What do you mean by that? Liam asked, sounding a bit worried as he stared at the wall where the entrance to the Fiddler’s Spider Web was at. Are you saying that the people here cannot be trusted?

  [It’s not that I am saying the people at this branch are untrustworthy. I guess my words earlier were a bit misleading. What I meant to say was, I think it would be best to send this to those who have proven themselves trustworthy already. – Eri.]

  Liam thought about what she was meaning. His only conclusion was, You mean send it to Lady Arachne and the others at that branch?

  [Yes. While you can turn in any information about certain situations here. I believe it would be wise for you to send the cloth to the Cashat Port branch of the Fiddler’s Spider Web and let them know about what you have discovered. While doing so you should ask them for more information. – Eri.]

  But how would I do that? Also what if they try to send a response and I am not here to receive it? Liam asked, a bit perplexed.

  [While those are some good points to worry about, you don’t have to worry about it for now. – Eri.]

  Liam’s brows creased as he read that message. What do you mean by that?

  [What I mean is. You can simply send a message letting her know you are only here for a day and that you will be setting back out to sea the next. I overheard that Naro guy and Key woman talking about the islands they are going to be heading towards so you can add those in the list. I am sure she is a smart woman and would be able to figure out which island has a branch and have a guestimate of when you would arrive at which branch. Also if you send a letter each time you arrive at a branch she’ll probably have a better time frame for everything. For now just give information on what happened on the islands where the events took place if they are asking for it while omitting who it was you happened to run into. You can send that information to Lady Arachne. – Eri.]

  Liam nodded his head as he finished reading the message. He could agree with what she was saying. He really didn’t know the people here. He really didn’t know Lady Arachne and the branch of Fiddler’s Spider Web he joined at, but he knew them more than he knew these people. He decided to go with Eri’s suggestion. Seeing that her Champion was agreeing with her, she didn’t send anymore messages.

  Liam took this time to activate his Spirit Weaver ability and get his disguise up before opening the path that would lead him into the Fiddler’s Spider Web Branch. Like last time, the nauseating spiral appeared and created steps to walk down. After arriving at the door he went to open the door, but it was stopped as the door felt locked.

  Before he could ask why it wouldn’t open, he felt his pocket vibrate. It was his Web Watch. He pulled it out and felt it vibrate even more. A click echoed from the door making Liam believe the door unlocked. As he twisted the door knob, he felt the resistance from earlier no longer there. He opened the door and stepped in.

  The room he entered looked exactly like the same receptionist room as the one back in Cashat Port. The walls, flooring, chairs, and colors were similar to the exact detail. He let out a short chuckle after seeing it. He would have believed that this was the same one and was expecting to see Noxi, Orchid, or even Lady Arachne standing behind the desk to tease him, but instead a single woman wearing a black silk dress stood there staring at him. She had a jet black braided hairstyle with ruby red eyes that seemed to pierce the dimmed room. She wore a mask that looked to be a Japanese Oni mask over her mouth, cheeks, and nose.

  Liam slowly and cautiously approached the desk. As he reached it and before he could say anything, the woman asked, “Hello there handsome. You’re a new face I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting.” Her voice sounded mature, but at the same time it also held a teasing allure to it. “I need to ask for Web Watch verification please.”

  Liam pulled out his Web Watch, channeled a small bit of mana into it, watched it open and, waited for Silky to make her way towards the pit of darkness. After she disappeared into it, a message appeared. Liam noticed it wasn’t for him, so he turned it around for the lady to see.

  [Good Evening First Leg of Seaside Slantia Fiddler’s Spider Wed branch, Lady Velvet. I am Silky, Support Spider for Phantom Cat. – Silky.]

  The woman’s brows furrowed as she read the message. She then responded, “Good evening to you as well Silky. I don’t think I have heard of you or your Phantom Cat. Which Web did you both hatch from?”

  [Our hatching location came from Cashat Port Fiddler’s Spider Web. Current First Leg Lady Arachne is our mother spider. – Silky.]

