Pampering Discarded Heroines Triggers My 10,000x Rebate System

A sleek black sedan bearing the silver eagle insignia of the Imperial Defense Division pulled up to the grand entrance of The Grand Pavilion.

The military chauffeur stepped out, opened the rear door, and stood at attention as Evren stepped onto the red carpet.

The hotel doormen and lobby staff bowed deeply with widened eyes as they recognized the official military escort of Grand Arbiter Kincaid.

Evren gave the driver a brief nod and walked into the grand lobby, heading straight for the private express elevator.

Ding.

The elevator rose smoothly to the 80th floor; the polished brass double doors slid open, and Evren stepped into the foyer of the Presidential Penthouse.

Before he could take two steps, the living room doors swung wide.

Amber rushed across the marble floor, throwing her arms around Evren’s neck in a tight, breathless embrace. She buried her face against his collar, letting out a long, trembling sigh of relief.

”You’re back,” Amber whispered. ”I was watching the live broadcast from District Seven. When they surrounded you with mana cuffs, I almost came down there myself but didn’t want to disobey your order to stay in the hotel.”

Evren smiled warmly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

”I told you I’d handle it,” Evren said softly, kissing the top of her head. ”Grand Arbiter Kincaid stepped in. The charges are officially dismissed.”

Amber pulled back slightly, looking up into his eyes with a proud smile. ”Director Keller’s emergency logs and your rescue of those five junior hunters completely turned the tables on Caldwell. The news is calling you the Hero of District Seven.”

Evren chuckled. ”Let them talk. The important thing is what I brought back.”

Evren took Amber’s hand and walked into the sunlit living lounge.

Sitting on the large velvet sofa was Zephyra. The white RX-9 medical droid was hovering quietly beside her, while a steaming cup of herbal tea rested on the table.

Zephyra looked up as Evren entered. Her violet eyes were wide with a mixture of disbelief and a hard-to-place emotion.

”Evren...” Zephyra spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly. ”You really went into an unmonitored rift... just for me?”

Evren walked over to the mahogany coffee table. He reached toward his right hand and tapped his Spatial Storage Ring.

A faint silver shimmer rippled from the ring as Evren pulled out the glowing crystal, filling the entire lounge with a radiant purple light.

Evren gently set the fist-sized Shadow-Mist Core on the dark mahogany wood. The crystal pulsed with waves of soothing violet energy, casting a gentle glow across Zephyra’s pale face.

She stared at the glowing core, her breath catching in her throat.

She knew what that core meant. It was an authentic, Class-A mutated catalyst that usually required an entire elite strike team and millions of dollars to harvest.

Yet Evren had walked into the danger alone, cleared an A-Rank rift, and brought it directly to her feet.

A single tear slipped down Zephyra’s cheek.

”Why do you keep doing this for me?” Zephyra whispered, looking up at Evren with shimmering eyes. ”I’m just a crippled shadowblade. I haven’t given you anything in return.”

Evren leaned down slightly, looking directly into her eyes with a smile.

”I don’t need you to give me anything, Zephyra,” Evren said in a reassuring voice. ”I made you a promise when I cleaved your collar in Arena Nine. You are part of our family now. I’m going to restore every single mana channel in your body.”

Zephyra’s lower lip trembled. She reached out with her steady right hand, gently touching the warm crystal on the table.

Evren straightened up and crossed his arms with a confident grin. ”One down. Two to go.”

The system chimed in Evren;s mind as the golden screen appeared in his vision:

[DING!]

[HEROINE #2 (ZEPHYRA NIGHTSHADE) — EMOTIONAL RESONANCE DETECTED!]

[TRUST LEVEL INCREASE: 25% ➔ 35%!]

[STAGE 2 PURIFICATION QUEST UPDATED: 1/3 CATALYSTS SECURED]

Before the notification faded, a second golden system window flashed across his sight:

[ATTENTION: CATALYST #2 FOR ZEPHYRA’S STAGE 2 MEDICINE HAS BEEN DETECTED!]

[TARGET ITEM: ASTRAL SUN-FIRE CORAL (CLASS-A ALCHEMICAL REAGENT)]

[LOCATION: THE IMPERIAL CAPITAL GRAND ALCHEMICAL AUCTION]

[EVENT TIME: TONIGHT AT 8:00 PM — UPPER GOLD DISTRICT]

Evren’s eyes sharpened as he read the glowing golden text.

’Astral Sun-Fire Coral,’ Evren noted inwardly. ’It’s available tonight at the Capital auction.’

Evren pulled his phone from his coat and dialed Mikay.

”Chairman,” Mikay answered on the second ring.

”Mikay, the Imperial Grand Alchemical Exchange in the Upper Gold District is hosting an elite private auction tonight at eight o’clock,” Evren said. ”Secure a private VIP skybox for the three of us under Apex Sovereign Conglomerate.”

”Understood, Boss,” Mikay replied immediately. ”With your S-Rank charter and our corporate credit line on file with the Central Bank, I’ll have the Exchange assign Presidential Skybox Number One to us within minutes. I’ll send the electronic access pass directly to your phone.”

”Good,” Evren said, hanging up.

He slipped his phone away and looked at Amber and Zephyra with a confident smile.

”The second catalyst for Zephyra’s medicine is being auctioned tonight at the Grand Alchemical Exchange,” Evren announced.

Amber’s eyes lit up with excitement. ”Then we’re going to buy it.”

Evren looked over at Zephyra, whose fingers were still resting on the warm Shadow-Mist Core.

”Zephyra,” he called.

Zephyra lifted her head almost immediately.

”The Council hearing this morning was a hostile trap, which is why we kept you protected here,” Evren explained gently. ”But tonight is different. We have our own private skybox, and we’re securing your medicine. Put on that new tailored shadow-silk coat from Maison Valoria. Tonight, you’re coming with us.”

Zephyra’s eyes widened in surprise. ”Me? In public... at an elite auction?”

”You’re not a hidden secret, Zephyra,” Evren replied with a smile. ”You walk beside us.”

A soft, genuine smile blossomed on Zephyra’s face for the first time in years. She nodded firmly, a spark of life returning to her eyes.

”Okay,” she said softly. ”I’ll get ready.”