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10 HOUR | The First Legendary Beast Master Part 9 | Audiobook (SleepStudyGym) — Transcript

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0:00Remy prepared her spell to cover the
0:02entire area around the north side of the
0:04city with a special bit of focus on not
0:06destroying the plants. Most of them had
0:09already been smashed by traveling
0:11armies, but if anything could be saved,
0:13that would be best. The other sides
0:16would hardly notice an ascended rank
0:17thunderstorm spell, but with it forming
0:20over the whole north side of the city at
0:21the same time, it would look more like
0:23it was cast from within the walls where
0:25they couldn't easily get at the target.
0:28For the mechanics of placing the spell,
0:30Remy was relying on Hawk's mental
0:32imagery, but she was fairly certain that
0:34she knew what to do, and even if it
0:36rained on the city, it shouldn't hurt
0:37the buildings or the humans.
0:40Thunderstorm was also fairly easy to
0:42keep active, as it was channeled and
0:44didn't have a huge upfront cost. Remy
0:47could just keep it going until the giant
0:49shamans dispelled it. The advantage she
0:52had was that while the spell was being
0:54used with minimal damage output, the low
0:56cost would make it easy for her to keep
0:58the sections that weren't being actively
1:00dispelled active. Compared to most
1:03casters, the Naga Queen had excellent
1:05elemental control, and a focused dispel
1:07effect wouldn't cause the whole spell to
1:09collapse. That would help them sell the
1:12idea that it was shamans inside the city
1:14that were messing with the weather. If
1:16they were in the city, then the storm
1:18would be nearly impossible to stop until
1:20the battle was over, and the enemy would
1:22have to work to deal with it or send
1:24their troops into battle wounded. The
1:26second was the more likely case, as the
1:29giants didn't actually care at all about
1:31their allies,
1:33especially the weaker ones here on the
1:34north side, who they would happily
1:36sacrifice just to soften up the capital
1:38city before the final invasion force
1:40arrived. Overhead, the clouds began to
1:44shift and darken as the wide area spell
1:46took effect. At first, Remy wasn't
1:49facing any sort of resistance, and the
1:51giants driving the horde forward seemed
1:53to think that it was a sign that they
1:55were on the right path, as Hawk was
1:57reporting that some of them were
1:58celebrating. They were in for a rude
2:01awakening. When the first bolts of
2:03lightning hit, the giants laughed them
2:05off, uncaring about a few ascended rank
2:08lightning streaks. Even when the rain
2:10started, they were mostly unconcerned.
2:13The troops could march in the rain and
2:16bad weather would not stop them from
2:17toppling the capital today. But when
2:20they realized that the rain itself was
2:22eating through their gear and supplies,
2:24and that the lightning was spreading all
2:25through the hills north of the capital
2:27region, covering a dozen kilometers of
2:29land on this side of the city, they
2:31began to worry. That's impressive.
2:35I didn't think that you had that much
2:36coverage in you, Carl. congratulated.
2:40I'm borrowing energy from everyone since
2:42we're not fighting just enough that we
2:45can all recover what I'm using. Remy
2:48explained.
2:49Carl hadn't even known that was an
2:51option. He didn't know how to draw
2:54energy directly from the team to use
2:55abilities.
2:57Perhaps it was a Remy exclusive ability.
3:00On the north side of the city, where the
3:02giant's weaker allies were attacking,
3:04the situation was becoming dire for the
3:06incoming monsters.
3:08Most of the terrain sloped upwards
3:10towards the city from a river valley,
3:12meaning that they had to charge up a
3:14muddy hill in a thunderstorm to get at
3:15the defenders, which was slowing their
3:17advance. The rain was burning through
3:20their clothing and their hides, leaving
3:22welts and blisters that were quickly
3:24turning to deep wounds. The best that
3:26they had managed was to shelter
3:28themselves with cloth. If they weren't
3:31touching the cloth itself, the rain
3:33wouldn't eat through it. But every time
3:35they tried, the lightning had an uncanny
3:38way of finding them. In contrast, Carl's
3:41hasty move to a command tent with the
3:43sides rolled up so they could see the
3:45army as they worked, but still remain
3:47dry, had worked out perfectly. Rey had
3:50simply made a shelter for her people
3:52with earth magic and silk, while Thor
3:54had managed to obtain a large parasol,
3:57the sort families would use for a beach
3:59day. He was sheltering Tessa and the
4:01command table with it while the soldiers
4:03worked to raise a tent similar to the
4:05one Carl was using. Of them all, Dana
4:08had it both the best and the worst. The
4:11large branches of Lotus Tree of Life
4:13form sheltered them from the rain, but
4:15Lotus had to be regularly reminded not
4:17to dance in the rain or everyone under
4:19her got soaked. Dana would have to get a
4:22tent soon. Monarch, we have supplies for
4:25the line. Someone shouted from behind
4:28Carl. The receiving area is to your
4:31left. Sir, they are specialty equipment
4:34sent by the archbishop.
4:37The voice replied, and Carl turned to
4:39see a young acolyte of the church
4:41thoroughly soaked from the rain holding
4:43a wooden box for him to inspect.
4:46Ice cleat one size, the box read. That
4:49was a brilliant idea. How many are
4:52there? Carl asked. They were dispatched
4:56to all four stations in the north. There
4:59is a whole truckload of them. The
5:01acolyte explained. Get them distributed
5:04to the front lines. The second rank can
5:07put them on, then rotate forward.
5:10Officers pass the order. Carl insisted.
5:15Danny McKenzie smiled at him. Ice cleat
5:18to give them better traction in the mud.
5:20It appears that the Sears approve of
5:22your tactic. Carl nodded. I wish that I
5:26had thought of it. That is a brilliant
5:29tactic. I wonder if they were available
5:32when I was on the frost giant front. We
5:35were always scouts and never on the
5:36lines, so I never really got a chance to
5:38check out the supply rooms. Dany
5:41shrugged. They were available, but
5:44nobody really used them. With the line
5:47holding in the same spot for so long,
5:49the ground was already torn up and the
5:51traction was good. We really do need to
5:54find time to catch up after the battle.
5:57Carl smiled. Are the rest of your
6:00siblings here? Dany shook her head.
6:03Donnie is over by the tree, but Bob and
6:06Doug are on the hill giant lines right
6:08now. You said they're calling some of
6:10those ones back, so we might see them,
6:13but they weren't stationed in the
6:14capital. Carl waited as the battle wore
6:17on, and the giants made no attempt to
6:19get rid of Remy's storm. They were
6:22saving all their energy to attack the
6:24walls once they were past the defenders.
6:27No, that wasn't quite right. Carl
6:29realized
6:30they were disguising their shamans.
6:33If they made themselves stand out from
6:35the other giants in the back ranks, they
6:37would make themselves targets for
6:38assassination.
6:40The giants only had one type of caster.
6:43They didn't have separate clerics,
6:45mages, and shamans.
6:48So if they lost the shamans early, they
6:50would be in grave danger once they
6:52reached the walls and the real siege
6:54began. Dany leaned towards Carl and
6:57whispered a question. Do you know what
6:59triggered this? Why the full assault on
7:02the capital? Why now? Another 6 months
7:06and we would have been much weaker. Carl
7:09winked and tapped his head before
7:10sending her a message. Not necessarily.
7:14They have spies all over the capital.
7:17reporting on everything that we do. The
7:19next influx of elites is going to
7:21include awakenings with system linked
7:23items, and we expect the success rate to
7:25exceed 30%.
7:27I also managed to push a group of new
7:29elites from common to awakened in 2
7:31days. They'll be there for a while as
7:34they adjust, but the giants don't know
7:36that we can't just keep doing that.
7:38Their scouts will have told them that we
7:40found a way to force awakenings and
7:42advancements, or something close to
7:44that. But when we first fought them,
7:46they said that they would take the
7:48system item from us and crush the
7:49church. They think that we have an
7:52equivalent to system stones in the city.
7:55There was a brief pause as Dany took
7:57that all in. Then Carl got a message
7:59back. Holy wall of text. This feature is
8:03wonderful. Mine activated when you sent
8:06me a message. So not everyone could use
8:09it. That was valuable information.
8:13There was a pause and then the mage sent
8:15him another private message. What if the
8:18item they're referring to is the trial
8:20temple. I heard it changed lately and
8:23new clerics were awakening faster and
8:25stronger than ever. If I heard, then
8:28whoever is spying surely did. That made
8:31a lot of sense. The giants likely didn't
8:34know that the temple was only awakening
8:36clerics, even if they had success with
8:38sending in people for benefits to other
8:40classes.
8:41But depending on how connected the spies
8:43were, the giants might also know that it
8:45worked to give commanders advanced
8:47classes, which would give them a whole
8:48new set of skills to work with. Well, we
8:52can let that be the archbishop's issue.
8:54I will include it in my next report to
8:56him. Dany laughed out loud, then began
8:59to speak as they finished the
9:01confidential part of the discussion.
9:03You're already thinking of your next
9:05report, but we're in the middle of a
9:06battle. Such dedication.
9:10Are you sure you're not an Inquisitor?
9:12She teased.
9:14Carl chuckled. I'm sure that Sister Ray
9:17wouldn't mind. Inquisitor overlord Neil
9:20lets her stab people. Dany shook her
9:23head in dismay. To think that our
9:26adorable spider friend is now a monarch.
9:29How much has she changed? Not much,
9:32actually. Her appearance is close to
9:35what it was at commander. She didn't
9:37grow too much more, but now she knows a
9:40skill to transform into a humanoid. Her
9:43skills are obviously improved, but
9:45that's a discussion for later. There may
9:48be transformed giants among the supply
9:50group. I will give details in private,
9:53Carl warned. It wouldn't do to have the
9:56detailed skills of his team revealed to
9:58the enemy in advance. Ray's mental voice
10:01interrupted Carl's train of thought.
10:04Ooh, I win.
10:06They sent someone to challenge me to a
10:08duel. An Edin mage monarch. She cheered.
10:13Do you have this? Carl asked. There was
10:17no response for a few seconds. Then Ry
10:20began to sing. I've got a lovely bunch
10:23of coconuts.
10:24There they are hanging in a row. Carl
10:27was baffled for a second until he got a
10:29message from Oilia. Can you talk to Ry
10:32about terrifying the soldiers? She's
10:35arranging the pieces of the etinon pikes
10:37behind the line. Rey, this is not the
10:40place for an art exhibition.
10:43You're scaring the humans, just the
10:45heads. Fine, you can leave the heads up,
10:49but please don't hang dry your food in
10:52public. Oilia messaged a few seconds
10:55later. Thanks. That is much better. Then
10:59Thor had an update. I get one, too. a
11:03monarch ranked ogrelord.
11:05This is going to be so much fun. Have
11:08you got this? Carl doublech checked the
11:11same as he had for Ry. I have a couple
11:14attack skills and all your buffs. I can
11:18beat up some silly ogre without even
11:20turning back into a serrow. Overhead.
11:23Hawk was laughing. What is brother Thor
11:26doing? He's in human form challenging an
11:28ogre lord. Oh, he can use gravity slam
11:32like that and eternal lightning on the
11:34blade. That works pretty good. You're
11:38missing out. The ogre lord rolled back
11:41to his feet, bleeding from one arm after
11:43being knocked over by a shield slam from
11:45this strange paladin. He was clearly the
11:48bigger one, and he should be stronger,
11:50but the paladin had tossed him to the
11:52ground like he was a child. His pride
11:55couldn't handle such an insult. The ogre
11:58lord parried Thor's blade, but the real
12:00attack was with the edge of the shield
12:01that slammed into the lord's ribs.
12:04Crushing blows and shatter activated,
12:08sending vibrations through his body that
12:09had the ogre lord spitting blood. None
12:12of this made sense. They were both
12:15monarchs. How could this stupid paladin
12:17be so much stronger than an ogre? Thor
12:20activated brutality, increasing his
12:23height from just under 2 m to three.
12:26that put him eye to eyee with the ogre
12:28lord who instinctively backed away a
12:30step to put himself at the edge of
12:31Thor's reach. A stomp of his foot
12:34activated earthquake and the ogre lord
12:37stumbled, lurching to the left where
12:38Thor's blade was incoming. A twist of
12:41his arm parried the blow, but Thor was
12:44charging with his shield forward. A
12:46fully buffed gravity slam flattened the
12:49ogre lord's body and warped his armor,
12:51then sent him flying a dozen meters
12:53backwards into his forces.
12:55For a few seconds, everything was frozen
12:58except the silent torrent of rain. Then
13:00the ogre lord gave a wheezing gasp and
13:02collapsed with blood pooling around the
13:04joints of his armor. Thor had won his
13:06duel. Playing night is fun. We should do
13:10this more often. While Carl was busy on
13:14the northern defense lines, Neil was
13:16busy within the city. He had to find as
13:19many of the spies as possible before the
13:21giants reached the walls.
13:23That would be the natural time for them
13:25to start causing chaos, giving false
13:27orders, and starting trouble within the
13:29supply lines. With the incident on the
13:32trucks, he had discovered the trick to
13:34detecting them. He couldn't normally see
13:36through their disguises, which appeared
13:38to be created by a totem ranked disguise
13:40item. But once he had gotten his hands
13:43on one of them, he could clearly see the
13:45disguised form of the others. With
13:48Shadowmeld active, he raced through the
13:51streets, invisible to the population
13:53that he was protecting. Then a most
13:56horrifying sight caught his attention.
13:59Three generals were planning the
14:00deployment of the Western lines, and all
14:03three of them were disguised Titan
14:04infiltrators.
14:06They had been deploying the troops this
14:08entire time. The Archbishop was going to
14:11be devastated to know that so many of
14:13their trusted leaders were actually
14:14spies. The Inquisitor was about to
14:17attack when a subtle difference caught
14:19his attention. One of them was not a
14:21disguised Titan at all. The spell wasn't
14:24as good, and the power he could sense
14:26through it was that of a beast. So quite
14:29possibly a disguised spy, but possibly
14:32not today's enemy. Neil made a mental
14:35note of the Divine Beast Nation spy and
14:38then launched two ambush enhanced
14:40throwing knives into the base of the
14:42skulls of the other two. For an instant,
14:45he let the surviving general see him as
14:47he collected the bodies so that he
14:48wouldn't raise an alarm. But the dead
14:51titans were already transforming back to
14:53their natural shape. And that should be
14:55enough for him to understand. With a
14:57quick activation of advanced shadow
15:00step, the bodies were deposited in the
15:02Inquisition building, and Neil was back
15:04to continue his work. With the positions
15:07of the defenders on the western lines
15:08mostly ordered by the enemy, there was
15:10too much to do. General, I want a full
15:14redeployment of the Western lines. The
15:16enemy knows the location of our assets.
15:20Scramble your reserves and cycle some
15:22strategic assets out. It needs to be
15:24done before the next push," he explained
15:27as he returned to the sight of the
15:29ambush. "Then he was off hunting again.
15:33It was a shame that he didn't have
15:34Sister Ray with him. She would love this
15:37game." Deep within the cathedral, seated
15:41around a table in the war room, the
15:42archbishop and his advisers looked at
15:44the scrier's projections of the duels
15:46happening all over the battlefield. The
15:49north was holding well, but the same
15:51could not be said of the champions on
15:53the west and the lines. They were being
15:54forced to retreat after two overlords
15:56were lost and their bodies claimed by
15:58the giants. Your holiness, the visions
16:02are changing. Someone has altered the
16:04odds on the western front in our favor.
16:07I can't see what is happening, but when
16:09I look at the command group, two of the
16:11three generals have changed. One of the
16:14seers explained.
16:16Understood.
16:18That should be the work of the
16:19Inquisition.
16:20Have we found what they're looking for
16:22yet? It can't be the temple. The
16:25mountain giant great sage already knew
16:27about the change.
16:29So, whoever took over from him after his
16:32death should know as well. The
16:34archbishop asked his advisers.
16:37No, your holiness.
16:39We have been searching the city with
16:40every skill that we have, but there is
16:43no sign of a holy relic that we didn't
16:44detect in advance. The old man side.
16:49What do the fates say? An aging cleric
16:52on the archbishop's left side. The fates
16:55are a tangled mess. Many heroes will be
16:58made, and many names will fall to shame
17:00today. But there is one clear tangle
17:03above the others, shining bright with
17:05the favor of the gods. The closest
17:08member of the group is right here with
17:10us. Overlord Tabitha, as well as Ahmad,
17:13Neil, Athell, and that beast master's
17:16team are all entwined together. I
17:19believe that most of what they were
17:20going to do to affect our fate is
17:22already done, but their dominance
17:23suggests that there will be something
17:25else for them to do, either individually
17:27or together. Tabitha suspected that her
17:30part in the ordeal was finished as she
17:32had been tricked by that bastard of an
17:33inquisitor into being the liaison to the
17:35northern front. That was the only front
17:38that they had reliable communication
17:40with. But once she gained access to the
17:43system function, Tabitha had sent a
17:45fellow to the eastern front to do the
17:46same as Carl was doing in the north.
17:49Ahmad was still recovering, but he
17:51should be ready soon. And then he could
17:53head to the Western Wall and relay
17:55orders and intelligence from the
17:56cathedral.
17:58At Carl's station, a proud hill giant
18:00was marching through the ranks with four
18:02hobgoblins holding up a tarp over his
18:04head, keeping him out of the rain. It
18:07was clear that his chance at a challenge
18:08was coming to him, and Carl had moved
18:10out to the front line, where the battle
18:12had parted around him as he waited for
18:14his opponent. The giant stopped 50 m
18:17from the line, then raised a hand, and a
18:20portal opened. Outstepped a 15 m tall,
18:23four-earmed monstrosity of a titan.
18:26There was no doubt that thing was at
18:28least a totem ranked giant and likely
18:30the new leader of the mountain giants.
18:33As one, the entire giant army on the
18:35northern front knelt facing the new
18:37arrival. Even the ones who were in
18:39combat backed away to Neil. The giant
18:42glared down at Carl, who returned his
18:44energy with an unblinking stare. This
18:47fight might only last half a second, but
18:49there was no need for him to embarrass
18:51himself before his inevitable death.
18:54you." The Titan rumbled, clenching his
18:57fists in rage. "Me?"
19:00Carl agreed, utterly baffled about how
19:02this creature might know him. Unless it
19:05had been a vision that revealed his
19:07identity, Carl was absolutely certain
19:09that they hadn't met before. Not even
19:1210,000 years ago. The giant was about to
19:15say something when a portal opened
19:17behind Carl, and a small girl with white
19:19hair and white- scaled ears stepped
19:21through. Bishop Misty. Carl greeted her,
19:25then stopped and did a double take as a
19:27second figure exited the portal. Carl
19:30stared at himself, 5 meters tall and
19:32radiating power with a grizzled version
19:35of Cara sitting on his shoulder, her
19:37face pulled in a permanent smirk by a
19:39scar across her muzzle and gray in her
19:41fur. The visor was down on his helmet,
19:43and his Cara was smaller than the one on
19:45this man's shoulder. But if there was
19:47anyone in the world that Carl would
19:49recognize just by their aura, it was
19:51himself.
19:52Nobody was sure what to do as the two
19:54powerhouses stared at each other. The
19:57size difference was vast, but the power
19:59they were radiating was making Remy's
20:01thunderstorm churn, and they hadn't even
20:03used a skill yet. It's too late. The
20:07second Carl announced, staring at the
20:09Titan, who spat on the ground while
20:11glaring at him. It's never too late. The
20:15giant declared and began to surge with
20:18power, pulling the mana out of the area
20:20into himself. The skies went clear.
20:23Every barrier collapsed, and even the
20:25barriers over the city walls fell under
20:27his power. The might of the archbishop
20:30was nothing compared to whatever this
20:32thing was. But the other Carl and Bishop
20:35Misty looked unconcerned as the
20:36transformed temporal dragon waved her
20:38hand. "Let's take this back home. You
20:42know better than to meddle with things
20:43that must be. The dragon insisted as
20:46white fog filled the air. No, the titan
20:51shouted as a black bolt of lightning
20:53raced from his hand toward his nemesis.
20:55The second Carl casually swatted away
20:58the bolt of power that would obliterate
20:59totems with a glancing blow. The power
21:02streaked off into the sky, vanishing out
21:05of sight. Then the fog closed in on
21:07them, and the trio was gone. Carl
21:10staggered as the world seemed to shift.
21:13All of the mana had been taken, used for
21:15that insane skill, and everyone under
21:18royal rank was unconscious, unable to
21:20defend themselves. The monarch ranked
21:23giant who had come to open the portal
21:24simply stared at Carl for a second, then
21:27took what might be his one chance, and
21:29attacked. From within her space,
21:32sheltered from the mana drain, Remy
21:34channeled chain lightning into him, a
21:36steady stream that fried the giant's
21:38body, even as it twitched, suspended off
21:41the ground by the magnetic field of so
21:43much electricity flowing through metal
21:44armor. The giant's body collapsed,
21:47nothing more than a scorched husk, and
21:49Remy nodded in satisfaction.
21:52That had taken a lot of power, but with
21:54no energy to defend himself, and his
21:56armor weakened by the powerful one, the
21:58attack had been quite satisfying.
22:01Hulk picked himself up off the ground
22:03and shook the dirt from his feathers. He
22:06had been kilometers away from the
22:07incident, and the effects had still
22:09knocked him from the sky. But from here,
22:12he could see the most wonderful sight.
22:15There were shiny treasures in the sky.
22:18With a streak of fire, he went to claim
22:20them before anyone else could get to the
22:22good stuff. The attack by the Titan had
22:24to have passed right through this spot,
22:26and whatever spells had been protecting
22:28the treasure had shattered, leaving the
22:30shiny thing to fall from the sky. He
22:33swooped close just as portals opened all
22:35around it and attacks lashed out. But
22:38they were all too slow and stupid to
22:40challenge him. Hawk pulled the item into
22:43his space, then vanished from the area
22:45as he followed it home to examine his
22:47treasure. He hadn't managed to get the
22:49box. The attackers had covered it with
22:52danger, but it was already open, and
22:54Hawk was happy to just take what was
22:56inside. As disappointing as it might be,
23:00it felt like holy power, but it was just
23:02a silly tiny dragon scale. It wasn't
23:06even a good one. It was cracked and
23:08dull, and most of its power had been
23:10drained.
23:11He was keeping it anyhow. If someone was
23:14willing to attack him to steal it, that
23:16just meant that he didn't know how good
23:18it really was yet. So, he would keep it
23:21hidden with his other treasures until he
23:23found the answer. Good work, everyone.
23:27Status report. How are our cubs? Did
23:31anyone get injured? Carl asked. My baby
23:35Rogue is good. She's already waking up
23:38and coherent. Oilia looks tired, but
23:41Thor's barrier is back up already. Rey
23:44agreed. The other ones are waking up,
23:47too. The lotus tree has everyone around
23:50us recovering quickly. Cara agreed. I
23:55protected my team. Tessa is good to go.
23:59Thor added proudly.
24:01Half a second later, Overlord Neil was
24:03next to Carl, blades out and looking for
24:05danger. Relax. They already left.
24:10Bishop Misty, the temporal dragon, threw
24:12them through time to fight it out, Carl
24:15explained.
24:16That's not what I'm concerned about. Our
24:19reports from interviewed detainees say
24:21that the Titans thought they had located
24:23a fragment of the original system
24:24stones, but the box was open and empty.
24:28I am looking for signs that it might
24:30have been stolen by one of the three
24:31creatures that were here fighting. If
24:34there really was a surviving fragment in
24:36that chest and the attack destroyed it,
24:38the system might collapse entirely.
24:41They can't have my treasure. Hawk
24:43pouted. Carl frowned at the Inquisitor.
24:47There is definitely no sign of the
24:49system stones here, nor the chest or
24:52what was in it. I think it was already
24:55gone before the portals arrived. Neil
24:58smirked.
24:59Fine, but know that I'm keeping an eye
25:01on you until we have verified that
25:03statement. He sent as a system message,
25:06not trusting Carl's honesty. They were
25:09friends, but when it came to trying to
25:11keep a divine relic secret, silence was
25:14your best option. Lottery winners had
25:16enough problems when people found about
25:18their ticket, and that was just a bit of
25:20money. If I had something with that much
25:23power, we would likely have a lot more
25:25visitors right now, wouldn't we? Carl
25:28joked. Neil wasn't so easily swayed. The
25:32item was gone despite every totem on the
25:35continent trying to grab it. There was a
25:37chance the box was always empty. But as
25:40an inquisitor, it was his job to explore
25:42every possibility until the holy relic
25:44was recovered. However, it was no wonder
25:47nobody could find it in the past. The
25:50relic wasn't on the ground. It was
25:52thousands of meters in the air, hidden
25:54in a separate space. You could fly right
25:57through it and never sense its presence.
26:00It was a brilliant hiding space, and
26:02logically there would have been some
26:04sort of clue or guide to finding it when
26:06it was first placed, but that was lost
26:08before any recorded history that they
26:09possessed. Neil shrugged as he sent one
26:12last message. If it is found, we will
26:16find another safe spot for it. The
26:18question is if the giants or anyone else
26:20will be able to determine where it is
26:22before we can recover it. If they think
26:24it stopped existing, we're good. If they
26:28think that someone in the capital might
26:29have it, all hell is about to break
26:31loose. The armies of the giants and the
26:34golden dragon nation seemed unsure what
26:36they should be doing now. Everyone was
26:39exhausted and something big had
26:41happened, but they had no way of knowing
26:43who won the exchange. Carl sent a
26:46message to Tabitha. Let everyone know
26:48that our side won the exchange between
26:50leaders. I will explain the details
26:53later. Then Carl messaged the rest of
26:56his team. Once the armies are rested,
26:59prepare for another attack. There is no
27:02telling how the forces that could see
27:04the incident are going to respond to the
27:06battle. Compared to the chaos that was
27:08gripping the advisers and seers within
27:10all the cities of the nation, the chaos
27:12on the battlefield was nothing. For one
27:15brief glorious moment, they had all seen
27:18the greatest divine treasure in the
27:19world appear. Then mere seconds later,
27:22all the visions ended. Their
27:25premonitions vanished as if the trigger
27:27had never existed. The Archbishop and
27:30Knack shared a concerned look as the
27:31seers began to panic. All of their
27:34abilities had been triggered by the
27:36event and then it was over, gone,
27:38vanished without a trace. Do you think
27:41that it might have been taken through
27:42time by the mystery combatants?
27:45The archbishop asked. The seers slowly
27:48nodded in agreement. That seems like the
27:51most likely outcome. We don't recognize
27:54the aura of either of the parties
27:56involved in the attack on the hidden
27:57holy relic, but Bishop Misty was present
28:00and sided with the one who was not a
28:02Titan. The most likely scenario is that
28:05she will have taken it through time, but
28:06the current her will have no knowledge
28:08of the event as she has not done it yet.
28:11The two totems side. Dealing with
28:14temporal dragons was tricky. You never
28:17knew what they actually knew. They like
28:20to hide things from themselves so that
28:21it would be a surprise when it happened.
28:24A little treat that kept their lives
28:26interesting. Nact frowned. I will send a
28:30message to the temples to keep an eye
28:31out for her so that we can ask her what
28:33she knows about the incident, but I
28:35strongly suspect that she's not going to
28:37know anything except what we know from
28:38after the change in the timeline. How
28:41and why she interfered is unclear. But
28:43we can start with Monarch Carl and his
28:45team, who should have been close enough
28:47to get some information about the
28:48situation.
28:50That was naturally assuming that they
28:52would survive the battle. The Beast
28:54Master's team had the World Dragon's own
28:56luck, and they were on the weakest side
28:58of the offensive with considerable area
29:00attack abilities. If they weren't
29:03concerned about drawing the attention of
29:04and provoking stronger foes from the
29:06other fronts, they could clear the
29:08entire north side themselves with
29:10relative ease. from what Nact and the
29:12Archbishop had learned of their skills.
29:14After a few minutes of staring at the
29:16monsters while the troops on the line
29:18caught their breath, and the last of the
29:20soldiers equipped the ice cleat, horns
29:22began to ring out in the distance,
29:24signaling the invading army to retreat.
29:27Starting from the back, they turned and
29:29left while the front slowly retreated,
29:32not fleeing in panic, but an orderly
29:34withdrawal of forces designed to
29:36minimize casualties.
29:38They had already suffered heavily, and
29:40the walk back to the portals was over
29:42the bodies of their fallen comrades.
29:44But they were alive, and today that was
29:47all that mattered. "Are we not going
29:49after them?" Danny McKenzie asked as
29:52they watched the enemy retreat and send
29:55our soldiers down that muddy hill where
29:57they will have to face an enemy line
29:58with decent footing in the riverbed.
30:01"No, there is no need for further
30:03casualties today. Let them leave and
30:06regroup and we will deal with them
30:08later. I suspect that the losses they
30:10have taken will keep them quietly in
30:12their own borders for at least a few
30:14days. Carl explained he didn't know how
30:18the other sides of the city had gone,
30:20but the overlords who were with him
30:21earlier had taken numerous bodies from
30:23their overlord rank kills, so the
30:25mountain giants would be at least a bit
30:26weaker than they were yesterday.
30:29Overlord Neil chuckled. I don't know
30:32about days, but they will stay put for
30:34at least one. The mountain giants are a
30:37chaotic bunch, and with everyone so
30:39worked up to follow them into battle,
30:41they'll have everyone in a frenzy soon
30:42enough." He made a slight gesture with
30:45his head towards Dany and the other
30:47command group members who were nearshot,
30:49reminding Carl not to say things that
30:51should be public, like the change in
30:53leadership, and how the frost giants had
30:55already realized they were being used as
30:57fodder, but didn't dare to disobey
30:59orders. Those things were better left
31:01unsaid, and knowing them would only earn
31:04a trip to the Inquisition for the
31:05officers here to ensure that they were
31:07absolutely loyal. The McKenzie sister
31:10was well vetted and not really a
31:12concern, as she was on capital security.
31:15But most of the others were either
31:17reserve soldiers or non-combat officers
31:19who had been brought to the line to
31:21compensate for the lack of radio
31:23communication.
31:24How long do we wait before I can start
31:26telling those in back to pack up the
31:28supplies in preparation to move back to
31:30the city? Carl asked Overlord Neil, who
31:33hopefully had more experience with this
31:35sort of thing than he did. I really
31:38don't know. I say we give it 30 minutes.
31:42By then, they will be off the adrenaline
31:44high and they should be thinking clearly
31:46again. It will make for better packed
31:48supplies,
31:50Neil suggested.
31:52He knew that there was a guideline for
31:53this. He had just never cared what it
31:56was. He had been an inquisitor since he
31:58became an elite, so he had never been
32:00the one who had to make the decision,
32:02only pass it on. A few of the officers
32:05looked like they wanted to say
32:06something, but they were not brave
32:08enough to question the judgment of
32:09Monarch and an overlord, so they simply
32:12stayed silent for the half hour while
32:13Carl silently updated the troop
32:15deployments on the map until everything
32:17was gone. And the last of the troops on
32:19the west side were reported by Hawk to
32:21be getting close to the border. All
32:23right, have everyone pack up. The battle
32:26is over. There is nothing left to fight.
32:29Carl announced. Orders were shouted down
32:32the line, but Carl could hear that the
32:34radios were crackling to life again,
32:36restoring normal communication.
32:39Then a system message appeared in Carl's
32:42vision. City defense successful.
32:45Calculating difficulty.
32:48Calculating rewards.
32:50One by five skill points awarded for
32:52successful completion at Monarch rank.
32:5520 bonus skill points for successful
32:57command role. With the system
33:00notification, Carl checked his stats to
33:02see how he was doing on points. For the
33:05longest time, he was either just saving
33:07enough for a skill or completely
33:09forgetting that they existed because it
33:11was so far to the next skill. But now it
33:14seemed that he was getting a rather
33:15significant number of them all at once.
33:18But before that, there was something to
33:20test. Whoever currently has care of the
33:23little ones, can you check if they got
33:25skill points from the battle? I got a
33:28reward for completion. So there is a
33:30chance that all the system active
33:31combatants on our side got a point or
33:33two that they can use for skills. Carl
33:36messaged to the team. I got two points.
33:40That's enough for a whole skill. Sister
33:43Ray said that she would talk to me about
33:45them later once we're finished packing.
33:48Cibil agreed. The others all got two
33:51points as well. Dana responded after a
33:54minute's pause. That was a good sign. If
33:58they were all getting the same
33:59achievements that Carl was, then they
34:01should all have fully active systems and
34:03not flawed or partially active ones.
34:06Carl looked at his own numbers and found
34:09that he had actually been racking them
34:10up at a rather predicious pace.
34:12He had received points from the Grasa
34:14trial, the Cathedral Core upgrade trial,
34:17and a few of the fights that they had
34:19along the way, totaling 28 points on top
34:22of the 25 that he had just received. He
34:25only had three skills available, though.
34:28Packmaster skill tree 50 points. Follow
34:32me, little one. Directly teach a known
34:34skill to a compatible target. 50 points
34:37pack first removes the usage and
34:40targeting limits on evolution, but adds
34:42an increasing materials cost every time
34:44it is used on a bonded beast. 50 points
34:48territorial. All attacks by the
34:50packmaster have a chance to cause
34:52intimidation.
34:54Pack first wasn't a priority right now
34:56as he didn't need to evolve any of his
34:58beasts, much less much than once where
35:00the skill would supersede the limits on
35:02evolution.
35:03Territorial was a useful skill as
35:06intimidation would put him at an
35:07advantage in nearly every fight.
35:10However, in his current situation, the
35:12unfortunately named follow me little one
35:15was the skill that he needed the most.
35:18That skill felt distinctly like the
35:20system was trolling him. But Carl had so
35:22many skills that were along the same
35:24lines that it only made sense that he
35:26would get something of that sort.
35:28Especially with skill merger available,
35:30he could create a whole new skill and
35:32then just teach it to someone. It would
35:35be brilliant and he could save an
35:36immense amount of time in the training
35:38process. But even better, he could teach
35:41advanced skills to a beast of a similar
35:43or identical species. He already knew
35:46that they would be compatible. All he
35:48had to do was teach them and they would
35:50gain the prerequisite to pass their next
35:52growth bottleneck.
35:54Carl looked over at Neil and realized
35:56that the real cheat code was not
35:58training baby Sarah, but helping the
36:00older elites who had grown without
36:01complete systems. They were slowly
36:04reaching full activation now, but they
36:06would be so far behind the new
36:08generation that would be able to upgrade
36:09their class at commander rank and gain
36:11all new powers as well as picking all
36:14the class skills along the way. As
36:16formidable as Neil was, he was likely a
36:19dozen useful skills short of where a
36:20royal rank rogue would be in the future.
36:22and who knew what sort of skills an
36:24overlord ranked advanced class that
36:26started as a rogue would be. The man in
36:29question obviously noticed Carl giving
36:31him an assessing look and waited
36:32expectantly for an explanation.
36:35Skill learned. Follow me, little one.
36:38Skill points remaining. Three. I got a
36:42bonus of skill points and used them to
36:44learn a new teaching skill. Carl
36:46explained quietly.
36:49What sort of class build are you even
36:50going for? Teal Dragon cleric, blue and
36:54green mixed together. Neil joked. The
36:59skills are intended to help me train my
37:00beasts, though they're also useful to
37:02help train beasts for others and in
37:05certain cases other elites. Carl focused
37:08on Neil and a skill that he would
37:10definitely want to have if it would work
37:12on him. Offensive adaptation is
37:15incompatible with humans. Void body is
37:18incompatible with the target. skilled
37:21teaching request limited
37:23invulnerability.
37:25Neil got a confused and offended look on
37:27his face. Then it turned to joy after a
37:29few seconds and he pulled Carl into a
37:31hug. What's with that response?
37:34Carl asked.
37:36Nothing. Just a strange system message.
37:40Hackmaster Carl offers knowledge. His
37:43skill limited invulnerability will be
37:45transferred to the loyal hatchling Neil.
37:48No way was the overlord willingly
37:50repeating those words out loud. Did it
37:53transfer properly? Carl asked.
37:56Indeed, it did. This skill is absolutely
38:00broken. No wonder you act like you're
38:02immortal in combat. For most purposes,
38:06you are. Neil agreed. Then his eyes went
38:09vague. He was clearly pulled into a
38:12system menu of some sort. So Carl waited
38:15for him to finish and come back to
38:16reality.
38:18It took nearly 5 minutes before the
38:20rogue came back to consciousness with an
38:21amused smirk. Well, now isn't that
38:25interesting. I just learned one of the
38:27most fundamental secrets to the system,
38:29and it was entirely accidentally.
38:32Carl chuckled. That it unlocks hidden
38:35class options if you get an oddball
38:37skill that's capable of becoming more
38:38powerful than your current rank. Neil
38:41nodded. My new class is stalker, and
38:44apparently I have a vast wealth of skill
38:46points that I could never access before.
38:49Sister Ry will be overjoyed.
38:52You will be able to play together even
38:54more effectively once I manage to teach
38:56her a similar skill. The rogue winced.
39:00Perhaps not making the immortal blood
39:01bath spider invincible as well would
39:03help people sleep better at night. I
39:06can't even guarantee that it would work.
39:09I tried and failed twice with other
39:11skills before I found one that you could
39:12learn. Carl paused as he saw Neil
39:15waiting for an explanation.
39:18It didn't seem like something he
39:19couldn't say in front of Dany. So Carl
39:21continued, "First, I was going to teach
39:24you offensive adaptation, the skill that
39:27Sister Ray has that increases her damage
39:29permanently every time she hits a target
39:31of a certain type. For an inquisitor,
39:34that skill would be outstanding.
39:36But apparently regular folk can't learn
39:38it at all. Then I tried to teach you
39:41void body, a combined invulnerability
39:44and healing skill that was improved from
39:46Ka's limited invulnerability and
39:49trollish regeneration,
39:51but that's incompatible with you in
39:53particular. I don't know who it might
39:55work on though. Then the third option
39:58worked. Carl finished. Neil nodded.
40:03limited invulnerability was already good
40:05enough. Combining that with the insane
40:08self-healing of trollish regeneration,
40:11that was just disgusting.
40:14Wait, do you have all of those skills?
40:16Carl nodded. Not all of them are active
40:20anymore as I've improved some of them.
40:22But yes, I know all three. Carl got
40:26another brilliant idea. Invalid target
40:29night haunter is a species exclusive
40:32skill.
40:33Well, it was worth a shot. If they had a
40:36Ray equivalent elite on the Inquisition,
40:38the church wouldn't have to ask for Ry
40:40in the future. Their presence seemed to
40:43be drawing overlords to them. And before
40:45the line was ready to move out, Neil had
40:47been joined by Tabitha, Overlord Jorum
40:50the Ranger, and Overlord Drath, who came
40:52to them from the eastern front, covered
40:54in blood and looking rough. Inquisitor,
40:57did you find anything? Drath asked as he
41:00arrived. nothing. There is no sign of
41:04the relic. No residual energy, no
41:07trigger from my tracking skill. It's
41:10like it simply vanished. The Archbishop
41:13is absolutely certain there was
41:14something in the box, but now it's gone
41:16without a trace. I'm sure we all have
41:19theories, but as far as hard evidence, I
41:22haven't found anything yet, Neil
41:24explained. Tabitha stared silently at
41:27Neil for a few seconds, then pointed at
41:30him. Your class changed. She accused.
41:35Instantly, Neil realized what that must
41:37look like to the others who didn't know
41:39what had happened since he arrived.
41:41That's an unrelated issue. Monarch Carl
41:45learned a new skill that helped me
41:46trigger a class change. He offered. Carl
41:50nodded in agreement, and the overlords
41:52waited for a more detailed explanation.
41:55I got a skill intended to teach my
41:57beasts new skills that I already knew.
42:00However, it came with a loophole. It's
42:03not limited to just my bonded beasts. If
42:06I can find a skill that is compatible
42:08with others, I can use it to teach them
42:10as well. The only real restriction is
42:13that I know a limited number of skills,
42:15and many of the ones I know are intended
42:17for beasts and not humans. Overlord
42:20Jorum looked confused, while Drath and
42:23Tabitha seemed to understand better, as
42:25they had spent a while around Carl.
42:28For example, I wanted to teach Neil
42:30trollish regeneration because what would
42:32be funnier than a rogue that self-heals,
42:35but it's incompatible,
42:37he explained.
42:39Ah, that makes sense. You gain all your
42:42skills from your beasts or books, right?
42:45You don't get the same sort of skill
42:47tree that other classes do. Carl
42:50shrugged. Well, I do get a skill tree,
42:54but it's all utility skills, buffs, and
42:57such. I could have picked a different
42:59path and learned a load of attack
43:01skills, but at the time, this seemed the
43:03better path. We need to get you into the
43:06library and start teaching you new
43:08skills. Well, what ones you can. We have
43:12still only managed to turn a few dozen
43:14skills into actual skill books.
43:17The requirements on knowledge of both
43:18the skill and inscription is too
43:20limiting for the first book creation.
43:22Tabitha sighed. Do you know inscription?
43:26Carl asked. Overlord Jorum snorted in
43:30amusement and she glared at him. No, I
43:33didn't pick inscription as a trade. Carl
43:36patted her kindly on the shoulder and
43:38activated. Follow me little one. Skill
43:42teaching request. Sharpness.
43:45sharpness, slashing, stabbing, and
43:47disintegration type abilities increase
43:49in damage by 10% per rank of the user.
43:52Tabitha's cheeks went bright red as she
43:55stared in shock at Carl, and Neil began
43:57to laugh. "Oh, it must have given you
44:00the same message that it gave me." The
44:02warrior cleared her throat and put on a
44:04stern expression. "I don't know what you
44:07mean," she replied calmly. "He just
44:11taught you a skill, didn't he? Which one
44:14did he pick? It has to be something that
44:16is compatible with your skills as a
44:18warrior. I don't know what Carl has that
44:21would qualify that you don't already
44:23know, though, Neil explained.
44:26Sharpness.
44:28He taught me a skill that increases the
44:30damage of slashing and stabbing attacks.
44:33Perfect for a great sword user. Tabitha
44:36informed him with a sigh. Then she
44:39turned on Carl. What is with that
44:41message anyhow? Since when am I an
44:44adorable kitten? Carl nearly choked on
44:47his tongue and Neil had tears in his
44:49eyes. It called me a loyal hatchling. I
44:53think it's system generated and the
44:55skill is intended to be used on new
44:57pets. The rogue laughed. Carl looked at
45:01the skintight latex bodysuit she wore
45:03with armor plates over the vital areas
45:05and firmly decided that while adorable
45:07wasn't quite the word he would have
45:08picked, he was going to take a page from
45:10Sibil's playbook and not say a single
45:12thing. Unfortunately for Tabitha,
45:15Overlord Drath was not so restrained.
45:18"Well, I think that you're adorable.
45:21Look how cute you blush when you get
45:23mad." He teased, winking at the
45:26embarrassed warrior. The soldiers were
45:28ready to head back to the city, and Dany
45:31was waiting with the command group for
45:32Carl or someone to give them an order to
45:34move. Carl turned her way, changing the
45:37topic from exceptionally curvaceous,
45:39adorable kittens, and nodded to the
45:41mage. Send out the orders. The north
45:45side is secure. All troops can return to
45:48the city. Carl instructed, "Thank you,
45:52Monarch. We will be off." Dany replied,
45:56but Carl stopped her before she could
45:58go. I'm in the Monarch Apartments if you
46:01want to come by with the siblings.
46:04My whole group is staying there, and I'm
46:06sure they'd love to catch up." Dany
46:08smiled. Donnie already sent me an
46:11invitation from Dana to come visit you
46:13all. I will let you know when we have
46:16time. We've both got regular guard
46:19shifts this week. The rest of the team
46:21was making their way over along with the
46:23acolytes and Donnie McKenzie. They were
46:26all in high spirits, though the young
46:28ones looked more than a little
46:30traumatized after their first time
46:31seeing battle. Carl was fairly certain
46:34that they hadn't actually taken part, as
46:36awakened rank had little chance of doing
46:38anything more useful than the common
46:40soldiers on the line, and they were even
46:42less trained than the privates in the
46:44church army. At best, they might get a
46:47bit of experience, but more likely they
46:49would just be in the way and get others
46:51injured as they tried. Once they
46:53arrived, the young cadets all came over
46:55to greet Carl, who took the time to
46:57listen to their stories and the things
46:59that they had noticed about how the
47:00senior elites fought during the battle.
47:03He wasn't training them. That could wait
47:05for later. But it was clear that the
47:07little ones were fond of him. And after
47:09the next training session, that
47:11sentiment was almost guaranteed to
47:13increase. Back inside the city, things
47:16were even more chaotic than they were on
47:18the battlefield with people panicking
47:20about the attack, about how they had
47:22just realized that the capital was a
47:23target and that it was far too close to
47:25the mountain giant borders.
47:28Never mind that they had been there
47:29their entire lives and this was the
47:31first time that the giants had dared to
47:33threaten the city directly. Now that it
47:35had happened, the reality had sunk in
47:37for the capital residents who were used
47:39to their luxury and safety. Carl would
47:42have liked to say that it was
47:43understandable, just a matter of
47:45threatened civilians and bureaucrats.
47:47But shamefully, many of the sedentary
47:48lower ranked elites were involved in the
47:50chaos. They had never really taken the
47:53threats to the nation seriously, even
47:55when they were in the academy.
