringes of my senses, strengthening the links over and over until the tension faded. When I finally paused, the light outside the windows had turned to the soft blue of dawn.

I plunged into a cold bath, allowing the icy water to rinse off the remaining weariness, threw on simple clothes, and headed out.

The garden at the guest quarters buzzed with early life.

It held a gentle hum rather than silence or clamor. Soft voices chatting, the clink of cups hitting surfaces, a sporadic chuckle. A lengthy stone table stretched under a roof of tangled branches.

All of them had gathered already.

North spotted me first and lifted his cup in a casual salute. Steve munched midway through a dish that appeared rather greasy and shot a grin past it. Ragnar lounged against the table edge, arms folded, at ease in a manner uncommon for him post-battle. Silver, Aurora, and Lyrate clustered at one side of the table, murmuring in low tones.

"I see you finally decided to sleep," Steve said. "We were starting to take bets."

"I slept," I replied. "Briefly."

A few laughs rippled through the group.

I claimed a chair and poured myself a beverage. The Feran morning brew carried a crisp sting, potent enough to jolt even the dullest thoughts awake.

"So," I said, glancing about. "What did you find?"

Knight spoke up first, shoving away from the railing to drop softly onto the stone. "There's an event tonight. Big one."

Steve arched a brow. "Define big."

"A birthday," Knight went on. "But not the sort you skip. It's for the Griffin family."

Aurora's head snapped up. "The Griffins?"

Knight dipped his head. "Main family's rooted in the Prime Galaxy. They dispatch envoy offshoots to areas heavy with Feran sway. This galaxy hosts one such branch."

"And the birthday?" North pressed.

"Their young master," Knight explained. "Freshly stepped into Transcendent. From the intel I picked up, the festivity doubles as a proclamation of his status alongside the yearly milestone."

Silver let out a low whistle. "That's… subtle."

"It isn't supposed to be," Knight countered. "Invites are scarce. Showing up sends a message. The local Ferans loop the Griffins into every call. So Vaelix Ranthor's jaunt likely got their nod too."

A Transcendent scion from a Prime Galaxy clan throwing a public bash deep in Feran lands went beyond mere socializing. It screamed full-throated flattery.

"Anything else?" I queried.

Lyrate jumped in after. "The Aqua race."

That snagged my focus.

"They're shifting locations," she elaborated. "Not as fugitives. It's organized relocation. A hefty chunk of their folk is heading to the third world in this system."

Aurora bobbed her head. "The one blanketed in seas. Roughly 85 percent water, even tides, robust Essence flows."

"So Ferans aren't merely playing host," I murmured thoughtfully. "They're striking bargains."

"Yes," Lyrate confirmed. "With the Aquas. And by extension, the Elementals. Things like infrastructure aid, land grants, shared defense pacts. No formal word yet, but the hints point that way."

Ragnar rumbled. "They're forging an alliance."

"That's the vibe," Aurora agreed. "They're assembling a bloc without slapping a label on it."

"And the rift?" I probed.

A short hush fell.

Steve lifted his shoulders. "Not public. At all."

"Buried deep," Knight tacked on. "Local outfits know it's sealed, sure, but they've slapped a tight lid on info. No airings. No dispatches beyond the system. Even inside talk's zilch."

North creased his brow. "That's odd. Shutting a grade four rift ought to be brag-worthy."

"Unless they want to hide the method," Aurora murmured.

Or the one behind it, I mused.

I drummed fingers on the table, mulling it over. A mighty envoy clan toasting tonight. Aquas moving under Feran shelter. Rift seal hushed before echoes spread. The pattern lurking below wasn't tough to trace.

We were wading into gears already turning.

Before I could chime in further, stirrings at the garden's entry pulled all eyes.

Shera strolled up with a relaxed gait, two Feran guards shadowing him at a polite remove. His face held the usual serene look, yet it carried a touch more brightness now, verging on content. Upon arriving at the table, he gave a slight bow.

"I hope the lodgings have suited you well," he said. "I heard you got in late."

"They're plenty fine," I answered. "We were just swapping notes on how splendid this whole setup is."

Shera offered a slim smile. "Glad to hear it."

He motioned at the table. "Mind if I sit?"

"Of course," I said.

He settled in, his guards holding position a bit behind. His eyes flicked across the group, gauging subtly.

"I wished to extend a proper welcome once more," Shera stated. "And inform you that plans are underway. There are… prospects here. Social for this evening. Broader strategies down the line."

I grinned and nodded.

"And," Shera continued, his grin edging wider by a hair, "I trust Feradros won't bore you. We aim to keep visitors engaged."

I held his stare steady.

"I doubt that'll be an issue," I replied.

Shera nodded, then dipped into his jacket and set a slim invite on the table amid us.

"A gala's on tonight," he noted. "You've likely caught the chatter. You're all welcome. Most key players in Feradros will attend, and we'd like to officially express thanks for your aid in sealing the rift. Do take it."

I lifted the invite and skimmed it. No fancy fluff, just a stamp and a plain call.

"Sure," I said, placing it down. "We'd love to come."

Shera's smile reappeared. He stood and bowed again.

"We'll await your presence then," he said.

With that, he pivoted and departed the garden, guards trailing, the invite lying still on the surface.

"Support in closing the rift?" Aurora snorted after he'd vanished. "He really dubbed it support?"

I gave a thin smile, already sensing the drama about to brew.