  Lady Velvet’s eyes rose a bit as she read the message. “Lady Arachne huh? I heard some interesting things happened on Cashat Port. Hopefully, you were there when it happened. Nasty business Toxo Spiders are…Huh, well I am happy for her to be able to help hatch you both. How long have you both been active?”

  Liam was surprised that she had heard about that, but then he thought about it and believed that it was probably something she would have had to inform others about to make sure the same didn’t happen to other cities with Web Branches in them.

  [Not that long. Around a month or two. – Silky.]

  “Fresh Spiderlings huh? I am surprised Lady Arachne has allowed you to venture out so soon,” Lady Velvet commented.

  [It is at Phantom Cat’s mentor’s request that he and I be allowed to venture out and experience the world for my Phantom Cat is a new arrival and needs practical and live experience and training. – Silky.]

  This was news to Liam. He was unaware that Nabal had made such a request. He needed to ask Silky more about this later. He knew what the lady before was about to ask and what he was going to need to do.

  “Oh? Who is the brute to make such a cute Spiderling to go the rough route instead of honing their skills and specialty choices?” Lady Velvet purred as she eyed both the Web Watch and Liam. She was about to make another comment but stopped and coughed as she read the next message.

  [Phantom Cat’s mentor is the Wild Card. – Silky.]

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Lady Velvet’s eyes widened quickly. She was about to protest that it was a bold claim but stopped as Liam revealed enough of his bottom right ear and made his earring visible for her to assess it. When she started to stammer, Liam hid the earring both magically and physically as the cloak covered it up.

  Lady Velvet recovered quickly as she schooled her facial features before giving him a wry smile and stating, “There were some rumors bouncing around the web vine that he had finally chosen someone. We all thought it was his nephew, but you…” She eyed him up and down before adding, “Are not his nephew. Which is a good thing since you are cute enough to eat.”

  Liam felt a shiver run down his spine as he noticed the look on her face. He was about to make a comment but was stopped as she started laughing. His confusion that was starting to grow abated as she said, “My goodness. You are so cute. I am joking. I wouldn’t eat you…” she then added under her breath, “not yet anyways.”

  Before she could tease him some more Silky chimed in, [That is highly unadvisable. While his mentor Wild Card would more than likely be unhappy, our Spider Mother would also be unpleased since she is also mentoring him in certain aspects of magic. – Silky.]

  Again, Liam was surprised with how much Silky knew. After thinking about it, he could understand how she knew Lady Arachne was helping him with Shadow Magic since she was in his pocket and probably heard it or maybe she was informed by Lady Arachne’s Web Watch Spider. However, to call her a mentor…he wasn’t sure if it counted. But if it helped him not to get eaten, then he’d gladly take it.

  Lady Velvet raised a brow at that. “Is that so? You wouldn’t be willing to tell me what magic she is mentoring?”

  Before Liam could open his mouth, Silky was already answering.

  [No. For that is between her and him. However, I can tell you that if you have any requests asking for any information about certain events happening on islands recently then we have some information to give for some merit or rewards. – Silky.]

  Lady Velvet looked puzzled at first before her eyes shone. “You have information on what happened to the islands that have been experiencing those strange phenomenon? Were you present during each island? Do you know what the causes are? People or organizations involved?”

  [We do not have information on all the events, but we happened to be on two different islands when things went…crazy. I shall let Phantom Cat provide the details. – Silky.]

  Lady Velvet’s eyes swiftly locked onto Liam. Liam wasn’t sure if he was happy that she was able to easily steer the topic towards something else, but that look in her eye made him feel…uncomfortable.

  Liam spent the next thirty minutes explaining all the information he was willing to give. He left out Lolita, Kala, and their groups as well as the symbol he had on him. He did tell her about the group he had come across and how he had to escape them before they captured him, but he didn’t go into details about the fight.

  Lady Velvet wrote down everything he had told her. She had explained that while he didn’t have any proof of who was behind the attacks besides what he had experienced, he wouldn’t get the full amount of merits given to those who would have proof. However, the information was more than enough to receive something.