47:58Now they regretted every action that
47:59they had taken which delayed their own
48:01growth or passed up potential for
48:03political power or wealth. We should
48:05have gotten a fear or a skill. Ry
48:08complained from her space as they slowly
48:10made their way through the crowds in the
48:12streets. Fortunately, the majority of
48:15the crowd didn't recognize them, only
48:17that they were elites by their armor.
48:20So, nobody stopped them to ask
48:22questions.
48:23However, when they began to approach the
48:25street that led to the higher ranking
48:27elites apartments, the crowd was
48:29absolutely packed, looking for someone
48:31who could give them answers. The
48:33apartments were all empty. Everyone who
48:35lived there was called to battle, and
48:37they were the first ones back. The other
48:39fronts had taken much worse damage than
48:41the north side did, thanks to Remy's
48:44intervention with the thunderstorm. The
48:46first to recognize them was a reporter,
48:48and his shouts turned hundreds of
48:50concerned citizens around to swarm the
48:52group of returning elites. "Please, can
48:55you tell us what the current situation
48:56is?" The reporter pleaded while his team
49:00worked to keep the crowd from pushing
49:01into the shot. The armies of the giants
49:04and their allies have retreated. There
49:07is currently no direct threat to the
49:09city, but we have not been privy to the
49:11casualty counts or merit awards that
49:12might come from this battle. Neil
49:15informed the reporter in a monotone
49:17voice. That wasn't how he usually
49:19talked, so he was deliberately making
49:21his interview as boring as humanly
49:23possible, hoping to end it soon. Which
49:26portion of the city were you defending?
49:29The reporter asked. The Inquisition
49:32cannot confirm the location of its
49:34members. However, I can confirm that a
49:37monarch and four royal ranked elites
49:39took command of the north side of the
49:41city. Their direction led to zero line
49:43breaches, while the tree of life form of
49:46high priestess Lotus, servant of the
49:48green dragon god, was instrumental in
49:50reducing casualties.
49:52If all else fails, throw someone under
49:54the bus and run. Remy laughed. I will
49:58drag him back if he tries to run. Rey
50:02agreed. Neil hadn't made any gestures to
50:05indicate who was who. So, the reporters
50:07had to guess whether the nature high
50:08priestess in this group was the one
50:10named Lotus. The reporter turned to
50:13Carl, who was standing near Neil, while
50:15the other overlords had formed a
50:16protective ring around the junior
50:18members in case there were still
50:20disguised infiltrators or other traitors
50:22in the crowd. "Sir, can you provide any
50:25additional details?" the reporter asked,
50:28and Carl watched Neil smirk as the
50:30attention was diverted from him. But two
50:33could play this game. I can provide a
50:36few. The thunderstorm during the battle
50:38was indeed a magical effect created by
50:41our golden dragon nation's elites. Also,
50:44the battlefield appears to have been
50:46segmented with the north side receiving
50:48the majority of the combatants under the
50:50commander rank. That allowed the giants
50:52and their weaker allies to work together
50:54without the weaker creatures getting
50:56caught in the aftershocks of a monarch
50:58or overlord ranked battle. Finally, we
51:01have identified a number of traitors and
51:03transformed spies from the giant nations
51:05inside the city. If you should be caught
51:08in the middle of a police action to
51:10apprehend them, we cannot guarantee your
51:12safety if you are protesting or crowding
51:14the streets. Behind him, Drath and
51:17Tabitha groaned and the crowd began to
51:19shout in panic. Sir, can you confirm how
51:22many spies might have been found? The
51:25reporter asked.
51:27Obviously not. However, you are live
51:30broadcasting this, so there is a chance
51:32that they will attempt to go underground
51:34or join the cowards fleeing the city for
51:36the anonymity of a rural community. A
51:39giant wouldn't take the indignity of
51:40living like a peasant or common worker.
51:42So, if the rural population was
51:44suspicious of everyone with powers who
51:46entered the village, it would help keep
51:48the cowards in the capital. At least
51:51that was Carl's logic. The villages
51:53didn't want politicians rolling in with
51:55their wealth and taking over. They
51:57already had enough issues with the large
51:59business owners acting like they owned
52:01the world. A few words to help
52:03discourage the relocation was the least
52:05he could do for them. Can you provide
52:08any other details?
52:10The reporter asked hopefully. This elite
52:13was more forthcoming than most who would
52:15make asking questions feel like pulling
52:17teeth. Only one that is relevant to the
52:20situation.
52:21With the help of a new potion
52:23breakthrough and an advanced
52:24science-based training regimen, I am
52:26pleased to inform you that the old
52:28record for time taken to reach awakened
52:30rank for an elite has been broken.
52:32Research is ongoing, but the early signs
52:35are very encouraging, and we can expect
52:37a grand announcement of success after
52:39the divine injection ceremony in the
52:41coming days. What exactly is
52:43science-based about the torture routine
52:45that you had Sister Ray come up with for
52:47me? Cibil asked. Carl smiled back at the
52:51little rogue. Human biology is science.
52:55She was very careful not to push it so
52:58far that you died. Besides, isn't it
53:01getting easier now? The reporter looked
53:03around the group and realized that
53:05everyone else was studiously ignoring
53:07him, so there would be no more
53:09questions.
53:10Carl cleared his throat. Now, if it's
53:13not too much trouble, we would like to
53:15return home to shower and rest after the
53:17battle. The crowd parted as the
53:20interview ended, leaving them a path to
53:22the apartments. The crowd was already
53:25beginning to disperse as they had gotten
53:27the basics of their questions answered
53:28by someone in charge. Normally, they
53:31would get political non-answers and then
53:34it would be a dayong protest until
53:35people gave up. But today, someone had
53:38just told them what happened and then
53:39gave them gossip to share. Everyone who
53:42had kids, especially ones whose kids
53:44would be undergoing the ceremony in the
53:46next few years, was excited to find out
53:48what the big news after the ceremony
53:50would be, as well as speculate on what
53:52the new record for advancement to awaken
53:54was, and whether they knew someone who
53:56might be able to suddenly increase in
53:58power. The elite had said that it was a
54:01potion, so that meant anyone might be
54:03able to use it. not just children, but
54:06perhaps their cousin's spouse, who have
54:07been stuck at Awaken since the academy,
54:09might suddenly begin to make progress
54:11and bring pride and wealth to the
54:13family. Little did they know that the
54:15elite program was about to become a
54:17significantly larger portion of the
54:19student body. Once they were all in the
54:21lobby of the apartment, and the crowd
54:23was safely on the other side of a
54:25soundproof wall, the overlords turned on
54:27Carl. Did nobody ever teach you how to
54:30deal with the reporters? draft demanded.
54:34Relax, General. None of what I told them
54:38was an actual secret. If they had two
54:40functional brain cells, the reporters
54:43watching us train in public would have
54:44noticed the advancements to Awakening
54:46happening in real time. In fact, they
54:49likely have it on film and don't even
54:51realize it because they were more
54:53focused on the Seropac in the background
54:55playing with the smashing posts during
54:56lunch. Carl laughed. Did you have to
55:00tell them that there were spies in the
55:02city? That's confidential.
55:05Draft demanded, defaulting to his duties
55:07as first general. I'm fairly certain
55:10that they're all dead by now. Our friend
55:13Neil's comrades at the Inquisition
55:15should have taken care of that during
55:16the battle. But the important part is
55:19that it kept the wealthy losers in the
55:20capital instead of letting them scatter
55:22to all the small towns where they could
55:24mess up the economy or buy out a huge
55:26portion of the local small businesses.
55:29I don't mean to be offensive, but the
55:31rest of the country is happier not
55:32knowing that they exist. The overlords
55:35all began to laugh quietly. Jorum, the
55:39blonde overlord rank ranger, smiled at
55:41Carl. You've got a point. None of the
55:45smaller villages are ready for what
55:47would happen if they suddenly got an
55:48influx of bankers and influence brokers
55:50building vacation estates in the hills
55:52where they hunt and clear timber. The
55:55cultural conflict would be an absolute
55:57disaster.
55:58Everyone piled into the elevator to head
56:00to Carl's apartment, where the staff had
56:02helpfully already sent an assortment of
56:04snacks and drinks. The overlords all
56:07headed for the shower at the same time,
56:09then paused and laughed. If it was just
56:12the guys, they didn't care. They had all
56:15trained together and used the same
56:16shower room in the gym. But as they
56:19approached, they realized that Tabitha
56:21was with them today. Overlord Tabitha,
56:24there is a shower in the Ensood if you
56:26would prefer.
56:27It's not as large as the one in the
56:29sauna and hot tub area, but well
56:31stocked. Carl offered. Tabitha nodded,
56:35then changed directions to the master
56:37bedroom, while the others went to use
56:39the shower heads all along the walls of
56:41the hot tub room. Carl had assumed that
56:44they were mostly there for the steamy
56:46ambiencece when you had the sauna going,
56:48as one of them pointed straight at the
56:49sauna heater, but they did work as
56:52actual showers.
56:54In his mind, Rey came to the same
56:56realization.
56:58They had just turned them on to get the
56:59air nice and humid before their bath.
57:02The showers even had a timer on them for
57:04that purpose. But she could use them for
57:07so much more. Nobody took long. 3
57:11minutes later, everyone was back out in
57:14fresh clothes with wet hair. Overlord
57:16Drath took charge of the conversation
57:18once they were all seated with a nervous
57:20group of acolytes sitting at the table
57:22behind Carl next to the kitchen. The
57:25snacks and drinks were on the coffee
57:27table, so they were hoping that they
57:28would just be ignored. What was about to
57:31be said was likely super secret, and
57:33while they knew they shouldn't be
57:35hearing it, they couldn't resist.
57:37All right, I will start with the obvious
57:39parts. Bishop Misty of the Divine Beast
57:43Nation arrived with two unknown totem
57:45rank or higher creatures. What do we
57:48know about them? Drath began. Carl
57:51considered his answer. One was a four
57:54armed titan. He arrived through a portal
57:56opened by a monarch ranked giant. He was
58:00the first to arrive and then Bishop
58:02Misty arrived with the second totem who
58:04I believe was a human possibly a
58:07beastkin
58:08but close to human technically not a
58:12lie. Thor allowed in Carl's mind. Carl
58:16was possibly a human and possibly a
58:19beastkin or something that was neither
58:22of the above. But they were all still
58:24options until they had a definitive
58:26answer. and the attack that revealed the
58:29treasure. Drath asked. The giant
58:32launched it and the others swatted it
58:34away. I think he was just aiming to send
58:37it into the sky, but there wasn't time
58:39for much after that. Bishop Misty sent
58:42them all through time. If I remember
58:45right, I believe she said that they were
58:47taking it home. That makes me think that
58:50they were all transferred through time
58:51and the temporal dragon was working to
58:53restore a timeline or prevent additional
58:56damage to it. I don't really understand
58:59how that works, Carl explained.
59:03Did they take anything before they left?
59:06Overlord Jorum asked. I don't think so.
59:10But the dragon's time spell creates a
59:12thick white mist. I couldn't see the
59:14treasure location until after. The
59:17overlords nodded in understanding.
59:20Great. More mysteries.
59:22Jorham sighed. Tabitha frowned. Then her
59:26expression brightened and she snapped
59:28her fingers. That location is directly
59:31above the cathedral, right? Didn't there
59:34used to be a huge tower there? If I
59:37remember the history books, there were
59:38the ruins of a massive white stone tower
59:41at this location when the city was
59:42settled. That's why they picked the
59:45spot. The stones had a bit of lingering
59:48magic in them to improve durability. So
59:50they used them to build the cathedral
59:52and the first few buildings. Everyone
59:54else just shrugged and she sighed. Never
59:58mind. I will ask someone who has
1:00:01actually read a history book. A knock at
1:00:03the door drew their attention. Then
1:00:05Cibil opened it to let Lady Athell,
1:00:07Overlord Ahmad, and the head librarian
1:00:09from the cathedral enter. Carl smiled at
1:00:13Tabitha.
1:00:14Ask and ye shall receive. If anyone has
1:00:17read a history book, it's the librarian.
1:00:20The blue dragon smiled at Carl. She had
1:00:24questions for him as well. Especially
1:00:26about that rune crafting book that he
1:00:28had apparently made for the archbishop
1:00:30and why it didn't give the user
1:00:31knowledge of any of the relevant
1:00:33crafting specialties associated with the
1:00:35trade. It was simultaneously the most
1:00:38useful and dysfunctional learning
1:00:39experience of her life.
1:00:42The overlords nodded to their comrades,
1:00:44then took seats with Ahmad settling in
1:00:46next to Dana to whisper in her ear. Carl
1:00:49gave him a suspicious look, but the
1:00:51overlord sent him a system message.
1:00:54Magical theory developments.
1:00:56The battle mage will gain from them.
1:00:59That was good enough for Carl, but the
1:01:01fluffy cat ears of the overlord rank
1:01:03mage were entirely too tempting, making
1:01:05the mage a natural ladies man. Tabitha
1:01:08turned to the librarian. Am I right
1:01:11about that location being somewhere
1:01:13directly over the cathedral that was
1:01:14built on the ruins of an ancient tower?
1:01:17The blue dragon nodded her head. That is
1:01:20right. My theory is that the object was
1:01:23a prize for winners of the tower. We
1:01:26don't know what was supposed to be in it
1:01:28or if it was claimed and that was why
1:01:29the tower's magic faded. But the
1:01:32location matches, though the tower must
1:01:34have been thousands of meters tall. What
1:01:37isn't common knowledge is that the
1:01:39foundation of the tower was never
1:01:40dismantled. The cathedral wasn't built
1:01:43there simply because there was a lot of
1:01:45stone. There is an active trial in the
1:01:47catacombs under the temple. There are 15
1:01:50levels below ground through the actual
1:01:52base of the defunct tower. The magic of
1:01:55the world dragon is strong there and
1:01:57that is why the cathedral was actually
1:01:59placed on the site. The basement trial
1:02:02is only good for one group of people
1:02:04though. Nobody can enter it except
1:02:06bishops and avatars of their gods. That
1:02:10is the overlords and totems aligned with
1:02:12the church. It is similar to the trial
1:02:14instance in the grounds but at a much
1:02:16higher level. That trial temple on the
1:02:19cathedral grounds used to rely on the
1:02:21power of the underground temple but
1:02:23after the incident the other day it is
1:02:25generating its own power and the usage
1:02:27is no longer so limited. The last was
1:02:30said while the librarian stared at Carl,
1:02:32who had made the new core for the trial
1:02:34next to the cathedral. But in Carl's
1:02:37opinion, that wasn't really his fault.
1:02:40It wasn't going to let him out until he
1:02:42provided a new core. So, one way or
1:02:44another, it was bound to happen. Carl
1:02:47smiled at Tessa and Lotus.
1:02:50So, you've got an extra fancy trial
1:02:52waiting for you in the future. What do
1:02:54you think? Two more years should do it.
1:02:58Or do you think it will take three to
1:02:59reach overlord? The other overlords
1:03:02laughed while the dragon rolled her
1:03:04eyes. You say that so casually, as if
1:03:08everyone else in this room didn't use a
1:03:09massive number of resources or enjoy a
1:03:12string of exceptional luck for over a
1:03:13decade to reach their current status.
1:03:16Carl shrugged.
1:03:18Well, we've got both of those on our
1:03:20side. Plus, the system is awakening.
1:03:24Once it's fully active for everyone,
1:03:26steady progress will be much more
1:03:28common. As far as I know, the only real
1:03:31challenge to their growth will be
1:03:33bypassing the bottlenecks.
1:03:35Tabitha took out a map and refold it so
1:03:37that the area around the cathedral was
1:03:39on top. So, there is a trial here and
1:03:43here. Then, there are holy relics here,
1:03:46here, and here. It looks like there is a
1:03:49whole village buried under the capital.
1:03:51The librarian nodded.
1:03:54That's right. As far as we can tell,
1:03:57there is an entire city under the city
1:03:59buried by more than 100,000 years of
1:04:01time and 30 m of sandstone formed in the
1:04:04years after the time when this area was
1:04:06on the edge of the desert. Ahmad
1:04:09finished explaining his idea to Dana and
1:04:11joined the conversation.
1:04:13You know, one of the groups of giants
1:04:15that we fought said that they were going
1:04:16to take the system relic that was in the
1:04:18city and crush the church. Do you think
1:04:21that they mean the system stones or one
1:04:23of the other relics?
1:04:25He asked. The librarian winced.
1:04:29Well, technically they could mean any of
1:04:31countless items. We have been
1:04:34stockpiling system relics in the
1:04:36catacombs for centuries. The hope was
1:04:38that the resonance would help activate
1:04:40other system relics. Did it work? Carl
1:04:44asked. That is debatable.
1:04:48But if nothing else, it seriously slowed
1:04:50the decay of the stockpiled items to the
1:04:52point that some of them were still
1:04:54active during the last annual
1:04:55inspection, thought in a very precarious
1:04:57state. They couldn't be moved or used
1:05:00for their intended purpose. But when we
1:05:02tested them with holy magic, they still
1:05:05showed signs of the system even after
1:05:07all that time. It's part of the reason
1:05:09that the church was so confident that
1:05:11they would be able to get the divine
1:05:12injection to work once they found the
1:05:14ruined system stones. They were designed
1:05:17to liquefy holy power with the system
1:05:19integrated and the study of them allowed
1:05:21the development of the serum. But I'm
1:05:24rambling. We didn't want to talk about
1:05:26that. We were talking about the treasure
1:05:28over the city that might have once been
1:05:29in the tower that was here and whether
1:05:31that was the item that the giants were
1:05:33after. Well, if that new leader of
1:05:35theirs knew something in advance,
1:05:37perhaps having been informed by the time
1:05:39traveler that Bishop Misty sent away, it
1:05:41is possible that they know much more
1:05:43than we do. In fact, it's possible that
1:05:46we still haven't discovered what they
1:05:48came here to find, and that might be why
1:05:50they're so desperate to force us all out
1:05:52of the city. I get that they hold a
1:05:54grudge against the world dragon, but
1:05:56they seem much more determined than in
1:05:58the past to stamp out the church.
1:06:00Everyone let her ramble, thinking of the
1:06:02possibilities, as well as the likelihood
1:06:04that the giants would be coming back for
1:06:06whatever they had failed to obtain with
1:06:08this attack. or in the case of General
1:06:11Drath, what his troops were going to
1:06:13have to do to actually win the next
1:06:15confrontation if they did come back and
1:06:17try to force their way into the city. If
1:06:20they made even a small breach, the
1:06:22destruction that the giants could cause
1:06:23to the civilian population with a single
1:06:25overlord was immense. A few minutes
1:06:28loose behind the walls would cost tens
1:06:30of thousands of lives.
1:06:33After a few minutes of letting the
1:06:34librarian ramble about the past and the
1:06:36possible targets of the attack, Overlord
1:06:38Draft decided to change the topic to
1:06:40something a bit more optimistic.
1:06:43This isn't strictly on topic for right
1:06:45now, but we would like you five to help
1:06:47with the ceremony here in the capital
1:06:48next week. We know that you all have
1:06:51fully active systems and the government
1:06:53will be providing system enhanced items
1:06:55for the testing. That is why we would
1:06:58like you to assist.
1:07:00You see, there is no guarantee that the
1:07:02items will have the same reaction to
1:07:04being handed from a nurse to the student
1:07:06as they would when being passed from one
1:07:07of you to a student. We are hoping to
1:07:10maximize the number of successes in the
1:07:12capital region, and we will have nearby
1:07:14elites help with as many of the other
1:07:16locations as possible. If nothing else,
1:07:19it will at least improve the morale of
1:07:21the new students to have met a few
1:07:22working elites before they reached the
1:07:24academy. Carl chuckled. The guards on
1:07:28the train were the first experience for
1:07:30me, and they were remarkably helpful.
1:07:32The general nodded. They are typically
1:07:35chosen from the elites that are good
1:07:37with kids, but not really good at much
1:07:39else. I have heard that it makes them
1:07:42easier to relate to because they're all
1:07:43common and awakened rank elites, the
1:07:45closest thing we have to just sending
1:07:47other students to pick them up. We did
1:07:50consider that, by the way, as a sort of
1:07:53reward for senior students.
1:07:55Carl chuckled. That could be interesting
1:07:58this year as so many of the students who
1:08:00are about to become seniors have spent
1:08:02the last year on the Hill Giant border.
1:08:05At least I assume they're still there.
1:08:08Drath nodded. They've been moved a few
1:08:11times and cycled back to the academy for
1:08:13rest, but they've spent at least half
1:08:15the year on the border and they're
1:08:17stationed there right now. Carl nodded.
1:08:20I don't think that any of my people
1:08:22would have an issue with the plan to
1:08:24attend the ceremonies.
1:08:26How many middle schools are there in the
1:08:27capital? Drath thought about it for a
1:08:30second. There are 16 in the city, but
1:08:33they all do the injection ceremony at
1:08:35the opera auditorium so that their
1:08:36parents can attend and see the new
1:08:38elites one last time before they go. I
1:08:41believe that the smaller towns do it at
1:08:43the school, don't they? Carl nodded.
1:08:47Yeah, but not with parents present. We
1:08:50did it in the classroom as there was
1:08:52only one class in our year. But the
1:08:54lithium mines aren't all that large. So
1:08:56many years we have under two dozen kids
1:08:58in a year. Mine was larger than usual,
1:09:02but even then there were only a few of
1:09:04us at the academy. Possibly only two,
1:09:08unless I missed someone. The librarian
1:09:11frowned as the two talked. How much do
1:09:14you have left to do in the city before
1:09:16then? I seem to recall that we were
1:09:18getting training updates from some
1:09:20students under your supervision.
1:09:22Carl nodded. We have these five lovely
1:09:25young elites in our care and they're
1:09:27making great progress.
1:09:29But we also have five beast rangers and
1:09:31a tiger monk from the special forces
1:09:33cadets training with us. We are going to
1:09:36try to advance that group in the next
1:09:38few days as well as imparting some more
1:09:40skills and combat training to prepare
1:09:42these acolytes for their time at the
1:09:44academy. I have been informed that the
1:09:46army will be taking over the training of
1:09:48the Beast Rangers.
1:09:50General Drath nodded. Yes, they are
1:09:53already cadets assigned to the special
1:09:55forces, so we will take on their basic
1:09:57training as we had already planned to
1:09:59when we thought they had no system
1:10:00access. The other overlords chuckled. It
1:10:05was clearly a power play by the church
1:10:06army, but it wouldn't hurt anything, and
1:10:09they were going to be overloaded with
1:10:10students at the academy anyhow. So,
1:10:12letting the special forces students have
1:10:14special attention would help them
1:10:15immensely.
1:10:17Plus, it would give them an excuse to
1:10:19foist similar talents on the army for
1:10:21training in the name of boosting the
1:10:23skills of the elites. They were already
1:10:26short on teachers, and that problem was
1:10:28only going to get worse with the next
1:10:29influx. Anyone who could and would teach
1:10:32students was going to be needed very
1:10:34soon. But the librarian was beginning to
1:10:36suspect that Monarch Carl was going to
1:10:38find a way out of that somehow, likely
1:10:41by becoming a vital asset somewhere else
1:10:44where there were no elites to train, or
1:10:46at least no freshman for him to train.
1:10:49Overlord Jorum snapped his fingers. I
1:10:52get it now. There is a reason that you
1:10:55didn't have those young elites fighting
1:10:57on the North Front. They're not just
1:10:59under your care. They're still waiting
1:11:01to go to the academy, so they haven't
1:11:03been inducted as proper elites yet with
1:11:05all the responsibilities.
1:11:07Carl nodded.
1:11:09Exactly.
1:11:11Three training days in a potion doesn't
1:11:13make a proper soldier, and it definitely
1:11:15doesn't make an independent elite.
1:11:17Untrained fighters on the front lines
1:11:19are a nightmare. The overlords looked
1:11:22like they were ready to retire to their
1:11:24own units for the night, but the blue
1:11:26dragon priestess had more to talk to
1:11:27Carl about before he managed to escape
1:11:29from her. We can all discuss the
1:11:32motivations behind the attack later.
1:11:35Elite Carl, I have a request for you.
1:11:38You have a talent for teaching and a
1:11:40number of rare skills. I would like to
1:11:42make a formal request for you to
1:11:44transfer those skills to the clergy
1:11:46scribes for distribution,
1:11:48she announced.
1:11:50Carl smiled and placed his hand on hers.
1:11:53Skill teaching request lightning zone.
1:11:56The librarian's eyes opened wide in
1:11:59shock and she read the system message
1:12:01quietly but audibly. Hackmaster Carl
1:12:04offers knowledge skill lightning zone
1:12:07will be transferred to the alluring
1:12:08priestess Kellosa.
1:12:11Hey, why does it mess with me but
1:12:13flatters her? This is clear system
1:12:16favoritism.
1:12:17Tabitha complained.
1:12:19A whole new skill and his own effect.
1:12:22That is lovely. The librarian sighed
1:12:26happily before a sudden sense of dread
1:12:28spread over her. What are the
1:12:30restrictions on that skill book? She
1:12:33asked, recalling the debacle of the
1:12:35refreshing lightning barrier? Carl
1:12:38smiled. That's the fun part. I have no
1:12:42idea who can use it. Carl inspected the
1:12:45option with skill book and realized that
1:12:47it was nearly exactly the same as
1:12:49refreshing lightning except that it
1:12:51included mages with high lightning
1:12:53affinity in the list with lightning
1:12:54element beasts, clerics, and shamans.
1:12:58They already knew that limited it to
1:13:00mostly just a few beast kin and the blue
1:13:02dragon clerics as well as shamans. But
1:13:04if some of the mages could use lightning
1:13:06zone as well, it would be a little less
1:13:09frustrating for the librarian and her
1:13:10people. The blue dragon side. I
1:13:14suspected that it might be another of
1:13:16those evil spells, but it's a good one
1:13:18again, so I will endeavor to teach more
1:13:20of our people to use it. If you give me
1:13:23more time, I can come up with something
1:13:25more user friendly. Honestly, I should
1:13:28spend more time in your library trying
1:13:30to learn skills myself so that I'm not
1:13:32completely limited to beastfriendly
1:13:34skills. Carl replied regretfully.
1:13:38Overlord Jorum smiled and brought out a
1:13:40small paragrin falcon, his bonded pet as
1:13:42a ranger. It was just a normal beast as
1:13:46rangers couldn't bond with intelligent
1:13:48creatures or magical beasts. But with
1:13:51Carl's skill, he saw an opportunity.
1:13:54You said that you raised a bunch of
1:13:55beast rangers, right? With magical
1:13:58beasts for partners. If my friend Dave
1:14:01evolved, do you think that I could
1:14:03become one? He asked. Carl frowned. "You
1:14:08want to change your class?" Jorham
1:14:11shrugged. "My system has been fully
1:14:13active for a few weeks now, and I have
1:14:16all the ranger skills. There is nothing
1:14:18left in my tree, and the temple didn't
1:14:20help me pick a new class." Carl nodded
1:14:24slowly. "You likely still only get the
1:14:26one friend. However, it shouldn't be
1:14:29hard for me to get him to evolve. Maybe
1:14:33if Carl remembered his book, Learning
1:14:35Properly, many species of magical beasts
1:14:38started as regular animals who ate a
1:14:40magical resource.
1:14:42Surely Jorum would have tried that
1:14:44already if he was looking to have the
1:14:45bird evolve. But it was best to check.
1:14:49Have you tried giving him resources?
1:14:52He verified.
1:14:54Jorum nodded. Ever since I was a royal 6
1:14:57years ago, nothing changes him. Make him
1:15:01a baby Hawk. It will be funny. Cara
1:15:05suggested.
1:15:07Hawk was intrigued by the idea. A baby
1:15:10me. Yeah, teach him flaming body. Baby
1:15:14Hawk, Cara suggested.
1:15:18She hadn't known Hawk before he could do
1:15:20that, and Cara herself was a baby at the
1:15:22commander rank, so she hadn't really
1:15:24considered that the others started off
1:15:26much lower on the power scale. If Carl
1:15:29had picked the skill to remove the
1:15:30restrictions on evolution, he could just
1:15:32use that directly.
1:15:34No, by the wording, he might still be
1:15:37able to evolution cuz any bonded pet to
1:15:40evolve into a form one rank higher than
1:15:42when the skill is usedable
1:15:45once per beast, some materials may be
1:15:47required. The wording didn't say that it
1:15:50had to be his bonded beast. That part
1:15:53was implied and should be completely
1:15:55obvious, but it wasn't explicitly
1:15:58stated.
1:15:59So, he tried anyhow. Nice try. Invalid
1:16:03target. Well, that settled it. No
1:16:07blatant cheating. Fine. He would bypass
1:16:10the evolution skill and try to do it
1:16:13manually.
1:16:14Hawk, can I get an awakened rank fire
1:16:16stone? Hawk dropped the stone into his
1:16:19hand, and Carl brought it over to the
1:16:21bird, whose eyes lit up with greed. Even
1:16:24if it didn't trigger an advancement, the
1:16:26bird still wanted it. That seemed like a
1:16:30good sign. So Carl fed the bird and then
1:16:32stroked its head and activated, "Follow
1:16:34me, little one!" to transfer flaming
1:16:37body. The small bird suddenly lit on
1:16:40fire, then began happily rubbing up
1:16:42against Carl's hand, thoroughly ignoring
1:16:44everyone else in the room. Dave,
1:16:47congratulations.
1:16:49Come here, buddy. Overlord Jorum
1:16:52informed the bird with a pleased smile.
1:16:55Dave turned to chirp at him, then rubbed
1:16:57possessively against Carl's hand. I know
1:17:00you made a new friend, but you need to
1:17:02come here so I can inspect you. The bird
1:17:05chirped what was obviously a no and
1:17:08remained in position. Did something go
1:17:10wrong? The librarian wondered. Carl
1:17:14shook his head.
1:17:16No, it's still bonded to him. I can see
1:17:18it in the system interface.
1:17:21Dave is just being stubborn. Jorham took
1:17:24out a few small berries and the bird
1:17:26turned away from Carl, then looked back
1:17:28to rub his head on Carl's arm before
1:17:30flying back to his partner. That's
1:17:33better. Welcome back, buddy. His
1:17:37thoughts are much clearer now than they
1:17:38were before he evolved. Oh, I see a
1:17:42system notice. Overlord Jorum informed
1:17:45them. Everyone waited patiently for him
1:17:48to finish what he was doing. If he could
1:17:50change his system at Overlord, he should
1:17:52have a load of points available to pick
1:17:54all the skills and then he could guide
1:17:56all the Beast Rangers through their
1:17:58class, assuming that was what he got.
1:18:02Slowly, he opened his eyes. There were
1:18:05five other options available when I got
1:18:07the advancement menu, but Beast Ranger
1:18:10really is the best of them. It also
1:18:12appears to have skills to help me
1:18:14benefit from the beast's abilities to a
1:18:16greater extent than a ranger does. I
1:18:19will have to train to find out exactly
1:18:21how much, but I never gained physical
1:18:23abilities from my partner before other
1:18:25than eyesight.
1:18:26Carl nodded. Well, the others gained
1:18:30large amounts of strength and stamina or
1:18:32strength and agility from their partners
1:18:34at common rank, so I would suspect that
1:18:36you'll get a percentage increase as
1:18:38well, though Dave has a ways to go to
1:18:40catch up. flaming body should take him
1:18:42through to at least commander rank,
1:18:44maybe into royal rank, so try not to
1:18:47send him anywhere too dangerous while
1:18:48he's still advancing. The bird was still
1:18:51a common magical beast, but that was
1:18:53changing quickly with the influx of
1:18:55energy from his partner. It was quite
1:18:57noticeable at this level, but only time
1:19:00would tell if that growth rate held as
1:19:01he got stronger. And just like that, we
1:19:04have a volunteer to help us with our
1:19:06training regimen. Hawk laughed. and a
1:19:10strong one with lots of scouting and
1:19:12combat experience.
1:19:14Now that overlord Jorum had a few
1:19:16seconds to adjust to his new class and
1:19:18to the enhancement of the bond with his
1:19:20Dave, as Hawk called the bird, he was
1:19:22zoning out again, looking at all the
1:19:24skills that he had available to him. You
1:19:27know, starting out with this class might
1:19:29not actually be optimal. There are so
1:19:32many introductory attack abilities,
1:19:34utility skills, and hunting buffs with
1:19:36the ranger class that simply aren't part
1:19:38of this class.
1:19:40A lot of the skills that beast rangers
1:19:42get are for improving the stats of our
1:19:44beast or our targeting with ranged
1:19:46attacks. There is very little for actual
1:19:49attack skills within the tree, Jorum
1:19:52explained.
1:19:53Well, that is a bit of an issue. Nobody
1:19:56likes a one-trick pony, so they will
1:19:59have to learn skills another way. Carl
1:20:02side. There are a few, just not nearly
1:20:06as many as there are in the ranger
1:20:07class, and they look like advanced
1:20:09versions of base attacks. I'm not sure
1:20:12that skipping the ranger class will
1:20:14actually be best for everyone, Jorum
1:20:16explained. The other overlords got
1:20:19concerned looks. The ranger had a point.
1:20:23If they missed out on the simple and
1:20:25easy skills, the ones that they would
1:20:27use every day, and only got the ones
1:20:29that were intended to buff them after
1:20:30they already had the basics, they would
1:20:32be in real trouble when it came to
1:20:34building their power base. They could
1:20:37only rely on their beast for so much
1:20:38before they were going to have to get
1:20:40into combat themselves.
1:20:42But there were options.
1:20:44Like the special forces cadets that had
1:20:46been chosen for the first group, they
1:20:48could continue to train conventionally
1:20:50and learn the basic skills from the
1:20:52academy.
1:20:53It might lead to an imbalance in their
1:20:55abilities, but it would be better than
1:20:57nothing. But to Tabitha and Neil, the
1:21:00most offensive combat focused of the
1:21:02group, there was another issue that was
1:21:03becoming apparent. The class was only
1:21:06part of the issue. The real problem was
1:21:09going to come with what beasts they
1:21:11chose. Lightning Sarah had a versatile
1:21:14barrier that could also be used for
1:21:15melee offensive attacks.
1:21:18the more cats had stealth on their side
1:21:20and the bonded partner would have speed
1:21:21to help them. But what if a different
1:21:24beast was chosen? That girl who had
1:21:27gotten the small bird, for example,
1:21:30or someone who picked a less impressive
1:21:32beast out of fondness for the species.
1:21:35Both would be at a huge disadvantage in
1:21:37their growth. Like Carl's beast master
1:21:40class, they relied too much on their
1:21:42beasts and didn't have a base of skills
1:21:44from multiple powerful beasts to get
1:21:46them through.
1:21:47We could just assign a curriculum to
1:21:49them that focuses on learning skills
1:21:51from the start. Rey and the others
1:21:53learned quickly when they were young and
1:21:55they're still innovating. I think that
1:21:58if we have the right teachers in place,
1:22:00we can help the students master at least
1:22:02two or three basic skills at the start
1:22:04and then they can work from there.
1:22:06Speaking of which, how is the skill
1:22:08library coming along? Carl asked.
1:22:12We're<unk> up to 27 different skills,
1:22:14but limited by what our inscriptionists
1:22:16can learn well enough to make a tome. I
1:22:19really do need to steal you in the near
1:22:21future and get you to put more down on
1:22:23paper for us. The librarian insisted.
1:22:27Carl nodded. I expected that there would
1:22:30be something like that in the near
1:22:31future. It's not a problem, but I'm
1:22:34hoping that you will have a few skills
1:22:36that I can use as well. I will even
1:22:38replace the copies if I can learn them.
1:22:41What skill books can you even use?
1:22:44Tabitha asked, curious about the
1:22:46particulars of Carl's class. Honestly, I
1:22:49don't know. I've only really gone for
1:22:52ones that were useful to one of the
1:22:54others in the team. I haven't tried to
1:22:56see the extent of what I can use. Likely
1:22:59no other trade skills except maybe
1:23:02dwarven smithing as I've already got
1:23:04rune crafting. As far as magic and
1:23:07combat skills, I suppose nearly anything
1:23:09is possible with the team composition
1:23:11that I have right now. Lady Athell
1:23:14smiled at him. Perhaps I can work with
1:23:16you and Thor, teach you both some
1:23:18paladin type skills. It would make you
1:23:21both better in human form combat, and
1:23:23who knows what Thor can do with them in
1:23:25Sarah form. Thor was definitely up for
1:23:28that. As long as you help us with our
1:23:31warriors and the monk, I have no
1:23:33objections at all. More teachers are
1:23:36better for everyone, and if we're all
1:23:37training together, my training skills
1:23:39will affect all of you as well, Carl
1:23:42offered. That was an enticing offer. The
1:23:46beasts had some unique skills, and if
1:23:48they could get a chance at learning
1:23:50them, it would be well worth the effort.
1:23:53Of course, Carl would happily teach them
1:23:55a skill if he was able. Making powerful
1:23:58friends had been hammered so deep into
1:24:00his psyche by Thor's instincts that Carl
1:24:02didn't even notice that it was an
1:24:03outside influence anymore. Dany gave
1:24:06Carl a smirk that said she would also be
1:24:08pressuring him for a skill before the
1:24:10night was out. But the relaxing with the
1:24:12McKenzie sisters part would have to wait
1:24:14until the overlords went home for the
1:24:16night. The librarian snapped her fingers
1:24:19and nodded. Yes, that is the right way.
1:24:23We will gather a copy of all the skill
1:24:25books that we can spare and bring them
1:24:27to a training session downstairs.
1:24:30Say first light tomorrow so that we can
1:24:33see which ones work and what other
1:24:35skills can be passed on from the
1:24:36overlords.
1:24:38Then we can all go to train the
1:24:39youngsters and the young beasts.
1:24:42Say, I don't suppose that you have a
1:24:44growth serum for Sarah, do you? If the
1:24:47beasts were awakened rank, they could
1:24:49learn much more. Carl laughed. We're
1:24:53already feeding them better than even
1:24:54Thor was able to manage in the early
1:24:56days so they will grow quickly, but
1:24:59you'll have to give them at least a
1:25:00month or two if you want full-grown SO.
1:25:03The blue dragon side that was still a
1:25:06huge improvement as SO normally took 2
1:25:09years to get past the adolescent phase
1:25:11to adult, but she knew that this project
1:25:13would go off the rails the moment that
1:25:15the controlled environment was gone.
1:25:17Overlord Jorum looked down at the
1:25:19flaming bird sitting on his lap with
1:25:21fondness.
1:25:22I am going to retire for the evening.
1:25:25Dave wants to fly free and explore his
1:25:27new abilities.
1:25:29Carl nodded. Do you want Hawk to look
1:25:32after him? There are many scary things
1:25:34in the world for an awakened rank
1:25:36magical beast. Jorum shook his head. I
1:25:40think he will be fine. He has been
1:25:43flying around as a common bird all his
1:25:45life. Carl got up and opened the balcony
1:25:48door. He can join you back home when
1:25:51he's done. I'm sure he's not going to
1:25:53get lost. Before Jorham could say
1:25:56anything, Dave was rocketing out the
1:25:58door, leaving a streak of fire behind
1:26:00him as he tested his newly enhanced
1:26:02wings. His species was already among the
1:26:05fastest of birds. And now he was even
1:26:08faster. His happy calls could be heard
1:26:11circling the building as Carl left the
1:26:13door open, knowing that there were
1:26:14dozens of other magical beasts in the
1:26:16area, including the blink cats, who
1:26:19wouldn't likely care that he was claimed
1:26:20now that he was a viable food product.
1:26:23Catching him would be hard. Defeating
1:26:26his defensive flames would be harder,
1:26:28but Blink Cats were crafty, and they had
1:26:30a particular love for hunting low-flying
1:26:32birds. As a common falcon, he wasn't
1:26:36worth more than a bit of harassment, but
1:26:38that was different now. Carl turned to
1:26:40the librarian.
1:26:42Do you mind if I just shorten your name?
1:26:45Draconic names are terribly hard for me
1:26:47to pronounce, and I always get the Z
1:26:49sound in names like Kellosa wrong. The
1:26:52blue dragon gave him a curious look. And
1:26:55what did you want to call me other than
1:26:57my title as librarian?
1:26:59How about Lady Kelly? Half of the
1:27:02overlords choked on their drinks while
1:27:04Athell giggled and Lotus nodded in
1:27:06agreement. The librarian gave Carl a
1:27:09suspicious look, so he decided to
1:27:10elaborate. "Lady is properly formal for
1:27:14your rank. Kelly is easy to pronounce,
1:27:16and it's got the sort of energetic and
1:27:18enthusiastic ring to it that I associate
1:27:20with a desire to learn because you are
1:27:23around Lotus and Cara too much, and you
1:27:25associate learning with curiosity."
1:27:28Thor noted. They do learn many things,
1:27:31though. Rey agreed. Overlord Athell
1:27:35slung a companionable arm over the blue
1:27:37dragon's shoulder and ruffled her hair.
1:27:40Besides, you're a young dragon still. No
1:27:44need to sound all stuffy and
1:27:45professional all the time. The librarian
1:27:48actually smiled at that. Little girl,
1:27:51you were born in the hotel room above my
1:27:53thousandth birthday party. Carl smiled.
1:27:58see a positively spelt young debutant.
1:28:01The librarian snorted in amusement. We
1:28:04need to get you away from Knack and
1:28:06Orthos. They're messing with your sense
1:28:08of draconic age progression.
1:28:10However, if you can complete my learning
1:28:12challenge, I will agree to your
1:28:14nickname. Carl nodded. I will warn you,
1:28:18unless it is written in runick, I'm not
1:28:20actually all that strong with fancy
1:28:22words. Carl could sense the librarian's
1:28:25urge to face palm and the amusement of
1:28:27the other overlords, as most of them had
1:28:30also finished formal education after
1:28:32middle school, where the librarian had
1:28:34spent centuries as a university
1:28:35professor. The dragon took out a thick
1:28:38ancient tome and placed it on the coffee
1:28:40table. If you can unlock and learn that
1:28:43relic skill, then make a copy. I will
1:28:45allow you to give me a nickname." She
1:28:48insisted with a smirk. The book was so
1:28:51old that the name of the skill had been
1:28:53worn off the cover, and Carl could sense
1:28:55only the barest flicker of system energy
1:28:57still active in it, sporadic and
1:28:59failing. If he couldn't use it, or if
1:29:02someone else didn't in the next few
1:29:04months, it would fail entirely.
1:29:06Remy stared at the book with undisguised
1:29:09greed. I have no idea what that is, and
1:29:12I must know. She insisted.
1:29:16Maybe that's why you're blue. Thor
1:29:18pondered. The color of the scales should
1:29:21say something about the person. He had
1:29:23gone from simple green to plain green
1:29:26and gold to shimmering, showing how
1:29:28magnificent he was. So Remy's blue and
1:29:32black scales should have something to do
1:29:34with her love of knowledge logically.
1:29:37Neither Carl nor Remy was sold on that
1:29:39logic. Only dragons were colorcoded by
1:29:42their gods. But Remy did love knowledge.
1:29:46Carl placed his hand on the book's cover
1:29:48and felt a tingle in his hand as it
1:29:50pulled a bit of energy from him. Carl
1:29:53activated analysis and the name of the
1:29:55tome flickered in front of his eyes,
1:29:57then stabilized as more power flowed
1:29:59from his hand to the tome. Book of Epic
1:30:02Guard. Carl stared at the notification
1:30:05for a moment. Was this an epic version
1:30:08of the warrior's guard skill? Was it a
1:30:11form of golem or bodyguard? It seemed
1:30:14too large to be a warrior skill, but it
1:30:16was epic. According to the title, once
1:30:19the name of the book settled in Carl's
1:30:21vision, he waited a few more seconds
1:30:23before trying to tamper with the ancient
1:30:25tome. He didn't want to break or
1:30:27destabilize it at this point when it was
1:30:29finally telling him something.
1:30:32Fortunately, he didn't need to. Learn
1:30:35skill. Epic guard. Skill learned. Epic
1:30:38guard. Epic guard. Golem class
1:30:41conjuration. creates one epic grade
1:30:44personal guard that gave Carl a most
1:30:47brilliant idea. He reached out and
1:30:50tapped both Dana and Ahmad on the
1:30:52foreheads, then activated, "Follow me,
1:30:54little one," to transfer the skill.
1:30:57Overlord Ahmad chuckled, and Dana
1:30:59blushed, making Carl wonder what sort of
1:31:02messages this skill was giving people
1:31:03when he used it. So far, it had come up
1:31:06with a rather unique description for
1:31:08everyone, and not everyone believed that
1:31:10Carl wasn't picking them himself. The
1:31:13librarian waited impatiently for Carl to
1:31:15say something. "Why don't we head to the
1:31:18basement training ground and we can
1:31:20activate the skill? I would like to see
1:31:22how it turns out for everyone," Carl
1:31:25suggested. "Everyone,"
1:31:28the librarian demanded. "It's an epic
1:31:31golem type skill. I don't know what it's
1:31:34going to create, Carl explained. And you
1:31:38taught others already, she asked,
1:31:41confused.
1:31:43Ah, yes. I used my daily teaching skill
1:31:47attempts to pass it on to Dana and
1:31:48Ahmad. They should both have an
1:31:51additional golem of the epic variety.
