Chapter 61 – The Banquet of Broken PromisesThe night after their victory at the Stone Fields should have been one of celebration. The kingdom declared it a night of triumph, and in the capital, lanterns were hung high from every tower, fireworks painted the skies in wild streaks of silver and crimson, and the air smelled of roasted meat, honeyed bread, and far too much ale being spilled into cobblestone cracks.Yet beneath the glitter of festivity, shadows stretched long. The banquet, meant to honor the heroes, quickly revealed itself as something else entirely—an elaborate stage for politics, deception, and the testing of loyalties.The ArrivalFelix was the first to burst into the grand hall, his cloak dramatically snagging on the doorframe until Kai had to yank it loose.“Smooth entrance ruined,” Felix muttered, fixing his collar before striding into the glow of chandeliers. “They should’ve had trumpets. Or at least confetti cannons. Something with flair.”Aria sighed, trailing be

Chapter 63 — Bureaucracy of the DamnedThe Department of Unintentional Heroics had seen many strange things—gnomes filing for dental coverage, kobolds claiming overtime for dungeon patrol, and once, a banshee arguing with HR about her scream being classified as a "workplace hazard."But none of that prepared Quibble for the letter that arrived on his desk.It was black. Not black ink, not black parchment—it was as though someone had folded a piece of night sky and pressed it into an envelope. The seal shimmered faintly, not wax but molten shadow. Stamped into it were the words:“Summons: Infernal Tax Review”Quibble’s hands shook. He had worked in government long enough to know that “tax review” was bureaucratic code for “we’re going to eat your soul, but slowly and with lots of forms.”A Visit from BelowMoments later, a knock rattled his office door. He didn’t have to say “come in.” The door opened by itself, and a demon in a three-piece suit stepped through.The demon was seven fee

Chapter 65 — Quibble’s Catastrophic Clerical CrisisThe Ledger’s pages rustled like a storm. Ink dripped from its runes, sizzling as it hit the parchment floor. Then came the booming pronouncement:“Subject: Quibble Quindle. Offenses: Gross Misfiling, Excessive Footnoting, and Negligent Form Necromancy.”The others turned to stare.“Form… necromancy?” Garrick asked. “Is that even real?”Quibble’s ears went crimson. “It was one time! And it was an accident. The forms animated themselves. Nobody could have predicted—”The Ledger cut him off. “Summoning violation detected. Exhibit A: The Revenant of Misfiled Taxes.”The Revenant AppearsThe ground quaked. From beneath the parchment floor, a monstrous figure rose: a giant skeleton in a business suit, its tie dragging like a noose. Its skull glowed with fire, and instead of a sword, it carried a pen the size of a spear, dripping black ink.The Revenant’s voice was a hollow echo: “YOU FAILED TO SIGN LINE 37.”Quibble whimpered. “Oh gods, no

Chapter 67 — Benneth’s Unlicensed SpellworkThe Ledger’s pages trembled as if suppressing laughter. Then, with a booming echo that shook dust from the ceiling, it declared:“Subject: Benneth of the Ember Guild. Offenses: Unauthorized Spellwork. Magical Malpractice. Gross Overconfidence in the Presence of Explosive Materials.”The party turned toward him in unison.Garrick folded his arms. “Finally.”Marla smirked. “Told you the book was thorough.”Quibble whispered, “Does this mean… the fireball…?”Benneth adjusted his cloak, sniffing. “This is obviously a clerical error. I am a paragon of magical safety and responsibility.”The Ledger roared: “Exhibit A: The Great Soup Catastrophe.”Exhibit A: The Great Soup CatastropheA glowing illusion unfolded above them: Benneth, standing proudly in the guild’s kitchen, declaring, “Fear not! I shall accelerate the cooking process with a minor fire spell!”Seconds later, the pot exploded, coating half the guild in flaming broth.Marla howled with

Chapter 69 — Quibble’s Creative AccountingThe Ledger’s pages flipped violently, as though even it had been waiting for this moment. The booming voice rang out:“Final subject: Quibble Underbough. Offenses: Embezzlement. Unauthorized Investments. Unsanctioned Pact-making. Also, excessive use of fine parchment for doodles.”The gnome nearly fainted. “WHAT?! I—I'm just an accountant!”Marla leaned forward, smirking. “This… is going to be delicious.”Garrick crossed his arms, grinning. “Finally! The little one gets grilled.”Benneth muttered, “I’ve suspected his ledgers were too… balanced.”Exhibit A: The Gambling ProblemAn illusion flickered to life, showing Quibble seated at a smoky underground gambling hall. Cards shuffled, dice rolled, coins clinked.The illusionary Quibble rubbed his hands together. “All in.”Moments later, the table exploded into chaos—Quibble had won spectacularly, scooping up mountains of gold. The audience cheered, until the Ledger’s voice cut in:“Correction: