"From the words of the witnesses, it sounds like a fairly lost challenge. What say you, Elder Blackwoods? Is that what happened?"

The Lycan nodded. "They tried for an abduction, and found out that they could not defeat the Golem Mistress in combat. Five on one, they still lost. Well, I should say six on one, but the spider killed one of them before sitting out the rest of the fight."

The Guard Elder nodded. "And where are the bodies?"

The Lycan shrugged. "Probably lost into interdimensional space when the pocket dimension was closed? They didn’t come back with us."

It wouldn’t have mattered much if they did. Most of the soul was already siphoned away, and the bodies were completely mutilated before Rae finished with them. But he would leave the little details out.

The crowd didn’t need to know that part, it would only make them less sympathetic to the Skill Book maker, and his pack could use a few more books in the near future.

The group of reinforcements only got more angry as they heard the news, with their attention noting where Rae was standing in the back, cleaning her fingernails.

She had put on fresh nail polish after the fight, and all this movement was making it dry unevenly. But she wasn’t going to go back to decorating Elder Alix until she was certain that the fun part was over.

The reinforcements saw that the city guard felt Dana was justified, and they weren’t going to stand aside for the Clan to get what they felt was justice.

Not today, anyhow.

"This isn’t over. We will not forget what you have done," the leader of the group snarled, then stomped away with the rest of his team.

There were going to be plenty of opportunities in the future for them to get even. They knew where the New Home Merchant Clan was from, and they would find a chance to lure that Golem Mistress outside the compound to pay for her crimes.

The crowd watched as they left, then mentally calculated just how strong the New Home Clan’s Golem Mistress might be.

The Lycan said that the Spider killed one, but all six were low Ascended Elders.

Her aura was hard for them to pin down, as the process required a probe with focused intent. But that could be construed as hostile, and it was hard for them to feel even a little hostile when Fox Charm was active.

In the back, Karl was doing his best not to laugh at the look on the faces of the spectators.

They were staring at the retreating Clan members like they had come to kick a puppy for sport. Absolute disgust was the only thing he could call it, even though they had lost.

"Well, that was fun. Should we return to our regularly scheduled business?" Dana asked.

The Lycan smiled.

"You know, that’s a great idea. Perhaps it would be a good luck charm if my daughter activated the skill book you gave her now?"

"That’s not a bad plan. But we should bring over one more person. Elder Blackwoods, I would like to introduce you to my husband, Karl, an Avatar of the World Dragon."

The Elder reached out and shook Karl’s hand. "Oh, excellent timing. If you’re willing to assist, then I am certain that my Lucille will activate a better than average Class."

Karl nodded. "I’m sure that I can do something that will help her out."

The crowd, who had been spreading out to go about their days, stopped and returned to watching the spectacle.

If an Avatar of the World Dragon was going to help someone awaken, it must mean that they had potential. Potential to be interesting to the gods and massive amounts of power tended to go hand in hand. So, this would not disappoint.

Karl gestured for the girl to stand in front of him. "First, you need to use that skill book. Then, we will make certain that you get everything that the Gods see fit to let you have as a youth."

Lucille smiled nervously as she held the Golem Skill book in both arms, and Karl noted that there was a small glowing stone on a charm bracelet around her wrist. From what the system told him, it should be a moonstone. A semi-precious gem that was favoured by the beast gods that the Lycans followed.

That was a good sign.

If she was a faithful follower of one of the Beast Gods, she had a much better chance of getting something good.

She carefully opened the book and the [Summon Lesser Golem] book vanished into her memory. Then, Karl activated [System Stones] on the ground underneath her, assisting her awakening, and ensuring that she was tossed into a Class Selection screen instead of simply being assigned a class that could use the Golem skill.

For thirty agonizingly long seconds, Lucille vanished, while the golden stones shone in the sunlight.

And then, she was back, looking just like she always had, only she was accompanied by four massive wolves with shining silver fur. They looked pretty capable, Karl decided. Plus, she got four of them.

That usually meant that the individual golems were weaker.

But there were advantages to having numbers on your side. If she got [Golem Duplication], she would have eight wolves, and even if they were relatively weak, that would be enough to hunt as a pack.

In fact, once he examined her new System information, he could do exactly that.

Who would know?

{Name} Lucille

{Rank} Spirit Formation Immortal

{Class} Wolf Lord

{Avatar of the Moon Goddess}

Karl smiled at her, and then looked up at the one moon that was visible in the daytime sky.

{Pet Sitter Karl offers Knowledge} Skill [Golem Duplication] will be gifted to the fluffy Alpha Lucille. Please boop.

Karl stared at the message.

That had never come up before. There were always little snide comments about the person that he was transferring the skill to, but never instructions.

But who was he to argue?

*Boop*

Lucille looked up, startled by the poke to the end of her snout, and then Karl ruffled her hair and stroked her ears.

"Congratulations, Avatar of the Moon Goddess."