  Merit in the Fiddler’s Spider Web was given in the form of recognition towards the Specialty it fits. Since Liam was able to gather information on these events and turn it in, he was able to gain recognition in the Information Gathering Specialty. Recognition takes the form of a spider. Depending on the amount of merit a person gets, a leg starts to form. It starts as a part of the leg until it reaches the full leg. After eight legs form then the body forms. After a spider is fully formed a number appears in front of the spider before it disappears.

  The numbers represent the growth in the specialty. For example, one through nine means they are a Hatchling, still growing and learning. Ten through nineteen means they are a Spiderling. Still new but learning well and growing a reputation. Everything beyond that means they are becoming more specialized in the Specialty and have shown great results.

  Liam was able to grow his first full leg in the Information Gathering specialty with this information. As Liam stared at it he remembered his time in Cashat Port and the tests he took. He wondered if he got any merits from that, but after asking Lady Velvet he found out that trials do not garner merit, no matter how significant one did.

  After they were done talking about it, Lady Velvet looked like she just had been smacked on the back of the head as she informed, “Speaking of merit and Lady Arachne. A mass request was sent to all Web Branches for you.”

  “A mass request?” Liam asked.

  Lady Velvet nodded her head. “Yes, mass requests are made when a First Leg or certain clients who make personalized requests for a specific Spider and don’t know where they are or will show up at. It looks like she and Silent Saboteur have requested for you to make and send some extracts? Shadow Extracts specifically. Do you wish to take the request? The reward is small in the coin department since it’s not an overly complicated request and you would receive at minimum a quarter or at max a full leg worth of merit, in the Crafting Specialty, depending on how much you send.”

  Liam thought about it. He had some time he could use to make some. He was getting low on both Shadow and Lunar Extracts, so this was a good opportunity to stock up on some more. He also needed to make some Paralytic poisons as well. He looked at her and with a nod asked, “Mind if I use your Crafting Area?”

  Lady Velvet smiled as she nodded and replied, “By all means. Be our guest.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  -Eri sat there and watched as her champion spoke with the Spider-folk woman. She was happy that he had went with her suggestion when it came to the information. While he could have a done a better job when it came to omitting certain information, she believed he did a good job.

  She knew the young man eater of a woman wasn’t stupid. She understood that he was withholding information, however the subtle threat from Silky about the Spider-folk from the other location made it clear that she would do well not to take any chances. She was rather impressed with the little spider’s intuition and choice of words. She knew her champion wasn’t aware of a lot of things, but he really needed to know that there were some people, well…some women in this world that would search out what they call ‘their type’, flatter them enough to make them drop their guard, and then devour them.

  It was probably why this location was so quiet. The younger men probably avoided coming here. However, the little spider Silky, while still young understood there was a hierarchy amongst the first legs of the Fiddler’s Spider Web. She must have caught the woman’s reactions and knew that the woman before her was lower in the ranks. Liam didn’t know any of this and probably wouldn’t unless someone told him. Or rather…he’ll probably figure it out once he saw them at a certain place.

  These Spider-folks weren’t just any spider-folks. They were special individuals from a power clan. However, while they belonged to a powerful clan they were still in the lower ranks of that clan. And if this young man hungry woman foolishly tried to eat the young man before her, then she would have eaten her last meal. The little spider inadvertently saved her life without realizing it.

  Eri chuckled at the thought of what could have happened. She loved chaos and she felt that the best chaos, aside from those blasting away expectations in certain situations, was created through blind greed and ignorant understandings. After all, the hell that came after someone stupidly going through with something they shouldn’t be doing was such a beautiful painting to her.

  Eri’s attention fell back on the Spider-folk woman as Liam entered the crafting room. A black bird flew inside the room with a couple of papers rolled up in its taloned grip. Eri looked at the papers and noticed what the information they contained. Or rather what the requests contained. The name of the target on both papers made Eri smile widely.

  She claimed that she had two types of chaos she loved, but that wasn’t true. What she just read proved that she really loved all types of chaos, especially when it came in the form of a choice. A choice that could make a person choose the fate of someone. Someone who was hiding important information.

  “Oh I just cannot wait to see what you choose to do my Champion,” Eri quietly muttered to herself as scraping noises, screams, and pounding sounds echoed outside the cell she remained in.

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