1:31:53Now the whole group made their way down
1:31:56to the first training room in the lower
1:31:57levels where they lined up against the
1:31:59wall waiting for the trio with new
1:32:01skills to show off for the group. So how
1:32:04do we do this? The mages first or the
1:32:08mages second? Carl asked. Athell smirked
1:32:12at him. I say we do the mages first in
1:32:16case you come out with something
1:32:17ridiculous as a golem. We already know
1:32:20that they got something normal for their
1:32:22first ones, but your friend Ray got
1:32:24spiders made of wood that evolved into
1:32:26something else. And then there are your
1:32:27bodyguards who appear to be real living
1:32:29monsters. Dana nodded and Ahmad
1:32:32shrugged. She has a point. Giving all of
1:32:36us the same skill does not guarantee
1:32:38similar results given your track record.
1:32:42Carl stepped back to let them work, and
1:32:44the two mages began to focus on the
1:32:46desired form and attributes for their
1:32:47new summon. Naturally, they would get
1:32:50the same one every time after the first,
1:32:52so this particular summoning was the
1:32:54most important. Ahmad finished his focus
1:32:57first and summoned his new golem. It was
1:33:00similar to the four he had from the main
1:33:02golem spell in that it appeared to be a
1:33:05human in ancient legionnaire armor. But
1:33:07this one was different. It crackled with
1:33:10magical energy and had a barrier spell
1:33:13active. Ahmad didn't say anything to
1:33:16disturb Dana's focus as she called forth
1:33:18her own creation. Her first ones had
1:33:21come out like stone Carl statues, but
1:33:23this one was shorter and much more
1:33:25slender. The golem was wearing form
1:33:28fitting black armor with black plates
1:33:30over it, very similar to Tabitha, but
1:33:32the head and hands were different. Her
1:33:35golem was not human, but a violet
1:33:37skinned demoness with a sim in both
1:33:39hands. When Carl looked closely, he
1:33:42could see that it was not living like
1:33:44the bodyguards, but a stone faximile of
1:33:46an actual demoness.
1:33:48But its weapons were coated in black
1:33:50energy. And Dana was smiling. It can use
1:33:54my skill disruption blade as well as the
1:33:56wind walker combat style. I believe it's
1:34:00an epic grade agility type summon. she
1:34:03explained.
1:34:04Compared to Dana, the golem was still
1:34:06huge, over 2 m tall, but that put it a
1:34:09full meter shorter than the standard
1:34:11summon for the other golems. It was
1:34:14large enough to block for Dana and
1:34:16presumably fast enough to intercept most
1:34:18attackers.
1:34:19It wouldn't be epic grade if it wasn't
1:34:21at least that fast. Ahmad nodded. And
1:34:24then his golem duplicated itself.
1:34:27Mine can use my duplicate summoning
1:34:30skill as well as arcane barrier which
1:34:33serves as both an offensive and
1:34:34defensive skill. The librarian snorted
1:34:38in amusement.
1:34:39Of course, it can duplicate itself.
1:34:42Such a cheat code for the man who
1:34:44already has four golems. The mages
1:34:47didn't dismiss their golems, only moved
1:34:49to the side of the room with them so
1:34:51that Carl could come forward and see
1:34:53what he would get now that he was
1:34:54performing a proper summoning of his
1:34:56own.
1:34:57Carl knew that he likely could come up
1:34:59with something great if he really
1:35:00focused. Dana had created a golem that
1:35:03mimicked the basics of her own combat
1:35:05abilities, which was incredibly
1:35:07impressive.
1:35:08All right, group effort. I have no idea
1:35:12what we're summoning anyhow.
1:35:14So, everyone focus on what they want out
1:35:16of the new golem and let's see what
1:35:18happens. Carl suggested.
1:35:21Oh, this is fun. I like this game. Cara
1:35:26cheered.
1:35:27Scales.
1:35:29Thor insisted.
1:35:31And Stabby. Rey agreed.
1:35:34Let's do this. Hawk and Remy insisted at
1:35:38the same time, focusing on their desires
1:35:40for the golem's appearance. At first,
1:35:43the creation didn't make any sense as it
1:35:45formed, surrounded by a black cloud that
1:35:47was making it difficult to see properly.
1:35:50The other golems had formed properly,
1:35:52but this one seemed to be taking its
1:35:54time deciding on what it was going to
1:35:56look like, even as Carl focused on
1:35:57making a functional humanoid golem. For
1:36:00a moment, Carl lost his focus, wondering
1:36:03if he was the problem, as everyone else
1:36:05was focused on entirely different
1:36:07visions of what the spell should create,
1:36:09and they were all linked by their minds.
1:36:12Once he did, the black cloud began to
1:36:14contract, and the new golem formed. It
1:36:17appeared to be a dry, but mostly black
1:36:20and shifting in appearance, as if trying
1:36:22to blend with its surroundings.
1:36:24It had long branch-like fingers,
1:36:26flattened into massive talons, scales
1:36:29over the portion of its surface that
1:36:30wasn't covered in bark, and long flowing
1:36:32white hair that reminded Carl of the
1:36:34striped down Cara's back. But more
1:36:36concerning to everyone else in the room,
1:36:38the lingering black aura around it was
1:36:41disintegrate, and it kept vanishing from
1:36:43sight if they weren't directly focusing
1:36:45on it. Carl used analysis to get a full
1:36:49overview of the golem and found that the
1:36:51skill could actually give him a
1:36:52comprehensive description of his new
1:36:54ability. Epic guard type shadow drake
1:36:58tant
1:37:00skills a perfect camouflage disintegrate
1:37:03rake lifelink rake improved rend causes
1:37:07higher levels of bleeding damage. Lifeel
1:37:10Link. The shadow drake trends healing,
1:37:12regeneration, and life steal effects
1:37:14applied to all party members. Allows the
1:37:17golem to absorb a percentage of damage
1:37:20done to the summoner. It could be buffed
1:37:22with void body or trollish regeneration,
1:37:25which would spread healing to everyone.
1:37:27But if Carl knew some sort of healing
1:37:29spell or a life steal dedicated ability,
1:37:32he was certain that the golem would gain
1:37:33much more utility.
1:37:35Remy had healing splash and her rarely
1:37:38used healing totem. That might work if
1:37:42Carl learned it himself. But there
1:37:44should be some other form of healing
1:37:46that he could manage. That's unique, the
1:37:50librarian muttered as the rest of the
1:37:52group stared at the golem. It's a
1:37:54collaborative effort. You see, we've got
1:37:57sharp claws, scales, stealth,
1:38:00disintegrate, and life link. That should
1:38:03cover everything.
1:38:05At least once I manage to learn a
1:38:06healing skill for it to share, it will.
1:38:09Lotus frowned. Now you want to be the
1:38:12healer, too. Life steal on hit would be
1:38:16just as good. Carl allowed. That was a
1:38:20little more reassuring for the cleric.
1:38:22She couldn't have some random summon
1:38:24coming along and stealing her spot on
1:38:26the team. Oilia got an excited look on
1:38:29her face.
1:38:31You know, if you gave the golem a blade
1:38:33with life leech, wouldn't it heal you
1:38:35pretty well as it fought? The ones I
1:38:37have are kind of low quality at this
1:38:39point, and I was going to pass them on
1:38:41to the newbies, but I'm sure we can find
1:38:43some new ones for you. Carl nodded.
1:38:47That's a great idea. Maybe short blades
1:38:50given that the golem has stealth and
1:38:52high agility. Athell took out a long
1:38:55blade and handed it to Carl that has
1:38:58life steel on it. Why not see how the
1:39:00golem can do? Carl nodded in thanks and
1:39:04handed the blade to the golem, who held
1:39:06it in its hands, awkwardly, unable to
1:39:08make a fist to hold the blade with such
1:39:10long finger claws. Athell face bombed.
1:39:14All right, I can see how this could be
1:39:16an issue. I'm used to golems that have
1:39:19human hands, but this one and the spider
1:39:21golems are different. The golem
1:39:24carefully handed back the blade, but
1:39:26Carl still had an idea to boost its
1:39:28combat performance.
1:39:30He equipped the haint claw on the Golem,
1:39:32which actually looked a little like an
1:39:34all black and scaly version of Overlord
1:39:36Leafa. Carl smiled as the weapon melded
1:39:39with the Golem, which now had ghostly
1:39:41glowing eyes and leaked ghost fire smoke
1:39:43from its mouth. What sort of weapon is
1:39:46that? Neil asked, shocked at the
1:39:49transformation.
1:39:50It's a hint claw. I obtained it in new.
1:39:55It doesn't have life steal, but it's got
1:39:57a soul leech effect that's particularly
1:39:59nasty, and it adds ghost fire to all
1:40:01attacks, including skills.
1:40:04Normally, it's a weapon that I would use
1:40:06myself in combination with my bow,
1:40:08particularly, but for the moment, I
1:40:11think it works quite well with the epic
1:40:13guard skill. Should we see how it does
1:40:16while sparring against Ahmed's golems?
1:40:19If it's an epic rank skill, it might be
1:40:21able to hold off his regular golems for
1:40:23a while. Neil suggested.
1:40:26Carl shrugged. No better way to test it.
1:40:30I don't know what sort of combat
1:40:32instincts it inherited since I don't
1:40:34have an actual combat style skill. Ahmad
1:40:37summoned his four standard legionaire
1:40:39golems on the far side of the training
1:40:41room, and Carl gave instructions to his
1:40:43new summon. Show us how you would defeat
1:40:46these targets.
1:40:48They're golems, so go full force. Carl
1:40:51thought. The golems took a combat stance
1:40:54and the guard vanished. It reappeared in
1:40:57a swirl of ghost fire in front of one
1:40:59golem, then leapt into the air, kicked
1:41:02it in the crotch, and stabbed all 10
1:41:03long claws through the golem's eyes.
1:41:06100% it learned to fight from Cara. Rey
1:41:10noted she would have appeared behind the
1:41:13golem. The guard was already moving,
1:41:16raking at the leg joints of the golems
1:41:18and dodging attacks with an alarming
1:41:20level of agility, then periodically
1:41:22vanishing in a puff of pale blue green
1:41:24fire. It would reappear behind another
1:41:27golem and try for a new target. First,
1:41:30it tried to rip their throats out, then
1:41:32stabbed through the neck of the armor to
1:41:34their hearts. But the golems weren't
1:41:36living things, and going for the vitals
1:41:38of a golem didn't work. Finally, the
1:41:41golems caught it and sliced it to bits,
1:41:44causing it to dissipate and return the
1:41:46weapon to Carl's possession. All four of
1:41:49the overlord ranked golems had taken
1:41:51significant damage during the battle,
1:41:53and Carl was impressed. Even a mod was
1:41:56shaking his head in shock dismay. Well,
1:41:59for a golem that didn't come with a
1:42:00trained fighting style, I have to say
1:42:03that one is particularly vicious and
1:42:05learns fast.
1:42:06If those had been living creatures, I
1:42:08suspect that your golem might actually
1:42:10have been able to fight above its rank.
1:42:13Tabitha chuckled darkly. I just can't
1:42:16get over the fact that its first
1:42:17instinct was to kick the Golem in the
1:42:19balls and claw its eyes out. What sort
1:42:22of fighter are you, Monarch Carl? The
1:42:25last was said with a bit of a sneer, and
1:42:27Carl threw up his hands in a placating
1:42:29gesture. That's not really on me. I
1:42:33enlisted my team of beasts for
1:42:35suggestions, and their suggestions
1:42:36helped shape our new golem. I believe
1:42:39that Cara's fighting style is the
1:42:41dominant one. She would definitely start
1:42:44a fight that way. I'm surprised that the
1:42:47golem didn't lick him as well. Ahmad
1:42:50laughed. I think it might have. Being so
1:42:54close, the smoke of the guard's breath
1:42:56was surely touching my golem. And your
1:42:58guard doesn't have an actual tongue.
1:43:00Cara smoothed her fur in pride like she
1:43:03was styling her hair. Carl laughed at
1:43:06her expression and summoned the guard
1:43:08again with the haint claw equipped. It
1:43:11flexed a little as if it remembered
1:43:12being dismembered or wanted to do a
1:43:14systems check before combat. Then it
1:43:17turned to Carl for instructions.
1:43:20Just wait here. There are no threats. Ry
1:43:24giggled. You don't need to be so
1:43:27detailed. Golems get what you want
1:43:29instinctively.
1:43:31If you focus, you should be able to tell
1:43:33where it is. The same as you can with us
1:43:35and the bodyguards.
1:43:37I got that part. Well, at least we know
1:43:40the new spell works. Rey considered it.
1:43:44I need to learn that one later. I could
1:43:47have a third spider golem. Carl used
1:43:50follow me little one to transfer the
1:43:53knowledge. Incompatible target. Ray
1:43:57side.
1:43:58Ooh, this system. I can use golems, but
1:44:01not more golems. How does that make
1:44:04sense? Dana nudged Carl. Mind having
1:44:08your guard spar with mine? I want to see
1:44:11how it does. I thought it was odd that
1:44:14the only skill yours was using was that
1:44:16movement skill, so they might need time
1:44:19to adapt to using all their abilities.
1:44:22Sure, let me remove the weapon overlay.
1:44:26It doesn't need the extra damage to keep
1:44:28up this time. Carl agreed. The haint
1:44:32claw was put away and the guard went
1:44:34from animated to calm, waiting in a
1:44:36ready position for orders. Dana summoned
1:44:39her guard in its black leather and plate
1:44:41armor. Then, with a mental command, the
1:44:45two guards were on each other. Dana's
1:44:47demonic looking guard fired off a flurry
1:44:49of blade energy at its dried looking
1:44:51opponent which dismissively swatted them
1:44:54away with disintegrate.
1:44:56Is it just me or did its combat style
1:44:59completely change? Oilia asked as the
1:45:02two guards locked in combat right before
1:45:04Carl's began to use rake to
1:45:06systematically dismantle its opponent
1:45:08into small pieces. Neil nodded in
1:45:11agreement. I think it did. Maybe it was
1:45:15the influence of the haint claw, the
1:45:17additional skill, or perhaps the merger
1:45:20with the weapon grants it a bit more
1:45:22cognitive function. It fights very
1:45:24methodically now in the most efficient
1:45:27way. Dana sideighed. I have to say, with
1:45:31or without the weapon, that guard is
1:45:33brutal in combat. She called back her
1:45:36guard again, and the violet demonist
1:45:38shook herself out in the same way as
1:45:40Carl's had, as if checking for damage.
1:45:43It had to be a function of the spell,
1:45:45remembering previous fights to improve.
1:45:48All right, we have our answers.
1:45:51Now we really can go to sleep. I'm sure
1:45:54there will be far too many questions for
1:45:56us all in the morning. Librarian, you
1:45:59can stay in my spare room if you would
1:46:01like. Lady Athell offered. I will see
1:46:05you all tomorrow. The librarian agreed,
1:46:08then left with the paladin, headed back
1:46:10upstairs.
1:46:12Now we have a new sparring partner for
1:46:13the trainees.
1:46:15Ry cheered. I don't think they would
1:46:18survive that. Thor reminded her. We
1:46:22could put pool noodles on her claws.
1:46:24That's terrifying in a whole different
1:46:26way. Back in the apartment, the McKenzie
1:46:29twins were eager to catch up with the
1:46:31ladies while Cara stretched out across
1:46:33their laps, taunting Thor with her
1:46:35ability to get her head rubbed while
1:46:37indoors. As everyone chatted, Carl got
1:46:40to work turning Epic Guard into a new
1:46:43skill book. The librarian had made him
1:46:46promise her that he would, and he knew
1:46:48that the dragon wouldn't want to wait
1:46:49for him to make good on his word. Plus,
1:46:52he was looking forward to the look on
1:46:54her face when she remembered that she
1:46:55had agreed to let him use a nickname for
1:46:57her if he did. As he worked, Carl
1:47:00checked in on everyone. Thor was very
1:47:03pleased that he had managed to give the
1:47:04new summon scales. While Rey and Cara
1:47:07were laughing about the fighting style
1:47:09when it was merged with the Hankclaw,
1:47:11they had a theory that it was actually
1:47:13Leafa's default fighting style, as the
1:47:15hint claw had come from her, and the
1:47:17thought of the distinguished and ancient
1:47:19overlord clawing someone's eyes out was
1:47:21highly entertaining. They were going to
1:47:23have to ask her about it the next time
1:47:25they met. So, have you met any cute guys
1:47:28yet? possibly snagged yourself some
1:47:31hunky boy toy. Oilia was asking the twin
1:47:34mages. Donnie scoffed. Do you have any
1:47:38idea how hard it is for a female elite
1:47:41to find a good man? We already know the
1:47:43true faces of the politicians and the
1:47:45power brokers. So the truly wealthy men
1:47:48are out. Our powers intimidate most of
1:47:51the civilians, though they wouldn't
1:47:53openly admit it. So that cuts out the
1:47:55vast majority of the population.
1:47:58Finally, half of the elites are bats hit
1:48:00crazy from too much time alone in the
1:48:02woods. No offense to those present, but
1:48:06you do realize that Oilia holds Lotus
1:48:08like a teddy bear, and Carl talks to
1:48:10himself. She gestured to where Lotus was
1:48:13sitting on Oilia's lap, then to Carl.
1:48:16The whole group began to laugh, and
1:48:18Tessa decided to explain. Oilia likes to
1:48:22sleep in bare form with Lotus as a
1:48:24teddy. I will admit it's odd, but it
1:48:27keeps her from wandering. Carl isn't
1:48:30talking to himself, though. He's talking
1:48:33to the beasts and forgets that the rest
1:48:35of us can't hear them. Carl nodded. It's
1:48:39easier when everyone is out. Then I can
1:48:42just talk to them normally. What are you
1:48:44even writing? The complete encyclopedia?
1:48:48Dany asked, cutting off her sister's
1:48:50answer. the copy of Epic Guard for the
1:48:54librarian.
1:48:55If you want to know the skill, I will
1:48:57try to transfer it to you. The looks on
1:49:00their faces said it all. They wanted the
1:49:03skill and they wanted it now. Carl
1:49:06activated the transfer and sighed as the
1:49:08message came up. Minimum requirements
1:49:11not met. Looks like we will have to wait
1:49:14on that. It says that it's not possible
1:49:16yet. Both mag's eyes went to the freshly
1:49:20written skill book and Carl made a
1:49:22reluctant welcoming gesture. Sure, it
1:49:25took hours, but that skill was so good
1:49:28that he couldn't bring himself to deny
1:49:30them. Dany went first as the golem
1:49:33specialist of the pair. No matter what
1:49:36she did, she was unable to get the cover
1:49:38open. It was as if the book were a
1:49:41single block of steel, unyielding and
1:49:43solid. After a minute, she gave up.
1:49:47Donnie traded her places and suffered
1:49:49the same fate, but with much less
1:49:51surprise after her specialist sister had
1:49:53failed. "It only said you didn't make
1:49:56minimum requirements, but Dana can use
1:49:58it." "So, you might just need to be a
1:50:01royal," Carl offered as a form of
1:50:04sympathy. "Well, it was worth a shot,"
1:50:08Dany assured him, visibly annoyed by the
1:50:10situation.
1:50:12If he couldn't teach them the cool
1:50:14golem, there were still other mage type
1:50:16abilities that he might be able to share
1:50:17from Remy to them. Technically, Remy was
1:50:20a shaman, but a lot of the abilities
1:50:22appeared to be transferable.
1:50:25But first, he could start with the
1:50:27simple ones.
1:50:28Skill teaching requests pending mental
1:50:31fortitude.
1:50:32Both mages gave Carl a raised eyebrow
1:50:35look that was somewhere between
1:50:36intrigued and offended, then relaxed as
1:50:38the skill took effect. Oh, this is a
1:50:41wonderful skill. It actually increased
1:50:44my mana regeneration to nearly double
1:50:46its base. Dany noted. Odd. That's not a
1:50:51listed effect. Could it be a side effect
1:50:53of mental fortitude?
1:50:55Just a second. I will pass it around,
1:50:59Carl offered. Skill teaching requests
1:51:02pending mental fortitude.
1:51:04One after another, everyone appeared to
1:51:07accept the skill. The beasts carefully
1:51:09watched everyone's expression, wondering
1:51:11what it had called them. The first to
1:51:14break was Lotus, who was in a fit of
1:51:16giggles. How did I become an adorable
1:51:19healing tree? What sort of title is
1:51:22that? I mean, I'm flattered. But does
1:51:25this mean that the system is actually
1:51:27more impressed with my skills as a tree
1:51:29than as a human? I should have spent
1:51:32more time practicing my rain dance. She
1:51:35laughed. Oilia laughed.
1:51:38It calls me the friendly rage bear. Dana
1:51:41frowned. You all get cool and cute
1:51:44nicknames.
1:51:46It gave me pack master Carl offers
1:51:48knowledge, a skill, mental fortitude
1:51:51will be transferred to the Dana mage.
1:51:54Hulk nodded in satisfaction.
1:51:56He knew he had her name right. Carl
1:52:00shrugged, then patted her on the back. I
1:52:03don't pick the names. The system does
1:52:05that. remember that it called overlord
1:52:07Tabitha a kitten. Dany and Donnie
1:52:10laughed, but Tessa had gained a unique
1:52:12insight.
1:52:14All right, I don't feel so bad now. I
1:52:17wonder if this is how the world dragon
1:52:19sees us all. Like, it just picks some
1:52:22aspect of our personality and assigns us
1:52:24a nickname. I wonder if the best
1:52:26nicknames go to the ones with the most
1:52:28favor. Oilia drumed her fingers on the
1:52:31coffee table as she thought about it.
1:52:34You know, that is possible. The world
1:52:37dragon is a god, but he's also a dragon.
1:52:40They don't really see humans as equals
1:52:42most of the time, and with that much
1:52:44power, a psychic dragon would probably
1:52:46see the entire world at once. Keeping
1:52:50track of everyone's preferred names and
1:52:51titles would be a lot of trouble. In
1:52:54fact, it might be possible that the
1:52:56entire system interface is just a divine
1:52:58notebook, so the gods can keep track of
1:53:00us all. Carl laughed at the thought,
1:53:03then realized there was a greater than
1:53:05zero chance that she was right. There
1:53:08was no real reason that the system had
1:53:10to record and display names or classes
1:53:12for others, but it did. Joan, the red
1:53:16dragon acolyte, tapped the table to get
1:53:18Carl's attention. We should likely head
1:53:21back to the cathedral for the night. Is
1:53:24Ry keeping Cibil for the evening? Nope.
1:53:27She can sleep tonight. We will train in
1:53:29the sun.
1:53:30You can all rest for the evening. We
1:53:33will work on training tomorrow. It will
1:53:36be a little later in the morning, so if
1:53:38you finish everything, you can come here
1:53:40looking for us." Carl informed her, and
1:53:43the young priestess began to hurt her
1:53:45teammates toward the door. It was
1:53:47subtle, but she was already taking on
1:53:49the red dragon cleric's natural role as
1:53:51caretaker.
1:53:53Once the kids were gone, the ladies
1:53:55called for wine from downstairs, and
1:53:57Carl knew that it was going to be a long
1:53:59night.
1:54:00Carl woke up the next morning to find
1:54:02the other occupants of his bed were Ray,
1:54:04Cara, and a disheveled Lotus, who was
1:54:06wrapped around the void badger making
1:54:08happy sleeping noises. There was snoring
1:54:11coming from the living room, more than
1:54:13seemed likely for just two people, so
1:54:15most of the others must have passed out
1:54:17there after he went to sleep. Only habit
1:54:20had gotten him up this early, but it was
1:54:22a prime opportunity for them to order
1:54:23breakfast and not be the one tortured by
1:54:25the smell of fresh food for once. At
1:54:28first, Carl considered cooking, but
1:54:30after getting spoiled by the building's
1:54:32chefs and the clerics, he couldn't bring
1:54:34himself to have another of the simple
1:54:36meals that were all he actually knew how
1:54:38to cook. Bacon and eggs were a wonderful
1:54:41breakfast, but bacon and eggs with all
1:54:44the fancy sauces and garnishes was even
1:54:46better. Carl dressed in the black pants
1:54:49and white shirt of his official uniform,
1:54:51then reminded himself to have Ry make
1:54:53more clothes for him when she had time.
1:54:56There is a whole stack in my forest. The
1:54:59hut with all the little ghosts hanging
1:55:01from the roof. Rey offered without
1:55:04moving from her spot in bed. Indeed,
1:55:07there was quite an impressive selection,
1:55:10even if it looked like they were all the
1:55:12failed efforts to make something else.
1:55:14Not bad enough for her to destroy, but
1:55:16piled in a storage space out of the way.
1:55:19Carl grabbed a pair of black pants and a
1:55:22light gray polo shirt with a spider
1:55:24embroidered over the pocket and patted
1:55:26out to the front room. But not everyone
1:55:28was asleep. There was an assortment of
1:55:31breads, meats, and cheeses on the table
1:55:33accompanied by five blue robed clerics.
1:55:37The cleric sitting at the foot of the
1:55:38table turned to smile at him and spoke
1:55:41softly in a practiced library whisper,
1:55:44"Monarch,
1:55:46please join us for breakfast." We were
1:55:48sent over by the head librarian to see
1:55:50if you had time to make a copy of the
1:55:52new skill today and to ask some
1:55:54questions about runecraftrafting.
1:55:56She had wanted to ask them herself, but
1:55:58in all the confusion yesterday, she
1:56:00forgot. Today she is busy with the
1:56:03archbishop and won't be able to attend
1:56:06before you are busy with the students.
1:56:08Carl placed the epic guard skill book on
1:56:11the table with a soft thump. That's the
1:56:14new skill. I finished it last night.
1:56:18From what I can tell, you need to be
1:56:19compatible with golems and at least
1:56:21royal rank to use it. The blue dragon
1:56:24clerics immediately began to play rock
1:56:26paper scissors. And Carl wondered what
1:56:28they were up to. Then he realized if
1:56:32they could actually use the skill, then
1:56:34opening the cover to read it in
1:56:36preparation to copy it would just teach
1:56:37them the skill and the book would
1:56:39vanish. Unfortunately for them, they
1:56:42were all royal high priestesses.
1:56:45So there was some sort of chance that
1:56:47they could use it. The first to lose the
1:56:49match reluctantly reached for the book
1:56:51and caressed the cover as they made
1:56:53notes about the outside. It was a
1:56:55promising sign that nothing bad had
1:56:57happened when she first touched the
1:56:59cover. So the cleric carefully turned it
1:57:01over to inspect the back and make
1:57:02detailed notes of how it had formed.
1:57:05With great trepidation, the cleric
1:57:07slowly flipped open the cover and
1:57:09breathed a sigh of relief as she read
1:57:11the first few words. This is going to
1:57:13take forever to copy. The cleric sighed
1:57:16as she looked at the thickness of the
1:57:18book. It took me about 4 hours. Carl
1:57:22agreed. The clerics rolled their eyes at
1:57:25him. That's with superhuman hand speed.
1:57:29It would take us nearly a week to copy
1:57:31this. Then I bet you're glad it didn't
1:57:34teach you the skill. The clerics all
1:57:36nodded in unison and carefully flipped
1:57:38through the book with soft cotton gloves
1:57:40on so they didn't mark or damage the
1:57:42pages. This is incredible. The details
1:57:46that go into this skill are so extensive
1:57:48that I can't even really consider it a
1:57:50golem. It is a construct and built like
1:57:53a golem without internal organs, but
1:57:56otherwise the magic is so far removed
1:57:59that structure is all they really have
1:58:01in common. The priestess explained.
1:58:04Carl shrugged. I've never looked through
1:58:07a Golem book. I wonder if I can even use
1:58:10them since I'm not a mage. Ry can use
1:58:14golems, but it wasn't a shared skill.
1:58:17Don't you have enough summons yet?
1:58:19You've got all those bodyguards and
1:58:21Ray's golems, and now this guard plus
1:58:24all your partners. Are you trying to
1:58:27become an entire army legion on your
1:58:29own? One of the clerics asked, still in
1:58:32the hushed library whisper tones. That's
1:58:35not a bad idea. I wonder if I can make
1:58:38an army of spiderlings someday. Rey
1:58:41asked quietly as she appeared at the
1:58:43table beside Carl. The blue dragon
1:58:46clerics looked horrified.
1:58:48An army of spiderlings
1:58:50like dozens of tiny golems?
1:58:53One asked. Rey nodded. or even an
1:58:57illusion that looks like them but can
1:58:59still do spider things. Oh, the
1:59:02wonderful things that I could make with
1:59:04an army worth of little versions of me
1:59:05spinning silk. While most of the clerics
1:59:08were busy looking over the text, one had
1:59:11more indepth questions for Carl about
1:59:13rune crafting as an art, or at least
1:59:16what the system had taught him about
1:59:18rune crafting as an art. So, did it
1:59:21teach you all the conjunctions to modify
1:59:23the spell outputs for item creation or
1:59:25the proper character compounding to make
1:59:27the spell phrase all fit on a single
1:59:29piece of paper to make talismans?
1:59:32The cleric asked. I don't know what ones
1:59:35are used for item creation.
1:59:37I do know how to compound the characters
1:59:39though. In fact, I know how to do that
1:59:42in multiple different ways depending on
1:59:45the desired meaning of the phrase and
1:59:46the nature of the item that I am writing
1:59:48it on. Carl agreed. The cleric nodded
1:59:52slowly as she considered her next
1:59:54question. So, the rune crafting skill
1:59:57gives you all the knowledge of the
1:59:59language, but in an entirely theoretical
2:00:01way. You know what the word is, but not
2:00:04how it might be used to create an item
2:00:06or describe a spell on a talisman. She
2:00:09verified.
2:00:10Carl nodded. That's about right. I mean,
2:00:15I can guess, but that's what it is, a
2:00:18guess.
2:00:19I don't have any clue how those who came
2:00:21before me would have done it, so I can
2:00:23only do my best to try to come up with
2:00:25something workable. The cleric made
2:00:27careful notes, but was beginning to look
2:00:29discouraged, so Carl asked follow-up
2:00:32questions of his own. What is it that
2:00:34you're hoping to uncover?
2:00:36Some sort of lost crafting art. The
2:00:39middle-aged woman's face twisted into a
2:00:41rofal smile. Nothing quite so grand, I
2:00:45am afraid. What we were hoping for was
2:00:48some sort of frame of reference so that
2:00:49we could tell how much has been lost
2:00:51from the various crafts that use runes
2:00:53as part of their art. You see, we've
2:00:56lost huge amounts of smithing knowledge.
2:00:59We've lost almost the entirety of
2:01:00magical weapons creation as an art form,
2:01:03including the majority of the ability to
2:01:05improvise.
2:01:06Though, as rune crafting spreads, we
2:01:09might be able to help them out with some
2:01:11theory. But there are vast quantities of
2:01:13items that are recovered from monster
2:01:15spawns in damaged conditions, sometimes
2:01:18intact, but mostly inoperative.
2:01:20If we knew more about the craft that
2:01:22made them, we would be able to more
2:01:24easily repair them. Instead, we need to
2:01:27have a rune crafter that knows what
2:01:29might be missing explain the problem to
2:01:30a blacksmith who doesn't know run
2:01:32crafting because we don't have system
2:01:34access to the subcategory skills that
2:01:36would combine the two. Carl frowned.
2:01:39So, what you're saying is that
2:01:41recovering the rune crafting skill
2:01:43actually just made everyone aware of how
2:01:45much they still have to learn and
2:01:46created more questions than it answered.
2:01:49The cleric sighed and nodded in
2:01:51agreement. But if we had one of the
2:01:53subset skills but not the entirety of
2:01:55the rune crafting library, would we not
2:01:57still be in the same situation?
2:02:00That caught the attention of one of the
2:02:02others. No. If we had something like
2:02:04talisman master, the ancient crafting
2:02:07skill, we would think that it was whole
2:02:09and complete on its own. Nobody would
2:02:11connect that to the missing bits of
2:02:13knowledge that rune crafting supplies.
2:02:16The cleric who had been grilling Carl
2:02:18nodded in agreement. There is a distinct
2:02:20pain in knowing that you are missing
2:02:22knowledge that should be available to
2:02:24you. It's like having all the answers at
2:02:26your fingertips and having someone
2:02:28remind you that you're too uneducated to
2:02:30even know what to ask. For the blue
2:02:33dragon clerics, that was indeed a
2:02:35particularly painful situation.
2:02:38They were servants of the god of
2:02:39knowledge and teaching. Not knowing
2:02:42something was anathema to their goals in
2:02:43life. The had tio know it wasn't an
2:02:47option. All right, I think that I get
2:02:50where you're coming from. We could
2:02:52likely recover a bit of the lost
2:02:54knowledge from the old dwarven cities if
2:02:56you sent someone with runecraftrafting
2:02:58knowledge there. Carl suggested.
2:03:01There were murmurss of agreement with
2:03:03that, but no surprise at all, which
2:03:06suggested that it was an idea the blue
2:03:08dragons had already considered and had
2:03:10likely acted on or made plans to act on
2:03:12as soon as they had properly trained
2:03:14researchers available. Like the green
2:03:17dragon clerics and their penchant for
2:03:19wandering off in the wilderness for
2:03:20indeterminate amounts of time, the blue
2:03:23dragon clerics were known to get so
2:03:25immersed in research problems that they
2:03:27would forget about everything else for
2:03:28days and weeks on end. Carl could see
2:03:31that these clerics were already well on
2:03:33the way to becoming obsessed with the
2:03:34lost knowledge associated with rune
2:03:36crafting, even though it didn't seem
2:03:38that any of them had actually learned
2:03:39the art yet. possibly only because they
2:03:43had previously become immersed in a
2:03:44project on another trade skill and now
2:03:46they couldn't switch. If they could
2:03:49figure out how to replicate the epic
2:03:51guard skill book and teach it to large
2:03:53groups of elites, that might change. It
2:03:56was far more interesting as a skill then
2:03:58golem was and the power level was
2:04:00similarly impressive.
2:04:03The majority of the group was studying
2:04:04the skill book with increasing
2:04:06intensity, but the amount of work that
2:04:08it would take to replicate it was
2:04:09dampening their enthusiasm.
2:04:10considerably.
2:04:12Spending an entire week on a project
2:04:14only to have it used by someone else was
2:04:17enough to put a damper on anyone's day.
2:04:20Now, if this was a skill that they could
2:04:22use themselves and then make copies to
2:04:24teach to the ones who needed it, they
2:04:26might be much more amunable to the
2:04:28concept. At the very least, they would
2:04:30have a cool guardian to look at. They're
2:04:33all a bit odd. They might take it as the
2:04:36perfect friend just because it's always
2:04:38there and doesn't talk to interrupt
2:04:40their concentration.
2:04:42Remy noted. Thor seemed to agree with
2:04:45her. If nothing else, it would give them
2:04:48someone who doesn't run away when they
2:04:49begin to get too excited about their
2:04:51work. The sun isn't even properly up and
2:04:54they're already this excited about work.
2:04:57Not even good work because it's for
2:04:59someone else's pack. When have you ever
2:05:02been reluctant to work? But you only ask
2:05:05me to do fun things like pull the wagon.
2:05:08Thor complained, feeling slighted by the
2:05:10comparison between that and making books
2:05:12for strangers.
2:05:14After a few minutes of focus on the epic
2:05:16guard skills outer layers, the cleric
2:05:18started to really get into the book with
2:05:20one researcher dedicated to feeding the
2:05:22others breakfast so that no greasy
2:05:24fingers would be touching the
2:05:25manuscript.
2:05:26It was a wellpracticed routine and Remy
2:05:29thought that it was hilarious.
2:05:31Most species only handfed their beloved
2:05:34ones or the young. But the blue dragon
2:05:37clerics did it so that they could
2:05:38research more efficiently without even
2:05:40taking meal breaks. Give them a few
2:05:43minutes and they will realize that they
2:05:45got entirely too comfortable around Carl
2:05:47and they will be all embarrassed.
2:05:50Remy laughed as they finished eating.
2:05:52And then the designated food holder
2:05:54carefully washed her hands before
2:05:55replacing her white cotton gloves. Is
2:05:58there a reason that the gloves are
2:06:00always white? Is it just so that it is
2:06:02easier to see if you've gotten them
2:06:04dirty? Carl asked as they delicately
2:06:07flipped the pages. The clerics all shook
2:06:10their heads. Cotton is naturally white.
2:06:14We choose white cotton gloves because
2:06:16there are no dyes added to them which
2:06:18might transfer to the pages if they have
2:06:19something on them or our hands are a bit
2:06:21wet. Explore more at Empire. Lotus sat
2:06:25down beside them and began picking her
2:06:27favorite parts off the plate of
2:06:29breakfast snacks. As if a blue cleric
2:06:32would ever let wet hands around a
2:06:33research book. They're so mean when we
2:06:36go to the library like the books were
2:06:38their beloved children. She complained.
2:06:42The others all rolled their eyes in
2:06:43unison, but didn't respond.
2:06:46Are you sure it's not because they never
2:06:48know where a green cleric has been? And
2:06:50there is a greater than zero chance that
2:06:52you have both tree sap and peanut butter
2:06:54on your hands. Carl asked "That might be
2:06:58part of it, but they're not only mean to
2:07:01us." The middle-aged woman leading the
2:07:03research team shrugged. "Well, we did
2:07:06personally write most of the copies that
2:07:08are in the library, but nobody properly
2:07:11respects the books. We have entire teams
2:07:14dedicated to just cleaning and removing
2:07:16stains from our collection." She
2:07:19reminded Lotus.
2:07:21Don't I know it. I had to spend a whole
2:07:24week helping them after my botney
2:07:25textbook had an unfortunate mishap. The
2:07:28clerics all laughed and even Carl
2:07:30chuckled knowing that almost anything
2:07:32could have happened to the book. The day
2:07:35that he had met her, Lotus wanted to
2:07:37take Ry to go nap in the trees. For the
2:07:40most part, they worked in silence as the
2:07:42rest of the team woke up and ordered
2:07:44additional breakfast items. The ones
2:07:46that the blue dragon clerics had brought
2:07:48appeared to be mostly chosen for ease of
2:07:50consumption, but they didn't cover
2:07:52everything that the others were used to
2:07:53eating. Once they were done, the rest of
2:07:56the group all prepared to head off to
2:07:58the training grounds, leaving Carl with
2:08:00the librarians while the beasts helped
2:08:02train the team. Well, not totally alone.
2:08:06Hawk had no intentions of going over
2:08:08there. Though Remy was back in spirit
2:08:10snake form and accompanying Cara on
2:08:12their mission to educate the students in
2:08:14the proper methods of training their
2:08:16bodies, she wasn't going to feed them
2:08:18questionable resources today as they
2:08:21were already advanced far enough that
2:08:22they would be suffering side effects.
2:08:25But she did have a number of nutritional
2:08:27beverages to help them through Thor's
2:08:28physique enhancement training. Today,
2:08:31not even the small beasts would be
2:08:33spared his tender, loving care. Without
2:08:36Carl to keep them safely entertained,
2:08:38they would be training with their
2:08:40partners for the day, and that meant
2:08:41they had to keep building muscles and
2:08:43working towards an evolution. Thor had
2:08:46become his strongest after he evolved
2:08:48and his scales changed.
2:08:50So, naturally, the same should be true
2:08:52of them young ones. Gather them all in
2:08:55the courtyard before you start so that I
2:08:57can activate the training skills on
2:08:59everyone. If I don't, it's mostly a
2:09:02wasted day. Anyhow,
2:09:04Carl reminded Thor, who was about to
2:09:06leave the apartment in human form. No
2:09:09problem. We are trying to prove to the
2:09:12government people that were good at the
2:09:13job. The Sero agreed. It never crossed
2:09:17Thor's mind that being too good at your
2:09:19work could just lead to you being
2:09:20assigned even more work every time that
2:09:22it arrived. He was just happy to have
2:09:25hatchlings to train. What Sarah wouldn't
2:09:28be. Rey was doing her best not to laugh
2:09:31at Carl being stuck in here with the
2:09:33librarians while they got to go outside
2:09:35and play and watch the newbies come up
2:09:37with new and inventive ways to avoid
2:09:39hard work. Everyone did their best to
2:09:41slack without getting caught. And this
2:09:43group had proven to be quite creative
2:09:45with their ways of doing just enough
2:09:47that they didn't get in trouble. Of
2:09:49course, that didn't work on Rey. She
2:09:52just kept pushing until her senses told
2:09:54her that you really were about to
2:09:56collapse.
2:09:57She had a nearly perfect track record
2:09:59with it and almost always managed to
2:10:01stop them for a break before that point.
2:10:04It was only when they stumbled and
2:10:05simply wouldn't get back up again that
2:10:07she had to admit defeat. Is it really
2:10:10that important to train a group of new
2:10:12recruits before they get to the academy?
2:10:14One of the librarians asked in this
2:10:17case, yes. The Archbishop himself wants
2:10:21to know how far and how fast we can push
2:10:23various new elites in order to build up
2:10:25a military force that is capable of
2:10:27replacing our losses during the war. We
2:10:30all know that the giants aren't going to
2:10:32give up that easily. So, we are going to
2:10:34need to get the number of new commander
2:10:35rank and higher elites up above the
2:10:37numbers that we have lost. He could see
2:10:40that the clerics were doing the quick
2:10:41mental math to determine if that was
2:10:43possible. They would need many new
2:10:46commanders, more than any academy group
2:10:48had ever counted among their ranks
2:10:50before, but it wasn't too far-fetched.
2:10:53Once the group had gathered outside the
2:10:55building where Carl could see them, he
2:10:57activated skill master on the students
2:10:59and their beasts, focused on the
2:11:01teachers that they would have for the
2:11:02day. The young beasts and their rangers
2:11:05were well behind the initial five now
2:11:07that the first group of acolytes had
2:11:09taken Remy's special potions. But that
2:11:11didn't mean that they wouldn't try to
2:11:12catch up as fast as they could. The goal
2:11:15for the day was to help the rangers
2:11:17learn their shared skill and to work
2:11:19with everyone else to improve their
2:11:20combat abilities.
2:11:22But only after Thor's grueling physical
2:11:24stamina improvement training. It was
2:11:27working wonderfully, and the students
2:11:29were adjusting rapidly. But Carl did
2:11:31notice that the students were not
2:11:32getting the initial boost in physical
2:11:34development that the ones who received
2:11:36the injection did. Carl had grown
2:11:38significantly while he was on the train,
2:11:40which was only a few days and then again
2:11:43after they had reached the academy. But
2:11:45these students who had all been awakened
2:11:47by system linked items were not changing
2:11:50in that sort of way. Instead, they were
2:11:53growing physically at a perfectly normal
2:11:55rate, but their power level was
2:11:57increasing steadily, as expected from
2:11:59the training that they were receiving.
2:12:01Carl turned to the clerics who were
2:12:03watching the students in case there was
2:12:05some visible effect from Carl's
2:12:07abilities. I've got a question for you.
2:12:10I awakened five of those students with
2:12:12system linked rings and six of them, the
2:12:15ones with the beasts, with quest items,
2:12:18but they're not getting the sudden burst
2:12:20of growth and physical improvement that
2:12:21the students normally get from the
2:12:23divine injection. It's been over a week
2:12:26and they look the same. No signs of
2:12:29rapid maturation, even for Cibil, the
2:12:31rogue, who is years younger than the
2:12:33others.
2:12:35She's younger than we had even expected
2:12:36to awaken, but she shows extreme
2:12:38compatibility with her class, and her
2:12:41progress rate matches the other
2:12:42students. She even shows higher than
2:12:45usual growth rate for skill learning,
2:12:47but she still isn't gaining the physical
2:12:49boost. Carl explained. The clerics
2:12:53nodded. The clergy has noted that among
2:12:56others who were awakened that way. The
2:12:59working hypothesis is that the injection
2:13:01actually does have side effects and that
2:13:03the rapid growth is one of them. It is
2:13:06also possible that it is not so much a
2:13:08side effect as a desired outcome. The
2:13:10divine injection was created to give
2:13:13power to the humans who weren't innately
2:13:14talented with magic, but it is a divine
2:13:17item imbued with immense amounts of holy
2:13:20power.
2:13:21So there is a chance that the holy power
2:13:24interprets the archbishop's desire for
2:13:26powerful defenders of the faith as a
2:13:27need for rapid growth. Of course, the
2:13:31more we study, the more we will know,
2:13:33but the fact that it is so obvious with
2:13:35your group shows that it won't go
2:13:37unnoticed by the students once they're
2:13:39sent to the academy next week." The
2:13:41clerics began discussing the various
2:13:43possible outcomes among themselves. Then
2:13:46the oldest of them suddenly paused and
2:13:48began to laugh. Sisters, we have been
2:13:51sidetracked.
2:13:52There are too many things going on today
2:13:54and we are losing sight of the reasons
2:13:56that we came here. The head librarian
2:13:59was most insistent that we get some
2:14:01answers about the rune crafting skill
2:14:03and what it entails so that we could
2:14:04start building a larger picture of the
2:14:06possible outcomes for it. I know that we
2:14:09already covered the theory, but we have
2:14:11brought texts on the various disciplines
2:14:13for you to try. The most likely of them
2:14:15would probably be the free form use of
2:14:17runes, as a rune priest would simply
2:14:19write them in the air. But the most
2:14:21practical would be the runesmith who
2:14:23uses them to enhance objects.
2:14:26Which would you prefer to start with?
2:14:28Carl considered that for a few seconds,
2:14:30then tapped the table with his knuckles.
