Building the Strongest Undead Empire from Scratch

Chapter 328: The president of the Mage's Association in Hurricane City

[Night retreats, dawn arrives.]

Time: 06:00 AM

Alex woke up right on time, feeling refreshed after a good night's sleep. She was blissfully unaware of the chaos her Empire's establishment had caused among the other Lords, or the server-wide announcement the system had issued.

She blinked in surprise as she opened her system interface. The notification icon in the bottom right corner displayed a staggering 9999+ friend requests and thousands of unread messages from strangers. Even her system messages were overflowing.

Ignoring the friend requests, she checked her system messages first. A wry smile touched her lips as she read through them.

This new event had nothing to do with her, yet it was her actions that had triggered its premature activation.

She rejected all friend requests with a single click, ignored the messages, and began getting ready for the day.

After dressing, she changed the bedsheets, taking a moment to savor her newfound strength as a lv3 King level Lord.

"Good."

She went upstairs and knocked on Ruby's door.

"Ruby, it's time to go!"

Ruby, still groggy from sleep, glanced at the barely-lit sky outside.

"That early?" she mumbled, reluctantly getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes. She opened the door for Alex.

"Yes, the sooner we leave, the better."

Their destination was the Arsen continent, but to reach Stone Pillar Mountain, they had to pass through the Southridge Republic.

While her Honorary Mage status granted her safe passage, it also meant she had to leave the Eldoria continent from Hurricane City.

According to the Mage Association's records, she was supposed to be on the Eldoria continent. Suddenly appearing on the Arsen continent would raise eyebrows and potentially attract unwanted scrutiny.

She had to avoid unnecessary complications.

She had even prepared a cover story for Ruby, blaming everything on Eldrin.

"Shouldn't we pack some food?" Ruby asked, worried about getting hungry on the journey.

Alex chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't worry. I have money."

And with that, they vanished from the Undead Imperial Capital.

Time: 07:00 AM

Xiao Hui and Sophie sat together, enjoying a leisurely breakfast. With Xiao Mu stationed in Gemini City, they were now roommates, forced to tolerate each other's presence.

"Miss Alex is gone, right?" Xiao Hui asked, her voice subdued.

"Yep. Even if she skipped breakfast, Ruby wouldn't," Sophie replied matter-of-factly.

"Where's that dragon? Haven't seen him in ages," Xiao Hui mused, her usual combative demeanor replaced with a rare moment of genuine curiosity.

With no one else to bicker with, she was surprisingly pleasant to be around.

"Alex said he left. He's a dragon, after all. He can't level up by killing enemies like us. But don't worry, he's pledged his loyalty to Alex. He'll be back," Sophie explained.

"True."

...

Starfallen Empire, Mage Association, Hurricane City Branch.

Two figures, cloaked in black robes, approached the city gates. It was Alex and Ruby.

To conceal Ruby's distinctive white hair, Alex had given her a robe as well. It made her look more like a mage and helped them blend in.

The city gates were wide open, bustling with activity. Commoners and mage apprentices went about their business, their paths crisscrossing amidst the towering mage towers that dotted the cityscape. Unlike Thunder City, Hurricane City lacked the usual throngs of merchants and vendors.

This was because a human city was located nearby, absorbing most of the commercial activity and allowing Hurricane City to function as a dedicated mage hub.

Alex and Ruby made their way towards the city center, their presence unnoticed by the preoccupied apprentices.

Being a mage seemed to be a demanding profession.

The palace at the city center housed the administrative offices, including the branch president's chambers. To use the teleportation array, they needed the president's authorization.

Two human guards, stationed at the palace entrance, snapped to attention as Alex approached.

"Honorable mage, please present your badge," one of them requested.

"I am a three-star Honorary Magus from the Thunder City branch," Alex replied, presenting her badge.

The guards immediately stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter.

A King level Magus, especially an Honorary one, was a rare sight, even for them.

They didn't even bother checking Ruby. Anyone accompanying an Honorary Magus was clearly someone of importance.

A King level powerhouse commanded respect, regardless of their race.

Inside the palace, Alex, unsure who to approach, decided to head straight for the president or vice president's office.

Ruby, her eyes wide with curiosity, took in the sights, but she knew better than to speak out of turn. She would follow Alex's lead.

After searching for a while, Alex couldn't find the vice president's office. Her gaze fell upon a door at the end of the hallway, a sign above it proclaiming it to be the "President's Office."

Her credentials were legitimate. She had nothing to fear.

With that thought in mind, she led Ruby towards the door.

Knock, knock!

She rapped her knuckles gently against the wood.

"Come in," a woman's voice called out from within.

The Hurricane City branch president was a woman?

Alex pushed the door open and stepped inside.

A woman, her short hair framing a face that still held traces of youthful beauty, sat behind a desk near the window, her gaze fixed on Alex.

The office was sparsely furnished, the desk cluttered with stacks of documents. It was a workspace, not a place for idle chatter.

"You must be Alyssa. Are you returning to Thunder City?" the woman asked, a warm smile gracing her lips. Her skin was smooth and unblemished, making it difficult to gauge her age.

But considering Eldrin was centuries old, this president was likely of a similar age.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the esteemed president. However, I'm not returning to Thunder City. I'm heading to Yellowrock City," Alex replied, her tone respectful.

She wasn't surprised that the president knew her. After all, she had come from Thunder City. It would have been strange if the president hadn't been informed.

"Oh?" The woman's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Eldrin must have sent you on an errand. You've progressed quickly. You have talent. He certainly cares for you, going through all this trouble."

Alex's mind raced.

Eldrin had been here?

That explained how Edgar had learned about her abilities. Eldrin, a friend of the previous undead lord, would have been familiar with his powers. He must have informed Edgar.

But why hadn't he revealed himself? And how had he pinpointed her location so accurately? It must have something to do with her badge.

She quickly pieced together the events, but she kept her expression neutral, careful not to betray her surprise.

But why did the Hurricane City president sound so... strange when mentioning Eldrin?

Was there something more to their relationship?

"Thank you for your kind words. I've been fortunate. The vice president has taken me under his wing. My progress is a testament to his guidance. I came to Hurricane City on his recommendation," Alex replied, deflecting the praise and subtly distancing herself from Eldrin.

"He sent you here? Did he explain why?" the woman pressed, her curiosity piqued.

"No, he didn't. The vice president rarely discusses matters unrelated to magic," Alex replied, further emphasizing her professional relationship with Eldrin.

By now, she was almost certain that this woman knew Eldrin personally.