Leo hesitated for a fraction of a second. 'A rank-up hidden feature?' he mused before selecting [YES].
[Enhancement Protocol Initiated]
[The following resources are required:
Epic-Grade Summoning Scroll x1
Sanguinary Essence (SE) x4000
[Warning: This process will overwrite standard summoning results]
[Warning: Resulting entities may deviate from standard classifications]
[...]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
▶ CONFIRM / CANCEL
Leo's current reserves sat at 2100 SE. Knowing this might be a singular opportunity, he didn't hesitate to begin a mass conversion of his Aether cores.
[E-rank core converted... +100 SE]
[D-rank core converted... +500 SE]
The cost was high, but the requirements finally turned green. The portal standing before the temple transitioned into a dull, expectant slate gray.
Luna watched the transformation with concern. Leo had gone from a state of calm to looking like a man who had just discovered a vein of pure gold. 'What is he up to now?' she thought.
The gray portal was suddenly consumed by a massive gate inscribed with flaring golden runes. As the doors ground open, a rhythmic, military-style tread echoed from the darkness.
''What in the world are you bringing out this time, Leo?'' Luna whispered, retreating behind Ren's protective shadow.
Five figures stepped into the light. It was a bizarre sight—the same individual duplicated five times, as if reality had suffered a visual glitch. They were dressed in impeccable palace attire: crisp shirts, tailored vests, and tool belts overflowing with specialized maintenance equipment. Their skin was a vibrant, healthy green, and their golden eyes held a sharp, collective intelligence.
They stood in a formation that felt both disciplined and chaotic. With five voices layered into a single, haunting echo, they spoke.
''At your service, Master.''
A beat of silence followed.
''...Probably,'' the first one added.
''Definitely,'' the second corrected.
''Most likely,'' the third mused.
''Unless instructed otherwise,'' the fourth clarified.
The fifth simply grinned. ''Either way, we're here.''
The atmosphere in the courtyard became profoundly awkward. Malphas kept his hand on his hilt, sensing something unnatural, while Leo felt the weight of his spent resources. He had sacrificed a fortune for what appeared to be a high-end cleaning crew.
''Leo... are they cosplaying?'' Luna asked, her voice flat with disbelief.
A system window materialized to provide the grim details.
[Summoning Successful - The Quintuplet Stewards]
[Name: The Grand Verdant Collective of Quintessential Domestic Optimization and Structural Maintenance Authority]
[Race: Synchari]
[Rank: D (Rare- Grade)]
[Description: Born from a failed attempt to create the ultimate life form, this race consists of a single consciousness divided into five bodies. Do not be deceived by their appearance; while individually weak, their collective potential is limitless. This race is unique in all of existence.]
Leo felt his spirit wither. The stewards were already bickering. One delivered a sharp clip to another's ear for an improper salute, while a third gestured toward Malphas with suspicion. ''That knight has the look of a tool-thief, fellow members of the Grand Verdant Collective!''
''STOP!'' Leo roared, clutching his temples." And who the hell names a fucking title as a name?"
The clones snapped back into their identical postures, responding in perfect, chilling unison. ''Yes, Master slow.''
''Master what?'' Leo demanded, his patience vanishing as fast as his resources.
The air around the gate hummed with renewed energy before Leo could voice his irritation. The stewards recoiled, their shared consciousness flickering with sudden apprehension as they huddled together.
''Look... something else approaches,'' they whispered, their voices a rustle of dry leaves.
'Wait, it's not over? Maybe I didn't get scammed after all,' Leo thought, his anticipation reignited.
A figure emerged from the golden light with effortless poise. The central maid was a study in monochromatic elegance. Her silver hair, the color of moonlight, was styled in a sharp, asymmetrical cut that completely obscured her left eye. Her visible eye was a haunting, smoky violet, shadowed by kohl and long lashes that lent her a cold, enigmatic allure. A frilled white headdress rested atop her head like a sovereign's crown.
Her uniform was the classic maid dress taken to its most alluring extreme: a glossy black corset bodice that hugged her generous curves, cinched tightly at the waist, and accented with silver buttons, paired with a low neckline that left little to the imagination. Snow-white ruffles trimmed the short hem of her skirt and the puffed sleeves, while black gloves reached past her wrists.
To her right, a second maid stood with professional rigidity. Her dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and her blue eyes peered through round, scholarly glasses. Though her uniform was more modest, her physical presence was the most arresting of the group, her poise suggesting a woman who commanded any room she entered.
The final maid stepped forward with a playful, dimpled smile. Her hair was a cascade of soft rose-pink waves that tumbled down her back and over one shoulder, glowing like spun sugar. A small blue ribbon tied a portion of it neatly on the side. Her eyes were a brilliant, crystalline blue, sparkling with playful confidence and framed by a faint blush on her cheeks.
She wore the same provocative maid ensemble as her counterpart, but it looked even more striking against her rosy complexion. The black bodice featured delicate white lace along the edges, pushing up her ample bust, while a frilled white apron tied around her waist flared into a short skirt that revealed the tops of her white stockings and garter straps. Long white gloves completed the look.
''Incredible,'' Luna murmured, her usual sharp tongue stilled by the sight. The three of them possessed a level of beauty that felt artificial in its perfection. On Earth, they would have been icons of worship.
A notification materialized before Leo's eyes.
[Successfully summoned - Triune Maid Series]
[Names: Frost – Edict – Gleam]
[Rank: D (Rare- Grade)]
[Race: Arcane Homunculi]
[Description: Artificial lifeforms forged through forbidden sorcery. These homunculi were designed to assist their masters with absolute perfection. Once the most coveted race in existence, they were declared taboo and hunted to near extinction for their ability to wield arcane magic without the need for natural talent. They possess full sentience and distinct emotional spectrums.]
In one fluid motion, the trio performed a flawless bow. ''At your service, master.''
'Their names are reflections of their temperaments,' Leo observed. Frost remained impassive, her gaze as cold as her namesake. Edict stood in a state of perpetual readiness, an embodiment of order. Gleam, meanwhile, offered a cheerful wave to the onlookers.
The spectacle reached its climax as the three maids turned back toward the gate and lowered their heads in a gesture of profound deference.
''Head Maid,'' they announced, their voices ringing with absolute reverence.
The golden runes on the gate reached a fever pitch, vibrating with a frequency that made the very stones of the stronghold tremble. The Triune Maids retreated to the flanks, their vibrant personalities instantly replaced by a mask of absolute subservience.
'This is it,' Leo thought, his heart hammering against the new Kingfall Armor. 'The Ultimate summon.'
A woman of terrifying elegance stepped through the threshold. She was taller than the others, draped in a gown of midnight-blue silk that moved like liquid shadow. Her apron was a sharp, stark white, embroidered with runes that flickered in and out of existence. Her obsidian hair flowed behind her like a dark river, and her eyes—orbs of molten gold—seemed to see through the physical world into the very flow of mana. In her hand, she gripped a silver staff that served as both a scepter of office and a conduit for world-ending magic.
The system window that appeared was bordered in pulsing epic-gold.
[EPIC-GRADE SUMMON SUCCESSFUL]
[Name: Verdict]
[Title: The Arbiter of Domestic Sovereignty & Arcane Order]
[Race: Prime Homunculus (Apex Genesis Core)]
[Rank: D++(Epic - Grade)]
[Description: The ultimate evolution of the Arcane Homunculi. Verdict was designed to be the silent hand behind a throne, managing the logistics, security, and magical defenses of a sovereign's domain. Her 'Apex Genesis Core' grants her near-absolute control over the physical laws within her Master's territory. To her, chaos is a sin, and inefficiency is a crime.]
Verdict moved with a grace that felt predatory yet perfectly refined. She stopped before the Leo, her presence momentarily overshadowing even Malphas. She lowered herself into a bow that was the very definition of poise.
''I am Verdict. I have come to ensure your will is executed with absolute perfection. Command me, and the world will be set right.''