2:14:33I think that the ability to enhance
2:14:35items with rune crafting is the most
2:14:37viable route for me. If it does lock me
2:14:40into a specialty, I would prefer if it
2:14:42were one that allows me to enhance the
2:14:44items, armor, and living spaces for my
2:14:46team. I saw runes everywhere in the old
2:14:49dwarven village, and some of them
2:14:51remained functional enough that we could
2:14:52light a forge fire with mana to use it
2:14:54as a cooking grill. That sort of utility
2:14:58would be a huge boon to the elites. When
2:15:00you're traveling, the more versatile
2:15:02your items are, the better. I know that
2:15:05we're all getting inventory spaces now,
2:15:07and we don't really need to carry
2:15:09massive backpacks and worry about
2:15:11weight, but there are still
2:15:12restrictions, and the stronger our
2:15:14elites get, the more utility and
2:15:16progression items they are going to want
2:15:17to carry with them." The cleric nodded
2:15:20and swapped the books on the table,
2:15:22replacing it with one that read, "A
2:15:24summation of the lost art of dwarven
2:15:25runs rafting." Carl smiled. That choice
2:15:30of reading material felt right. The
2:15:32runes that Remy had recorded from Over
2:15:34the Forge in Grasa looked just like the
2:15:36ones that were embossed on the cover and
2:15:38slightly different from the standard
2:15:39runes as they were stylized for a
2:15:42purpose. Carl put on the offered white
2:15:45gloves and gently ran his fingers over
2:15:47the tome. This is incredible
2:15:49craftsmanship for a book that isn't a
2:15:51skill book. The system makes all sorts
2:15:54of beautiful covers when you're making
2:15:55them with a skill, but this looks like
2:15:57it was handcarved out of alloy. I don't
2:16:00know what sort of alloy this is, but
2:16:02it's much lighter than expected. The
2:16:05clerics nodded. The book was actually
2:16:08made by dwarves before they left the
2:16:10continent after their battles with the
2:16:11giants. There weren't enough of them to
2:16:14safely hold their homelands here, and at
2:16:16the time, we weren't strong enough as an
2:16:18ally to do it for them. There are
2:16:20records in the library if you are
2:16:22interested. It was a fascinating part of
2:16:25our history. Enjoy more content from
2:16:28Empire.
2:16:29Carl chuckled and the cleric sighed.
2:16:32It's far too easy to get distracted when
2:16:35someone actually asks us about
2:16:36historical knowledge. Please continue.
2:16:40Carl carefully opened the book and
2:16:42looked at the first page. The letters
2:16:45were unfamiliar, but the more that he
2:16:47looked at them, the more sense they
2:16:49made. He assumed that the system would
2:16:51do all of the translating for him the
2:16:53way that it did with spoken languages.
2:16:56So he simply waited and examined the
2:16:59first page until it began to make sense.
2:17:02It didn't, at least not in any
2:17:05meaningful way. But most of the language
2:17:07was based on runic. So Carl was slowly
2:17:10able to make out twothirds of what he
2:17:12assumed that it was saying and then
2:17:13guess at the rest. Can you read that?
2:17:17One of the clerics asked as Carl flipped
2:17:19to the second page. Mostly it's not a
2:17:23language that I would claim to know and
2:17:25I get the feeling that I am missing a
2:17:27huge amount of context to the words as I
2:17:29read them but I can follow the
2:17:31descriptions well enough to at least
2:17:33tell what it is talking about. Now when
2:17:36we get to the technical parts that may
2:17:38be much more difficult. As I said I am
2:17:41missing a lot of context. So as I read
2:17:44through the more detailed sections I'm
2:17:46going to miss even more. The first few
2:17:48pages were mostly just an introduction
2:17:50and a crude glossery, as if the writer
2:17:53had assumed there would be no need to
2:17:54flip through the book to find a
2:17:56particular section, and that the reader
2:17:57would simply read it cover to cover
2:17:59until it was memorized.
2:18:01That might be possible. That was how the
2:18:04mind bosses wanted them to treat the
2:18:06company handbook. But a professional
2:18:08tradesman wouldn't be quite as arrogant,
2:18:10Carl assumed.
2:18:12For a true dwarven master smith, the
2:18:15quality of their alloys and forging
2:18:16process is the key to everything. But
2:18:19the same cannot be said for a dwarven
2:18:21rune master. While a runic dwarven
2:18:24weapon will always be a vast improvement
2:18:26on the original, greater relative gains
2:18:28can come from weapons that are further
2:18:30from the peak of perfection. As long as
2:18:33it lasts, the runic inscription will be
2:18:35just as effective on a lowquality blade
2:18:37as a mastercrafted one. However, it is
2:18:40worth noting that a poor quality blade
2:18:42or an inferior blend of alloy will
2:18:44simply shatter if too much power is
2:18:46directed through it by a runic array.
2:18:49None of that was a shock to Carl. What
2:18:52did shock Carl was the fact that it was
2:18:54immediately followed by a list of alloys
2:18:56by quality for runic weapon making due
2:18:58to their compatibility with high mana
2:19:00flows. Of all the things that he had
2:19:03expected it to say, he had not expected
2:19:05the author to put pure silver near the
2:19:07top, just under Mithil and a few alloys
2:19:09that Carl had never heard of. Obviously,
2:19:12it was a lousy metal for making weapons
2:19:14on its own, as it was soft and wouldn't
2:19:17hold an edge, but with runes that could
2:19:20be overcome, while the high mana
2:19:22capacity and accessibility made it more
2:19:24viable than any of the complex alloys on
2:19:26the list. Carl made notes as he
2:19:29translated in hopes that he would be
2:19:31able to go over them later and glean
2:19:32some additional meanings that he had
2:19:34missed the first time that he read
2:19:35through the book. Carl flipped the page
2:19:38and found that the forward to the novel
2:19:40was only that one page long. As soon as
2:19:43the introduction of the best metals was
2:19:45over, the author dove straight into the
2:19:47important parts of how to use the craft
2:19:49to improve your work. Now, if you are
2:19:52short of a proper dwarven forge, as may
2:19:54be the case while traveling, you will
2:19:56need to know these basics to make the
2:19:58tools of the less advanced species
2:19:59viable for use. The next page began
2:20:03before being filled with scrawling and
2:20:05scattered runic symbol clusters in
2:20:06various shapes for different objects.
2:20:09They all appeared to be designed to
2:20:11enhance the strength and durability of
2:20:13metal objects, but the author had not
2:20:15just included the runes for
2:20:16strengthening.
2:20:18That seemed curious. So Carl wrote out
2:20:20the runes, separated into their
2:20:22component parts, and started trying to
2:20:24decipher what they all meant and what
2:20:26part they played in the overall
2:20:27inscription.
2:20:29It was not going to be an easy task.
2:20:31Carl realized
2:20:33instead of using a spell effect as the
2:20:35building blocks of his work with the
2:20:37strengthening layered over top, the
2:20:39dwarf had used a paragraph long rant
2:20:41about how humans couldn't tell
2:20:42impurities from rare alloys. Then it
2:20:45went on about how they were too frail to
2:20:47stand next to a forge long enough to
2:20:49heat metal for shaping and too poor to
2:20:51afford oil for tempering. What does it
2:20:54all say? The cleric asked. It appears
2:20:58that the dwarf who wrote this was not a
2:21:00particular fan of the other races
2:21:02crafting. It's an entire rant about how
2:21:04the humans can't make a decent blade
2:21:06with a strengthening effect tacked on
2:21:08top. The cleric looked confused by what
2:21:11he meant. So Carl went and grabbed a
2:21:13pair of knives from the breakfast cart.
2:21:16It took him the better part of 5 minutes
2:21:18to write out the runes on the butter
2:21:20knives with a fine tip marker. But the
2:21:22cleric simply remained silent and waited
2:21:24for him to finish before they asked any
2:21:25more questions.
2:21:27See this? That's the base metal
2:21:30strengthening rune group. This one is
2:21:33what the book recommended to strengthen
2:21:34a human-made blade. I don't know if
2:21:37there is actually any difference in the
2:21:39effects between the two," Carl
2:21:41explained, gesturing between the knife
2:21:43with a simple rune on the handle and the
2:21:45one that was entirely decorated. The
2:21:48cleric shrugged, then activated the
2:21:50runes with a gentle flow of mana. "See
2:21:53what it takes to bend them. The kitchen
2:21:56will forgive us a few damaged butter
2:21:58knives," he suggested. "The second one
2:22:02sure is pretty, though." One of the
2:22:04other clerics noted. Yes, gorgeous rune
2:22:08work. I can see why they would have done
2:22:10it that way. Even if it provided a
2:22:13marginal or negligible increase, it is
2:22:15much more pleasing to look at, and the
2:22:17dwarves were known to be vain about
2:22:19their handiwork.
2:22:20Carl picked up the simple strengthening
2:22:22rune marked blade and forcibly bent it
2:22:25in his hands. Then he repeated the
2:22:27process as the cleric side in regret at
2:22:30the loss.
2:22:31Strangely, the second blade did appear
2:22:33to be significantly stronger, despite
2:22:35not having any other activation runes in
2:22:37the inscription.
2:22:39Carl gently straightened the two blades
2:22:41and passed them to the clerics, who
2:22:43looked overjoyed to have such an
2:22:44interesting pair of test samples in
2:22:46their hands. We could test how much
2:22:49energy can be passed through them, but
2:22:51that would be destructive testing. What
2:22:53I am more interested in is the fact that
2:22:55one of the two really is stronger than
2:22:57the other despite having the same active
2:22:59rune. Perhaps it's the intent behind
2:23:02them, proving the superiority of this
2:23:04method on human tools. Or perhaps there
2:23:07is some more profound meaning that I
2:23:08have missed with my incomplete
2:23:10translations,
2:23:12Carl explained, then moved on to the
2:23:14next page of the manuscript.
2:23:16The details there were about how to
2:23:18enhance elven steel for durability, as
2:23:20even the dwarves recognized that it had
2:23:22a very fine edge. Their words about the
2:23:25things that elves did with trees were
2:23:27far less polite than the insults they
2:23:28had hurled at the humans craftsmanship,
2:23:30and Carl did his best not to laugh as he
2:23:33read it. Well, we can say for certain
2:23:35that this author was not a fan of elves,
2:23:38or perhaps not a fan of their supposedly
2:23:40hedonistic ways. But as I don't have an
2:23:44elven crafted weapon to test any
2:23:45theories on, we can keep going. Carl
2:23:49translated as the clerics dutifully
2:23:51copied the pages. They were blue dragon
2:23:54clerics.
2:23:55The fact that they couldn't actually
2:23:57read the pages would not stop them from
2:23:59transcribing them exactly as they
2:24:00appeared in the tome. One of them had
2:24:03some skill with runes, but not at the
2:24:05level of having the rune crafting skill,
2:24:07as the librarian had not yet had time to
2:24:09finish a duplicate for the others to
2:24:11copy. The artistry of dwarven rune
2:24:14crafting is not just about appearances
2:24:16as many of the other races believe. In
2:24:19fact, the matrix of the runes, even
2:24:21irrelevant filler, is integral to the
2:24:24even distribution of the flow of power
2:24:26across the surface of the item. I have
2:24:28no idea why I'm writing this. Perhaps my
2:24:31memoir will be a children's book full of
2:24:33facts that any small child should know.
2:24:36or perhaps just so that the basic
2:24:38knowledge is not lost if rune crafting
2:24:40should fall out of favor in the future.
2:24:42Such was the fate of golem masters whose
2:24:45constructs were so durable that for 10
2:24:47generations no more needed to be made
2:24:49and the basic knowledge was lost making
2:24:52it nigh impossible to train new
2:24:53apprentices once the old masters had
2:24:55passed and left only their most valued
2:24:57toms.
2:24:59Yes, that is what I shall do. Forgive
2:25:02the rambling of an old man as I impart
2:25:04to you the basics of the basics. The
2:25:07text went on for two more pages
2:25:09detailing the proper ways to write runes
2:25:11on an item so that the effect applied
2:25:12evenly, the artistry behind how they
2:25:14wrapped a common surface such as a
2:25:16hammer, vase, or armor plate. To someone
2:25:20of his time, it likely would have been
2:25:22obvious, as they would have seen it
2:25:24everyday and heard the tales from their
2:25:26parents or their master if they were
2:25:28coming from a different trade. That made
2:25:30Carl wonder what sort of societal setup
2:25:32the dwarves had. Did they have something
2:25:35akin to a trade school where system
2:25:37users could just learn a trade of their
2:25:39choice? Did they have masters choosing
2:25:42apprentices or teaching one of their
2:25:44children the arts to take over their
2:25:45business? None of that was included in
2:25:48these early pages, but Carl was learning
2:25:50a huge amount about the functionality of
2:25:52dwarven sculpture in ways that he had
2:25:54never even considered. In fact, the old
2:25:57man even included a few tidbits about
2:25:59how to activate golems with runes,
2:26:02though it was not his specialty, and he
2:26:04lacked a level of patience suitable for
2:26:06golem work in his own words. That made
2:26:09Carl wonder if it might be possible for
2:26:11some of the mages to learn golem
2:26:12crafting as a subset of rune crafting
2:26:15and make armies of autonomous golems to
2:26:17defend small towns that didn't have much
2:26:19of a guard force. The clerics were
2:26:22thinking the same thing as they made
2:26:23their copies, but they were wondering if
2:26:25it would be possible for their
2:26:26brotherhood. They were the keepers of
2:26:29knowledge, and it would be wonderful if
2:26:31they could use golems, whose hands did
2:26:33not sweat or shake, to handle the
2:26:35precious toms of their libraries. To
2:26:38them, it would be a dream come true. an
2:26:41assistant whose hands would not harm the
2:26:43books, who never slacked off or forgot
2:26:45directions.
2:26:46One who never needed sleep and didn't
2:26:48get promoted out of their assigned
2:26:50tasks.
2:26:51Then Carl flipped the page once more,
2:26:54moving past the old man's ranting about
2:26:56basic knowledge and moving into what he
2:26:58called the first day of apprentice
2:26:59training. The diagram of what Carl first
2:27:02thought might be a pickaxe, but with a
2:27:04battle axe blade on the scoop side took
2:27:07the entire page with the description of
2:27:09how to place the runes on the opposite
2:27:10page. The two sides were different as
2:27:14the runes were not duplicated, but
2:27:16wrapped around the head to give even
2:27:17mana flow and stopped just short of the
2:27:19sharpened edge. They weren't just bare
2:27:22runes, though. Instead, a grid pattern
2:27:26had been stamped into the metal, serving
2:27:28as a guide for the rune work, but also
2:27:30turning the runes into a decorative
2:27:31pattern of line work that hid its true
2:27:33meaning while keeping an apprentice's
2:27:35work on track. One of the clerics
2:27:38snapped his fingers that we have some of
2:27:41those axes,
2:27:43not with the runes, but the design
2:27:45survived the years, and there are some
2:27:46in the armory. We've been using the
2:27:49design as a pull arm on a long spears
2:27:51handle, but you could certainly cut it
2:27:54down to hand axized.
2:27:56Carl nodded. Should we continue
2:27:59transcribing or should we call for a
2:28:01delivery and test the lesson that we are
2:28:03learning? That was one of the great
2:28:06challenges of their lives. Prioritizing
2:28:09knowledge. We have all day. So, we
2:28:12should at least try one sample of the
2:28:13art as a proof of concept to show the
2:28:16others that we have been productive and
2:28:17that the tome we are transcribing has
2:28:19value. The leader of their team
2:28:21reluctantly agreed. As much as he wanted
2:28:24to see what was on the next page,
2:28:26testing what was on this one was still
2:28:28the priority.
2:28:30as long as the delivery got here
2:28:31quickly. The delivery took nearly 10
2:28:34minutes, just long enough that Carl
2:28:36could see the stress building on the
2:28:38faces of the clerics as they snacked,
2:28:40then carefully sanitized their hands in
2:28:42preparation for writing. Their
2:28:44dedication to cleanliness was admirable,
2:28:46and Carl was gaining a new respect for
2:28:48what it took to keep a library full of
2:28:50books in readable condition. But as soon
2:28:53as the axes arrived, along with the
2:28:55chisels and small hammer that would be
2:28:57needed to carve the runes, they were as
2:28:59giddy as small children in front of a
2:29:00candy bowl. Carl double-ch checked the
2:29:03descriptions that were in the book, then
2:29:05referred to the details on how much mana
2:29:07each alloy could transfer. These weapons
2:29:10were stainless steel, which was not even
2:29:12on the list. It was probably counted as
2:29:15the generic human steel alloys that were
2:29:17mentioned near the bottom. So, Carl
2:29:19would be careful not to give them too
2:29:21much of a boost. The actual power of
2:29:23activation would depend on the user for
2:29:25this sort of weapon, unless you added
2:29:27something to make it always active,
2:29:29which Carl assumed came later in the
2:29:31book. The total for the weapon was only
2:29:3430 runes, not more than a few lines of
2:29:36written text. But when you had to
2:29:38precisely carve it into steel, the
2:29:40practice was much more nerve-wracking.
2:29:43The book noted that that depth of the
2:29:45carved runes would have different
2:29:46effects on the outcomes. So, he couldn't
2:29:48just paint them on and call it a day
2:29:50without sacrificing an unknown amount of
2:29:52the effect. That was unfortunate as Carl
2:29:55wasn't well known for his skills as a
2:29:57sculptor, and the intent as you were
2:29:59carving the runes mattered, so he
2:30:01couldn't just have Rey or Remy carve
2:30:02them for him. Fortunately, the chisels
2:30:05were enchanted, and given his enhanced
2:30:08strength, they cut through the metal
2:30:09with little resistance.
2:30:11Even without Carl using a skill, if he
2:30:14had coated the chisel in, rend, or
2:30:17disintegrate, he could have written the
2:30:19runes as easily as writing with a pen on
2:30:21paper, but that would come with the risk
2:30:24of messing it up and carving too deep,
2:30:26which would ruin the axe head.
2:30:28Definitely not worth the risk on a piece
2:30:30that could be completed without it. Line
2:30:33by line, the piece came together, and
2:30:35the somewhat plain ax with its dimpled
2:30:37surface began to take shape as a piece
2:30:39of metal art. Even Ry agreed that it was
2:30:42worth the title, and her tastes in
2:30:44artwork were much more particular than
2:30:46any of the others. Carl checked the work
2:30:49to ensure that he had not made any major
2:30:51mistakes with the runes, either in the
2:30:52depth of the carvings or the shapes. But
2:30:55this was intended for beginners such as
2:30:57him, and the symbols were all quite
2:30:59straightforward.
2:31:01I believe that it is done. I will first
2:31:04increase the level of the enchantment to
2:31:05awakened and make sure that the weapon
2:31:07is holding up. Then I will bring it to
2:31:10an ascended followed by a commander rank
2:31:12weapon enchantment.
2:31:14It's just a durability carving so that
2:31:16the weapon holds an edge well enough,
2:31:18but it should sharpen the steel to the
2:31:20point where it will actually cut through
2:31:21a commander rank plant. At least that's
2:31:24how I interpreted the description. Going
2:31:27on half to twothirds of what the runes
2:31:29might actually mean was a gamble. But if
2:31:31he could make commander rank or better
2:31:33magical weapons with a half hour's worth
2:31:35of work, Carl knew that he was about to
2:31:37become a very wealthy man. Well,
2:31:40wealthier.
2:31:41Remy's space was beginning to regrow all
2:31:43fresh sprouts from what was burnt away
2:31:45during her advancement. And her swamp
2:31:47was all at monarch rank now. With the
2:31:50resources that he had available, Carl
2:31:52could probably never claim poverty and
2:31:54expect anyone to believe him. The first
2:31:57bit of mana made the runes glow in a
2:31:59dull copper tone and Carl smiled. Is
2:32:02that for the success? Your smile has a
2:32:05nostalgic look. One of the clerics
2:32:08noted. The runes advance similarly to
2:32:11the badges at the academy except that
2:32:14the runes are black for common, bronze
2:32:16for awakened, silver for ascended, gold
2:32:19for commander. Carl explained. I see
2:32:23that the runes really did turn bronze
2:32:25when you brought them to the awakened
2:32:26rank. Fascinating.
2:32:29I wonder if that was a hidden meaning in
2:32:31the badges themselves. The archbishop
2:32:34decreed that they were the colors to be
2:32:35used, but most of us never questioned it
2:32:38as bronze, silver, and gold are the
2:32:40standard progression for awards of all
2:32:42sorts. Do we have something to test on?
2:32:45Carl asked, then realized that he was
2:32:47the one with the test materials.
2:32:50A branch borrowed from Thor's space from
2:32:52a durable commander rank bush should be
2:32:54enough to test it. It was flexible but
2:32:58strong enough that a regular blade
2:32:59wouldn't cut it. Awakened rank might not
2:33:02be enough either, but it would serve as
2:33:04a reliable test sample. I will try with
2:33:07this first with a regular blade if
2:33:10someone has one. Carl informed the
2:33:13group. One of the clerics handed him a
2:33:16dagger, and Carl sliced at the branch,
2:33:18scratching the bark, but not doing any
2:33:21real damage. Then again with the axe,
2:33:24slicing across the same way he had used
2:33:26the dagger. That cut through the bark
2:33:29with moderate force, but only scratched
2:33:31the wood inside. The clerics nodded and
2:33:34then made entire pages of notes on the
2:33:36test. One of them put a barrier on the
2:33:39countertop and Carl set the branch down
2:33:41to hack at it with the axe using what he
2:33:43hoped was a regular human strength. He
2:33:46was basing it off Dana shoving him so it
2:33:48should be close enough. The axe made
2:33:51chips in the wood and would eventually
2:33:53cut through the branch but not
2:33:55efficiently.
2:33:56Yes, I believe we can call that suitable
2:33:59for an awakened rank blade. The lead
2:34:02researcher agreed. Wonderful.
2:34:05now to ascended rank. And I will repeat
2:34:08the process. As he increased the mana
2:34:11input, the runes turned from bronze to
2:34:13silver, shining on the dull metal of the
2:34:15axe head. They didn't glow, but they
2:34:18were clearly silver and not polished
2:34:20steel. At that point, Carl was certain
2:34:24the weapon could be sold for a
2:34:25decoration, even if it wasn't as
2:34:27effective as he was hoping. Ascended
2:34:30scratched the wood much more easily and
2:34:32took solid chunks when swung as an axe,
2:34:34but it still took a halfozen hits to cut
2:34:36through the branch. You know, this test
2:34:39is giving me a whole new appreciation
2:34:41for the value of a cleric's blessing on
2:34:43the weapons of the line soldiers, the
2:34:45ones without superhuman strength or
2:34:47magic. Just one rank higher, and the
2:34:50effect is so much more noticeable, even
2:34:52while using the same amount of strength.
2:34:55Now, on to commander rank. The runes
2:34:58turned golden as he increased the power
2:35:00once more, and the whole axe head
2:35:02appeared to smooth its surface, gleaming
2:35:04like polished stainless steel in the
2:35:06light of the kitchen. A gentle swing of
2:35:09the axe cut right through the thin
2:35:10branch carried mostly by the weight of
2:35:12the weapon itself. Gentlemen, we have a
2:35:15winner. The weapon has undergone a
2:35:18qualitative improvement as commander
2:35:20rank, and it cuts through commander
2:35:21rankwood with ease. Against awakened
2:35:24ranked monsters, this level of enchanted
2:35:26weapon should be immediately lethal. The
2:35:29blue dragon clerics looked at each other
2:35:31with excitement.
2:35:33This was something that they could do.
2:35:35If they had rune crafters trained, they
2:35:38could copy this and make commander rank
2:35:39weapons as long as they were powerful
2:35:42enough. It would be immensely
2:35:44time-consuming to provide them to the
2:35:46entire army, but they could provide
2:35:47higher quality weapons to the academy
2:35:49and the new students.
2:35:51Carl was thinking the same thing. He had
2:35:5411 students in total between the
2:35:56acolytes and the beast rangers team. 11
2:36:00weapons was a day's work, but he could
2:36:02manage that without any major
2:36:03complaints.
2:36:05Should we go further and see the extent
2:36:07of the capabilities of our modern steel?
2:36:10Carl asked it should be more durable
2:36:13than ancient steel unless it was from a
2:36:15system enabled period of history. We
2:36:18don't actually know when this book was
2:36:20written, and there hasn't been any
2:36:21mention of the system in it, only of
2:36:23crafting skills,
2:36:25so it could be from nearly any point in
2:36:27the past. The team leader noted, "More
2:36:31durable doesn't always mean more mana
2:36:33compatible, though. This alloy probably
2:36:36wasn't in use at the time. So, we may
2:36:38have to continue to study which alloys
2:36:40are the most suitable in the modern era,
2:36:43one of the others added, sparking a
2:36:45small argument about which alloys should
2:36:47be tested first after they had their own
2:36:49rune crafters trained. Carl let them
2:36:52argue as he began to inscribe the other
2:36:54axe, making an identical copy. One of
2:36:57the two was going to be destroyed by the
2:36:59testing, and he was certain that the
2:37:00clerics would want one brought back as a
2:37:02sample for whatever sort of presentation
2:37:04they were going to have to give to their
2:37:06superiors.
2:37:07The final consensus was that they might
2:37:09have to bring back some of the old
2:37:11alloys, the ones which had silver mixed
2:37:13into them, or other precious metals.
2:37:16That was not good for the utility of a
2:37:18non-magical weapon, but for one with
2:37:20runes on it, the change could be
2:37:22critical. By the time that they finished
2:37:24arguing about the answer, Carl had
2:37:26already finished the other weapon, and
2:37:28the delivery man had brought him a whole
2:37:30pile of short swords and daggers for the
2:37:32students. We are ready. Please begin to
2:37:36upgrade the blade." The clerics
2:37:38announced in unison, then began to laugh
2:37:40at their synchronized thoughts. Carl
2:37:43slowly added mana density to the test
2:37:45weapon, and the runes began to turn from
2:37:47gold to a shimmering amethyst purple,
2:37:49which filled the carved runes like a
2:37:51solid gemstone.
2:37:53It was absolutely exquisite.
2:37:56Just as the transformation finished,
2:37:58Carl stopped adding more power, leaving
2:38:00the weapon at the lowest possible royal
2:38:02rank power level. That was enough to
2:38:05prove the point, and he wanted to see if
2:38:06the weapon was going to remain stable.
2:38:09The clerics began to cast spells on it
2:38:11and turn it carefully in their white
2:38:13gloved hands as they studied it. Then,
2:38:15one went to the phone on the wall and
2:38:17made a call. I have summoned a royal
2:38:20rank warrior to us.
2:38:22They will be able to test it in the
2:38:23basement training room without fear of
2:38:25overpowering the enchantment
2:38:26accidentally.
2:38:28Then we can see how it will react to
2:38:30having a skill used as an overlay to the
2:38:32runes. That will be the most telling
2:38:35part of our trials, the cleric
2:38:37explained.
2:38:39Carl nodded. Then I will bring this
2:38:42other axe to mid-commander rank. Please
2:38:45summon a commander as well in case the
2:38:47first test fails or even if it doesn't
2:38:51so that we can see if there are any
2:38:52hidden stability issues.
2:38:55Carl wasn't sure if the response could
2:38:57have been more excited even if he had
2:38:59told them that they were celebrating
2:39:00every national holiday on the same day.
2:39:03The clerics were overjoyed, practically
2:39:05vibrating with energy and sorting
2:39:07through piles of cameras and sensor
2:39:09equipment in the backpacks they had left
2:39:11by the door. The two elites came running
2:39:14only minutes later, prepared for combat
2:39:16or some other emergency.
2:39:19Relax. It's just a weapons test. The
2:39:22blue dragon gets a bit excited about new
2:39:24knowledge. Carl warned them. A weapons
2:39:28test. The shorter of the two men asked.
2:39:32Carl pointed to the axes on the table,
2:39:34and the two elites began to visibly
2:39:36freak out about the presence of the
2:39:38magical artifacts.
2:39:40Where did you find these?
2:39:42Commander rank and higher weapons are so
2:39:44difficult to come across even in the
2:39:46dungeon. Is that really a royal rank
2:39:49blade? Dragon gods. That is beautiful.
2:39:53The royal rank warrior gushed. An
2:39:56experimental royal rank weapon. We don't
2:39:59know if it's stable enough for regular
2:40:01use yet. What we need you to do is
2:40:03follow us to the training area and see
2:40:06how they do when you actually use them,
2:40:08especially with higher ranking skills.
2:40:10Carl explained.
2:40:12Certainly. What will we be using them
2:40:15on? I doubt that the standard training
2:40:18dummies will hold up to repeated hits at
2:40:20royal rank. The warrior noted. You will
2:40:24be using them on me. Or, more correctly,
2:40:27on my barrier. That way, the dummy
2:40:30shouldn't be mangled with every hit, and
2:40:32we can continue to stress test the alloy
2:40:34used in the weapons, Carl explained.
2:40:38No need to tell them that it was just a
2:40:40regular ax whose appearance was altered
2:40:42by the empowered runes. The two elites
2:40:45took their rank matched weapons and were
2:40:47immediately ushered out the door by the
2:40:49hyper group of clerics. Carl was
2:40:51beginning to think that all clerics were
2:40:53secretly nerds, but they all just had
2:40:55different things that set them off. Red
2:40:58dragon clerics got all mushy and
2:41:00maternal around orphans. Green clerics
2:41:02were constantly looking to go interact
2:41:04with nature. And as Carl could clearly
2:41:06see, giving blue dragon clerics new
2:41:08knowledge to test was better than any
2:41:10sugar rush. In fact, they were nearly as
2:41:13worked up as Lotus when she saw that
2:41:15Remy and Cara had advanced. It was far
2:41:18more entertaining to watch than Carl had
2:41:20expected, and he had to jog to keep up
2:41:22to their pace so he didn't miss the
2:41:24elevator. The two volunteers were
2:41:27dragged out of the elevators before the
2:41:29doors had even opened. Then the clerics
2:41:31realized that they needed Carl to let
2:41:33them into the training rooms which were
2:41:34locked to all but the residents of the
2:41:36building or those with passes.
2:41:39Carl selected the first room and had it
2:41:41bring out a pair of dummies which were
2:41:43charged to his account in case they were
2:41:45destroyed during training. Then Carl
2:41:48realized that he didn't actually need
2:41:49the dummies. He could have his guardian
2:41:51or one of the Lameia bodyguards do the
2:41:53job instead. But it felt much more
2:41:56formal and controlled to just put an
2:41:58eternal lightning barrier over the
2:42:00dummies. After all, the bodyguards were
2:42:04intelligent creatures, and asking them
2:42:06to let someone hack at them with an axe
2:42:08was just rude. Let's start with the
2:42:10royal rank weapon. The barrier on the
2:42:13training dummy is monarch ranked, and I
2:42:15will refresh it between hits, so there
2:42:17is no need to hold back on your skills,
2:42:20Carl explained.
2:42:22You seem quite confident that I can't
2:42:24take it down in one strike. The warrior
2:42:27noted. I am. You will understand once
2:42:31you actually hit it. It's<unk> much more
2:42:33than a guard skill or an introductory
2:42:35level mage barrier. The warrior didn't
2:42:38look convinced, but the barrier was a
2:42:40challenge to his might as an elite. So,
2:42:42he put his all into a sunder attack that
2:42:45sent out a glowing green arc of blade
2:42:47energy toward the dummy. The signs on
2:42:49the wall of the training ground read the
2:42:51maximum energy peak, the same standard
2:42:53that the nation used to judge
2:42:55advancements. Though it wasn't really a
2:42:57great indicator of actual damage output,
2:43:00it was a mid-royal rank energy
2:43:01signature, so there was no doubt about
2:43:03the effort. But the real question was
2:43:06whether the weapon would hold up to it.
2:43:09Eternal Lightning had briefly flickered
2:43:10at the hit, but nothing close to
2:43:12failing, which made the warrior frown in
2:43:14annoyance.
2:43:16There was a larger gap between his stage
2:43:18of royal and the entry to monarch than
2:43:20he had thought. The clerics rushed over
2:43:23to examine the weapon and noted that
2:43:25there was a tiny chip in the blade of
2:43:26the axe that they hadn't recorded
2:43:28earlier. Please do that again repeatedly
2:43:32until either the barrier fails or the
2:43:34weapon does. They instructed.
2:43:38Carl focused on keeping the barrier up
2:43:40and the warrior began to hack at the
2:43:42dummy with all his might. He cycled
2:43:44through different attack skills, testing
2:43:46them for effectiveness.
2:43:48But what he didn't see, but Carl could,
2:43:51was that every strike was chipping and
2:43:53cracking the weapon a bit more until a
2:43:55sunder attack split the axe deep enough
2:43:57that it damaged a rune and the weapon
2:43:59went dark. Damn it, I almost had the
2:44:02barrier down. The warrior panted,
2:44:05exhausted from the effort. Carl nodded.
2:44:09That was quite the effort. If I didn't
2:44:12have such a large mana reserve, the
2:44:14barrier certainly would have failed
2:44:16first. Unfortunately for our tests, that
2:44:19still means that royal rank is beyond
2:44:21the capability of that alloy. It held up
2:44:24during enchantment and for a few minutes
2:44:26of use. But a few minutes of use are not
2:44:29going to pass muster for military
2:44:31procurement or even training use at the
2:44:33academy. Fortunately, we have a
2:44:36commander rank user and he can go wild
2:44:38as soon as my energy level has
2:44:40recovered.
2:44:41The clerics nodded while the commander
2:44:43frowned. How long will that be? I can
2:44:47ask for a mage friend of mine to come
2:44:49over and assist. Carl waved off his
2:44:52concern. Give me 2 minutes and I will be
2:44:55good to go again. My barrier recovers
2:44:58stamina. Being two ranks above you, the
2:45:01draw on my barrier won't be as bad as it
2:45:03was for the last test. The commander
2:45:06nodded in understanding.
2:45:08Two ranks was a nearly insurmountable
2:45:10advantage for most elites, especially
2:45:12the warrior class, who didn't often get
2:45:14an overpowered cheat ability that would
2:45:16let them fight significantly stronger
2:45:18opponents one-on-one.
2:45:20Carl nodded and gestured to the dummy
2:45:22once he was sure that he had enough mana
2:45:24again, and the clerics double-checked
2:45:26all their recording equipment, then
2:45:27waited patiently with their pencils in
2:45:29hand for the test to start. The warrior
2:45:32put all his might into a cleave attack
2:45:35on the barrier and then stepped back so
2:45:37that they could check the weapon for
2:45:38damages. Even to Carl's eyes, there
2:45:42didn't appear to be any stress points,
2:45:44cracks, or fractures in the golden laid
2:45:46weapon, and the power appeared
2:45:47unddeinished.
2:45:49There are no flaws detected. Please do
2:45:52continue until you are exhausted or
2:45:54there is a weapon failure, the lead
2:45:57cleric instructed.
2:45:59Carl watched carefully as the warrior
2:46:01began to hack at the barrier and noted
2:46:03something fascinating.
2:46:05The weapon absorbed a little bit of each
2:46:06attack's energy, refreshing itself. He
2:46:10couldn't say whether it was tempering
2:46:11itself with use, but it was certain that
2:46:13continued usage would prevent the runes
2:46:15from discharging.
2:46:17As long as a skill was passed through it
2:46:19on a regular basis, the weapon should
2:46:21remain empowered indefinitely.
2:46:24That was much better than having to send
2:46:25it to a specialist to reactivate it, or
2:46:27having to teach everyone who bought one
2:46:29the technique to bring the runes to
2:46:31life. The commander was panting and
2:46:33sweating heavily after 15 minutes of
2:46:35steady attacks. But he didn't give up
2:46:37until the halfhour point when his knees
2:46:40began to shake with exhaustion.
2:46:42Once the clerics took the weapon away
2:46:44for examination, Carl cast eternal
2:46:47lightning on both volunteers, allowing
2:46:49the skill to refresh their stamina so
2:46:51they could at least make it safely home
2:46:53again once the clerics were done with
2:46:55them. Flawless.
2:46:57If anything, the weapon appears to be in
2:47:00even better condition than when we
2:47:01started. There are no signs of wear or
2:47:04damage, and the runes are fully
2:47:06empowered. They are also at a slightly
2:47:09higher standard than when you began
2:47:10using the weapon. So, they have adjusted
2:47:12to your own peak power, not just where
2:47:14they were set. Carl frowned.
2:47:18So, it may be possible to overload the
2:47:20weapons if a more powerful user passes
2:47:22an incredibly powerful skill over them.
2:47:25The clerics looked up from their notes.
2:47:28That is a possibility.
2:47:30If we had more samples, we could test
2:47:32that more thoroughly. The difference
2:47:35between where it started and where it is
2:47:36now is less than 3%, so there is a
2:47:39chance that it is a natural process
2:47:41where the runes are finding equilibrium
2:47:43after use. The commander cast a longing
2:47:46look at the weapon in the hands of the
2:47:47clerics, but everyone knew that he
2:47:49wasn't getting that one back. He had
2:47:52gotten to test it, but they would be
2:47:54taking it back to the temple as part of
2:47:55their research project, where it would
2:47:57be subjected to weeks or months of
2:47:59scrutiny before being filed away in the
2:48:01library as an exhibit or evidence of a
2:48:03theory. They also knew that Carl could
2:48:06make another, as they had gleaned that
2:48:08much information from the ramblings of
2:48:10the clerics, but asking an unknown
2:48:12monarch, who might be one of the
2:48:13nation's hidden assets, to make them a
2:48:16new weapon was an expensive proposition.
2:48:18Neither of them knew Carl, but he was a
2:48:21monarch already, so he was probably
2:48:23older than he looked and deliberately
2:48:25hidden from the public. That was the
2:48:27logical conclusion for any elite when
2:48:29they met a powerhouse that was not in
2:48:31the public eye. The idea that Carl
2:48:34simply advanced too fast to make a
2:48:36public reputation for himself didn't
2:48:37even cross their minds. Thank you both
2:48:40for your time. We will keep you updated
2:48:43with the progress of this project and
2:48:45put you first in line when additional
2:48:47units become available for distribution
2:48:49as a reward for your assistance. The
2:48:52lead cleric informed the volunteers he
2:48:54had called. Thank you, librarian.
2:48:57The warriors responded in unison using
2:49:00the blue dragon cleric's preferred
2:49:01honorific.
2:49:03They left the training area and the
2:49:05clerics gathered around the two weapons,
2:49:07comparing notes to ensure that there was
2:49:09nothing overlooked before they returned
2:49:11to the apartment to continue their
2:49:12studies. At this rate, they would
2:49:15probably end up making multiple attempts
2:49:17at new weapons during the day, which
2:49:19would greatly slow their progress rate
2:49:20at reading and transcribing the book.
2:49:23However, the outcomes and new knowledge
2:49:25gained from practically testing the
2:49:27lessons was so much more valuable than
2:49:29the efficiency.
2:49:31Knowing that the lessons worked on the
2:49:32mass-produced weapons they already had
2:49:34was going to revolutionize the arming of
2:49:36soldiers once they had enough craftsmen.
2:49:39Now, what does it tell us to try next?
2:49:42This was a wonderful success, so there
2:49:44should be a next step up, right? Perhaps
2:49:47we could obtain some real silverware to
2:49:49test the runes on. The lead cleric
2:49:52noted. Carl smiled and tried not to
2:49:55laugh at the thought. A royal ranked
2:49:58combat butter knife was possibly the
2:50:00most excessive and unnecessary item that
2:50:02he could imagine. Though he could
2:50:05reshape it into a throwing knife or a
2:50:07derk with his fingers before enchanting,
2:50:09as the silver was so soft compared to
2:50:11his strength, and a barrier would
2:50:13protect his hands. But the clerics had a
2:50:16better idea. There were ceremonial
2:50:18silver daggers in the cathedral, and
2:50:20they had a large supply of them. The
2:50:23white dragon's healing clerics carried
2:50:25them at all times as they were used in
2:50:27wedding rituals and to open holy water
2:50:29during burial rituals. The metal was
2:50:32supposed to be great for the purpose of
2:50:33rune crafting. So, they requested that a
2:50:35half dozen be delivered to the apartment
2:50:37for testing. That naturally brought even
2:50:40more clerics who were wondering what the
2:50:42blue dragon adherence were up to. And
2:50:44then they brought acolytes to help them
2:50:46take notes until Carl's apartment was
2:50:48packed with blue and white robed
2:50:50researchers. Should we move this to the
2:50:52training center downstairs?
2:50:55Carl suggested as he realized that he
2:50:57would be working on a metal plate placed
2:50:58on the kitchen table surrounded by
2:51:00clerics.
2:51:02That would be less convenient. It is
2:51:05customary to let others work in and not
2:51:07monopolize the space as there are
2:51:09limited time slots available. I promise
2:51:12we won't bump you or interfere with your
2:51:14work. One of the new arrivals informed
2:51:17him in a gentle musical tone that
2:51:19immediately put Carl on guard. Her voice
2:51:22was lovely, but there was something
2:51:23about it that was triggering his danger
2:51:25response.
2:51:27Carl turned to look at the speaker, but
2:51:29she appeared to be an ordinary ascended
2:51:31rank priestess.
2:51:32Cute in a girl next door sort of way and
2:51:35very approachable in appearance. For a
2:51:38moment, he was going to shrug off his
2:51:40concern. Then she smiled and spoke
2:51:42again. I am part siren. You can likely
2:51:46feel the lingering magic in my voice. I
2:51:50don't take offense. All the stronger
2:51:51elites notice it right away. She
2:51:54explained softly, her voice too low for
2:51:57the vast majority of the room to hear.
2:51:59That gave Carl a great idea. "Do you
2:52:02have a metal instrument on you?" he
2:52:05asked. She nodded, then handed him a
2:52:08small silver flute with the mark of the
2:52:10clergy on the end cap. Carl picked up
2:52:13his tools and carefully engraved the
2:52:15strengthening runes on it, skipping the
2:52:17elaborate bits of insult and the wrapped
2:52:19format, which would interfere with the
2:52:21keys. He was sure it was possible to
2:52:23work around that or include them in the
2:52:25design, but he hadn't read that far yet,
2:52:28and he had no idea how it would work.
2:52:31But with a simple runic phrase, meaning
2:52:33beautiful music added to the
2:52:34strengthening runes, Carl slowly added
2:52:36mana until the runes vanished, then
2:52:39turned gold. There was no restriction
2:52:41that he could feel, so he went one step
2:52:44further and brought it to royal rank
2:52:46where the runes turned amethyst purple.
2:52:49Do you know any magic that uses music?
2:52:52Carl asked as he finished. The cleric
2:52:55nodded. There is an area healing song
2:52:58that all the white dragon clerics know.
2:53:01I can perform it with the flute, but
2:53:03it's not a strong magic. Mostly the
2:53:06church uses it to have people leave
2:53:07feeling refreshed and a bit less sore
2:53:09after a sermon. Carl nodded slowly and
2:53:13realized that he knew the song. They
2:53:15played it at the end of every sermon at
2:53:17the church at home. He just hadn't
2:53:20realized that it was magic. Or it might
2:53:23not have been magic in a place as rural
2:53:25as the lithium mines, but it could be
2:53:27magic when the right cleric was doing
2:53:28it. Please play the song for us and tell
2:53:32the librarians if there are any
2:53:33differences in the outcome. The happy
2:53:36tune from the flute had all the clerics
2:53:38swaying along and humming the words as
2:53:40the siren played. Carl could feel the
2:53:43healing magic seeping into his bones and
2:53:45see the weariness of some of the older
2:53:47clerics fading away as the tune
2:53:49progressed. That was real magic of the
2:53:52sort any bard would be envious of. It
2:53:55wasn't in the book, at least not the
2:53:57parts he had read, but magical
2:53:59instruments for the barred classes might
2:54:00help them regain a bit of respect from
2:54:02the other elites who mostly viewed them
2:54:04as comedy relief or a sideshow. The song
2:54:08finished and the clerics all clapped for
2:54:10the performance.
2:54:12Thank you for your assistance.
2:54:14I am certain that your blue dragon
2:54:16following kinfolk have many questions
2:54:17for you and you can negotiate when you
2:54:19will meet with them. The white robed
2:54:22girl giggled. She would be playing her
2:54:25flute all day and night for them just so
2:54:27they had a large enough sample for their
2:54:28studies. But it was a lot more fun for a
2:54:31cleric who was part siren to play music
2:54:33than to study healing herbs and pus
2:54:36techniques that saved on mana use. Let's
2:54:39move on to the next page and see what
2:54:40the book has in store for us. We now
2:54:43know that the standard mass-produced
2:54:45weaponry can be enchanted to commander
2:54:47rank with these runes without failing in
2:54:49the short term and that a silver flute
2:54:51can sustain the royal rank. But there is
2:54:54so much left to learn as we're only on
2:54:56the second page of this dwarven crafting
2:54:58book. My brothers and sisters, one of
2:55:01the clerics was explaining to the new
2:55:03arrivals.
2:55:04They had originally thought that the
2:55:06trick was a new skill or lost art that
2:55:08Carl was employing, but those closest to
2:55:10the workspace had already realized that
2:55:12they were testing knowledge from a book.
2:55:15Carl flipped the page again and began to
2:55:17read the runic writing and make notes of
2:55:19the translation as he understood it,
2:55:21while a halfozen clerics made exact
2:55:23copies of the book to be able to more
2:55:25effectively spread its wealth of
2:55:27knowledge. I would assume that you have
2:55:29either learned the basics as a child or
2:55:31tested the earliest pages of my tome.
2:55:34So, I will continue in sequence. Now
2:55:36that you know how to create an array of
2:55:38runes that spreads the effect evenly
2:55:40over an item, remember one simple fact.
2:55:44No matter what else you write, it must
2:55:46not be contradictory to the intent of
2:55:47the primary runes. Even if the phrase is
2:55:50used in a different context, words that
2:55:53counter the active rune will reduce its
2:55:55effect. As such, many of my peers have
2:55:58taken to writing positive affirmations
2:56:00on their work as asinine as such a
2:56:02practice might be. Now, our next lesson
2:56:05is to compound the effects so that you
2:56:07can build upon the original effect.
2:56:10There are three basic categories of
2:56:12runic compounding.
2:56:14First is using effects that may be
2:56:16compounded into a single rune. Simple
2:56:19concepts like giant wall of destruction
2:56:21and the modifying rune for strength or
2:56:24expansion flow smoothly into one
2:56:26coherent rune. The second category are
2:56:29linked runes, ones that would logically
2:56:32be spoken after each other. Done. That
2:56:35way, you can create a complex rune
2:56:37without worrying about excessive failure
2:56:39rates when the item is used by amateurs
2:56:41or inferior minds. The third and most
2:56:44controversial are the decorative arrays.
2:56:48the ones that are designed to make a
2:56:49specific effect that doesn't flow with
2:56:51the nature of magic. These are normally
2:56:54the most complex and are viewed as
2:56:56masterpieces due to the versatility of
2:56:58their use. We will cover those much
2:57:01later in this tome or perhaps in
2:57:02another. What rune crafter wishes to
2:57:05duplicate human or elven magic anyhow?
2:57:08Preposterous
2:57:10included is an example of the first
2:57:12stage. I will have to assume that if you
2:57:15are going through this book, you do at
2:57:17least read dwarven properly. If you do,
2:57:20this should be simple enough. Just make
2:57:23a compound phrase and place it on your
2:57:25target. Carl examined the runes on the
2:57:28other page and found that what the dwarf
2:57:30had included was a variable output light
2:57:32source. That was useful, but they had
2:57:35electricity here, so it was not at the
2:57:37top of Carl's list of useful items the
2:57:39way that it would have been for any
2:57:40other nation. Remy giggled.
2:57:44Oh, I get how this works. See, this
2:57:47symbol means giant ball of that
2:57:49thing in particular. Put that on a
2:57:52blade. I want to see what happens. From
2:57:55her spot on the training field, Cara
2:57:57chimed in with her opinion. I don't know
2:58:00what Sister Remy is making, but I
2:58:02approve this message. Come show me
2:58:04later. Carl chuckled. I'm not certain
2:58:08that you're supposed to use modern human
2:58:10slang to modify the runes in dwarven,
2:58:13but the way that Remy wrote it, the
2:58:15phrase also means to make the target
2:58:17cease to exist. That should be a viable
2:58:20spell effect. It wasn't quite a
2:58:23destruction or disintegration effect. In
2:58:26fact, it wasn't really specified,
2:58:29but intent was a large part of the
2:58:31activation of a spell. I will test this
2:58:34theory with a different rune than the
2:58:35one in the book, unless someone needs a
2:58:37magical flashlight.
2:58:39Carl informed the clerics.
2:58:42That's fine. We can keep to the theme of
2:58:45weapons. Do you read this language well
2:58:47enough, or is the runic part different
2:58:50enough from the written that your skill
2:58:52covers it? The leader of the original
2:58:54blue dragon research team asked, "The
2:58:57rune crafter's runic language is
2:58:59different from the tom's written
2:59:00language, but it shares the majority of
2:59:02the alphabet, as it were. So, I'm much
2:59:06more confident in the actual work than
2:59:07my translation of the descriptive
2:59:09contents."
2:59:11Carl agreed. Remy's rune ended with an
2:59:14arrow-shaped symbol. So Carl arranged
2:59:16them down the length of both sides of a
2:59:18dagger, then activated the silver blades
2:59:20enchantment until the runes turned
2:59:22amethyst.
2:59:23The clerics immediately realized that
2:59:25they had made a mistake. They needed to
2:59:28test it in the training room as it
2:59:30couldn't be done in here, but they had
2:59:33already given up the room and now there
2:59:34were too many of them to conveniently
2:59:36watch. Carl smiled.
2:59:39Send a small group down for testing and
2:59:42you can have them report back. You only
2:59:45need one person at royal rank to use the
2:59:47weapon at its full potential. If the
2:59:50warriors are still nearby, you can call
2:59:52them back. Acolytes were sent running to
2:59:55retrieve the warriors who were out in
2:59:57front of the building smoking and
2:59:58talking quietly about what they had
3:00:00seen. We will report back on the
3:00:03results. Do we get to know what to
3:00:05expect in advance or is this a blind
3:00:08test? The oldest of the white robed
3:00:10clerics asked. That's a fun idea. We
3:00:14should do a blind test. I will make
3:00:17another at commander rank. Do not tell
3:00:20him what it does. But give this note to
3:00:23the royal rank warrior so that he knows.
3:00:26Do we have someone who can create a
3:00:28strong enough barrier or am I going to
3:00:30have to go down with you? Carl asked.
3:00:33The old cleric shook his head. I will
3:00:36borrow a friend from upstairs.
3:00:39He's napping now, but he's an overlord
3:00:41ranked spellblade.
3:00:43That should be a strong enough barrier
3:00:45for any sort of testing that they might
3:00:46do. I will accompany them. I want to see
3:00:50what my rune does. Remy insisted.
3:00:54I will send Remy, my Naga queen, to
3:00:57accompany you as well. Remy transformed
3:01:00into her larger form as she had been
3:01:02sunning herself on a rock in snake form,
3:01:04watching her home regrow, and prepared
3:01:06to head out. She even had a notebook
3:01:09with her to make detailed notes in case
3:01:11it was relevant to her own advancement.
3:01:14She had been stuck a while on the
3:01:15development of new totems or
3:01:17improvements on the ones that she had
3:01:19already made. Her library survived her
3:01:22advancement intact, but none of the
3:01:24books she had gone through so far had
3:01:25been able to help her in her search.
3:01:28Something would trigger a breakthrough
3:01:29eventually, and Carl's runes might be
3:01:32just the thing, even if they weren't the
3:01:34same language as the one she used.
3:01:36Carl flipped the page as the group
3:01:38headed out to obtain the assistance of
3:01:40the spellblade and found that the next
3:01:42page was more examples of the same
3:01:44concept. If they had flipped the page
3:01:47first, they could have just copied the
3:01:48ones here as many were intended for
3:01:50weapons. But testing Remy's creativity
3:01:54was also an important aspect.
3:01:56She was working on upgraded totems and
3:01:59for that she needed to expand her
3:02:01knowledge of runes and shamanistic
3:02:02magic. The clerics were dutifully
3:02:05copying everything, while Carl made
3:02:07notes of the different ways that the
3:02:09same words were being used and linked
3:02:10between the various examples. The master
3:02:13who had created this really knew how to
3:02:15make things easy to understand, and Carl
3:02:18was already getting the hang of how the
3:02:19runes should be best compounded for the
3:02:21effects that the dwarf was trying to
3:02:22explain.
3:02:24Some of that was surely his rune
3:02:26crafting skill filling in the blanks
3:02:27with the knowledge that it contained,
3:02:29but the tome was making no attempt to be
3:02:31condescending towards the reader or
3:02:33unnecessarily complex.
3:02:35If the author knew that it would be read
3:02:37by humans, he would have certainly been
3:02:39much harsher with his words. The team
3:02:42was down in the basement now with the
3:02:44same two warriors.
3:02:46Both were overjoyed to get to test more
3:02:48weapons, even if this blind testing was
3:02:50strange. They didn't know if it was
3:02:52intended for newbies to use the weapon
3:02:54without introduction or if it were to
3:02:56prevent the weapons from being used by
3:02:58their enemies. But the commander, who
3:03:01had been given no instructions except to
3:03:03use the blade to attack the barrier, was
3:03:05ready to start. He lunged forward with a
3:03:08thrust and sent power surging through
3:03:10the commander ranked dagger. On contact,
3:03:13a 2 m explosion of magic erupted,
3:03:15throwing him backwards across the room
3:03:17with its force. Remy dowsed him with a
3:03:20healing splash spell. And the warrior
3:03:23spluttered as cold water was tossed in
3:03:25his face. "Thanks, I think," he muttered
3:03:29as he got to his feet. Remy nodded
3:03:32happily and continued taking notes. The
3:03:35mage that they had recruited was doing
3:03:37his best not to laugh. "Well, we can say
3:03:40for certain that it is likely intended
3:03:42to be a ranged ability. My guess is that
3:03:45it's some sort of arcane blast." It felt
3:03:48like slash does when a warrior uses it.
3:03:51That same sort of converted energy, not
3:03:54raw mana, but the explosion engulfed the
3:03:57entire target, he noted. Yes, it worked
3:04:01exceptionally well. There was very
3:04:04little wasted, just enough to cover the
3:04:07whole target. Remy agreed. The mage
3:04:11nodded in agreement while the clerics
3:04:13turned to him for translation as Remy
3:04:15was speaking serpent.
3:04:17It's in my notes. The mage shrugged. He
3:04:21was here for the barrier and his
3:04:22curiosity about the new weapons, not to
3:04:25translate for clerics who failed foreign
3:04:27language class. The royal rank warrior
3:04:30treated it as a short-ranged attack and
3:04:32flicked the dagger out in a thrusting
3:04:34attack to send the attack forward in a
3:04:36piercing motion. The attack didn't have
3:04:38a visual effect between him and the
3:04:40target, but the same explosion occurred,
3:04:43shaking him on his feet. The commander
3:04:45stared at the target in confusion. It
3:04:48really did just look like Slash had hit
3:04:51the target from all sides at once, then
3:04:53rebounded off the shielding to create
3:04:55the blast. It wasn't innately an
3:04:58explosive effect. That was a side effect
3:05:00of failure. If it worked, the target
3:05:03should be obliterated from all
3:05:05directions.
3:05:06The cleric's motion to the Royal Rank
3:05:08warrior. Please see if the weapon is
3:05:11damaged by continued usage. We don't
3:05:14detect any signs of flaws or damage from
3:05:16the first strike. The mage held up his
3:05:19hand. First, I would like to see what
3:05:22happens when a cleric uses that dagger.
3:05:25I know it's among the weapons your god
3:05:27approves of. A high priest was tasked
3:05:30with the duty using the commander ranked
3:05:32dagger with a dismissive flick as if
3:05:34slashing across the face of the target
3:05:36from a distance.
3:05:37The effect this time was a golden glow
3:05:39that rebounded off the barrier with a
3:05:41glare of holy light instead of a
3:05:43physical force. Fascinating.
3:05:46The effect isn't defined, only the
3:05:49outcome.
3:05:50So, it appears the way that the user
3:05:52thinks of it or perhaps a certain way
3:05:55depending on the class of the user. We
3:05:58will have to do more study on that
3:05:59later. I don't suppose that you would be
3:06:02able to provide a few of those for my
3:06:04tower to study? he asked. "Probably not
3:06:08today, but in the near future, we
3:06:11certainly will be able to include your
3:06:12spell blades in the research process.
3:06:15In fact, we will soon have rune crafting
3:06:18books available, and you might be able
3:06:19to get one of your people included in
3:06:21the test group." The aging cleric
3:06:24agreed. The spellblade nodded. I have a
3:06:28few disciples within the tower who have
3:06:30not yet taken a crafting skill
3:06:31specialty. They're still awakened rank,
3:06:34but that gives them time to grow. Much
3:06:37better than teaching us old folk, I
3:06:39suppose. The old cleric smiled. It's a
3:06:43trade-off. We all want the strongest
3:06:46results right away, but how many of our
3:06:48people make it to commander rank without
3:06:50having picked a specialty. Every new
3:06:53thing that we learn from the system
3:06:54disrupts centuries of practice and the
3:06:56balance of skills that we have accepted
3:06:58as optimal. The spellblade chuckled. I
3:07:02heard from Prince Corbin that the rune
3:07:03crafter who made these daggers is a
3:07:05monster in every sense of the word
3:07:07except his personality.
3:07:09The old cleric shrugged. This is the
3:07:12first I have met him, but he seems quite
3:07:15agreeable. The royal rank warrior
3:07:17frowned. You say that he's a monster,
3:07:20but he also seemed like a friendly sort
3:07:22of person to me. The old mage just shook
3:07:26his head. That's not what I mean. He's
3:07:29barely 16 years old.
3:07:32He made monarch in two years after the
3:07:34injection, and I have it on good
3:07:35authority that he managed to knock out a
3:07:37Torland monk in a fist fight during the
3:07:39challenge for the new commander rank
3:07:40dungeon. The commander rank warrior
3:07:43laughed. I heard about that as well. I
3:07:47was sent there later in the day, but it
3:07:49was the talk of the camp. Plus, the naga
3:07:52queen, Remy, I believe he said her name
3:07:54was, is part of his team of bonded
3:07:56beasts. Remy nodded and made a note for
3:08:00them as only the mage spoke her
3:08:02language. Don't tell him. He's already
3:08:05got an inflated ego. But when it comes
3:08:08to fighting, there aren't many who can
3:08:10match his power, even if you disregard
3:08:13the fact that he's basically immortal.
3:08:16It's probably better that nobody ever
3:08:18taught him martial arts or blade skills.
3:08:21The team did a double take when they
3:08:22read that. Immortal. Remy nodded
3:08:26happily. trollish regeneration and
3:08:29limited invulnerability so he doesn't
3:08:31burn. The spellblade whistled in
3:08:33appreciation while the warriors shook
3:08:35their heads in dismay. That's just
3:08:38unfair.
3:08:40I swear that the rare classes are
3:08:41actually a cheat code. Remy
3:08:44wholeheartedly agreed with that. At the
3:08:47same rank, she could probably beat up
3:08:49either of these warriors, and she was
3:08:51just one part of the team. Plus, she
3:08:54wasn't even the scary one in combat.
3:08:56That was Rey or maybe Cara, depending on
3:09:00how you looked at it. While the research
3:09:03team in the basement was pounding away
3:09:04at the barrier, load testing the weapons
3:09:06to ensure their stability, Carl was
3:09:08moving on to the next pages in the book.
3:09:11The page full of examples of compound
3:09:13runes was dutifully copied, and the
3:09:15listed options were giving Carl ideas on
3:09:18how to make more useful sorts of items,
3:09:20things that would improve on what
3:09:21technology was already doing and make
3:09:23life easier.
3:09:25For example, it would take very little
3:09:27effort to inscribe a flat rock with
3:09:29proper runes to make it into a heating
3:09:30element in place of a camp stove. They
3:09:34could even do it with a thin piece of
3:09:35aluminum for a lightweight camping stove
3:09:37that didn't require carrying fuel or
3:09:39finding firewood. There were magical
3:09:42options already, but they were all
3:09:44unaffordable for the majority of young
3:09:46elites. I would like to test something
3:09:48if we have a moment. Reading the page
3:09:51gave me an idea. Can someone please
3:09:54bring me the roll of tin foil from the
3:09:56kitchen or a similar lightweight metal
3:09:58sheet? Carl requested. The clerics
3:10:02looked confused, but they brought him
3:10:03the tin foil without asking any
3:10:05questions.
3:10:07Carl folded it over a dozen layers
3:10:09thick, then pressed it into a flexible
3:10:11but somewhat durable sheet. Earth
3:10:14barrier made a stamp with the runes he
3:10:16wanted to be arranged on the sheet. Then
3:10:19Carl carefully made the negative of the
3:10:21stamp and squished the sheet between
3:10:22them. A light pulse of mana as he
3:10:25focused on the ability to make a
3:10:27variable heat source activated the runes
3:10:29in a light bronze color while the
3:10:31clerics watched in wonder. Please place
3:10:33that on the stove and activate it to a
3:10:35medium cooking heat. I want to see if
3:10:38tin foil is durable enough for the
3:10:40spell, Carl explained. The foil cast a
3:10:44bronze glow through the kitchen as the
3:10:46lucky cleric started the test and Carl
3:10:48could feel the heat growing in the room.
3:10:51After a few minutes, the cleric let it
3:10:53fade and the clerics began to cheer.
3:10:56That is brilliant. It's a travel stove.
3:11:00If a runcfter can stamp that out of a
3:11:02proper metal sheet, we can eliminate the
3:11:04fuel canisters from the standard travel
3:11:06kit and save nearly 2 kilos in weight.
3:11:10Well, that's not as vital now that more
3:11:12are getting access to an inventory, but
3:11:14still it's 2 kilos of weight that we
3:11:17don't need to carry and it won't run out
3:11:19on the fifth day, the tester announced.
3:11:23One of the white robed clerics turned to
3:11:25Carl with a notebook and pencil ready.
3:11:28Your group spent long durations on the
3:11:30road. Did that hardship inspire this
3:11:32development? Carl chuckled and shook his
3:11:35head. No, I have flaming body as a
3:11:39skill, so I just use it on my sword and
3:11:42use that as a grill. We haven't gathered
3:11:45firewood since I was ascended rank. The
3:11:48cleric sighed. You really do have it
3:11:50easy. Is there anything that your group
3:11:53can't do? Carl shrugged. We don't have
3:11:57portal or an equivalent skill yet. Other
3:12:00than that, we're pretty well-rounded.
3:12:03You should see some of the dinners that
3:12:04we come up with both a red and green
3:12:06cleric along. They can both use advanced
3:12:09food creation spells. It's positively
3:12:12gourmet compared to travel rations.
3:12:14And you have multiple kinds of golems to
3:12:16keep guard at night so you can all
3:12:18sleep. Is it true that your bodyguards
3:12:21are sensient? That would make things so
3:12:24much easier. One of the other white
3:12:26robed clerics asked. Yeah, they're
3:12:29remarkably intelligent.
3:12:32Both mine and Remy's are capable as
3:12:34night guards as they can all see in the
3:12:36dark. With no need to sleep, they aren't
3:12:39even groggy on night watch. But the real
3:12:42benefit to a good night's sleep is Rey.
3:12:45Her hammocks and tents are the best. The
3:12:48blue dragon clerics were giving
3:12:49meaningful looks at the book Carl was
3:12:51ignoring, urging him to get back on
3:12:53track and read through now that they
3:12:54were finished copying the pages. The
3:12:57next page covered the use of the runic
3:12:59phrases, the runes that would flow
3:13:01naturally into each other when spoken
3:13:03out loud. That was actually easier than
3:13:06coming up with runes that would
3:13:07naturally link with each other and
3:13:09create a coherent effect. But as Carl
3:13:12read through the description page, he
3:13:14realized that was not the goal of the
3:13:15dwarves when they made items. They
3:13:18didn't deliberately give the items a
3:13:20specified effect. Their usual was closer
3:13:23to Remy's idea of simply expressing a
3:13:25desire for the outcome. Trying to make a
3:13:28specific effect would fall under the
3:13:30third category of unlin runes, which
3:13:32they looked down on. But doing it this
3:13:35way, he could make an equivalent of the
3:13:37giant strength rings with very little
3:13:38trouble, or use some of the ambient mana
3:13:40to boost spell effects. There were a few
3:13:44examples on the page and more on the
3:13:46following two when Carl checked them.
3:13:49One of them was to create and amplify an
3:13:51impact ability. It was similar in
3:13:54function to crushing blows, but
3:13:56apparently intended for forging
3:13:57difficult metals that couldn't be
3:13:59rendered too close to liquid without
3:14:01destroying the properties of the alloy.
3:14:03In fact, the phrasing in the example
3:14:05even mentioned that it was going to be
3:14:07placed on a hammer. Does anyone have a
3:14:10warhammer or a mace of some sort? Carl
3:14:13asked. One of the white robed clerics
3:14:16handed over a war pick, a long-handled
3:14:18hammer with a spike on the back, and
3:14:20Carl began the process of deciding how
3:14:22to wrap the runes properly around its
3:14:24head. It was just a common grade magical
3:14:27weapon made by the church with a mild
3:14:29dose of holy energy. So, Carl decided to
3:14:32incorporate that into the runes.
3:14:34Amplifying the holy magic flowing
3:14:36through the weapon should improve the
3:14:38effect with minimal input. After a few
3:14:40minutes of careful carving, the process
3:14:43was complete. at the commander rank and
3:14:45Carl passed it back. Please take that
3:14:48downstairs and test the effect. I am
3:14:51quite certain that the god of knowledge
3:14:52is eager to see how it turned out. The
3:14:55cleric sighed as he realized that he had
3:14:57just been volunteered to make reports
3:14:59for the librarian and her assistants,
3:15:01but this was his personal weapon, so he
3:15:03didn't see a reason he couldn't keep it
3:15:05when they were done, even if it was now
3:15:06enhanced to a level well above his rank.
3:15:09The next few dozen pages were all
3:15:11descriptive ones describing techniques
3:15:13for using the runes. The translation was
3:15:17questionable, as many of the words
3:15:18appeared to be dwarven technical terms,
3:15:21but they were faithfully copied to the
3:15:22duplicate to Carl was quite certain that
3:15:26he was missing the majority of the depth
3:15:27of these descriptions, but every page
3:15:30brought new revelations, and the dwarven
3:15:32runes were getting easier to read with
3:15:34every passing page. By noon, he was
3:15:37rarely needing to refer to his knowledge
3:15:39of runecraftrafting to guess what a word
3:15:40meant, but he was the only one who was
3:15:42improving at that sort of speed. The
3:15:45scribes were falling further behind his
3:15:47comprehension of the translations with
3:15:49every page, and Carl was beginning to
3:15:51hope that he would find a new technical
3:15:52section again soon, so he could make an
3:15:55item and let them rest before they drove
3:15:56him insane. His translations were making
3:15:59the clerics increasingly excited about
3:16:01the new knowledge, and they had many
3:16:03ideas on how this could be used to
3:16:05improve the weapons that they were
3:16:06already making with basic runes on them.
3:16:09They didn't have rune crafters in their
3:16:11ranks, but some of the runes were used
3:16:13in other enchanting processes, including
3:16:15the ones they used to make weapons for
3:16:17the church. Carl turned another page and
3:16:20found that the topic had taken a hard
3:16:22turn somewhere, as if the author had
3:16:24gotten bored with the previous
3:16:25explanation.
3:16:27Improvised rune crafting. Not all rune
3:16:30crafted items need to be permanent. The
3:16:33most obvious case of this is the spirit
3:16:35shamans of the various species. The
3:16:38cleric types who specialize in using
3:16:40runes to cast their magic and drive off
3:16:42troublesome evil forces. But there are
3:16:45other options as well. For example,
3:16:48painted on runes will work as well as
3:16:50carved in many cases where you are not
3:16:52concerned about them being damaged.
3:16:54Though without the third dimension, the
3:16:55effect is far weaker. Alternately, those
3:16:59with elemental magic, such as the forge
3:17:01masters or the earth shamans, can create
3:17:04the runes with their elemental magic and
3:17:06add a more profound meaning to their
3:17:07spells. An earth shaman might engrave
3:17:10the rune of destruction into a mine wall
3:17:12to carve away the rock between
3:17:14themselves and the next vein. A
3:17:16forgemaster might create the runes in
3:17:18the ash pile of a makeshift forge to
3:17:20bring it up to the needed standard. Or
3:17:23they might place the rune in the foam of
3:17:25cheap tavern ale to increase the liquor
3:17:27content and improve the taste to a
3:17:28tolerable level. That caught the
3:17:31interest of everyone who read the
3:17:32translation.
3:17:34None of them had considered that was
3:17:36even an option. Would that be a sort of
3:17:38creation spell? Perhaps a transmutation.
3:17:42And what element did that even fall
3:17:44under? Every traveler had suffered
3:17:47nearly inedible local beverages in the
3:17:49past, but the dwarf seemed to mention it
3:17:51in passing, as if it should be common
3:17:53knowledge. Once the pages were copied,
3:17:56Carl moved on and found that the comment
3:17:58really had been in passing, as the
3:18:00examples that were drawn and described
3:18:02were simple single compounded runes. The
3:18:04destruction rune for carving rock was
3:18:06given with four different variations
3:18:08depending on what sort of blasting work
3:18:10you intended to do with it. While the
3:18:12provided heating rune for the makeshift
3:18:14forge was similar to the one Carl had
3:18:16used for the portable stove, but with
3:18:18modifiers for much higher intensity.
3:18:21Writing the rune in the ash was
3:18:22brilliant, Carl decided.
3:18:25Normally, you worried about heat damage
3:18:27to the object, but ash was already burnt
3:18:29and the forge wouldn't harm it. So you
3:18:32could create intense heat with a
3:18:34seemingly unimpressive pile of ash to
3:18:36the point that the limiting factor was
3:18:38the construction of the forge itself.
3:18:40Presumably, the forge masters would have
3:18:43magic for that as well. But it was the
3:18:45versatility of these temporary runes
3:18:47that was getting the clerics all worked
3:18:49up. If you could just write the effect
3:18:51you wanted, wouldn't you be an instant
3:18:53arch?
3:18:55Carl knew that there was going to be
3:18:56some sort of limitation on complex runic
3:18:58phrases. Like when he tried to compound
3:19:00advanced skills with skill merger, but
3:19:03for simple effects, there was no real
3:19:05reason that he shouldn't be able to use
3:19:06runes to activate them at his current
3:19:08power level if he wasn't worried about
3:19:10destroying the carrier. Oh, that is a
3:19:13brilliant idea. I will try it with an
3:19:16icicle, Remy insisted as she heard
3:19:19Carl's thoughts on the matter. How did
3:19:21the testing go? The warriors are tired.
3:19:25You should have cast a Thor barrier on
3:19:27them, but they will be fine soon. And
3:19:30the weapons are both undamaged.
3:19:33We also tested the higher grade weapon
3:19:35with the weaker warrior, and it makes a
3:19:37difference, but not enough to call it a
3:19:38royal rank effect the way that our
3:19:40advanced skills were when we were
3:19:42commanders.
3:19:43A few seconds later, Remy giggled. The
3:19:46clerics look funny, waving around an
3:19:48icicle like a wand. But the rune works.
3:19:52For some reason, it makes the icicle
3:19:54melt, even though it's not fire magic. I
3:19:58will have to work on that. Carl tried
3:20:01not to laugh at the words nobody else in
3:20:03the room could hear. I think that it's
3:20:05using up the mana from the icicle to
3:20:07activate the spell. How is the power
3:20:10output compared to their rank? Oh,
3:20:13you're right. It's better than expected.
3:20:16I made a monarch rank icicle for the
3:20:18task and it melted. But if the extra
3:20:21mana is going to the spell, it makes
3:20:23sense. That also made her wonder if she
3:20:26could make a higher density item with
3:20:28more mana to make the item more useful
3:20:30to lower powered creatures, like a
3:20:33portable smashing post that would
3:20:34transfer some stamina to the user on
3:20:36impact. Brother Thor would love to have
3:20:39that for his trainees.
3:20:41Across the park at the training grounds,
3:20:44the beasts and their trainees were
3:20:46causing quite a scene. Though it wasn't
3:20:49really fair to blame it on the beasts.
3:20:52Firstly, the lightning serero group had
3:20:54all grown to the size of large dogs,
3:20:56while the more cats were already the
3:20:58size of a mountain lion, weighing well
3:21:00over a 100 kilos after only a week of
3:21:02quality feed and hard training. The
3:21:05regenerative sprints were doing them all
3:21:07worlds of good, and the physique of even
3:21:09the mage class trainee Owen was
3:21:11phenomenal. But more importantly, the
3:21:14overlords had joined them to help with
3:21:15the trainees, passing along as much of
3:21:18their knowledge as possible in the few
3:21:19remaining days that they had. The
3:21:22majority of the team from the special
3:21:23forces cadets was very close to reaching
3:21:26the awakened rank thanks to their
3:21:27beasts, and Nikki the tiger monk was
3:21:30already there. Today, they had gathered
3:21:32over 200 soldiers who wanted in on the
3:21:35training, and Thor was happy to help
3:21:36them with his barriers as they ran laps
3:21:38up and down the bleachers. They weren't
3:21:41elites, and they would not advance, no
3:21:43matter how much training, but they were
3:21:45rapidly gaining muscle mass and physical
3:21:47stamina that would save countless lives
3:21:49on the battlefield.
3:21:51The same Red Dragon high priest that had
3:21:53met Carl after he altered the trial
3:21:55instance had come to watch as well and
3:21:57assist Tessa in training Joan, their new
3:21:59acolyte. It had been agreed that instead
3:22:02of the seminary academy, she would go
3:22:04with the old man to the academy where he
3:22:06would train her personally and they
3:22:08would do the duties of the church for
3:22:09the students. Healing, support, spells,
3:22:13guidance, the natural roles of the war
3:22:16clerics.
3:22:17You know, Sister Tessa, the number of
3:22:20skills that these students have already
3:22:21learned is incredibly impressive.
3:22:24not just from using the points they
3:22:26gained in battle, but the ones that they
3:22:27have learned through hard work. To think
3:22:30that just a change in teaching methods
3:22:32would make such a large difference. He
3:22:35whispered, not wanting to stroke the ego
3:22:37of the students, Tessa smiled at her
3:22:40senior. It's not just a teaching method,
3:22:43but a teaching skill, or rather a group
3:22:46of skills stacked to help them learn,
3:22:48along with a load of high-grade
3:22:50resources for the beasts. But I had an
3:22:53idea the other night. You know how the
3:22:55Drake riders have a huge advantage in
3:22:57combat due to their mounts even without
3:22:59the system. We should implement the same
3:23:02program on a limited scale. The
3:23:05lightning serero forces will be
3:23:06essential to the defense of soldiers and
3:23:08elites. But if we had a group of
3:23:10griffins or manticors, we would have
3:23:12flying scouts with high ranked combat
3:23:14potential as well. The high priest
3:23:17smiled. And where do you suggest that we
3:23:19find these volunteers?
3:23:21Tessa winked. I hear that there are
3:23:24numerous rangers who lost their bonded
3:23:26partners in battle. It's a common
3:23:28occurrence for them and they can bond a
3:23:30replacement. So, if we can find a way to
3:23:33bond them to a flying magical beast or
3:23:36evolve a regular animal into a flying
3:23:38magical beast, wouldn't we have a
3:23:39shortcut to train flying troops? The
3:23:42high priest smirked.
3:23:44Well, it's not possible for them to bond
3:23:46a magical beast in a conventional way,
3:23:49but I have considered that there might
3:23:50be a shortcut. It's not as glamorous as
3:23:53a chimera, but are you familiar with the
3:23:55giant redwing butterfly? It comes from a
3:23:58common caterpillar that is exposed to
3:24:00the right stimulus during its evolution
3:24:02period.
3:24:04I suggested it once before, but the army
3:24:06shot down my idea as pointless, as the
3:24:09giant redwing butterfly has no attack or
3:24:11defensive skills. But if it can cause a
3:24:14class advancement and the rangers
3:24:16already have skills that let their pet
3:24:17use attacks, wouldn't that become a
3:24:19small issue? Tessa chuckled at the
3:24:22mental image. I think that it would help
3:24:25if we had more elves, but I suppose that
3:24:28we could ask the ladies because I can't
3:24:29see many of the men willingly choosing a
3:24:31butterfly as their bonded partner. The
3:24:34high priest gestured toward Overlord
3:24:36Jorum, whose evolved bird, Dave, was
3:24:39happily perched on his shoulder. The
3:24:41bird had already reached the commander
3:24:43rank, and while it hadn't evolved any
3:24:45more than it had the first day, it was
3:24:47showing incredible potential as its
3:24:49power grew to match its partner. Tessa
3:24:52poked the old priest. What if we gave
3:24:54them a way to make the birds huge?
3:24:57Someone has to have a proper skill for
3:24:59giant growth. We know how to evolve
3:25:02falcons already. We just need to make
3:25:04them big enough to fly on. That idea
3:25:07might actually make it past the scrutiny
3:25:09of the leadership.
3:25:10The evolved hawk had already shown
3:25:12commander rank potential, and it was
3:25:14still growing. Plus, it had flaming
3:25:17body, which was both offensive and
3:25:19defensive. The high priest snapped his
3:25:22fingers and smiled. I know just the
3:25:25thing. It's a paladin skill called
3:25:28divine mount. If we can teach that to a
3:25:31ranger or a beast ranger, then they can
3:25:33have their giant flying mount. It
3:25:36increases the size of the beast to
3:25:38become ridable. Teaching it to the Sarah
3:25:41would likely be easiest, but they would
3:25:42soon be large enough to be written by
3:25:44their partners. Anyhow, finding other
3:25:47beasts or rangers that were compatible
3:25:49with holy magic would be much harder.
3:25:52Tessa nodded. I will let you handle it.
3:25:56You will be at the academy and around a
3:25:58lot more veterans. The high priest
3:26:00nodded. They intend to cycle the
3:26:03commander rank elites through to do
3:26:05training courses for the newbies as we
3:26:07are expecting so many of them.
3:26:09They might even call on some of the
3:26:11stronger ones if things calm down a
3:26:13little. Oh, I would imagine that they
3:26:16will be calling on as many of the strong
3:26:18ones as they can after today's practice.
3:26:21You see, Carl's training skill works
3:26:23better when the users's knowledge of
3:26:24their skills is more profound. And who
3:26:27has better knowledge of the intricacies
3:26:29of their skills than the overlords?
3:26:31I suspect we will be seeing some real
3:26:33progress by the end of the day. The
3:26:36day's training was taking place in the
3:26:37shade of lotus tree of life form which
3:26:40was standing in the middle of the
3:26:42training grounds overseeing everything
3:26:44so that she could heal the inevitable
3:26:45injuries and strains that would come
3:26:47from such extreme exertion. Most of the
3:26:50time the injuries had healed before the
3:26:52soldiers had even noticed that they had
3:26:54been wounded. But Thor was keeping
3:26:55barriers over everyone. So none of it
3:26:57was too major other than one broken leg
3:27:00which had to be set after a bad fall
3:27:01during grappling training. Such
3:27:04accidents were to be expected with hard
3:27:06training, and there were plenty of
3:27:07clerics on hand to take care of the
3:27:09issue, even if they didn't have lotus in
3:27:11tree form in the middle of the training
3:27:12grounds. But that was a minor setback
3:27:15for him, and the soldier was back to
3:27:17regular training again within a few
3:27:19hours. So, with everyone so focused on
3:27:22training, they were caught completely
3:27:24offguard when a horde of reporters
3:27:26descended upon the training grounds.
3:27:29High Priestess, can you tell us anything
3:27:31about your feelings on today's
3:27:32announcement from the president's
3:27:34office? One of the reporters shouted to
3:27:36Tessa, who was near the edge of the
3:27:38sand. Tessa gave her a confused look and
3:27:42walked over to see what they were on
3:27:43about. "I'm not sure what you mean. We
3:27:47haven't seen the news as we have been
3:27:49here training all day," she explained.
3:27:53The president's office announced that
3:27:54all active duty church soldiers would
3:27:56have the chance at a second awakening
3:27:58for their service. Is this true? What
3:28:02are the odds for the soldiers to gain
3:28:03elite status? Does the war goddess have
3:28:06any thoughts on the matter? The
3:28:08questions were asked all at once by
3:28:10different reporters, and Tessa put on
3:28:12her best public relations smile. These
3:28:15soldiers here have already been given
3:28:17that opportunity. As I understand it,
3:28:20close to one in 10 soldiers was moved
3:28:22from the standard unit to a special
3:28:24training force, but I am not privy to
3:28:26any more details than that. The war
3:28:29goddess is naturally pleased that there
3:28:31are more capable combatants, but it will
3:28:33take time for them to be ready to serve
3:28:34as elites, much like the students who
3:28:36were awakened with the divine injection.
3:28:39Unfortunately, for any more details than
3:28:41that, you will have to go to the
3:28:43strategic planning office, she
3:28:46explained.
3:28:47Are these young elites not freshly
3:28:49awakened soldiers? One of the reporters
3:28:52asked. Tessa shook her head. No, these
3:28:56ones were awakened early as part of a
3:28:58separate project. They are not soldiers
3:29:01of the church, or at least they aren't
3:29:03yet. However, they are performing quite
3:29:06admirably, and I am sure that they would
3:29:08not object to being the backdrop for
3:29:10your daily news articles.
3:29:12However, I must insist that you do not
3:29:14interrupt their training as this is a
3:29:16crucial time in their development before
3:29:18they officially join the academy later
3:29:20this week. That was good enough for the
3:29:22reporters who were happily clicking
3:29:24pictures for the news of the intensive
3:29:26training program for the next few
3:29:27minutes as well as taking short videos
3:29:30of the young elites practicing their
3:29:31skills. It was all great footage for the
3:29:34news, and the faces of the cadet elites
3:29:36would be blurred if the content was
3:29:38deemed sensitive, as they hadn't been
3:29:40officially inducted or signed any
3:29:42waiverss for the use of their likeness.
3:29:44The chaos that the videos would cause
3:29:46when they were leaked later that day was
3:29:48not even part of their calculations.
3:29:50After all, how were they to know that
3:29:52the presence of the handful of obviously
3:29:54inhuman and unknown trainers in the
3:29:56group would cause an uproar among every
3:29:58nation that found out about them? Thor
3:30:00could be passed off as a human paladin,
3:30:03but only if he had his helmet on. With
3:30:06his extended ears and green hair, there
3:30:08was no doubt that he was not a human.
3:30:11Rey was much less human, while neither
3:30:13Cara nor Hawk were even trying. Hawk was
3:30:17just using system messages to give
3:30:18instructions on the proper use of fire
3:30:20magic, while Cara enjoyed the show and
3:30:23occasionally volunteered as a training
3:30:24partner. The overlords were already well
3:30:27known to everyone else. So the respect
3:30:29that they showed to the new inhuman
3:30:31arrivals was a sign that they were not
3:30:33commanders or other mundane trainers.
3:30:35Then there were the skills that they
3:30:37were teaching. The warriors were
3:30:39practicing a shield bash to overhand
3:30:41chop with slash combo that just seemed
3:30:44to be off somehow. Shield bash. The
3:30:47skill had a distinctive motion and glow
3:30:49on the shield that this skill didn't
3:30:51have. But the effect was clearly
3:30:54intended to be the same. Compared to
3:30:56that, the fact that the young mage was
3:30:58using a golem and magic missiles to
3:31:00train in defense against multiple
3:31:02attackers was much less concerning. The
3:31:05rogue, on the other hand, was incredibly
3:31:07concerning. Everyone who was anyone knew
3:31:10Neil was the head assassin for the
3:31:12Inquisition, and the fact that he was
3:31:13training a young prodigy in public with
3:31:15an unknown foreign assassin was
3:31:17extremely concerning to the leadership
3:31:19of every nation on the continent. The
3:31:21first thought was that this was a subtle
3:31:23flex by the Golden Dragon Church,
3:31:25showing off one of their new killers in
3:31:27training. She was obviously young, but
3:31:30her combat skills were far beyond the
3:31:32average. Cibil was highly motivated that
3:31:35day. Lotus had discovered that there
3:31:38might be a way to fix her hearing. Her
3:31:41eardrums had grown in wrong, a
3:31:43developmental anomaly.
3:31:45But it was how her body thought that
3:31:46they were supposed to be, so healing
3:31:48spells didn't change it.
3:31:51Lotus plan was to let Cara precision
3:31:53disintegrate the inner ear while Lotus
3:31:55regenerated it. If her theory was
3:31:58correct, unlike damaging it and healing
3:32:00it, completely disintegrating it should
3:32:02cause it to grow back in the way that
3:32:03Lotus understood ears to work, not how
3:32:06Cibil's body had grown at the first
3:32:07time. It was definitely not a church
3:32:10approved method, as a small error would
3:32:12cause permanent nerve damage or
3:32:14obliterate a portion of her brain. But
3:32:17Cara was confident that she could do it.
3:32:203 days later, Carl was ready to deploy
3:32:22himself back to the border just to
3:32:24escape the blue dragon clerics and their
3:32:26never-ending quest for knowledge. But
3:32:29today was a special event that they
3:32:30simply couldn't miss. It was time for
3:32:33the annual elite recruitment, and this
3:32:35year was expected to be a huge
3:32:37spectacle. The Bureau of Elite
3:32:39Development had been teasing the
3:32:41reporters for weeks that the success
3:32:42rate would be going up and the injection
3:32:44ceremony would have minor celebrities in
3:32:47the form of Carl and his team. Normally,
3:32:50it was done by doctors with a few
3:32:51commander rank and lower elites on
3:32:53guard. Carl looked down at the suit he
3:32:56had on, freshly made by Ry for the
3:32:58occasion, then smirked at Dana, who
3:33:01looked uncomfortable with the amount of
3:33:02gossamer fabric among the layers of her
3:33:04cream and gold colored Hanfu style
3:33:06dress. Rey was particularly proud of
3:33:09that creation, and she wouldn't take no
3:33:11for an answer when Dana had suggested
3:33:13that she should maybe change into
3:33:14something less flashy. As Dana had
3:33:17repeatedly mentioned, it was a
3:33:19recruitment for students, not a red
3:33:21carpet event. I have already told you.
3:33:25You're a princess mage. You need to look
3:33:28like one. Rey insisted again. How about
3:33:32a coat? Dana compromised.
3:33:35Rey considered that she had seen mages
3:33:38in long coats that split up the back
3:33:40before. They would hide the majority of
3:33:43her masterpiece dress, but if their Dana
3:33:45really did want to be covered up, she
3:33:47could make her still look like a
3:33:49princess. Hawk, lend me some white fur.
3:33:53I'm making a coat. Minutes later, Ry had
3:33:56a long coat made for Dana, woven a bit
3:33:59heavier than necessary for the weather.
3:34:01It would be good for winter events this
3:34:03way, and it would encourage Dana to take
3:34:05it off once they were inside. Rey wasn't
3:34:08giving up on showing off her work that
3:34:10easily. Your next read is at Empire.
3:34:14Besides, Tessa and Lotus hadn't agreed
3:34:16to let her dress them up, as they had
3:34:18formal wear for the occasion, and Oilia
3:34:20flat out refused to wear a dress, so she
3:34:23was in a similar suit to the one Carl
3:34:25was wearing, except that Rey had made
3:34:27the shirt a bit more flashy and ruffled,
3:34:29and the cut much more flattering. The
3:34:31one thing that she had done for Carl was
3:34:33to give him an extra fancy fur trimmed
3:34:35cape in place of a coat. All kings
3:34:38needed capes. She had seen it in a book.
3:34:42Plus, it was part of the official
3:34:44uniform for monarch rank elites, though
3:34:47nobody ever wore it. While she hadn't
3:34:49gotten to do all the decorating of the
3:34:51humans that she had hoped, she had
3:34:53managed to get the honors of delivering
3:34:54the weapons that Carl had stayed up all
3:34:56night making for their students. They
3:34:59were simple ones, just a commander rank
3:35:01weapon suited to their preference,
3:35:03mostly short swords with daggers for
3:35:05Cibil and spiked gloves for the monk.
3:35:08But getting to sneak into the dorms at
3:35:10the cathedral to deliver the weapons,
3:35:12all gift wrapped for their new owners,
3:35:14had been great fun while it lasted.
3:35:16Nobody had even seen her do it.
3:35:19Librarian Kelluza came to meet them at
3:35:21the apartment to escort them to the
3:35:23meeting. The librarian wouldn't
3:35:25willingly miss out on the first chance
3:35:27to see a mass recruitment, so she had
3:35:29nominated herself to accompany the group
3:35:31that the archbishop had sent to assist
3:35:32with passing out the system linked items
3:35:34for the first round of testing. Lady
3:35:37Kelly, it's a pleasure to see you again.
3:35:40Hopefully, we are properly dressed for
3:35:42the event. Carl greeted her. The
3:35:46dragon's slight smile told him that even
3:35:48though she resisted the nickname at
3:35:49first, she didn't actually dislike it.
3:35:52You are worried about being underdressed
3:35:54while wearing a suit that would buy you
3:35:56a house in the suburbs. I believe you
3:35:58will be fine. Lady Dana looks exquisite,
3:36:02and Princess Oilia is quite dapper today
3:36:04as well. There was no need to mention
3:36:07the clerics as they were wearing their
3:36:09formal robes. So the blue dragon simply
3:36:11gestured for everyone to follow her out.
3:36:14There is a bus waiting for us. I had
3:36:17suggested a limo but policy says that
3:36:20outside vehicles are a security risk and
3:36:22shouldn't be used to arrive at the
3:36:23awakening ceremony.
3:36:25She added the bus was one of the plain
3:36:28white church transports empty except for
3:36:31the cleric who was driving. Once they
3:36:33were moving, the librarian began to
3:36:35detail the plan. Once we arrive, the
3:36:39mages will open the barrier so we can
3:36:41access the floor of the auditorium.
3:36:43Then there will be the customary tearful
3:36:45speech from the superintendent of
3:36:47schools, followed by the acolytes
3:36:49passing your group items to have the
3:36:50students try on. Once the first batch of
3:36:53successful students is identified and
3:36:55removed from the auditorium, we will
3:36:57proceed with the usual injection process
3:36:59using doctors.
3:37:01Unless you believe it would work better
3:37:03with one of you performing the process.
3:37:06Rey smiled. I don't have any objections
3:37:09to stabbing people. The blue dragon gave
3:37:12her an indulgent smile. I have no doubt
3:37:15that is true on many different levels,
3:37:18but it would set the students minds at
3:37:20ease to see a friendly face during the
3:37:22most stressful moment of their lives.
3:37:24Rey shrugged.
3:37:26Well, keep me in mind. I can see every
3:37:29vein from across the room. While that
3:37:32was a useful skill in many different
3:37:34situations, the divine injection was
3:37:36given as an intramuscular injection.
3:37:39They didn't need to find a vein. The
3:37:42security teams parted the crowds who
3:37:43were still waiting for entry to the
3:37:45auditorium, and the bus passed smoothly
3:37:47into the loading bays where a group of
3:37:49white robed acolytes were waiting to
3:37:51escort the team inside.
3:37:53this way, please, sir and madams. The
3:37:57minister of education is waiting for
3:37:59you." Carl bent his arm for Dana to take
3:38:02as they walked through the corridors,
3:38:03which were lined with paparazzi once
3:38:05they were past the loading area. They
3:38:08made quite the spectacle entering
3:38:10together, looking like nobles from a
3:38:11story book, followed by the priestesses
3:38:14and a lady knight. The hushed whispers
3:38:16made Dana self-conscious, but Carl could
3:38:19hear that it was almost all praise for
3:38:21her dress or speculation about who these
3:38:23dignitaries were. Some of them were
3:38:26familiar faces, but it seemed that they
3:38:28didn't immediately recognize Carl and
3:38:30Dana in their formal best and with their
3:38:31hairstyled.
3:38:33The minister fell in step beside Carl
3:38:35with a polite nod and silently guided
3:38:37them to the barrier around the
3:38:39auditorium floor, where the mages opened
3:38:41the barrier a little for them to enter.
3:38:44As soon as they walked onto the hardwood
3:38:46floor, the crowd fell silent. Please
3:38:49welcome our special guests for the day.
3:38:51Minister of Education, Davies,
3:38:54Overlord Kelluza, Chief Librarian of the
3:38:57Cathedral Library, Monarch Carl with his
3:39:01partners, Lord Thor and Lady Ray,
3:39:04Princess Dana, Princess Oilia,
3:39:08and finally the royal high priestesses
3:39:10Tessa and Lotus. The announcer stopped
3:39:13after every name for them to make a
3:39:15polite bow or curtsy and then waved to
3:39:17the crowd. Then the superintendent began
3:39:20his speech and Carl realized that many
3:39:22of those in line would not get to hear
3:39:24the opening ceremony.
3:39:26Schedules were schedules and everyone
3:39:28was eager to get the process underway.
3:39:31The speech was just as dull and
3:39:33long-winded as the one that Carl
3:39:35remembered, and he wondered if the local
3:39:36school superintendent all read from the
3:39:38same prepared speech. Keeping a straight
3:39:41face and professional stance while the
3:39:43bureaucrat droned on was an art of its
3:39:45own, and Carl mostly entertained himself
3:39:47watching the various expressions on the
3:39:49faces of the students. To think it had
3:39:52only been 2 years since that was him.
3:39:55Finally, the main speech was over, and
3:39:57the superintendent gestured towards
3:39:59Carl's group. The elites will now begin
3:40:02the first round of the induction
3:40:03ceremony.
3:40:05This year, we have an improved process
3:40:07and we have high hopes for an increased
3:40:09intake of students. Please be patient as
3:40:12they work and an official statement will
3:40:14be released after the ceremony. Carl and
3:40:17the others spread out so that they would
3:40:19each get a row of seats to pass the
3:40:21items to. You're totally going to cheat,
3:40:24aren't you? Cara asked, but her tone was
3:40:27more of a demand. She wanted
3:40:29entertainment.
3:40:31Carl didn't answer her as he passed the
3:40:33ring to the first student. The acolyte
3:40:36accompanying him had gathered enough of
3:40:37them for the entire row of students, and
3:40:40the teachers behind him would explain
3:40:41the process to the students before the
3:40:43soldiers escorted them to the secure
3:40:45waiting room. But since these students
3:40:47would be fully conscious, they would get
3:40:49to wave goodbye to their parents in the
3:40:51crowd. The boy was sweating nervously as
3:40:54he slid the ring on his finger, and it
3:40:56fitted to him. His eyes went vacant as
3:40:59he went into a system notification. So
3:41:02Carl moved on. Nothing happened to the
3:41:04second boy who looked confused.
3:41:07But the third boy in line was muttering
3:41:09the word slash over and over, evidently
3:41:12trying to manifest a warrior class. Do
3:41:16it. Come on, you know you want to. Cara
3:41:20insisted while Carl pointedly ignored
3:41:22her. the ring equipped to him and Carl
3:41:25moved on to a terrified looking girl who
3:41:27reminded him of Lotus. She smelled like
3:41:30dirt and flowers and Carl could see that
3:41:33she had been playing outside right up to
3:41:35the start of the ceremony without time
3:41:37to even wash her hands. Skill teaching
3:41:40request bestial regeneration.
3:41:43Carl handed her the ring while Cara
3:41:45gloated in his mind. Good call. That's
3:41:48the skill that all lotus type creatures
3:41:50need. They're prone to self-inflicted
3:41:53injuries. The void badger congratulated
3:41:56him. Carl moved on, passing out the
3:41:59rings to the students. Well over half
3:42:02were able to equip the rings, and the
3:42:04guards were quickly getting overwhelmed
3:42:06with the escort missions. They had
3:42:08started taking them three at a time
3:42:10because it was a long walk to the
3:42:12waiting room, but they were still having
3:42:13to run back to get the next batch. The
3:42:16kids were a bit disoriented after the
3:42:18class selection screen or whatever
3:42:20notice they got, and they still needed
3:42:22the escort, so Carl couldn't just have
3:42:24them walk to the exit. But he was almost
3:42:27at the end of his line, and the last few
3:42:29students were just as nervous as the
3:42:31first few had been. Behind Carl, the
3:42:34nurses had started with the injections,
3:42:36hoping to get a few more elites out of
3:42:38the process. The second wave was
3:42:40renewing the hope of the students still
3:42:42seated, as well as their parents sitting
3:42:44in the crowd.
3:42:46The clerics had an area healing spell
3:42:48active, hoping to give the ones who were
3:42:50minimally compatible with the injection
3:42:51a better chance of success when injured
3:42:53by the power. That was normal in the
3:42:56capital and other large cities that had
3:42:58powerful clerics present, and it greatly
3:43:00reduced the number of lingering injuries
3:43:02that the students they sent to the train
3:43:04would have. It wasn't looking too
3:43:06hopeful for the students, but the
3:43:08success rate was generally not great
3:43:10with the injection to start with, and
3:43:12presumably most of the successes would
3:43:14have awakened with the first method.
3:43:16Carl finished with one final success and
3:43:19turned back to watch the nurses make
3:43:20their way down the line. There was a
3:43:23success in Ray's line, then one in
3:43:25Oilia,
3:43:27but that was it. Carl could see that a
3:43:30few were having bad reactions to the
3:43:31injection, but the healing spell in
3:43:33effect was keeping them stable while the
3:43:35power passed through their bodies. The
3:43:38mood in the crowd was jubilant with the
3:43:40overjoyed parents outnumbering the
3:43:42defeated ones for the first time in
3:43:43history. Normally, Carl assumed the
3:43:46crowd would be congratulating the lucky
3:43:48few, but now it was a mix between
3:43:50sympathy for the parents of the students
3:43:52still sitting and congratulations given
3:43:54to the parents of the ones who had been
3:43:56led away. The rest of the ceremony was
3:43:59supposed to be focused on the students
3:44:00who would be going on to further classes
3:44:02or looking for work. So Carl and his
3:44:05team retreated to the back of the podium
3:44:07so they wouldn't interfere with the
3:44:08inspirational speeches and songs that
3:44:10were coming. Fortunately for everyone,
3:44:13those would be given by someone other
3:44:15than the superintendent.
3:44:17Carl turned when he heard someone enter
3:44:19and watched as the crowd followed his
3:44:20gaze. It was an amusing sight, watching
3:44:24thousands of people all turn in unison
3:44:26because he had heard footsteps. But it
3:44:28worked out perfectly as a young elite in
3:44:30an idol's short frilly dress waved to
3:44:32the crowd and strutdded up to take the
3:44:33stage. Only once she got into the open,
3:44:37all her attention was on the gathered
3:44:39guests. Nobody had warned her that
3:44:41things were changing this year, and she
3:44:43had been expecting a few school
3:44:45officials, plus the nurses.
3:44:47Experience new stories on Empire.
3:44:50not a whole group of royal and monarch
3:44:53ranked elites, plus the head librarian.
3:44:56The idol was probably someone famous in
3:44:58the capital, but Carl had no idea who
3:45:00the ascended rank girl was. The feeling
3:45:03was mutual, but she was well-trained and
3:45:05managed to keep to her routine as she
3:45:07took the stage. Not even the massive
3:45:10number of empty seats on the auditorium
3:45:12floor was enough to throw her off her
3:45:14performance.
3:45:15Good morning, everyone. Congratulations
3:45:18to all of our new elites and their
3:45:20families. But for everyone else, today
3:45:23is still a very special day. For today
3:45:26is the capital job fair. Once the sales
3:45:30pitch for the job fair was open, the
3:45:32announcers declared that the students
3:45:34could come up and meet with the elites.
3:45:36There was no need to do that for the
3:45:38others. They were about to become the
3:45:40elites. But for those left in the
3:45:41auditorium seats, this was a big event
3:45:44for them. Carl came down from the stage
3:45:47to meet with the kids who looked shocked
3:45:49that someone was actually coming down to
3:45:50talk to them, not just answering
3:45:52questions from above. Mr. Monarch, is it
3:45:56true that you led the soldiers to defend
3:45:57the north side of the city? One of the
3:46:00kids asked, eyes sparkling with hero
3:46:02worship. Not just me. My whole team
3:46:06spread out along the north side of the
3:46:08city so that we could coordinate. With
3:46:11so many brave soldiers on the line, we
3:46:13had to do our best.
3:46:15Carl agreed. A group of the kids
3:46:18immediately swarmed him to hug him,
3:46:20reminding Carl that many of these people
3:46:22had family in the army. The rest of the
3:46:24team remained on the stage with the
3:46:26school officials, though Lotus was
3:46:28sitting on the edge to talk to the
3:46:29students. The kids were mostly
3:46:32chattering to each other as they formed
3:46:34another question. Then one of the girls
3:46:36pointed at Carl and gasped. I know who
3:46:39you are. You were on the news with the
3:46:41lightning arrow. I think you were still
3:46:44a commander or a royal then, weren't
3:46:46you? Did you just advance?
3:46:49Can we see the arrow? She asked. Carl
3:46:54smiled. Thor is standing up on the stage
3:46:57right now. Green hair and shining armor.
3:47:01It's a transformation spell that lets
3:47:02him look human. He will be glad to hear
3:47:05that you're a fan, though. However, I do
3:47:08have one more friend that could come out
3:47:10to say hello. Cara, would you like to
3:47:13meet the students? Cara came out to
3:47:16stand on the edge of the stage, looking
3:47:18down at the students, then spread her
3:47:20wings to hop over to Carl's shoulder.
3:47:23She leaned down with her paws on his
3:47:24chest to get a closer look at the kids,
3:47:26then nose bumped the girl and licked her
3:47:28cheek. Cara reveled in the attention as
3:47:31the kids began to praise her, and Carl
3:47:33sensed Thor mentally rolling his eyes.
3:47:36Were the kids not praising him and
3:47:38looking forward to seeing the Sero only
3:47:40seconds ago? That shameless sister was
3:47:43just happily stealing all the attention.
3:47:46But Thor was fine with watching over his
3:47:48pack while they were among so many
3:47:49strangers. And not many things in the
3:47:52world could harm Cara. Not that the kids
3:47:54were trying. They seemed to think that
3:47:57Cara was some sort of domestic pet and
3:47:59she had no problem basking in the
3:48:01attention for a few minutes. We have a
3:48:04plan. Remy and Lotus and I are going to
3:48:07go find the baby rogue and fix her ears
3:48:09before she leaves.
3:48:11Make sure that the humans don't try to
3:48:13stop us. Cara informed Carl as the
3:48:16attention began to die down. I will get
3:48:18you an escort. Carl gestured for one of
3:48:22the soldiers to come over and briefly
3:48:24explain the situation.
3:48:26Remy would come out once they were in
3:48:28the back rooms so they didn't terrify
3:48:30the public with a naga queen appearing
3:48:31out of nowhere.
3:48:33Rey thought it would be great fun, but
3:48:36she was also considering just turning
3:48:38back into a spider for a bit to make
3:48:39people stop asking her dumb questions.
3:48:42Cara was happy to communicate with
3:48:44system messages so that Cibil knew they
3:48:47were coming and Lotus didn't
3:48:48misunderstand what they were up to when
3:48:50they started using destructive magic on
3:48:52the rogue. It took them a few minutes,
3:48:54but after carefully examining the inside
3:48:56of Cara's ear and comparing it to
3:48:58Cibbles, Lotus was certain that she
3:49:00could shape her healing magic to
3:49:02recreate the destroyed tissue into a
3:49:03properly functional inner ear construct.
3:49:06Cybil was still quite lerary of this
3:49:08whole idea as it did involve using
3:49:11disintegrate to destroy her entire inner
3:49:13ear, then a healing potion and lotus
3:49:16regrowth healing spell to rebuild the
3:49:18missing portion of her head. Lotus
3:49:20patted the rogue gently as they finished
3:49:22their preparations.
3:49:24Relax and sit perfectly still. We will
3:49:28have you fixed up in no time at all.
3:49:31Remy has done extensive research on the
3:49:33topic and she made custom potions to
3:49:35help you recover. The odds are excellent
3:49:38that you will be able to hear as well as
3:49:39anyone else in the group before we leave
3:49:41this room. The rest of Cibbil's team was
3:49:44watching intense anticipation as she
3:49:46reluctantly nodded and Remy took out two
3:49:48small potions before nodding at Cara.
3:49:51The void badger focused intensely, then
3:49:54activated disintegrate a half second
3:49:56before Remy splashed the potions in both
3:49:59of Cibil<unk>'s ears at the same time,
3:50:00and Lotus began her healing spell. For
3:50:04five long seconds that felt like hours
3:50:06to those watching, blood trickled from
3:50:08Cibil<unk>s ears, then slowly vanished.
3:50:11When the process was over, her ears had
3:50:13changed shape, getting slightly pointy
3:50:15instead of small and round. But other
3:50:18than that, Lotus was certain she had
3:50:20done the spell properly. It was probably
3:50:23just because she thought pointy ears
3:50:25were cute. That had to be it. For a few
3:50:29more seconds after they finished, there
3:50:31was silence in the room, then a squeak
3:50:33from Cibil, followed by a wse of pain. I
3:50:36can hear heartbeats.
3:50:38You did it wrong. Hearing is painful.
3:50:41Make it stop. She complained by message.
3:50:45Oh, right. There is no ear wax to dampen
3:50:48sounds.
3:50:49Here, put these in. Lotus voice pained
3:50:53the rogue, but once the earplugs were in
3:50:55place, she breathed a sigh of relief.
3:50:58She shaped her mouth and let out a
3:51:00series of squeaks before frowning and
3:51:02sending a mass message to her team. I
3:51:05don't know how to make the mouth noises.
3:51:08Collective face palms ensued. I didn't
3:51:11think about that. Do you even understand
3:51:13what people are saying? Lotus asked
3:51:16quietly, not wanting to hurt her
3:51:18delicate ears. Sibil nodded and gave
3:51:21them a thumbs up. I think that the
3:51:24system translates for me like Mr. Carl
3:51:26said it does for orcs because I
3:51:27understand perfectly without even seeing
3:51:29you talk. I've never heard words before,
3:51:32but I believe that you have a beautiful
3:51:34voice. Lotus hugged Cibil, who was
3:51:37laughing silently at how happy the
3:51:39priestess was to get a compliment. "Is
3:51:42the world supposed to be this loud? Is
3:51:44there a volume control?" "I can hear
3:51:47people talking in the auditorium, and
3:51:49it's distracting."
3:51:51Cibil asked, messaging everyone in the
3:51:53room. The rest of the team of recruits
3:51:56looked at her like she was crazy, but
3:51:58Cara just shrugged. "Sounds right. Our
3:52:02Dana has candy in her pocket. I can hear
3:52:04the rapper crinkling. Joan snapped her
3:52:07fingers, catching everyone's attention
3:52:09and making Cibil wsece again. You used
3:52:12Cara as a pattern. Cara doesn't hear
3:52:15like a human does. You made her hearing
3:52:18far too sensitive. I can't hear
3:52:21heartbeats or anything outside this room
3:52:23with the door closed. If Cara can hear
3:52:26candy wrappers from 50 m away through a
3:52:29closed door, that is definitely not
3:52:31human hearing. the young cleric
3:52:33explained.
3:52:35Cara and Lotus stared at each other for
3:52:37a moment. Then Cara shrugged.
3:52:39Echolocation should work really well now
3:52:42though. Right? Cibil sighed as she
3:52:45realized no help would be coming from
3:52:47the beasts who viewed the mission as a
3:52:49success now that she could hear.
3:52:52Fortunately, she had some points
3:52:54available and there was one which she
3:52:56could use to solve her problem. Silence
3:52:59dampens all sound within a specified
3:53:01area.
3:53:02If she just cast it on her head, she
3:53:04wouldn't have to listen anymore.
3:53:07After 15 minutes of chatting with the
3:53:09elites, the job fair was officially
3:53:11beginning. The booths were set up in the
3:53:14park outside the auditorium by employers
3:53:16who were looking for workers and
3:53:17apprentices, with the first hour
3:53:19dedicated to the new graduates, and then
3:53:21the rest of the weekend for the general
3:53:23population to job hunt. It wasn't just
3:53:26companies in the capital, but those in
3:53:28the surrounding regions as well, and
3:53:30many of the positions would be filled by
3:53:31the university educated and lower
3:53:33ranking elites. The librarian nudged
3:53:36Carl with her shoulder. Are you going to
3:53:39go look for a full-time job? You know,
3:53:42something to build up your public image
3:53:44and reputation with the people. If you
3:53:46wait for overlord rank, you'll be too
3:53:49busy for such leisurely pursuits.
3:53:51Carl shook his head. I already have a
3:53:54plan in mind. I just didn't expect
3:53:57things to change so quickly. But that
3:54:00reminds me, I need to talk to a certain
3:54:02banker to speed up the plans. Librarian
3:54:05Kellosa nodded, then turned to join some
3:54:08of the university researchers who were
3:54:10pitching projects looking for workers.
3:54:12Dana poked Carl in the ribs. You have a
3:54:16project planned? Carl laughed.
3:54:19Sort of. Originally, I was going to
3:54:22sponsor a large office tower or
3:54:24something with my name on it, but I have
3:54:26a better idea now that we know how to
3:54:28awaken beast rangers. I think that I
3:54:31should start a compound for raising
3:54:33potentially beneficial beasts.
3:54:36Once we have a spot for the compound, I
3:54:38will have to figure out how to actually
3:54:39get residents, but it shouldn't be too
3:54:42hard with the proper application of
3:54:43bribes. Dana laughed, and Tessa gave
3:54:46Carl a curious look. Are you planning to
3:54:49take in orphan beasts or a wandering
3:54:51seropac or something? Both. I think
3:54:56that's a great plan. I need to work on
3:54:58my rune crafting, but it should be
3:55:00possible to grow crops to keep them fed
3:55:03the way that the beast spaces do. Then
3:55:06we can take a commission when rangers
3:55:08who are advancing come looking for a new
3:55:09partner. There were also a number of
3:55:12other advancement options available that
3:55:14weren't beast ranger but would allow the
3:55:16rangers to pick a magical beast. And
3:55:19what if they don't come flocking to your
3:55:20farm to find new friends? Tessa asked.
3:55:24Then we advertise it as a petting zoo
3:55:27for green dragon clerics. We will be
3:55:30rich. Tessa and Oilia burst into
3:55:33laughter while Dana sighed and leaned
3:55:35against Carl's side. He wrapped his arm
3:55:38over her shoulder and smiled at the
3:55:39mage. See, it's a brilliant plan. Plus,
3:55:44if we bring in Sarah, we know that
3:55:46they're not going to object to people
3:55:48coming to give them attention and head
3:55:49pats every day. That sounded good to
3:55:52Thor. In fact, he wondered why nobody
3:55:55had thought of that before. No need to
3:55:58travel to find the good food and nature
3:56:00cleric heads.
3:56:02Pure luxury. Rey thought about reminding
3:56:05him that it came with a loss of freedom
3:56:07and that they would be stuck within a
3:56:09compound, but quickly realized that the
3:56:11lightning Sarah wouldn't see that as
3:56:13necessarily a bad thing. They would just
3:56:16become territorial and protect the
3:56:17compound where the food was. The fact
3:56:20that there was a wall around it was a
3:56:22bonus in their minds. Carl kept Dana
3:56:25under his arm as he left the auditorium,
3:56:27leading the group. If he was lucky, he
3:56:30would be able to find someone from the
3:56:32Roth Savings and Loan Group. The banking
3:56:35conglomerates had set up a very
3:56:37professional group of stalls for the
3:56:38hiring fair, but they were staffed by
3:56:40juniors from the human resources
3:56:42department. If he was going to talk to
3:56:44Nathan Roth, he would have to wait or
3:56:46call for him. It was still the early
3:56:49access period for the students, so this
3:56:51whole area was mostly empty. They
3:56:54wouldn't be hiring middle school
3:56:55students for a financial group unless
3:56:57they needed janitors.
3:56:59But once the others arrived, they would
3:57:01surely have a lineup. "Is there anyone
3:57:04that you would like to meet with before
3:57:05we go?" Carl asked, directing the
3:57:08question to everyone else in the group.
3:57:11Then he wondered where Lotus had gone
3:57:13with Cara and Remy now that they were
3:57:15done with the experiment on Cibil. It
3:57:18felt like they were still in the
3:57:19auditorium building, but he wasn't
3:57:21getting much information from Remy or
3:57:22Car's thoughts. Everyone shook their
3:57:25heads in confirmation that they really
3:57:27didn't have anything that they wanted to
3:57:28do here at the job fair, but they
3:57:30wouldn't be able to escape quite that
3:57:32easily. Monarch, Monarch, a moment of
3:57:36your time, if you would. A voice was
3:57:39calling. Carl turned to find a young
3:57:42woman in blue robes waving while jogging
3:57:44his way and briefly considered running
3:57:46away before the blue dragon clerics
3:57:48could catch up to him again. But he
3:57:51decided that it was better to deal with
3:57:52the curiosity now instead of after he
3:57:55got home when he wouldn't have anywhere
3:57:57to escape to. How can I help you today,
3:58:00priestess?
3:58:01He asked. The cleric stopped
3:58:04uncomfortably close to Carl, ignoring
3:58:06the look that Dana was giving her, then
3:58:08lowered her voice so that she wouldn't
3:58:10be overheard by others. Is there any
3:58:12chance that I can get the new lightning
3:58:14zone skill? I know your daily usages are
3:58:18limited, but my sisters are being stingy
3:58:20with the copies we have available, and
3:58:22being able to copy a new tome would
3:58:24really help my grades," she whispered.
3:58:28Of course, she was an awakened ranked
3:58:30priestess, so she was way down the list
3:58:32of candidates for limited edition skill
3:58:34books. But Dana sighed in relief that
3:58:36the question was a perfectly normal one
3:58:38for the Blue Sisterhood.
3:58:40Carl smiled and poked her on the
3:58:41forehead as he activated the skill. And
3:58:44then the priestess pulled both him and
3:58:45Dana into a hug. Thank you so much. I
3:58:50need to get to the library. My next
3:58:52assignment is due in only 8 days.
3:58:55Thank you again, Monarch Carl. I won't
3:58:58forget this kindness.
3:59:00Then she was gone again, and the
3:59:02bystanders were left utterly baffled by
3:59:05whatever had gone on between the two. It
3:59:08wasn't often that the blue dragon
3:59:09clerics asked for favors or were even
3:59:11seen outside their classrooms.
3:59:14But that one sure was excited. "You're
3:59:17like a walking solstice present to them,
3:59:19aren't you?" Dana joked. Tessa smirked.
3:59:24The Green Dragon clerics get all the
3:59:26flack for being crazy, but the blue
3:59:28dragon's followers are just as excitable
3:59:30once you're on the right topic.
3:59:32Carl watched the cleric run back to her
3:59:34work and then noticed a small stand at
3:59:36the edge of the financial sector of the
3:59:38job fair, as if it had been forced out
3:59:40by the more powerful conglomerates.
3:59:43The operator appeared to be a nature
3:59:45priestess or an acolyte.
3:59:47Carl moved forward so that he could see
3:59:49the sign while the operator nervously
3:59:51waited for someone to come close enough
3:59:53to call out to Nico's Cat Cafe. Hiring
3:59:57food service staff and cooks willing to
4:00:00work with investors of all sorts. Remy,
4:00:04bring Lotus to us. There is a cat cafe
4:00:07opening. I think she will love it. Carl
4:00:11instructed.
4:00:13All right. We are just chatting with the
4:00:15recruits.
4:00:17They're going to head to the train soon.
4:00:20Everyone is jealous of our group and
4:00:21their head start. Carl walked up to the
4:00:24bubbly young acolyte as he confirmed
4:00:26after he was close enough. She was
4:00:29common rank and wearing nature priestess
4:00:31robes, so she had to be an acolyte who
4:00:34was working on a project she thought
4:00:35would please her goddess. "Good morning,
4:00:38monarch, princesses, high priestess.
4:00:42Might you be interested in hearing about
4:00:44Nikico's cat cafe?" she asked hopefully.
4:00:48Yes, I also have a nature high priestess
4:00:51on her way here and I am certain that
4:00:53she would approve of your initiative.
4:00:55The acolyte laughed. I somehow doubt
4:00:59that. Everyone says that my idea is
4:01:02dumb. Our dorm area is already filled
4:01:05with cats, so why would we go out to see
4:01:07them? But if you look at my business
4:01:09plan and the carefully collected data,
4:01:11the company of friendly beasts of the
4:01:13furry sort is popular with over 30% of
4:01:16the population. That alone is enough of
4:01:18a market share that I believe there is
4:01:20room for a cat cafe, and I have found a
4:01:22vacancy at the perfect location on the
4:01:24walking street near the central park
4:01:26pending funding. Carl waved his hand and
4:01:29created a stone chair with earth barrier
4:01:32to sit across the table from her, and
4:01:34the young cleric raced around to see
4:01:36what he had done. You have a free chair
4:01:38skill. That is wonderful. Does it make
4:01:42other chairs? Can it make more? She
4:01:46gushed. It's an earth barrier defensive
4:01:49spell. It's not intended for making
4:01:52chairs. But yes, I can make multiple
4:01:55styles of chairs or whole rows of them.
4:01:58Carl laughed while Dana turned away to
4:02:00hide her laughter. The acolyte slowly
4:02:04calmed down while the nearby bankers
4:02:06shook their heads in dismay. She was
4:02:08making a pitch for funding by a monarch,
4:02:10but she couldn't even remain serious for
4:02:1210 seconds. They saw no chance that she
4:02:16would actually succeed at business. Once
4:02:19she was back in her seat, Carl started
4:02:21with the important questions. Do you
4:02:23anticipate any issues getting permits to
4:02:26serve food and drink around animals?
4:02:28Quality products will be essential to
4:02:30the survival of your business. No
4:02:33customer will suffer bad coffee just to
4:02:35be with cats. After all, the priestesses
4:02:38and other cat enthusiasts can chase
4:02:40blink cats all over the city. Nico
4:02:43giggled and nodded in agreement. I have
4:02:46the advanced food creation spell from my
4:02:48goddess, though it's still common grade.
4:02:51not really up to the standards of the
4:02:53higher elites, but it allows me to make
4:02:56a full range of basic products and
4:02:58spices and I am an excellent baker. The
4:03:01products that are more difficult as well
4:03:03as the specific brews of teas I will
4:03:05have to order in the predicted costs are
4:03:08in the business plan. She was well
4:03:11prepared. Carl noticed she had a full
4:03:14menu with all ingredients and costs
4:03:17listed. time to make and prep the ones
4:03:20she was creating listed on a weekly
4:03:21basis. Staff hours, animal maintenance
4:03:24costs, and all the other line items Carl
4:03:26would expect on an expense sheet at the
4:03:28mines. Tessa was reading over his
4:03:31shoulder as she was actually educated on
4:03:33the economics of feeding people, and she
4:03:35was making encouraging faces, so Carl
4:03:38assumed the numbers weren't outlandish.
4:03:40The final page detailed what she needed.
4:03:44a total of 150,000 credits in seed money
4:03:47for equipment and renovations as well as
4:03:49the lease on the location. Carl inwardly
4:03:52sighed as he realized that the annual
4:03:54lease for the location was only 30,000
4:03:56credits, hardly more than a month's rent
4:03:58at his apartment. He really was living
4:04:01extravagantly.
4:04:03So, my primary concern is whether you
4:04:05will be able to find reliable staff as
4:04:08well as suitably socialized cats.
4:04:10After all, ones with even a hint of a
4:04:13temper could be a problem in a cat cafe.
4:04:16Carl informed her. Nico nodded in
4:04:19agreement. Fortunately, we have a stable
4:04:22source. It's here on page seven. There
4:04:26is a shelter that is willing to work
4:04:27with me so that the cats can be adopted
4:04:29straight from the cafe should the
4:04:31customer be interested. It's a win for
4:04:34everyone. At that point, Lotus came
4:04:37running through the crowd which was
4:04:39parting around her as the priestess was
4:04:41wearing Remy as a necklace in spirit
4:04:43snake form with Cara chasing after her.
4:04:46The sight was terrifying to the locals
4:04:48as spirit snakes were venomous and a
4:04:51monarch rank one thicker than most men's
4:04:53arms was no laughing matter if it was
4:04:55not a bonded beast of some sort. The
4:04:57fact that it was draped around the neck
4:04:59of a nature priestess did not guarantee
4:05:01safety. What did I miss? Lotus asked,
4:05:05puffing for air after carrying Remy so
4:05:07far. This lovely young acolyte is
4:05:10working to set up a cat cafe, and I was
4:05:13considering helping her with an
4:05:14investment, Carl explained.
4:05:18Oh, do you have interior designs?
4:05:21Lotus asked. Nico smiled and flipped
4:05:25open her binder full of exquisitly
4:05:26detailed drawings.
4:05:29Now, there are a few designs there as I
4:05:31wasn't sure what facility I will be able
4:05:33to get. The landlords wouldn't hold them
4:05:36without payment, and I don't have any
4:05:38seed money yet, Nico explained.
4:05:42That won't be a problem. Someone here
4:05:44will surely be interested.
4:05:47Lotus dismissed the concern as she
4:05:48flipped through pictures of walls lined
4:05:50with climbing platforms and scratching
4:05:52posts for the cats with tables covered
4:05:54in white lace cloths. Are you really
4:05:57going to fund a random cafe by a Green
4:05:59Dragon acolyte? One of the nearby
4:06:02financial service booth operators asked
4:06:04Carl as he watched the two discuss
4:06:06design. Carl nodded. The plans are for a
4:06:10quality bakery and a cafe specializing
4:06:13in desserts and exotic teas. The design
4:06:16even includes a pickup window for those
4:06:18not interested in sitting with the cats.
4:06:21The banker looked at him like he was
4:06:23crazy, then shook his head and turned
4:06:25away.
4:06:26If the elite wanted to waste money on
4:06:28charity, so be it. The gathering of
4:06:31powerful elites attracted the attention
4:06:33of a few of the students, which caused
4:06:35Cara and Remy to retreat to their
4:06:36spaces. They didn't want to terrify the
4:06:39young job seekers, and especially not if
4:06:42Carl was going to be investing in this
4:06:44shop. Just the presence of the group who
4:06:46had been chosen to present the first
4:06:48opportunity to become elites was enough
4:06:50to draw the young job seekers to the
4:06:51booth, much to the dismay of other
4:06:53companies looking to hire them. and the
4:06:55delight of the nearby stalls that needed
4:06:57entry-level workers. "Princess, what
4:07:00sort of business is this?" One of the
4:07:03girls whispered to Dana. At first, she
4:07:06was startled, not used to being called
4:07:08princess so reverently, and Carl made a
4:07:10mental note to do it more often. It's a
4:07:13cat cafe. Nature priestesses and beast
4:07:17masters seem immediately drawn to it.
4:07:19she whispered back. Like a cafe with
4:07:23cats just running around to pet. That is
4:07:26great. Are they hiring? I would apply
4:07:29for that. Lotus came over and hugged the
4:07:32girl from behind.
4:07:34Yes, she will be hiring as soon as the
4:07:36talks are done. They have openings for
4:07:3910 servers and four bakery staff. One of
4:07:42the boys who had come over mostly to
4:07:44just get a better look at the elites
4:07:45turned to look at her in shock. They're
4:07:48going to bake everything in house. Most
4:07:51places order in their pastries,
4:07:53he commented.
4:07:55They will specialize in desserts and
4:07:57snacks, not full meals. So, the acolyte
4:08:00wants to hire staff to help her do all
4:08:01the baking. Lotus informed him happily.
4:08:05I will go get my friends. Their parents
4:08:08are bakers. Then he ran off, leaving
4:08:12Lotus extremely pleased with herself. It
4:08:15wouldn't take them long to get the
4:08:16acolytes goals filled this way. But even
4:08:19better, it looked like she wouldn't even
4:08:21have to plead to get someone to cover
4:08:23the funding. As a high priestess, her
4:08:26earnings were for the good of the
4:08:27church, and she lived off a stipend.
4:08:30Well, in theory, mostly she lived off
4:08:34Hawk's meat pile and Ray's design
4:08:36talents. Even the royal priestess robes
4:08:39she was wearing were made by Ry and not
4:08:41the church. These ones were much more
4:08:44comfortable and they smelled like raised
4:08:46silk, the same as Lotus favorite
4:08:48hammock. Finding applicants to become
4:08:50servers was far too easy. And Tessa had
4:08:53a list of over 30 within the next 5
4:08:55minutes before the boy came back with
4:08:57his friends. Are we too late? He asked
4:09:01Lotus after seeing the line gathered
4:09:03around Tessa.
4:09:05Not at all. There will be some
4:09:07interviews, but skilled bakers were
4:09:09expected to come later, so I don't know
4:09:11if there are any on the list yet. That
4:09:13caught the attention of one of the
4:09:15bankers who had scoffed at Carl's
4:09:17interest earlier. It really looked like
4:09:19this business was going to get started,
4:09:21and he happened to know a masterier who
4:09:23was out of work after her employer had
4:09:25shut down to sell the business to a real
4:09:27estate investor. As crazy as the idea
4:09:30was, if they had a real master baker
4:09:33working with a nature cleric, there was
4:09:35no reason that they couldn't succeed,
4:09:36and his friend might be able to take
4:09:38over when the acolyte inevitably flaked
4:09:40out in a few months. He sent a runner to
4:09:43bring her over early. The event wasn't
4:09:46open to the public yet, but he sent the
4:09:48boy with a vendor pass to get her in. A
4:09:51little head start could make all the
4:09:52difference in the world when they were
4:09:54dealing with a monarch's whimsy and
4:09:55wealth. Carl vaguely noticed when Oilia
4:09:58and Ray vanished, most likely with the
4:10:01use of shadow step, but he was busy
4:10:04finalizing the deals and signing the
4:10:06funding documents for the shop. The
4:10:08master baker was there only minutes
4:10:10later as she had been intending to
4:10:12attend anyhow in search of an executive
4:10:14chef position. She approached on her
4:10:17own, but still wearing the vendor badge
4:10:19for the financial group. Acolyte Nico,
4:10:23she asked politely.
4:10:25Yes, I am master baker Genevieve. I
4:10:29would like to apply to become the head
4:10:31baker in your shop. I have decades of
4:10:34experience making exclusively baked
4:10:36goods, succulents, and desserts. If you
4:10:39have time, could we talk? That made Nico
4:10:43extremely nervous.
4:10:45She hadn't been prepared for such a
4:10:46capable applicant. And now that there
4:10:48was one, she wasn't sure that her offer
4:10:51would even be close to enough to keep
4:10:52her interested.
4:10:54Um, yes. This is an excellent time as we
4:10:58have a pair of Baker apprentices present
4:11:00and more coming. I suppose that we can
4:11:03start with the offer. Where is it? Here
4:11:06we go. Nico rambled, then gathered
4:11:10herself once she found the right page in
4:11:12her folders. Genevieve took the two-page
4:11:15document and carefully read through it,
4:11:17then went over it again. Honestly, the
4:11:20base pay was incredibly low by her
4:11:22standards.
4:11:23But Nico had offered a portion of the
4:11:25bakery sales to the head baker as an
4:11:27incentive. If she could build an
4:11:30independent reputation for fine sweets,
4:11:32even a small bakery could create enough
4:11:34revenue to make up for it. The fact that
4:11:37it was also a cat cafe would be
4:11:39irrelevant to the sorts of corporate
4:11:40catering clients that would pay
4:11:42exorbitant fees to have custom platters
4:11:44baked by a master chef. Once the
4:11:47reputation of the shop's bakery was
4:11:48established, there was some hope that
4:11:50she could leverage that into far greater
4:11:52profit than a regular employment
4:11:54contract.
4:11:55She was out of work, but not desperate,
4:11:58and the master baker wondered why she
4:11:59had been called. Then she noticed the
4:12:02man sitting on the magical chair across
4:12:04the table, and realized that it was a
4:12:06power play by her friend. The monarch
4:12:09ranked backer must be extremely wealthy,
4:12:11so the banker had thought that this was
4:12:13a safe investment for her. He hadn't had
4:12:16time to explain anything, but she was
4:12:18seeing all good things from the
4:12:19prospects being vetted by a royal high
4:12:21priestess. What other sorts of hidden
4:12:24connections did this young acolyte have?
4:12:27I have one condition. I want the right
4:12:30to all staff management in the kitchen.
4:12:33You can handle the front of the house as
4:12:34you see fit, but I want full freedom to
4:12:37set the menu and deal with my kitchen
4:12:38staff. Genevieve demanded. Put it in the
4:12:42contract. I don't have an objection to
4:12:45that. The contract was amended and
4:12:48signed. Then the baker turned to the boy
4:12:50and girl waiting anxiously nearby.
4:12:53You two, I know your parents. The bread
4:12:57shop on 6th, right? She asked. The two
4:13:02students nodded. You will do. If you're
4:13:05not up to standard, I will take it up
4:13:07with your mother. That made them pale.
4:13:11They might be the youngest in the
4:13:12family, but they didn't get enough
4:13:14favoritism to save them from their
4:13:16mother's wrath if they embarrassed her
4:13:17culinary skills. A few more applicants
4:13:20came forward with their credentials as
4:13:22bakers, and four more were chosen,
4:13:24bringing the total kitchen staff to
4:13:26seven, nearly double what Nico had
4:13:28planned on. But that was her deal with
4:13:31the chef, and they had way more front
4:13:33staff than they needed as well. In the
4:13:36worst case scenario, some of the hosts
4:13:38and hostesses could be part-time
4:13:40employees.
4:13:41Then Oilia and Ray returned with
4:13:43triumphant looks on their faces. We got
4:13:46the unit, "Did you know that you can
4:13:48trade shiny rocks for a whole building?"
4:13:51Ry asked. Carl rolled her eyes at her.
4:13:56Did you buy the building that Nico
4:13:57wanted to rent a unit in? Nope. Oilia
4:14:00did. She reminded me that Hawk and I
4:14:03loot all the battlefields, so I really
4:14:05should share some wealth. Then she
4:14:08bought the building. It's pretty, and
4:14:10there are two other shops with
4:14:12apartments over them, plus this one and
4:14:14the empty unit above it. Oilia says that
4:14:17the price was good, and the landlord
4:14:19didn't argue at all with her offer. Does
4:14:22that mean I'm Nico's boss now? Carl
4:14:25laughed quietly and resisted the urge to
4:14:27shake his head as he replied. No, Oilia
4:14:31is her landlord. You don't get to boss
4:14:34her around. But she is a nature
4:14:37priestess, so you can probably bring her
4:14:39to play with you and Lotus in the park
4:14:40later. Carl tapped the table to catch
4:14:43Nico's attention, as well as Genevieves.
4:14:46The building has been purchased by my
4:14:48associate so the rental contract can be
4:14:51guaranteed and the residential unit over
4:14:53the bakery is included. Genevieve smiled
4:14:56and Nico got up to hug the much taller
4:14:58woman around the waist. So when do we
4:15:01start shopping for kitchen equipment?
4:15:04I'll take care of the front and we will
4:15:06have all the funds we need for the
4:15:07renovation as soon as I process this
4:15:09funding document. Nico explained holding
4:15:13up the papers Carl signed. The banker
4:15:16next to them cleared his throat. I have
4:15:18a mobile access terminal here. Would you
4:15:21like to open a corporate account with
4:15:23our capital branch? The faster
4:15:25everything was settled, the more secure
4:15:27his friend's new baking job was. Nico's
4:15:31smile lit up her face. Yes, thank you.
4:15:35That would be wonderful. Can you link it
4:15:38to my identification badge from here?
4:15:40Carl patted her on the head, then nodded
4:15:43to Genevieve. It's been a pleasure
4:15:45meeting you all and I look forward to
4:15:47seeing how your business does. It might
4:15:50take years to get a full return on
4:15:52investment, but it was a big milestone
4:15:54for Carl. His first real investment as
4:15:57an elite. Now that the details were
4:16:00finished, Tessa handed over the short
4:16:02list of potential staff and their job
4:16:03was done. The train would be here soon
4:16:06to pick the students up and then there
4:16:08would be an escorted parade of sorts as
4:16:10it left the city. This was the first
4:16:13stop and the others would be picked up
4:16:14later in the day when the cars were
4:16:16transferred between locomotives for the
4:16:18final leg to the academy. "What is the
4:16:21plan for the rest of the day?" Tessa
4:16:24asked as she carefully tucked the folder
4:16:26with the land deed documents into her
4:16:28coat. That little rental property would
4:16:30provide a nice, steady monthly income
4:16:33for her parents, no matter where she
4:16:35happened to be in the future as an
4:16:36elite. Three commercial units with
4:16:39shopkeeper suites brought in far more
4:16:41than was necessary to be called a
4:16:42comfortable living in her neighborhood.
4:16:45Carl smiled.
4:16:47Well, I should send a little something
4:16:48to my parents. I haven't heard from them
4:16:51in a while and I missed them when we
4:16:53went on the mission to the area. I know
4:16:56my dad got promoted and they're making
4:16:58good money now, but I'm sure I can do
4:17:00better than that for them. Dana smiled,
4:17:04planning to bring them to the capital.
4:17:06Oilia nodded while Carl shook his head.
4:17:09Do you think I could convince my dad to
4:17:11leave now that he's one of the big
4:17:13bosses setting company policy for his
4:17:15old friends down in the mines? No, he
4:17:18would rather stay there. But that
4:17:21doesn't mean I can't have them living a
4:17:22life of luxury while he works. That
4:17:25would only take a few minutes at the
4:17:27station in the cathedral or any bank
4:17:29branch. His father made nearly 50,000
4:17:32credits a year after his raise when he
4:17:34made 9,000 a year before it. So even if
4:17:38Carl sent him a few hundred,000, he
4:17:40would have more money than he knew what
4:17:42to do with. Carl knew his father well.
4:17:46He wouldn't go for all the fancy stuff
4:17:48for himself. Instead, he would buy
4:17:51things that mother liked and then sneak
4:17:53some generous donations to families in
4:17:55need at the mines. Not enough to cause a
4:17:58fuss, but enough to solve the problem.
4:18:01That was just the sort of person he was.
4:18:04Then Carl gave Dana a curious look. What
4:18:07about yours? Planning to send them
4:18:10anything? Money, an evening visit from
4:18:13Ry? A puppy? Dana snorted in amusement.
4:18:18Depending on the day, all three of those
4:18:20feel like valid options. My father is
4:18:23allergic to dogs, but I set up a trust
4:18:26for my mother, so she has monthly money
4:18:28sent to her. Beyond that, I am not in
4:18:32any particular hurry to change things.
4:18:35Then I suppose we can retire for the
4:18:37day. We've all been busy for a while,
4:18:39either training younglings or keeping
4:18:41the blue clerics happy. A day or two of
4:18:44relaxation sounds like a good plan to
4:18:46me.
4:18:48The whole group left together for the
4:18:49apartment just as Carl got a message
4:18:51from Cibil. Did you know that they will
4:18:54give you as many cookies as you ask for
4:18:56on the train? This place is wonderful.
4:18:59Carl looked at the others to see if they
4:19:01got the message, but only Thor and Ry
4:19:03were laughing. So, the message was
4:19:06likely meant for Rey, but passed through
4:19:09him on the way. Rey answered first. As
4:19:13long as you don't eat so many that you
4:19:14get fat and slow. Don't forget, I will
4:19:17be doing unannounced readiness tests
4:19:19until you graduate. Got it, big sister.
4:19:23I will keep myself ready as soon as I
4:19:26adjust to these new ears. I swear
4:19:29they're broken. Even with earplugs in,
4:19:32it's still loud. In her space, Cara was
4:19:36laughing. Sibil's new ears sounded as if
4:19:39they weren't desensitizing as fast as
4:19:41the rogue would have liked, and Cara
4:19:43hadn't even considered that Lotus magic
4:19:45might duplicate her own so well that
4:19:47they wouldn't grow back in a proper
4:19:48human pattern. An ear was basically an
4:19:51ear after all. It was the shape of the
4:19:54outer ear that made the most difference
4:19:56if you didn't have magic aid in your
4:19:58senses. But that was a concern for
4:20:00later, and Cara had noticed that they
4:20:02were suddenly very popular. The group
4:20:05had left the job fair, but people were
4:20:07waving at them or even taking pictures
4:20:09as they walked through the city. Now,
4:20:12some of that was understandable as Ray's
4:20:14princesses looked perfect in their
4:20:16outfits, and Dana had finally given up
4:20:18on her warm coat and embraced the sheer
4:20:20silk outer layers of her dress. But now,
4:20:23people recognized them from the
4:20:25ceremony, so the ones without magical
4:20:27affinity didn't have to guess at the
4:20:28power level or importance of the team.
4:20:31The locals had all seen the
4:20:33announcements either in the auditorium
4:20:34or on the screen outside. It would calm
4:20:37down in a day or two, but for today they
4:20:40felt important. Thor was loving it. When
4:20:44they reached the doors of the apartment
4:20:46building, Neil was waiting to go
4:20:47training with Rey, who vanished along
4:20:49with the rogue as soon as she was out of
4:20:51sight of the public. Much to the
4:20:53annoyance of the doormen, that vanishing
4:20:56act creeped him out every time that they
4:20:58did it. Lotus smirked as they got out of
4:21:01the elevator. I will get the bubbles
4:21:04going. Who has the wine and the snacks?
4:21:08Oilia wrapped an arm around her. I have
4:21:11something better. While I was out, I got
4:21:14cream lour to mix with coffee. Not after
4:21:186:00 in the evening, Tessa insisted.
4:21:22Hear that? We need to drink it early.
4:21:25Then we can switch to wine. The red
4:21:28dragon cleric sighed while Lotus ran
4:21:30inside to start the bubble bath. So
4:21:32Oilia gave her a comforting hug. Relax.
4:21:36Between the alcohol and the warm water,
4:21:38the coffee won't even have time to hit
4:21:40before she's ready for a nap. Plus, I
4:21:43bought decaf.
4:21:45Carl stepped behind Dana and wrapped his
4:21:47hands around her waist to whisper in her
4:21:49ear. And what does this princess want to
4:21:52do for the evening? Dana leaned back
4:21:54against his chest. I say we put on a
4:21:57movie and cuddle on the couch. As Carl
4:22:00had suspected, their night of relaxation
4:22:03was doomed from the very start. They had
4:22:06just finished the first movie when a
4:22:07knock at the door pulled Tessa away from
4:22:09her reading to let in their guest.
4:22:12General, to what do we owe the pleasure
4:22:13of your visit? Tessa asked as she looked
4:22:16up at the unfamiliar man. High
4:22:19priestess,
4:22:20I have come looking for Monarch Carl.
4:22:23There is an urgent matter that we
4:22:25require his assistance with," the
4:22:27general replied.
4:22:29Carl sighed, realizing that his night
4:22:31was definitely not going to involve
4:22:33enough cuddling on the couch. But he
4:22:36stood up anyhow and headed for the door.
4:22:38"General,
4:22:40it's a pleasure to make your
4:22:41acquaintance,
4:22:43is this a confidential matter, or can
4:22:45you speak in front of the other elites
4:22:47and high priestesses here?" Carl asked.
4:22:51The general shrugged. It's not secret
4:22:54enough to keep it from the other elites
4:22:56as long as you don't mind them knowing
4:22:57your personal business. Carl laughed and
4:23:00gestured to the table. Come have a seat.
4:23:04The people here will all know in the
4:23:06next few minutes anyhow. The general
4:23:08took a seat across from Carl, then cast
4:23:11a strange look towards the bath where
4:23:13Carl could hear Lotus laughing at one of
4:23:15Oilia's jokes and splashing in the tub.
4:23:18I will get right to it as I can tell
4:23:20that everyone has better things to do.
4:23:22The royal family has requested your
4:23:24presence at Onemouth Castle. They have
4:23:27received the news from the Blue Dragon
4:23:29clerics about the new advancements in
4:23:30runecraftrafting that you have made and
4:23:32as such you have been officially
4:23:34reassigned to One Mouth University. The
4:23:36royal family had technical leadership of
4:23:39all things secular in the Golden Dragon
4:23:41Nation, but their actual power was
4:23:43extremely limited these days.
4:23:45The president was chosen from among the
4:23:47royal princes, but that was about as far
4:23:49as their actual power went. Carl
4:23:52strongly suspected that they hadn't had
4:23:54control of the military in generations,
4:23:56and most of the nation turned to the
4:23:58church to get things done before the
4:23:59elites existed. "Do you know how long
4:24:02they expect me to be there?" "As I
4:24:05recall, it's only a little over a 100 km
4:24:07down the shore to one mouth," Carl
4:24:10asked. "Indefinite deployment.
4:24:14I believe that they want you to work
4:24:15with the weapons teams after you speak
4:24:17with the king. Your ability to use rune
4:24:20crafting has been deemed essential to
4:24:22the overlord rank special forces teams.
4:24:25The general explained, "Oh, if that's
4:24:28the case, they could have just brought
4:24:30me stuff." The general shook his head.
4:24:33The university is trying to develop
4:24:35better equipment for them. They have
4:24:38also called in foreign experts with
4:24:39skill books that we are hoping you can
4:24:41use. I didn't get all the details, but
4:24:44apparently it relates to one of your
4:24:46skills, even if the skill isn't relevant
4:24:48to you personally. Carl nodded. I think
4:24:52I see where this is going. Well, that's
4:24:55a bit of a commute, but it's manageable
4:24:57if I travel with Hawk. The general
4:24:59stared at Carl for a few seconds, hoping
4:25:02for an explanation.
4:25:04Then he realized that Carl was planning
4:25:06to come home to the capital at the end
4:25:07of the workdays, and his pet was faster
4:25:10than a bus or car.
4:25:12There are accommodations arranged for
4:25:13you at the royal palace. If that is
4:25:16unsatisfactory, we can arrange some at
4:25:19the university, but security policy
4:25:21requests that you remain in the city."
4:25:23The general replied carefully. He was
4:25:26not an elite, but a political officer,
4:25:29and a man in his position had long since
4:25:31learned to be cautious in situations
4:25:33where a casual outburst could lead to
4:25:34his death. Carl smiled at the nervous
4:25:37general. If that's how it is, that's how
4:25:41it is. I'm not trying to make things
4:25:43hard for you. I simply didn't know about
4:25:46the security rules. A room at the palace
4:25:49should be fine. But there is one minor
4:25:51issue. You see, the group here has sworn
4:25:55a holy oath not to leave each other
4:25:56behind and to please the red dragon god
4:25:59at a minimum once every 3 months. So,
4:26:02going alone to the palace could pose
4:26:04some issues. if we can all go or if an
4:26:07apartment can be procured in the city
4:26:09for us that would solve many issues.
4:26:12Tessa smirked as the general tried to
4:26:14think of a way to make this work. With
4:26:17his current speed and strength, Carl
4:26:19could run back in under 3 hours. Or if
4:26:22he rode Hawk, he could likely make it in
4:26:2430 minutes. Unless he was going to be
4:26:27doing something to please the red
4:26:29dragon, that should be more than close
4:26:31enough to keep his oath. It wasn't as if
4:26:33they got punished if someone stopped for
4:26:35a shower before leaving for a mission,
4:26:38but being out of the capital for a while
4:26:40sounded interesting. None of them had
4:26:43never seen the royal palace before,
4:26:45other than in pictures. The only issue
4:26:48was that at some point, a situation
4:26:49would inevitably arise where Cara and
4:26:51Lotus were left unattended in a palace
4:26:53full of ancient treasures and rare
4:26:55plants. Carl was wealthy, but probably
4:26:58not wealthy enough to buy his way out of
4:27:00that disaster.
4:27:02I think that we can make it work. I will
4:27:05bring you all to the palace and we can
4:27:07explain the situation then arrange a
4:27:09longerterm room in the city or the
4:27:11university compound.
4:27:13Unfortunately, there is no major
4:27:15cathedral in one mouth as it is the
4:27:17secular seat of the nation. But the
4:27:19palace will gladly host the high
4:27:21priestesses in suitable accommodations.
4:27:24He was clearly mentally calculating the
4:27:26number of apartments that they would
4:27:28need. So Carl decided to cut him off
4:27:30before he got too far. We are accustomed
4:27:33to traveling together, so there is no
4:27:35need to arrange different units for
4:27:37everyone. One large suite with multiple
4:27:40bedrooms is fine. Tessa and Dana nodded
4:27:43in agreement and the general side in
4:27:45relief. That makes it a bit easier. I
4:27:49can arrange one of the foreign dignitary
4:27:51suites for you. They're set up for 10
4:27:53guests and that should be enough for
4:27:55your group to be comfortable. That was
4:27:58when Carl noticed that Thor and Ray were
4:28:00both in human form. And with the two
4:28:02voices that could be heard from the
4:28:03bath, the general was assuming they
4:28:05needed rooms for at least seven. The
4:28:08fact that he hadn't asked about the
4:28:09obviously not human group members was
4:28:11startling, but perhaps it was just part
4:28:13of his job to not ask the awkward
4:28:15questions. The general nodded in
4:28:18satisfaction as the basic details were
4:28:20settled. How long will you need to pack
4:28:23up for a week-long trip? We can leave
4:28:25later in the evening if you prefer. It
4:28:28is safe enough with your group in the
4:28:30bus, he offered. I think we should be
4:28:33able to get ready for a trip within the
4:28:35next hour. We all have a fully
4:28:38functional system interface, so we keep
4:28:40the majority of our stuff in our
4:28:41inventory.
4:28:43Other than the clothing and personal
4:28:44items we wouldn't want to take into
4:28:46combat with us, of course. The general
4:28:49chuckled. We can provide clothing for
4:28:52the meeting with the king.
4:28:54Nobody owns the traditional cultural
4:28:56outfits anymore, and they're still the
4:28:58dress code for the throne room. Carl
4:29:01laughed. You mean canvas pants and a
4:29:04minor's apron. I come from the lithium
4:29:06mines. Our traditional wear is a bit
4:29:08unsuitable for court. The general
4:29:11smiled. I would imagine.
4:29:15No, the traditional royal outfits are
4:29:17actually quite militaristic from the
4:29:19founding days of the nation when the
4:29:21entire territory was overrun with
4:29:23monsters and magical beasts. Lotus and
4:29:26Oilia came out of the bath in their
4:29:28armor and went to grab a few items from
4:29:30the bedroom. Carl never left anything
4:29:32lying around, so he just activated
4:29:35Bestial Raymond to give himself a proper
4:29:37traveling outfit instead of his casual
4:29:39silk house clothes. He stood to
4:29:42encourage everyone to get moving and the
4:29:44general did a double take. That tabard.
4:29:48Where did you get it? He asked. Carl
4:29:52looked down. The spell had given him
4:29:54black drake scale male armor under
4:29:56silver chest and leg plates completed
4:29:59with the gold trimmed and tassled dark
4:30:01light host war champion tabard. Oh, it's
4:30:04actually a spell, not a physical tabard.
4:30:07It's supposed to pick what is best for
4:30:09the situation. And apparently the system
4:30:11thinks I need to impress someone. I got
4:30:14it during a little trip to the past when
4:30:16I fought a duel as champion for the dark
4:30:18light host. Carl explained.
4:30:21The man began to choke until Tessa
4:30:23thumped him on the back. Thank you, High
4:30:26Priestess.
4:30:28I was somewhat unprepared for that
4:30:29answer. You see, we might have a small
4:30:32issue. The king himself wears a silver
4:30:36trimmed dark light host war champion
4:30:37tabard. I don't know what the policy is
4:30:40for wearing a golden one. It's never
4:30:42come up in the past. Carl shrugged. If
4:30:46it helps, I earned it. For a brief time,
4:30:50I was the Bunga City Champion until I
4:30:52passed the title to the bronze dragon
4:30:54orthos so I could continue on my
4:30:56mission. Tessa thumped Carl on the head.
4:30:59You can't just casually say things like
4:31:01that. Look, now you've broken him. She
4:31:05wasn't lying. The man was simply staring
4:31:08straight ahead as he tried and failed to
4:31:10process the news. After a few seconds,
4:31:14he slowly blinked, sighed, grumbled to
4:31:16himself, then shook his head and
4:31:18straightened his back. Well, we can sort
4:31:21it all out once we get to the palace.
4:31:24The bus is waiting outside the building.
4:31:27Please follow me if you are all ready.
4:31:30Ray and Thor both returned to their
4:31:31spaces to rest because riding on a bus
4:31:34was boring and bouncy, which left only
4:31:36the humans to suffer. The general didn't
4:31:39even seem to notice that they had
4:31:40vanished, and simply got everyone seated
4:31:42in the plush seats of the transport,
4:31:44which was set up like a tour bus or
4:31:46possibly a high-end RV. Carl had seen
4:31:50videos where some of the elite idols
4:31:51lived and toured in vehicles like that
4:31:53while their shows were on tour, and that
4:31:55was what this interior reminded him of.
4:31:58The bus began to trundle down the
4:32:00street, and the general finally relaxed
4:32:02a little. His primary objective was
4:32:05nearly complete, and the requested elite
4:32:07was on his way to the palace. The rest
4:32:10was someone else's problem after they
4:32:11arrived. A noise to his left caused Carl
4:32:15to turn, and in front of him was every
4:32:17young man and housewife's fantasy. A
4:32:19maid, an actual living, working maid in
4:32:23the royal palace uniform.
4:32:25Oh, the number of times that he wished
4:32:27they lived a life luxurious enough to
4:32:29afford one so that he didn't have to do
4:32:31dishes or stand on the chair to dust the
4:32:33upper corners of the room. Once they
4:32:35reached the edge of town, Hawk pushed
4:32:37the restrictions of his space to the
4:32:39limit to appear 500 m in the air. He
4:32:42could finally stretch his wings, and he
4:32:44was determined not to agree to remain
4:32:46inside and not scare the humans in the
4:32:48next city. They could get used to him.
4:32:52Sir, I believe we might have an issue.
4:32:55There is a blue phoenix overhead and the
4:32:57bird is definitely tracking us. The
4:33:00driver of the bus quietly informed the
4:33:02general. That's not an issue. And he's
4:33:06actually a Ghostfire Thunderbird.
4:33:08One of my bonded partners, Carl
4:33:11explained, shocking both soldiers.
4:33:14You can hear that? The general asked. I
4:33:18can also hear the change in your
4:33:20heartbeat. Carl agreed, choosing the way
4:33:23that Cibil had described her overly
4:33:25sensitive hearing. He could if he paid
4:33:28attention, but Carl was much better at
4:33:30tuning out background noise than the
4:33:32formerly deaf robe. While the general
4:33:34worked to come up with a response, the
4:33:36maid was scrutinizing their outfits.
4:33:39Sir, you are suitably dressed, as are
4:33:42the Murm battle mage and the high
4:33:43priestesses.
4:33:45But might I ask the Titanic berserker to
4:33:47accompany me to the back to change to
4:33:49formal armor? Carl nodded and gestured
4:33:52to Oilia right before Ry dropped a pile
4:33:54of silk in her arms. Pure smuggness
4:33:57radiating through her thoughts. They're
4:33:59going to make her wear a dress under her
4:34:01armor. This will be hilarious.
4:34:04The bloodbath spider chuckled. And
4:34:07that's exactly what you gave her, isn't
4:34:09it? Yep. It's pretty and it will go well
4:34:13with whatever shiny bits of armor she
4:34:15has. Oilia sighed, resigned to her fate
4:34:19as she looked at the lace sleeves
4:34:20visible on the black dress Ry had
4:34:22offered up for this fiasco.
4:34:24Dana leaned against Carl's side and
4:34:26smiled. "I wonder how many people fall
4:34:29for the maid bit. Well, I'm sure she's
4:34:32actually doing the job, but even I can
4:34:35see through her power shielding." She
4:34:38giggled. Carl shrugged. "Well, she's a
4:34:42commander rank mage, which isn't too
4:34:44shocking. Aren't ladies made supposed to
4:34:47be like guards in cute uniforms when
4:34:49soldiers or male bodyguards would be
4:34:51inappropriate?
4:34:53The general chuckled and shook his head.
4:34:55How much do you know about the royal
4:34:57family that didn't come from a palace
4:34:59drama novel or movie? Carl thought about
4:35:02it for a second. Add the four carry the
4:35:05one. That would be precisely zero. That
4:35:09didn't shock him. The royal family had
4:35:12been quiet for a long time. The current
4:35:15king is an overlord rank mage
4:35:17classically trained. The palace itself
4:35:20is more akin to a mage tower in function
4:35:22than the palaces in story books. You
4:35:25won't see any imperial herum. No
4:35:27gathering of useless fluff nobles.
4:35:30Instead, ranking is strictly
4:35:32power-based.
4:35:34While you are there, you will be
4:35:35accorded courtesy due your ranks as
4:35:37royal and monarch ranked elites, second
4:35:39only to the elders and the royal family
4:35:41themselves.
4:35:43Despite all our efforts, the royal
4:35:45family has proven to be incompatible
4:35:47with the system with few exceptions.
4:35:50I believe you met Prince Axel, who is
4:35:52now an overlord after advancing during
4:35:54the defense of Burllo.
4:35:56Carl almost didn't recognize the town
4:35:58name. Nobody used the actual name of the
4:36:02capital. Honestly, they really should
4:36:04just change it at this point. The
4:36:07general continued, "There are a few
4:36:09minor princes who have system
4:36:11compatibility, but none of them have
4:36:13managed to make it past ascended, which
4:36:15seems a waste at their age.
4:36:17So without system links, it could be
4:36:20difficult to judge relative power
4:36:21rankings.
4:36:23Many struggle, so we are used to it.
4:36:26Very few will take offense if you get
4:36:28noble rankings a little wrong as an
4:36:29outsider. If someone does take extreme
4:36:32offense for some reason, standard
4:36:34international rules apply. You can
4:36:37request a champion to represent you in a
4:36:39duel to first blood. It would be
4:36:42unthinkable for the men to challenge one
4:36:44of the ladies, but attempting to flirt
4:36:46or pressure a pretty woman into a
4:36:47marriage contract does lead to the
4:36:49occasional fight. It might seem
4:36:51univilized, but it is a time-honored
4:36:53tradition to show off for their peers.
4:36:56Dana laughed. Oh, that could end badly.
4:37:00Are you privy to the events surrounding
4:37:02the first commander rank anomaly in
4:37:04Newubon? The general shook his head. I
4:37:08have the clearance, but I am afraid I
4:37:10was never given a briefing. Dana nodded
4:37:13in understanding.
4:37:15It wasn't that he wasn't allowed to
4:37:16know. It simply wasn't relevant to his
4:37:19job. Suffice it to say that challenging
4:37:22Monarch Carl to a duel will only lead
4:37:24them to crying bloody tears of rage.
4:37:27Now both the general and the driver
4:37:28looked intrigued. Carl winked at the
4:37:31general and shrugged. The current
4:37:34strongest ability I have is nullify. And
4:37:36I have the physical strength to
4:37:38open-handed slap a royal rankill giant
4:37:40to death in a single unarmed strike. The
4:37:43driver began to laugh. I can see it now.
4:37:47The mages would fail to do anything at
4:37:49all before they were slapped
4:37:50unconscious.
4:37:52Utterly humiliating. and it would crush
4:37:54their chances to impress the ladies.
4:37:57Lotus giggled. That's assuming that he
4:38:00gives them enough time. Compared to the
4:38:03rest of us, he is insanely fast. Not
4:38:06even my cuddle bear can keep up. I heard
4:38:09that. Oilia shouted from the back of the
4:38:12bus, presumably the bedroom where she
4:38:14was changing. She came out a moment
4:38:17later with a golden chest plate over the
4:38:19black dress that Rey had given her and
4:38:21golden van braces visible under the
4:38:23sleeves. Carl could see the outline of
4:38:26leg armor under the skirt, so there was
4:38:28a full suit of armor, not just the
4:38:30decorative bits, and her boots were
4:38:32similarly gold armored with a low heel,
4:38:34though still taller than most riding or
4:38:36military boots. Carl smiled because he
4:38:39knew that healed boots with armor was a
4:38:41pet peeve of hers and Oilia had likely
4:38:43refused to wear this particular armor
4:38:45set for some time just on those grounds.
4:38:48The maid bowed to the general. Sir, all
4:38:51guests have brought appropriate attire
4:38:53of their own. No distribution of assets
4:38:56was necessary.
4:38:58Then she turned to Carl. Sir, your party
4:39:01is ready for the meeting in the throne
4:39:03room once you arrive.
4:39:05Please maintain these outfits with
4:39:07weapons in your inventory or in their
4:39:09scabbards.
4:39:10Exposed weapon scabbards will be sealed
4:39:12at the gates with a ribbon and checked
4:39:14on your way out. That would make it
4:39:16obvious who drew their weapons without
4:39:19actually stopping anyone. A sensible
4:39:22precaution should there be some issue.
4:39:24Logic said that it would be prohibited
4:39:26to draw weapons under most circumstances
4:39:28in the palace. Carl smiled at the maid.
4:39:32What might your specialty be? I am
4:39:35curious about the training you have had
4:39:37to qualify for such a position. The
4:39:40phrasing was awkward, but the maid
4:39:42didn't take offense. I graduated from
4:39:44the academy 3 years ago. Since then, I
4:39:48have served at the palace. My specialty
4:39:51spell is invisibility.
4:39:53That is true of all the maids and a
4:39:55requirement for the job. Carl nodded and
4:39:58activated. Follow me, little one, at
4:40:01once to offer the mage. Silent movement.
4:40:04She slowly smiled. That is quite the
4:40:07gift you have, Monarch Carl. It really
4:40:10is, isn't it? I just need to make time
4:40:13at a skill library to gather a few more
4:40:16spells, and it will really shine. The
4:40:18general was lost, and looking
4:40:20expectantly at the pair. The monarch
4:40:23transferred me a new spell, silent
4:40:26movement. incredibly useful for my job."
4:40:30The general sighed and ran his hands
4:40:32through his thinning hair. "Great, just
4:40:35what we need." "They already sneak up on
4:40:38me all the time," he muttered. The maid
4:40:41winked at Oilia, who was struggling not
4:40:43to laugh. "You will need to practice
4:40:45your poker face, princess.
4:40:48Your hearing is far beyond average, and
4:40:50it's polite to pretend that you can't
4:40:52hear people talking to themselves." The
4:40:55general harumped and then turned to look
4:40:56out the windshield where Hawk had
4:40:58swooped low, nearly a kilometer ahead of
4:41:00them. He was just terrifying mice for
4:41:03fun. Nothing that might be a threat to
4:41:05the bus had been found along the route.
4:41:08Hours later, Hawk returned to his space
4:41:10as the bus pulled up to the well-guarded
4:41:12walls of the palace, much to the
4:41:14general's relief. He had been the butt
4:41:16of the jokes between the princesses and
4:41:18that vicious tongue made for most of the
4:41:20trip, and he was ready to get out and go
4:41:22to bed. As soon as the bus stopped, he
4:41:25stepped down to greet the captain of the
4:41:27guard with a grateful smile. Captain, I
4:41:31have delivered Monarch Carl and his four
4:41:33holy oath bonded companions.
4:41:36They are required to work together by
4:41:38oath to the red dragon. Please find
4:41:40accommodations for them. I will be
4:41:42retiring for the evening," the general
4:41:45announced. The captain was about to
4:41:47object that it was not his job to get
4:41:49guests settled, but the general was
4:41:51already politely retreating, and the two
4:41:53were old friends. He could do this much
4:41:56when the general was clearly stressed
4:41:58out by whatever had happened that day.
4:42:00He stepped on the bus to find four royal
4:42:03rank ladies, dressed for their imminent
4:42:05meeting with the king, and a monarch
4:42:07ranked man that was dangerously close to
4:42:08becoming as wide as he was tall.
4:42:11Whatever workout routine that Monarch
4:42:13was using, the guard captain wanted to
4:42:15know it. From Carl's perspective, the
4:42:18captain was entirely too tall. In a way,
4:42:22he was similar to Professor Tank at
4:42:24slightly over 190 cm tall and impressive
4:42:27in his armor. However, he was much more
4:42:30slender, where the professor's muscles
4:42:32seemed to have muscles of their own.
4:42:35With the pale blonde hair in a precise
4:42:37military cut, the captain was basically
4:42:39the poster boy for handsome playboy
4:42:41guardsmen in movies. Carl stood to greet
4:42:44him and the royal rank warrior nodded
4:42:46politely.
4:42:48Monarch, it's a pleasure to meet you. I
4:42:51am guard captain Scrugs and I will
4:42:53escort you to your suite. We have been
4:42:55made aware of your situation and a unit
4:42:58is ready for your team. The bus is not
4:43:00allowed inside through this gate and
4:43:02will proceed to the parking area once
4:43:04you have all disembarked.
4:43:06They stepped out of the bus and Carl
4:43:08noticed that the guards all towered over
4:43:10the group. Man, what are they feeding
4:43:13them in the palace? Lotus muttered,
4:43:16craning her neck to look anyone in the
4:43:18face. The guards laughed. It's a
4:43:21regional thing. My guess is that the
4:43:24three of you all come from the south,
4:43:26while the red priestess and the berser
4:43:28are from the west. Correct. Carl, Dana,
4:43:31and Lotus all nodded while Oilia shook
4:43:34her head. I'm from the northwest near
4:43:37the hill giant border. She explained,
4:43:40"Ah, that makes sense. All the guards
4:43:44are recruited either from the eastern
4:43:45nations or the tundra region of
4:43:47Aelworth, where the hill giant and
4:43:49mountain giant nations meet. It's not
4:43:52uncommon for men in either region to get
4:43:54over 2 m tall. Do you know a berserker
4:43:57named Tank? He's from my hometown of
4:44:00Manchester and he's a monster of a man.
4:44:03Oilia smiled. He's still a professor at
4:44:07the academy, no matter how he claims
4:44:09it's just a part-time position. That
4:44:12excessive size issue could be annoying,
4:44:14Carl decided. If he wasn't using a skill
4:44:17to make himself taller, most of the men
4:44:19in the palace would stand a full head
4:44:21taller than he did. Fortunately, he
4:44:24still had Dana and Lotus around, and
4:44:26they were both struggling to claim that
4:44:28they were a meter and a half tall. Dana
4:44:30poked Carl in the side. You were
4:44:33thinking about activating brutality so
4:44:35that you were taller than everyone
4:44:37again, weren't you? Tessa stuck her
4:44:40tongue out at Carl. He totally was. He
4:44:44got spoiled in newborn with the skill up
4:44:46all the time, so he was the tallest
4:44:48person in the room. The guard captain
4:44:51looked confused. So Carl demonstrated,
4:44:53growing to a little over 270 cm tall.
4:44:57Goddess, that is a terrifying skill. I
4:45:01don't know what they would mistake you
4:45:02as, but it wouldn't be human.
4:45:05Unfortunately, if you want to keep that
4:45:07active, we will have to change suites.
4:45:10You're too wide and possibly too tall to
4:45:13fit through the doors in the human
4:45:14sections. Guard Captain Scrugs laughed.
4:45:18Carl shrunk back to his usual size and
4:45:21noted that his bestial rayment spell had
4:45:24become slightly more ornate as it
4:45:26adjusted. There were thin swirling gold
4:45:28patterns on the rolled edges of the
4:45:30silver plate portions. Now two guards
4:45:33stepped up beside the captain and nodded
4:45:35silently. The king is ready to see you.
4:45:39Please follow me. We will go directly to
4:45:41the throne room and then the maids will
4:45:43escort you to your suite. After Captain
4:45:46Scrugs informed them, they were led
4:45:48through the winding corridors of the
4:45:50palace, which Carl noted were
4:45:52deliberately curved, though they were
4:45:53intended to look straight. Strategically
4:45:56placed curtains and drapery hid the
4:45:58effect from casual inspection, but he
4:46:00could feel the difference as they moved.
4:46:03They had also gone down at least one
4:46:05level, though they hadn't crossed any
4:46:06stairs.
4:46:08A pair of massive golden doors with a
4:46:10scene of dragons working to build a city
4:46:12barred their way after 10 minutes of
4:46:14walking and dozens of turns. It was an
4:46:17absolute masterpiece and 6 m tall. When
4:46:21you reach the entry, please place a bare
4:46:23hand on the door and the magic will
4:46:25announce you automatically.
4:46:27It is a security measure. The guard
4:46:29escort whispered just loud enough for
4:46:31Carl's group to hear. After a few
4:46:34seconds, the door was cracked open and
4:46:36with a gesture to proceed by the guard,
4:46:39Carl stepped forward. Former Lord of
4:46:42Banga City, Grand War Champion of the
4:46:44Dark Light host, Packmaster Monarch
4:46:46Carl, Bane of the Giant Nations, hero of
4:46:49the beast gods and orcs has arrived.
4:46:52Boomed through the room as Carl's boot
4:46:54heels clicked across the stone floor.
4:46:57Everyone was staring at him, and Carl
4:46:59could smell the fear in the air as he
4:47:01made his way to the mark on the floor.
4:47:04There he stopped to kneel before the
4:47:05king, mimicking the gestures of
4:47:07thousands of previous visitors over the
4:47:09centuries long history of the nation.
4:47:12For the nobles and powerful residents,
4:47:14greeting the king had become a
4:47:15wellpracticed routine, to the point
4:47:17where the stone was worn with a single
4:47:19knee print and a bootmark at exactly the
4:47:21right spot. Carl repeated the gesture as
4:47:24the general had explained, with a
4:47:26military salute, placing his fist to his
4:47:29chest. Your Majesty, I have come to your
4:47:32call. For a few seconds, the king just
4:47:35stared at Carl, wondering what this
4:47:37young man had done in his life to get a
4:47:39list of titles like that. The presence
4:47:42of the Dark Light host Grand War
4:47:43Champion Tabard unsettled him. But the
4:47:45other titles were no less fearsome.
4:47:48Rise, Monarch Carl. The crown recognizes
4:47:52your contributions to the nation. Then
4:47:55the king made a gesture, calling the
4:47:57others forward. Royal High Priestess of
4:48:00the Red Dragon, Tessa, hero of the
4:48:02Piltach Sats, has entered. Royal High
4:48:06Priestess of the Green Dragon, Grand
4:48:08Healer Lotus, has entered. Mirim
4:48:11Battlemitch, Princess Dana, epic
4:48:13summoner of the Golden Dragon Nation,
4:48:15defender of the Borderlands, has
4:48:16entered. Titanic Berserker Princess
4:48:19Oilia, champion of the Dire Bears, has
4:48:22entered. While everyone got a title,
4:48:25most of them weren't quite so grand as
4:48:27the ones that Carl had gotten. Well,
4:48:30grand sounding. Anyhow,
4:48:32most of the others directly related to
4:48:34recent events, while the majority of how
4:48:36it had introduced Carl had to do with
4:48:38his accomplishments in the distant past.
4:48:41The ladies stopped one pace behind Carl,
4:48:43as they hadn't been personally summoned,
4:48:45but had accompanied him here, and
4:48:47politely curtsied for a moment before
4:48:49the king motioned for them to rise.
4:48:52Rise, princesses and high priestesses.
4:48:55Welcome to the royal palace. We
4:48:58appreciate your prompt reply to our
4:49:00summons as this is a matter of most
4:49:02urgent national security. As you may
4:49:05have been made aware, the level of our
4:49:07conventional weaponry has been falling
4:49:08behind due to the resurgence of the
4:49:10system which has so far proven
4:49:12incompatible with most technological
4:49:14weapons.
4:49:16Theoretically, there is no reason that
4:49:18the spells should not work, but in
4:49:19practice, there are many limitations,
4:49:22and the results have been less than
4:49:23favorable. As such, we have summoned the
4:49:26monarch Carl here to develop the
4:49:28practical applications of his
4:49:29runcrafting skill in order to produce a
4:49:32batch of weapons for our nation's most
4:49:34powerful elites. None of that was
4:49:36anything that they hadn't heard before,
4:49:38but to the other people in the room, it
4:49:40was new information, and they all began
4:49:42to give Carl greedy looks, hoping to get
4:49:44something from him while he was here. If
4:49:46he could make weapons suitable for an
4:49:48overlord, then they could all benefit,
4:49:50as well as the factions that they
4:49:52represented. The king continued,
4:49:55"Beginning tomorrow morning, you will be
4:49:57working with the forge masters and the
4:49:59artificers to develop their project. But
4:50:02fear not, the crown will reimburse you
4:50:04handsomely for your skills. The maids
4:50:07will show you to your suite, and we
4:50:09shall be looking forward to the reports
4:50:10of your success. That appeared to be a
4:50:13dismissal of sorts, and Carl saw the
4:50:15guards behind the king's subtly gesture
4:50:17that he no longer needed to remain at
4:50:19formal attention. A group of 10 maids
4:50:22came to escort Carl and his team to
4:50:24their suite, which seemed a little
4:50:26excessive.
4:50:27But if that was the way that they did
4:50:29things here, Carl wasn't going to
4:50:31complain. Half of the maids were
4:50:33commanders, he noticed. However, the
4:50:36other half were not mages or system
4:50:38users at all. There was a clear
4:50:41distinction between the two, but not as
4:50:43if the less powerful ones were trainees.
4:50:46More like the commanders were hostesses
4:50:48in maid uniforms.
4:50:50Monarch princesses,
4:50:53this is your suite. Please allow us to
4:50:56show you around. The commander ranked
4:50:58maid standing closest to Carl informed
4:51:00them. The suite was on an upper level of
4:51:03the palace and Carl could see out the
4:51:05window that they had a great view of the
4:51:07courtyard. There were 10 bedrooms down
4:51:10hallways off either side of the large
4:51:12main room. Three large ones on one side,
4:51:15seven smaller ones on the other. The
4:51:18maids briefly hesitated as if wondering
4:51:20how exactly this group should be split,
4:51:23then began to lead the ladies to the
4:51:24left and Carl to the right, putting him
4:51:27in the furthest of the larger rooms. It
4:51:30made sense, both with their ranks and
4:51:32the gender split, but Carl waited to see
4:51:34what the others reaction would be to
4:51:35their rooms as he was led to the end of
4:51:37the hall. You're sweet, monarch. Is
4:51:41there anything else you need before
4:51:42dinner? I can have a bath run. Or
4:51:45perhaps you would prefer a bathing
4:51:47assistant. We also have trained massage
4:51:50therapists available anytime.
4:51:52Bathing assistant.
4:51:54Cara mocked in his mind, leaving no
4:51:56doubt that she hadn't given up on her
4:51:58quest to make sure Thor was the next to
4:52:00find a partner. Carl winked at the maid.
4:52:03I think that someone might object if I
4:52:05chose a bathing assistant, but I will
4:52:07have a bathun. What is the dress code
4:52:10for dinner? Dinner will be in the
4:52:12informal guest dining room. Semi-casual
4:52:16is fine. I will be back in the morning
4:52:18with your assigned maid for the duration
4:52:20of your stay," she replied. The
4:52:24commander rank mage and maid uniform
4:52:26left the room, leaving the unawwakened
4:52:28one behind to run the bath and set out
4:52:30towels, slippers, and a robe for Carl.
4:52:33Are you certain you don't need a bath
4:52:34assistant? It's part of my job and not
4:52:38what you might be thinking. She
4:52:40whispered, blushing slightly. Cara
4:52:43appeared on the bathroom floor and
4:52:45stared down the maid who stared back in
4:52:47confusion, not understanding where the
4:52:49beast came from. Was she being attacked
4:52:51by the guest? Cara here is protective.
4:52:55She thinks I shouldn't be in intimate
4:52:57situations with women who aren't going
4:52:59to cuddle her. The maid giggled.
4:53:03Well, she is a beauty. I can see why
4:53:05they would want to. Cara had lost
4:53:08interest now that her point was made and
4:53:10was about to dump an entire bottle of
4:53:12bubbles into the bath when a voice from
4:53:13the other room stopped her. Don't even
4:53:16think about it. Dana's voice shouted
4:53:19from down the hall. Cara froze,
4:53:22wondering how she had been caught. Then
4:53:24she smirked as she realized that it
4:53:26wasn't about her bath plans. The maids
4:53:29had just offered to help the ladies
4:53:31bathe. There was laughter from the other
4:53:33rooms and the maid bowed politely. If
4:53:36the monarch and his friends prefer
4:53:38privacy, we can wait outside. Carl shook
4:53:42his head. I am certain they will accept
4:53:44the help. That shout was for me, not for
4:53:47their assistance.
4:53:49The tribulations of a married man. The
4:53:52maid agreed gently before relieving Cara
4:53:54of the bottle of bubbles to pour a
4:53:56measured amount into the tub. Once the
4:53:59bubbles were in the bath, Cara hopped in
4:54:01the meter square tub with a small
4:54:03splash. That was Carl's signal that it
4:54:06was safe to enter, and he settled in
4:54:08slowly, enjoying the scented bubbles.
4:54:11"Oh, I forgot the washcloth,"
4:54:13he muttered, annoyed. "Here you go, sir.
4:54:18Thank you." Carl turned left and saw
4:54:21that Cara was floating belly up,
4:54:23splashing water on her belly fur, and
4:54:25making happy noises that were making the
4:54:26maid laugh quietly.
4:54:29She really does love the bubbles. I
4:54:32almost feel bad about limiting the
4:54:33amount that I put in now," the maid
4:54:36commented.
4:54:37Cara waved her front paw dismissively.
4:54:40She wasn't going to be in the bath long
4:54:42enough to run out of these ones. She
4:54:44just wanted to smell like the soap. I'm
4:54:47sure she will be fine. If the scent
4:54:50fades, I'll just have another bath run
4:54:52for her. Pure luxury.
4:54:55Cara agreed. Of course, the tub in their
4:54:58apartment was a one-touch operation, and
4:55:00it would fill with the preset
4:55:02temperature of water and selected bath
4:55:03products just by turning the tap on, but
4:55:06somehow it was more luxurious to order
4:55:08someone to press the button for you.
4:55:10Before they got out, Carl scrubbed Cara
4:55:13down and gently lthered her wings,
4:55:15soaking the smell of bubble bath into
4:55:17the void badger, who then ran off to the
4:55:19main room the moment that a towel
4:55:21touched her fur. Carl accepted the
4:55:23bathrobe from the maid with a bit of
4:55:25confusion, then realized that it was
4:55:27intended to be used as a towel, and they
4:55:29would pat you dry through it. Very
4:55:32wholesome.
4:55:33Not at all likely to get him strangled
4:55:35in his sleep by Dana. Once he was dry,
4:55:38he changed to one of Ray's branded polo
4:55:40shirts and silk house pants with
4:55:42slippers. The maid stared at him in
4:55:45shock. You have a set of system linked
4:55:48and bonded casual wear. How does that
4:55:50even happen?
4:55:52she muttered mostly to herself. They're
4:55:55made by a bloodbath spider with her own
4:55:57silk. They naturally equip when they're
4:56:00worn for the first time. Tell me, have
4:56:03you been tested for system
4:56:04compatibility?
4:56:06Carl replied. The maid nodded. Just last
4:56:10week, they came around with system
4:56:12linked rings to ensure that none of us
4:56:14would advance and become an internal
4:56:16security threat, which implied that
4:56:18those who did gain a class were sent
4:56:20somewhere else. Probably not fired, as
4:56:23they wouldn't want hard feelings or
4:56:25potential elites running loose, but they
4:56:28were likely in the academy or with the
4:56:30army instead. There was a soft knock at
4:56:33the door, which was opened by one of the
4:56:35other maids to reveal a palace guard in
4:56:37full armor with his visor down.
4:56:40Monarch, you have a personal guest. The
4:56:43guard announced.
4:56:45He was clearly unhappy about the
4:56:47situation, but there was resignation in
4:56:49his voice that said he had already tried
4:56:51and failed to stop it from happening.
4:56:53Please send them in. An unassuming older
4:56:56man walked in behind the guard, and Carl
4:56:59instantly noticed the hint of blue
4:57:00scales on his pointed ears. Transformed
4:57:04dragons and stronger dragon priests
4:57:06always had some sign of their nature.
4:57:08Come to think of it, he wondered what
4:57:10had changed on Tessa and Lotus. It
4:57:13wasn't on their face or hands, so he
4:57:15hadn't noticed it, but they definitely
4:57:17had scales by now. The man's face was
4:57:20unfamiliar, but his aura was not.
4:57:23Librarian Gareth, I wasn't expecting to
4:57:25see you here. Carl greeted the royal
4:57:28rank blue dragon. The visage of an aging
4:57:31man shifted back to the middle-aged
4:57:33librarian that Carl had seen last time,
4:57:36but dressed in a sharp blue business
4:57:37suit, and Gareth smiled at him.
4:57:40"Finally, I found you. You wouldn't
4:57:43believe the route that these guards
4:57:44wanted to take me on. The exploration of
4:57:47the anomaly in New was quite successful,
4:57:50by the way. I have the documents in my
4:57:53inventory if you would like to go over
4:57:55them tonight." Carl shook his head. Not
4:57:58tonight, but you're just in time for
4:58:01dinner. Guardsman, thank you for
4:58:04delivering the librarian to me." The
4:58:06guard nodded and closed the door as he
4:58:08left. "What brings you here today?"
4:58:12"Surely you didn't go to all this effort
4:58:14just to bring me a copy of the
4:58:15investigation records when I was at the
4:58:17capital until today." Carl asked Gareth
4:58:20once the door was secure. The dragon
4:58:23shook his head.
4:58:25No, I heard that you have a way of
4:58:27awakening a previously unknown system
4:58:29function, and I wanted to know what the
4:58:31method was. But that's not the important
4:58:34part. I have assistance for you.
4:58:37Acolytes that don't have a trade skill
4:58:39yet, so you can teach them rune
4:58:41crafting, and they will assist you
4:58:42during your endeavors here. Can you
4:58:45believe that they wouldn't tell me what
4:58:46it is? I'm here to bring you assistance.
4:58:49And they wouldn't tell me what the
4:58:50project was on national security
4:58:52grounds. The dragon was clearly pouting
4:58:55now, upset that he was so obviously
4:58:58being denied knowledge. Carl gave him a
4:59:01sympathetic pat on the shoulder. You
4:59:03will find out soon enough. Think of it
4:59:06like the anticipation before a holiday
4:59:08present. From the hallway, Lotus began
4:59:11to laugh. Blue dragons never wait to
4:59:14open their presents. Gareth rolled his
4:59:17eyes at her. We do so. We don't touch
4:59:21our solstice presents until precisely
4:59:23dusk on the evening of the solstice.
4:59:26Carl nodded. That sounded about right.
4:59:30The tradition was dawn the morning
4:59:31after. You said you have acolytes.
4:59:35I don't suppose you know where they
4:59:36might be right now? He asked. Gareth
4:59:40shrugged. They were left at the
4:59:42university dorms, the building closest
4:59:45to the library. That's where we came
4:59:48into the city. The dean of the
4:59:50university promised he would ensure that
4:59:52they made it to work on time, but he
4:59:54wouldn't tell me anything either. So, I
4:59:56came to see you. You know, if I tell you
4:59:59now, you're stuck here until the project
5:00:01is over so that the details don't get
5:00:03leaked. They won't even let me leave the
5:00:06city freely. He reminded the dragon.
5:00:09Gareth sighed. What a wasted day. It
5:00:13doesn't have to be. Packmaster Carl
5:00:16offers knowledge, skill, lightning zone
5:00:19will be transferred to the curious welp,
5:00:21Gareth. Gareth began to do a happy dance
5:00:24around the room, confusing the maids.
5:00:27Then they began to laugh as he took Cara
5:00:29by the front paws and they began to
5:00:31dance together. What did you teach him?
5:00:35Lotus asked. Lightning zone. It's a
5:00:39great skill for blue dragons.
5:00:41The maids did their best to keep their
5:00:43professional expressions at the sight of
5:00:45a dragon dancing with a void badger. The
5:00:48only thing working in their favor was
5:00:50that Cara was still wet and shaking
5:00:52drops of water on the stone floor as she
5:00:54was spun around the room. Thinking about
5:00:56having to clean up that mess before
5:00:58someone tripped made it much easier not
5:01:00to laugh. The happy pair stopped dancing
5:01:03and Gareth sighed. Perhaps I will stay
5:01:06for dinner then. If I can't know what
5:01:09you will be doing here, then at the very
5:01:11least, I can get a meal for my trouble
5:01:13delivering the acolytes.
5:01:15The overlords will tell you when it's
5:01:17not a secret anymore. Carl sent as a
5:01:20system message. That had been part of
5:01:22Gareth's original purpose here, to
5:01:24awaken the messaging function. That was
5:01:27the only system function that the dragon
5:01:29wouldn't have had operational yet. Oh, a
5:01:32new way to communicate. And it comes
5:01:35with a log. This really is much more
5:01:38convenient for research than talking.
5:01:41Carl was afraid to find out what the
5:01:42chat logs of the librarians would look
5:01:44like after even a single day of group
5:01:46discussions.
5:01:48They spent all day discussing the
5:01:49research subject, and without the need
5:01:51to wait for each other, they could just
5:01:53bombard the group with their thoughts in
5:01:55text form. Tessa and Dana came out
5:01:58together, both in casual wear. For the
5:02:01priestess, that was a simple red robe.
5:02:03For Dana, it was cargo pants and a
5:02:05hoodie.
5:02:06Carl turned to Gareth, who was wearing a
5:02:09blue business suit in this form. I have
5:02:12wondered what are the rules on cleric
5:02:13outfits. Tessa and Lotus always wear
5:02:16robes, but you seem comfortable in a
5:02:19suit. He asked the dragon. Gareth smiled
5:02:23at the two priestesses.
5:02:25There actually aren't any rules unless
5:02:27we're doing official work or inside a
5:02:29cathedral. It's just a tradition that we
5:02:32always wear our god's color. Nature
5:02:34priestesses usually change outfits under
5:02:36the robes for different situations since
5:02:39they've got so many pockets sewn into
5:02:41their robes. But for the red dragon, the
5:02:44robes are official uniform in battle and
5:02:46at the orphanages.
5:02:48So they would normally be worn while
5:02:50traveling in case there was a fight.
5:02:53Tessa nodded. And dragons tend to
5:02:56underestimate humans. So, I would guess
5:02:58that bright blue suit was intended to be
5:03:00camouflaged for himself while he was in
5:03:01the city to appear more like one of the
5:03:03common people. Gareth nodded happily.
5:03:07Yes, it was quite effective.
5:03:10They even thought that I was a
5:03:11petitioner when I arrived at the gates.
5:03:14Carl strongly suspected that they were
5:03:16humoring him as guard Captain Scrugs
5:03:18would have noticed instantly that it was
5:03:20a dragon in front of him and not a
5:03:22human. But how could he say anything
5:03:24when the librarian was so pleased with
5:03:26himself?
5:03:28Lotus made her way over to the main room
5:03:30before flopping down on a plush chair.
5:03:32"Did you at least bring us cute
5:03:34acolytes?
5:03:36We were going to go to the Whitten
5:03:37Temple at the end of our last trip, but
5:03:39it got cut short by the Archbishop and
5:03:41his friend," she asked. "His friend?"
5:03:46Gareth replied, unsure how to take that
5:03:48description.
5:03:50The archbishop had subordinates,
5:03:52assistants, faithful followers, but he
5:03:55wasn't aware of any actual friends. Carl
5:03:58smiled at the confused dragon. She means
5:04:01knacked, the totem rank black dragon.
5:04:04Gareth snapped his fingers and waved his
5:04:06hand vaguely at Carl. I knew it. I just
5:04:11knew it. They pretended like they just
5:04:13happened to be in the same city, but I
5:04:15knew that they were actually friends.
5:04:18Carl chuckled at the dragon's over
5:04:20stimulated antics. They've been
5:04:22traveling together and having daily
5:04:24meetings for over a month now. Ever
5:04:27since they were in Newbon. I believe you
5:04:29met them there as well. I seem to recall
5:04:32that Nack said something about being
5:04:34given directions to find us and only you
5:04:36would have remembered where we were
5:04:38going. Lotus maid whispered something to
5:04:40her and the petite cleric moved towards
5:04:43the door. Dinner time. You know, we
5:04:47really should have gotten those acolytes
5:04:48from the temple and brought them with
5:04:50us. They could have done all the alarm
5:04:52clock work for us. This is very
5:04:55convenient,
5:04:57she declared, while her maid tried very
5:04:59hard not to laugh. The stone corridors
5:05:02of the palace were designed to be
5:05:04deliberately deceiving, and the entire
5:05:06complex was carved out of a mountain,
5:05:08giving many dozens of kilometers of
5:05:09tunnels for visitors to get lost in. But
5:05:12the maids knew the directions very well,
5:05:14and Carl quickly realized that the
5:05:16portions where they were intended to
5:05:17stay were close together, so that even
5:05:19if they wandered, they wouldn't actually
5:05:21get lost. The informal dining hall
5:05:24looked more like the capital cathedral
5:05:26mess hall than Carl had expected, given
5:05:28the opulent furnishings of the rest of
5:05:30the visitors section of the palace. It
5:05:33was simple, with banners of past leaders
5:05:35and generals on the walls, giving a
5:05:37sense of history to the room otherwise
5:05:39filled with long wooden tables. Each
5:05:41could seat close to a hundred, but there
5:05:43were only a few dozen people in the room
5:05:45so far, all gathered in small groups and
5:05:48widely spaced. That was fine by Carl. He
5:05:52had an early day tomorrow, and there
5:05:54would be plenty of time for socializing
5:05:56before he had to leave again. Their
5:05:58dinner was served as soon as they sat,
5:06:00and Carl couldn't help but compare it to
5:06:02what he had gotten used to. It was
5:06:05similar to what was served at the
5:06:06apartment tower, but the chef had a
5:06:08distinct style here with a preference
5:06:10for bold and spicy flavors. It was
5:06:13definitely different, but Carl could see
5:06:15that Lotus was making mental notes, and
5:06:17there would certainly be some sort of
5:06:19spicy lentil dish in his near future.
5:06:22The next morning came entirely too early
5:06:24with Cara's cold nose poking Carl's
5:06:26cheek to wake him up. There are people
5:06:29waiting in the other room for us to wake
5:06:31up. I recommend no pants. The void
5:06:35badger informed him in a playful tone.
5:06:38Carl smirked at her. Why no pants? It
5:06:42should make them go away so I can sleep.
5:06:45Carl sighed at the impeccable logic. It
5:06:48would indeed make most guests go away if
5:06:50he went outside with no pants on. But
5:06:53Cara didn't have to get out of bed just
5:06:55because he did. Of course I do. I can
5:06:59only freely enter and exit the space
5:07:01from a few hundred meters away. Who
5:07:03knows where they're going to take you?
5:07:06What if I want to go back later and get
5:07:08stuck somewhere boring? Carl got dressed
5:07:10in the same casual wear as last night,
5:07:12as he would likely need a barrier of
5:07:14some sort if he was going to be near a
5:07:16forge, and he might as well be
5:07:17comfortable if he was going to be
5:07:18sitting at a desk in a library. As he
5:07:21stepped out of his bedroom, the six
5:07:23overdressed academics, ranging in age
5:07:26from late 50s to surprisingly not dead
5:07:28yet, snapped to attention. They were
5:07:31standing stiff with fake and forced
5:07:33smiles on their faces, waiting for the
5:07:35formal greetings to end. The oldest of
5:07:38them spoke with a slow draw. Good
5:07:41morning, Monarch. We were sent to
5:07:43accompany you to breakfast this morning
5:07:45and then to your workspace.
5:07:48The same maid who was with Carl last
5:07:50night was standing to the side
5:07:51whispering details under her breath
5:07:53without moving her lips. That is
5:07:56international relations adviser Chin. On
5:07:59his left and right are his sons who
5:08:01serve as his personal assistants. The
5:08:04two on the outside are professors from
5:08:06the university. Their names don't
5:08:08matter. You likely won't see them again.
5:08:11Staff will bring breakfast here for the
5:08:13rest of your group. She whispered. Carl
5:08:17nodded to the elderly man, "Advisor
5:08:19Chen, it would be a pleasure to have
5:08:21breakfast with you and the professors.
5:08:24Please lead the way so that we don't
5:08:25disturb my team." Ray's voice whispered
5:08:28in Carl's mind. Take Cara and Remy with
5:08:31you. I will remain here to watch the
5:08:34ladies. The bloodbath spider was on the
5:08:37balcony outside their room, hidden by
5:08:39curtains. The others were already in
5:08:42their spaces, except Thor, who would
5:08:44stay with the pack, and Cara, who was
5:08:47still on the bed, deciding if she really
5:08:49did need to get up. Carl shifted her
5:08:52into the blanket nest in her space, and
5:08:54led the group of visitors to the door.
5:08:57The maid was with them, standing a half
5:08:59step behind Carl's shoulder, where he
5:09:01could still see her as she guided them
5:09:02to the informal dining room. This
5:09:05morning, there was a buffet set at the
5:09:07entry for guests to make requests to be
5:09:09brought to their seat. Carrying your own
5:09:12plate appeared to be taboo for some
5:09:13reason, or perhaps beneath the dignity
5:09:15of the people who usually dined in the
5:09:17palace. As they took their seats, Carl
5:09:20let his gaze roam the room, using soul
5:09:23sight to inspect auras for possible
5:09:25traitors or disguised spies.
5:09:27Most of the guests appeared normal,
5:09:29though a few had a level of corruption
5:09:31to their energy that suggested they were
5:09:33horrible people in a general sense. It
5:09:36was the same thing he had seen on the
5:09:37rejected candidates for the Lightning
5:09:39Sero Hatchlings.
5:09:41One maid was actually a demon, but Carl
5:09:43noticed she wasn't wearing a disguise.
5:09:46She just looked human enough in her
5:09:48uniform that nobody noticed.
5:09:51No, that wasn't quite right. She was
5:09:54wearing colored contacts to make her
5:09:56eyes appear all black. Not a big deal to
5:09:59Carl as she was only an awakened ranked
5:10:01demon. That might mean she was a spy for
5:10:04Newon, but it might just mean she was
5:10:06one of the small group of non-humans
5:10:08that actually lived openly in the Golden
5:10:10Dragon Nation. There were many more, but
5:10:13they preferred to keep to themselves, as
5:10:15hybrids were generally treated as
5:10:17outsiders and had a hard time finding
5:10:19good jobs, while demons were viewed with
5:10:21suspicion just based on their species.
5:10:24Unless she did something questionable,
5:10:26there was no need to make life hard for
5:10:28her. Tell me, Monarch, what is it that
5:10:32you see with those enhanced eyes of
5:10:33yours? Advisor Chin asked, "I see that
5:10:37ranking elites are rare here in the
5:10:39palace's dining hall.
5:10:41that there are four people in the room
5:10:43that the others are habitually sucking
5:10:45up to, that there are four more with
5:10:47personalities so vile that they would
5:10:49instinctively repulse animals, and one
5:10:51maid that prefers crotchless panty hose
5:10:53to stockings with garders. The last
5:10:56comment made everyone do a double take,
5:10:58then begin to surreptitiously look
5:11:00around to see if they could determine
5:11:02which mate it was. The one assigned to
5:11:04Carl was smirking slightly, as she
5:11:06already knew the answer, even if she
5:11:08couldn't see the difference.
5:11:11standing still. It wasn't obvious, but
5:11:13when they moved, Carl could hear the
5:11:15difference. There is no way that you can
5:11:18know that by sight. The maid whispered
5:11:20to Carl after she thought about his
5:11:22statement. Carl tapped his ear in
5:11:25response, and she smiled. Being able to
5:11:28communicate from her spot along the wall
5:11:30without being overheard made her day so
5:11:32much more interesting. Once they
5:11:35finished eating, the maid escorted Carl
5:11:37and the team of academics downstairs to
5:11:39the underground transit tunnel that led
5:11:41to the university's research center.
5:11:44There was an electric train that ran
5:11:45back and forth on demand, moving workers
5:11:48from the city to the palace without
5:11:50leaving the secured areas. Carl got on
5:11:53board with the five men sent to escort
5:11:55him, and the maid turned back to the
5:11:56residential area to wait for the
5:11:58notification that he was returning to
5:11:59the palace. As she entered the staff
5:12:02dining room, a black robed inquisitor
5:12:04materialized from the shadows. Melanie
5:12:09report. The maid curtsied and bowed her
5:12:12head. Inquisitor.
5:12:14I have seen no sign of the enemy moving
5:12:17against them. However, they may be
5:12:19waiting as monarch Carl's senses are
5:12:22absolutely terrifying.
5:12:24He can hear the sound of garter buckles
5:12:26on a slip from across the room. clearly
5:12:28understand a whispered conversation from
5:12:305 m away and his range of vision is well
5:12:33over 200°.
5:12:35Walking to the dining hall, he could
5:12:37track my movement a full step behind him
5:12:39without moving his head. I have not had
5:12:42an opportunity to investigate the rest
5:12:44of the team, but I believe that he has
5:12:46left one of his beasts hidden with them,
5:12:48as well as the one known as Thor. I
5:12:50could feel the presence earlier, but I
5:12:52couldn't find it. The Inquisitor nodded.
5:12:56Thank you, Melanie. I will assign an
5:12:59additional member to their security
5:13:01detail once we have determined who was
5:13:02left behind. Melanie waited for more
5:13:05details. There is a chance he left
5:13:08behind the bloodbath spider, and if she
5:13:10isn't warned in advance, there is a high
5:13:12likelihood she would kill and dispose of
5:13:14anyone we sent to shadow them. Melanie
5:13:17frowned. Is she that scary? The
5:13:21Inquisitor patted her on the head. We
5:13:23have confirmation of her lethality from
5:13:25the assassin group. There is zero doubt
5:13:28that she is a peak monarch rank threat
5:13:30with stealth abilities and ambush
5:13:32skills. That was enough of a description
5:13:35for Melanie to understand. The
5:13:37inquisitor simply vanished after their
5:13:39conversation, but he was surely still
5:13:42here somewhere, waiting and watching. He
5:13:45was lethal to enemies of the nation, but
5:13:47the status of assassin went to people
5:13:49much more terrifying than he was. The
5:13:52train stopped at the university and the
5:13:54adviser motioned for Carl to follow him.
5:13:58This is our stop and then we have a
5:14:00short walk to the labs. They will have a
5:14:02security card for you once you are
5:14:04signed in so that you can open the doors
5:14:06yourself from tomorrow onward. Please
5:14:08keep it secure as they are a pain to
5:14:10have replaced. The adviser led them
5:14:13through a series of magically reinforced
5:14:15double doors, then down an elevator and
5:14:18down a long hallway to another elevator
5:14:20going down. The sign on the wall when
5:14:22they exited the second elevator said
5:14:24armory and there was a whole team of
5:14:26commanders in security uniform standing
5:14:28at the ready. The adviser and professor
5:14:31stepped out of the elevator and turned
5:14:33left following the instructions of the
5:14:35guards towards a scanner. Then Carl
5:14:38stepped out of the lift and red lights
5:14:40began to flash while an alarm blared.
5:14:43The guards drew their weapons and Carl
5:14:45began to laugh. Relax. It's probably
5:14:48just because I'm a monarch. My name is
5:14:51Carl. I was invited to perform a number
5:14:53of rune crafting experiments.
5:14:55He explained over the blaring noise. A
5:14:58dart flew out of the wall in his
5:15:00direction, and Carl lifted a hand to
5:15:02catch it, wondering what sort of
5:15:04security system was shooting at him
5:15:06before anyone even investigated.
5:15:08There was shouting from down the hall
5:15:10and the sound of pounding boots. Then
5:15:13Carl felt the shift of someone appearing
5:15:15behind him with shadow step.
5:15:18A slight shift of his body put his back
5:15:20to the wall instead of to the elevator
5:15:22and Carl waited for the verdict. A young
5:15:25royal holding an Inquisition badge in
5:15:27his hand stepped out of the elevator as
5:15:29he had appeared behind Carl an instant
5:15:31too late. Monarch Carl, my apologies for
5:15:35the noise. Someone forgot to inform us
5:15:38you were on the way down so that we
5:15:40could deactivate the alarms until you
5:15:41were in the system. Give us a moment and
5:15:44it will be. There it is.
5:15:47As he paused, the lights went back to
5:15:50normal, and the alarm stopped. Carl
5:15:52looked left and saw that the five men he
5:15:55had arrived with were all on the ground
5:15:56and secured with zip ties around their
5:15:58wrists. Carl handed the rogue the dart
5:16:01that he had caught, and the man stared
5:16:03at it for a second. I had assumed that
5:16:06you were immune to the effect. He noted
5:16:09cautiously.
5:16:10I probably am, but I prefer not to find
5:16:14out. Some effects can have odd
5:16:16interactions.
5:16:18Carl agreed. Please follow me into the
5:16:21registration office, sir. The inquisitor
5:16:24led him to a scanner with directions to
5:16:26stand inside with your arms spread. A
5:16:29bar spun around in circles as Carl
5:16:31waited, and then an angry beeping reset
5:16:34the machine to its standby position.
5:16:36Sir, do you have any magical alloys on
5:16:39your outfit? The operator asked,
5:16:42confused.
5:16:43I have a special constitution,
5:16:46the void iron body. I literally am a
5:16:49magical alloy, Carl explained. The
5:16:53operator sighed and the machine turned
5:16:55on again. After a few seconds, it beeped
5:16:59again and the operator motioned for Carl
5:17:01and the Inquisitor to come look at the
5:17:03screen. A masterpiece of magical
5:17:05engineering that displayed the results
5:17:06of the scan like a TV screen. It appears
5:17:10to be true. The entire skeletal
5:17:12structure and vascular system is
5:17:14metallic. I don't see any other metal on
5:17:17our guest, but the outfit is triggering
5:17:19the scanner as well. I believe it's
5:17:22monster silk. Carl nodded. Monarch rank
5:17:26to be precise.
5:17:28All the clothes I have are. Unless you
5:17:31would prefer that I use an armor skill.
5:17:34Please don't. The alarms for skill
5:17:37activation in the common areas are
5:17:38particularly obnoxious.
5:17:41That's what you triggered when you
5:17:42entered. I would assume that you have
5:17:44passive skills active that can't be
5:17:46turned off. The inquisitor asked. That
5:17:50is correct. It's not doing anything at
5:17:53the moment, but there is no real option
5:17:55to turn passive skills off. Carl agreed.
5:17:59Well, other than echolocation, soul
5:18:02sense, and thermal vision, they were all
5:18:05passive skills that went into a dormant
5:18:07state when he wasn't paying attention to
5:18:08them. But that wasn't truly off, just
5:18:12not in use. Are there any other skills
5:18:15that you would normally have active when
5:18:16you enter? The inquisitor asked.
5:18:20Normally, I have an eternal lightning
5:18:22barrier active at all times. I turned it
5:18:26off in the palace so that I didn't panic
5:18:28the guards. Please leave that off inside
5:18:31the facility. Do you have any skills
5:18:33that might interfere with scanning
5:18:35equipment if traces of them remain after
5:18:37your work? The Inquisitor verified.
5:18:40Well, I have nullify.
5:18:43If that was activated in here, we would
5:18:45be having this conversation in the dark.
5:18:48Carl joked. In the dark? The scanner
5:18:52operator asked. The power source for
5:18:55this floor is just over there, and it's
5:18:57a magical circuit. The lights are all
5:19:00magical, not conventional. The
5:19:03inquisitor looked impressed. I didn't
5:19:06think that you would be able to locate
5:19:07the core device. You have great mana
5:19:10sense. Carl nodded in acceptance and the
5:19:13inquisitor continued making notes in a
5:19:15large binder. Other skills that might be
5:19:18dangerous beyond your range of sight.
5:19:21Carl shrugged. There were too many to
5:19:24list. How did he explain the danger of a
5:19:27curious void badger or a board naga
5:19:29queen? Well, if the Epic Guard used
5:19:32gravity slam, that could be a bit of a
5:19:34mess in an underground complex.
5:19:37But I don't expect to be doing any
5:19:39fighting and especially not enough to
5:19:41summon backup. The Inquisitor sighed as
5:19:44he finished the entries. That should be
5:19:46enough details.
5:19:48I don't know why they asked. Every
5:19:50Monarch ranked elite will be an S-rank
5:19:52existential threat to the facility. But
5:19:55your past is updated, and I have attuned
5:19:57it to the energy you are emitting right
5:19:59now. So, as long as you don't change
5:20:01your passive skills, you shouldn't set
5:20:03off the alarms tomorrow. Carl hung the
5:20:06pass around his neck, secure in the
5:20:08knowledge that he would no longer set
5:20:09off the alarms just by showing up at
5:20:11work. All right, where do I go now? They
5:20:15were quite sparse with the details. The
5:20:18Inquisitor led Carl down a hallway
5:20:20opposite the direction of the scanners
5:20:21that the others were going to take him
5:20:23through, then down a set of spiral
5:20:25stairs, which led to another long
5:20:27hallway that ended in a massive circular
5:20:30blast door with an entire team of palace
5:20:32guards standing at it. Interesting.
5:20:36The actual labs are not under the
5:20:37university facility at all, but to the
5:20:40west. This isn't under a residential
5:20:42area, is it? Carl asked. How can you
5:20:47tell that? The Inquisitor demanded,
5:20:50visually scanning Carl for a compass or
5:20:52other tracking device. I'm from the
5:20:54mines. Never once in my life have I been
5:20:57lost underground.
5:20:59Now, can you tell me what is a kilometer
5:21:01west of a university? I haven't had a
5:21:04chance to see the surface of the city,
5:21:07Carl explained. Woodland Hills Cycling
5:21:10and Recreation Park. It's a former
5:21:13gravel pit that was replanted and shaped
5:21:15into a public park when the city
5:21:17expanded past it. We're currently
5:21:19beneath the park. That would leave some
5:21:22risk of civilian injuries, but minimal.
5:21:24And if there was a blast from the
5:21:26battle, it could be explained away as
5:21:28the gravel pit settling should anyone
5:21:30notice from the surface.
5:21:32500 m below it. 485. If my guess is
5:21:37right, even with the air circulation, I
5:21:40can feel the depth.
5:21:42Carl added. It sounds cozy there. Rey
5:21:46agreed from her hiding spot in the
5:21:48palace suite. Well, not exactly a hiding
5:21:51spot as she was in corporeal and sitting
5:21:53on the sofa watching nature
5:21:55documentaries with Lotus, but
5:21:57technically hidden. The massive
5:22:00underground facility was basically one
5:22:02huge burrow, and if she killed the
5:22:04lights, it would be a perfect nest
5:22:06already fully stocked and everything.
5:22:08The Inquisitor was giving Carl a strange
5:22:11look, but he kept walking to the guards.
5:22:14Carl held up his pass, which they
5:22:16pressed a small stone to, waiting for it
5:22:18to turn green. Once it did, and the
5:22:21spells on the pass were verified along
5:22:23with the picture and Carl's face, they
5:22:25opened the door to let him into the
5:22:26laboratory. The doors slid into the
5:22:29stone, reducing the chance they could be
5:22:31pried open.
5:22:33They also extended a half dozen meters
5:22:35past the hallway from the sound of the
5:22:37machinery moving them. Truly a
5:22:40formidable barrier, even without the
5:22:42magical enhancement.
5:22:43A gust of heat hit Carl's face, smelling
5:22:46of coal, hot iron, and magic. Then the
5:22:50sound of hammers on metal, the
5:22:52distinctive ringing of a forge reached
5:22:54them. Carl smiled and stepped through
5:22:57the blast doors, which slid shut behind
5:22:59him. He turned back and looked at the
5:23:02smooth surface, then realized that his
5:23:04skills might actually be as much use for
5:23:06security as they were for offensive
5:23:08weapons. Enhancing the durability of
5:23:10that door to commander rank or higher
5:23:12would make it nearly impossible for
5:23:14anyone or anything to get through 3 m of
5:23:17solid steel in a reasonable time frame.
5:23:20There was someone waiting patiently for
5:23:21him to address them. So Carl took his
5:23:23mind off the door and turned to see what
5:23:25sort of workplace he would have for the
5:23:27near future. The air was hot with the
5:23:30smell of forge, but the actual lab was
5:23:32immaculately clean. It was set up as an
5:23:35open floor plan with forges along the
5:23:37wall and crafters making weapons. Then
5:23:40there was an enclosed clean zone in the
5:23:42middle with workbenches for whatever
5:23:44sensitive projects they were working on.
5:23:46The entry was elevated nearly 30 m above
5:23:49the lab floor with a walkway that went
5:23:52all the way around. Access to the main
5:23:54level was through any of a halfozen
5:23:56staircases, plus four visible elevator
5:23:59platforms that only operated within the
5:24:01lab. The girl who had been waiting for
5:24:03Carl cleared her throat, making him look
5:24:05way down to find a ridiculously short
5:24:07woman with pink hair, a bulbous nose,
5:24:10and big ears. No way was that a human.
5:24:14Good morning, Monarch. I am Chief
5:24:16Engineer FS Spark, head of the
5:24:18engineering facility.
5:24:20You should be the new rune crafter,
5:24:22correct? Please follow me to the floor
5:24:25and we can get started. She announced in
5:24:28a squeaky voice. Before Carl could even
5:24:31respond, Cara was out of her space and
5:24:33she had tossed the small woman into the
5:24:35air with her nose. Ha, I get a ride or
5:24:39two. Away we go. Then she jumped off the
5:24:43walkway with the chief engineer who was
5:24:46squeaking in terror. She circled gently
5:24:48to land on the floor while Carl simply
5:24:51jumped down beside them and did his best
5:24:53to soften the impact so he didn't shake
5:24:55anyone's work. Cara seemed to have
5:24:58forgotten that she had a rider and she
5:25:00was running around the floor examining
5:25:02all the forge stations. The workers were
5:25:05laughing while chief engineer Fispark's
5:25:07glower promised retribution.
5:25:10They made a whole loop and the gnome
5:25:11looked ready to murder someone. So Carl
5:25:14picked her up and set her on the floor.
5:25:16Cara, behave.
5:25:18You have to ask before you take people
5:25:20for a trip. Carl admonished the weward
5:25:23void badger. Cara put on a show of
5:25:26apology, even patting the gnome on the
5:25:28head before allowing the terrified gnome
5:25:30to retreat. But her thoughts said that
5:25:33she was in no way repentant and fully
5:25:35planned to do it again. What sort of
5:25:38devil being did you bring to my lab? I
5:25:40tasered it four times and it didn't even
5:25:43slow down. the chief complained.
5:25:47That's a winged void badger. Petty
5:25:49things like a taser are far from enough
5:25:51to convince her to stop. You would have
5:25:54better luck using words. She's
5:25:56intelligent enough to understand where
5:25:58you want to go and anything else you
5:26:00say. She just doesn't care if you want
5:26:03to stop. Carl offered. And how did you
5:26:07get her past security? I am a beast
5:26:10master. They have a separate space
5:26:12attached to me. Wherever I am, they can
5:26:16be as well. But don't worry, I will keep
5:26:19her out of the clean rooms so we don't
5:26:21get fur in anyone's work." Carl informed
5:26:24her with a shrug of his shoulders to
5:26:26explain that it couldn't be helped. The
5:26:28gnome glared at him. If there was
5:26:31another option, I would have you
5:26:32replaced right this instant. But for
5:26:35now, let's see what you can do to
5:26:37enhance a weapon. Thanks to the
5:26:39Forgemaster and his team, we've got a
5:26:41collection of blades, flanged maces,
5:26:44malls, and axes created from highly mana
5:26:46compatible alloys unsuitable to combat
5:26:48use in their current state. Now, can you
5:26:51manage that without supervision?
5:26:54Carl gave the tiny woman an unimpressed
5:26:56look. Did you know that Cara is
5:26:58currently looking for a hug pillow to
5:27:00enhance her nap time experience?
5:27:03He threatened. The two glared at each
5:27:06other for half a minute, not saying
5:27:07anything, before one of the researchers,
5:27:10a blue dragon cleric with his head
5:27:12shaved, bald, revealing scattered blue
5:27:14scales, came over to break up the
5:27:16standoff.
5:27:17Chief engineer,
5:27:19please forgive him. The monarch
5:27:22certainly didn't mean to insult you with
5:27:24his partner's antics. The rune crafting
5:27:27skill is invaluable to our work here,
5:27:29and I will assign someone to ensure that
5:27:31he doesn't trouble you further. the
5:27:33cleric pleaded. Chief Engineer Fispark
5:27:36began to relax a little until a nasal
5:27:39voice came from behind her. What?
5:27:41Someone has been picking on the failure
5:27:43again. Hardly shocking. A handsome young
5:27:47man in a lab coat was sneering at the
5:27:49gnome with utter disdain on his features
5:27:51before he turned to Carl. Duke Ambrose,
5:27:54head of research and development. It's a
5:27:57pleasure to meet you, researcher Carl. I
5:28:00believe you will find your time here
5:28:02quite enjoyable if your skills match
5:28:03your recommendation.
5:28:05Carl instinctively disliked this man
5:28:08even before he noticed that the man was
5:28:09using a transformation spell to keep up
5:28:11his young master disguise.
5:28:14He couldn't really judge the man for his
5:28:15vanity when he had also been considering
5:28:17using magic to increase his height. But
5:28:20something about him just struck Carl as
5:28:21off. Soul Sight told Carl much more
5:28:24about the head of research and
5:28:26development. He was definitely human,
5:28:29but his soul looked slimy. Like food
5:28:32scraps left outside to rot in a bucket
5:28:34of water, the outer layer of his soul
5:28:36seemed to have a greasy, rotten sheen.
5:28:39The man swung a lazy kick at Fizz Spark,
5:28:42only to pull up short when Cara appeared
5:28:44between them, bearing her teeth. "Put
5:28:46your beast away, researcher.
5:28:49Such a creature doesn't belong in the
5:28:51lab." Carl sighed, but he didn't
5:28:54reprimand Cara. I would recommend that
5:28:57you refrain from kicking co-workers.
5:28:59We enforce a zero tolerance for bullying
5:29:02policy.
5:29:03Carl insisted instead. Since when?
5:29:07Ambrose scoffed. Since about 4 minutes
5:29:10ago. Now, it was a pleasure to meet you,
5:29:14researcher Ambrose.
5:29:16But I have an orientation to finish with
5:29:18engineer FSBSark.
5:29:20Can we ask for new people? These ones
5:29:23are defective. Remy asked. "Probably
5:29:27not, but I think we can sort them out
5:29:30easily enough without killing anyone and
5:29:32ending up in a royal prison cell." A
5:29:35third person came over to their
5:29:36argument, and Carl smiled as he saw a
5:29:39familiar facial structure for the first
5:29:40time in ages. Duke Ambrose was 190 cm
5:29:45tall and whipped thin, while Fis Bark
5:29:47was half a meter tall. Not at all like
5:29:50home. The other researchers had also
5:29:53been gathered from across the nation
5:29:54with a dozen different regional
5:29:56appearances.
5:29:58However, this man stood a solid 140 cm,
5:30:01no matter what direction you measured
5:30:03him in, rippling with muscles and a
5:30:05beard that he tucked into the apron at
5:30:07his waist. He kind of reminded Carl of a
5:30:10shorter commander rank version of his
5:30:11dad. Will you two idiots cut it out?
5:30:15You're already on thin ice as it is, and
5:30:18picking fights with each other to lay
5:30:19claim to the newbie is only going to
5:30:21cause an incident that will get you both
5:30:23reassigned.
5:30:24The monarch isn't just a researcher.
5:30:26He's a war hero, and he's here with the
5:30:29blessing of the Archbishop himself. You
5:30:31don't want that kind of trouble. My
5:30:34apologies, young beast master. I am
5:30:37Forge Master Granite, head of production
5:30:39here in the lab. As you can see, things
5:30:42here have been tense for some time.
5:30:45Unlike you, most of us don't have the
5:30:47luxury of leaving here daily, and they
5:30:49are going stir crazy without the sun.
5:30:52Carl chuckled. That happened a lot in
5:30:55the mines as well. Some people are only
5:30:58suited for work topside.
5:31:00Don't worry, I don't hold any grudges.
5:31:03But I would appreciate it if everyone
5:31:05could get along well enough to get
5:31:06through orientation.
5:31:08Duke Ambrose looked like he was going to
5:31:10start screaming, but Carl raised a hand
5:31:12to stop him. I can see on your face that
5:31:15you want to complain again. And I will
5:31:17warn you now that you don't want to
5:31:18press your luck. I am not so morally
5:31:21upright that I wouldn't slap the stupid
5:31:23out of a manager. In fact, it's
5:31:26tradition where I come from. I will
5:31:29apologize for scaring the chief
5:31:30engineer, but I don't give a damn about
5:31:32your interpersonal drama. Forgemaster
5:31:35Granite laughed. I think we're going to
5:31:38get along well. All right, son. Follow
5:31:42me to the fifth station and we can see
5:31:44how your new technique works on a
5:31:46freshly crafted blade. That calmed the
5:31:49other two, and Carl resisted the urge to
5:31:51smile at the way that you could see how
5:31:53upset the short man really was with
5:31:54every stomping step that he took. Carl
5:31:58strongly suspected that Forgemaster
5:31:59Granite was an actual full-blooded
5:32:01dwarf. He didn't have any proof of that,
5:32:04but all the evidence was pointing in
5:32:06that direction, especially with the
5:32:08clearly nomish fist spark working here
5:32:10as well. The blade on the cooling rack
5:32:13was exquisite. Forged of an unknown
5:32:16alloy, but the tiny details worked into
5:32:18the handle, as well as the perfect
5:32:20angles of the blade, without any signs
5:32:22of tool marks, even before being
5:32:24polished, couldn't be the work of anyone
5:32:26but a true master. How hard is this
5:32:29alloy right now? Can I etch with a
5:32:32chisel? Or should I use a skill? Carl
5:32:35asked? Granite shook his head. At this
5:32:39point, I could bend it in my fingers.
5:32:42It's nearly as soft as pure silver. It
5:32:45was made for mana compatibility, not
5:32:47actual use. Carl nodded, then mentally
5:32:51began to calculate the design before
5:32:53Remy held up a sheet in her space. I
5:32:56think this is what you need. stronger,
5:32:59more durable, sharp edges, and an
5:33:01amplifying effect for skills that pass
5:33:03through the blade. She offered it was
5:33:07nearly 200 runes in total, but Remy had
5:33:10done her homework, and she had included
5:33:11depths for all of them, as well as
5:33:13spacing between the portions that
5:33:14weren't linked. All Carl would need to
5:33:17do was arrange them for use on the
5:33:19blades particular shape. Thank you,
5:33:21Remy. You're a lifesaver.
5:33:25Cara was still standing between the
5:33:27human and the gnome until Fistbar
5:33:29climbed on Cara's back to get a better
5:33:30view as the void badger was taller than
5:33:33she was. The gnome's fear levels had
5:33:36fallen faster than expected. And Carl
5:33:38just wondered how long it would be
5:33:39before she realized she was now Cara's
5:33:42friend, whether she liked it or not.
5:33:45Carl began to carve the runes, working
5:33:47from the root of the blade to the tip,
5:33:49flipping the blade regularly so he could
5:33:51write everything in order and not lose
5:33:53the meaning behind the phrases that he
5:33:55was adding to the blade. When he
5:33:57finished the runic inscription, it was
5:33:59time to test the blade's actual quality.
5:34:02The runes went from bronze to silver,
5:34:04then to gold. The three team leaders all
5:34:07breathed a sigh of relief. Then Carl
5:34:10continued, bringing the runes to a rich
5:34:12amethyst as the inscription reached
5:34:13royal rank.
5:34:15Now for the moment of truth," Carl
5:34:18informed them. All three looked
5:34:20confused, but Carl continued, and the
5:34:23deep purple runes slowly turned to the
5:34:25glowing red of Deep Earth rubies. The
5:34:28blade pulsated with power as Carl's work
5:34:30reached Monarch rank. Then it settled to
5:34:32a gleaming surface so smooth it could be
5:34:34used as a quality mirror. That, ladies
5:34:37and gentlemen, is a Monarch Rank runic
5:34:40blade in the dwarven rune crafter's
5:34:41style.
5:34:43Now, how about we test it to see how
5:34:45well the intended attributes merged.
5:34:48That would be my department. Please come
5:34:50this way and we will go to the skill
5:34:52testing rooms. Fear not, they are
5:34:55enchanted to the same level as the
5:34:57training rooms used by the royal rank
5:34:59elites in the capital. Duke Ambrose
5:35:02bragged. Carl nodded. Then should we
5:35:06call an overlord down here? I wouldn't
5:35:09want to break them. I am a monarch after
5:35:12all. The head of research and
5:35:14development froze in his tracks, only
5:35:16now realizing the issue, while
5:35:18Forgemaster Granite winked at Carl. The
5:35:21barriers were made by overlords and
5:35:23reinforced themselves constantly from
5:35:25the mana crystals in the complex.
5:35:28As long as you're not landing constant
5:35:30strikes, there is no danger in letting
5:35:32you go all out to test the weapon. In
5:35:35fact, that's part of why you were
5:35:36chosen. If this project is to arm the
5:35:39special forces at overlord rank, we need
5:35:42to test them as well as possible. But
5:35:44it's simply not realistic to take an
5:35:46overlord for our team without their
5:35:48absence being noted by other nations,"
5:35:51Granite explained with his thick black
5:35:53beard bouncing on his chest as he
5:35:55quietly laughed. "The training room
5:35:57looked exactly like the ones at the
5:35:59apartment, and the quality of the
5:36:01barriers was only a little lower. It
5:36:04would definitely hold up to a single
5:36:05strike no matter what Carl did to it.
5:36:08Ambrose activated the training dummies
5:36:10and the barriers in the room sprang to
5:36:12life. Both Carl and Cara took a moment
5:36:15to add some power to the reserves,
5:36:18anticipating that they would be
5:36:19eliminating that much and more in the
5:36:21near future. It was standard procedure
5:36:23in the training grounds at home, but the
5:36:25three team leaders looked at them
5:36:27strangely.
5:36:28Standard procedure at home. replace what
5:36:31you're likely to use as a courtesy to
5:36:33others. Now, how would we like to do
5:36:36this? In theory, the blade should
5:36:39enhance a skill pass through it as well
5:36:41as being more durable. Carl explained,
5:36:45"We will start with the skill you want
5:36:47to use, then again through the blade to
5:36:50measure any difference.
5:36:52Then we will try direct impact testing
5:36:54on the blade before sending it to the
5:36:56production testing labs to check for
5:36:58flaws and perform quality control.
5:37:00Granite insisted.
5:37:02Carl nodded, then prepared.
5:37:04Disintegrate.
5:37:06The attack flew across the room to hit
5:37:08the dummy, which made the lights
5:37:10flicker. Everyone turned to look up at
5:37:12the number on the wall display. That's
5:37:15impressive.
5:37:17Nearly peak monarch rank energy output.
5:37:20Is that a skill boosting your output or
5:37:22are you close to advancement?
5:37:24Granite asked. It's a skill. I'm still
5:37:28in the early stages of Monarch rank, but
5:37:31when it comes to combat ability, I have
5:37:34no trouble standing on even footing with
5:37:36most new overlords.
5:37:38Part of that was the fact he used
5:37:40nullify as a barrier in combat, reducing
5:37:43the damage done by incoming attacks
5:37:45before they even got to void body. But
5:37:47they didn't need those details.
5:37:50Now with the blade, if you would,
5:37:52Ambrose insisted.
5:37:54Carl repeated the attack with a casual
5:37:56swing of the blade, but the same minimal
5:37:59set of buffs active and full output, the
5:38:01same as before. This time, the lights
5:38:04really did flicker off for an instant. A
5:38:0828% increase in energy output. That is
5:38:11beyond impressive.
5:38:13Fizz Spark gasped.
5:38:16Ambrose nodded obsently as he considered
5:38:18the implications of such an effective
5:38:20boost to combat power. Such outstanding
5:38:23equipment would turn the tides of
5:38:24battles down the entire length of the
5:38:26borders. Now to test the durability.
5:38:30The dummy has an impact sensor in it.
5:38:33Hit it as hard as you can and we will
5:38:35test the yield strength of the weapon
5:38:37after your enhancement to see if it is
5:38:39suitable for combat use or if we should
5:38:41focus on ranged weapons. Ambrose began.
5:38:45Carl smiled. This part would be the fun
5:38:48one. With the blade back, he crouched,
5:38:51tensing his muscles for a charge. The
5:38:54trio stared at him in confusion as Carl
5:38:57was 10 m from the target. Far outside
5:39:00melee range, but then Carl cast a
5:39:03barrier over them and leapt forward with
5:39:05an air shattering crack of supersonic
5:39:07movement. The barriers on the room
5:39:10vibrated with the impact, sending
5:39:12ripples of light and dark sections
5:39:14through the room's perimeter. Both the
5:39:16blade and the target dummy were intact,
5:39:18but the researchers weren't sure that
5:39:20would still be true if Carl hit the
5:39:22barrier again. Carl checked the edge of
5:39:25the blade and found no visible flaws.
5:39:28Well, I didn't coat it with any skills
5:39:30or barriers, so that was a direct impact
5:39:33with the barrier at high monarch rank.
5:39:35for pure physical force. That's pretty
5:39:38impressive. In combat, there would
5:39:41normally be a barrier or skill over the
5:39:43blade to protect it. Normal weapons
5:39:45don't hold up to that sort of abuse
5:39:47after all. Carl reminded them. I thought
5:39:51you weren't supposed to use any skills
5:39:53for this test, Ambrose asked in a
5:39:56shaking voice, rattled by the
5:39:58unexpectedly violent attack. That wasn't
5:40:01a skill. That is the physical strength
5:40:04and speed that you can expect any of the
5:40:05elites who will be using these weapons
5:40:07to possess.
5:40:09Monsters,
5:40:10the thin man muttered, then looked at
5:40:12Cara before returning his gaze to Carl.
5:40:16He's trying to decide which of us is
5:40:18scarier. Cara laughed. Probably you if
5:40:22he keeps trying to mess with your new
5:40:23gnome. Carl joked. Remy giggled softly
5:40:28as she looked outwards from a study
5:40:29project on the altar in her swamp. I
5:40:32don't think that he's going to do that
5:40:33again. At least not while you two are
5:40:36here at work. He looks terrified, like
5:40:39he has never actually seen a powerful
5:40:41elite up close before. Hawk squalked in
5:40:44amusement.
5:40:46Researchers are like Earth mice. They
5:40:49hide underground and never go out to see
5:40:51the dangers of the world up above. It's
5:40:54only natural that he is terrified the
5:40:56first time that he meets a predator.
5:40:58Cara thought that was sage tier advice.
5:41:01You could only hide in the burrow so
5:41:03long before you had to go out. But that
5:41:06creepy human had his food delivered, so
5:41:08he had never gotten to experience the
5:41:10real world before.
5:41:12Carl and Cara both put a bit more energy
5:41:14into the storage for the barriers, as
5:41:16they had done more damage than expected,
5:41:18and the array was likely to suffer for
5:41:20it until the draw was replenished.
5:41:23There we go. That should make up for the
5:41:25usage of the room. Now, I suppose that
5:41:28we should send this blade off to be
5:41:29tested for any production issues. Was
5:41:32there anything else we needed to do
5:41:34before repeating the process with
5:41:35different combinations to test for
5:41:37viable alternate effects? Carl asked,
5:41:41"Do you have more variations prepared?"
5:41:44Forge Master Granite asked. "I have a
5:41:47few. The viability of them hasn't been
5:41:50tested, but theoretically they should
5:41:53work." Duke Ambrose frowned as he
5:41:56realized that he had been entirely cut
5:41:58out of the process. He was the head of
5:42:00research and development, but they had
5:42:02sent someone here with a skill that he
5:42:04didn't know. Someone who had already
5:42:06prepared designs for the testing phase,
5:42:09which was what research and development
5:42:10was supposed to be doing. But how could
5:42:13they do their jobs when they couldn't
5:42:15provide any actual input into his design
5:42:17process? Carl's entire presence here was
5:42:20an insult to his authority within the
5:42:22facility and a challenge to his
5:42:24position. For years, Ambrose had been
5:42:27here toiling thanklessly to create new
5:42:29weapons for the nation. Now, some
5:42:32upstart young rune crafter just showed
5:42:34up and crushed the performance records
5:42:36of everything that they had produced in
5:42:37the last 2 years. What Ambrose couldn't
5:42:40know was that in order to make powerful
5:42:42runes, the creator had to be at an equal
5:42:45level. So, they wouldn't be able to
5:42:47mass-produce them for distribution at
5:42:49Monarch rank. However, what they could
5:42:52do was distribute weapons that could
5:42:54eventually withstand monarch rank usage
5:42:56and then distribute them and let them
5:42:58grow with their users. With the
5:43:00assistance of a rune master, the runes
5:43:02would adapt to the power pushed through
5:43:04them if you deliberately overloaded the
5:43:06stage they were at. So, if the weapon
5:43:09didn't explode, it could be improved
5:43:11when the user advanced. That was a long
5:43:14way off as they didn't have a single
5:43:16other run master yet as far as Carl
5:43:18could tell. He vaguely recalled that
5:43:21there were supposed to be acolytes sent
5:43:23by the blue dragons. But he hadn't seen
5:43:26them yet. The best thing to do was ask.
5:43:30So when will the acolytes arrive? The
5:43:33sooner we can get working, the better.
5:43:35Granite shrugged. They're in security
5:43:38somewhere. They arrived before you, but
5:43:41with 10 of them sent at the last minute,
5:43:44none of their passes were ready. That
5:43:46was one problem down. But there was
5:43:49something off with the chain of command
5:43:51here. Who was supposed to be arranging
5:43:53for their arrival anyhow? Carl addressed
5:43:56the group. Well, until they come down,
5:43:59we can continue on this project path.
5:44:03Should we start with the most or least
5:44:04likely to succeed? Forgemaster Granite
5:44:07smirked. I say that we start with the
5:44:10least likely. Doing things that you know
5:44:13will work is how we ended up so far
5:44:15behind the power curve to begin with.
5:44:18That was clearly a direct jab at
5:44:20Ambrose, the head of research and
5:44:22development. But Carl ignored the
5:44:24bickering in motion for someone to bring
5:44:26him another weapon. This one was much
5:44:29different than the last one. Not only
5:44:31was the material different, the quality
5:44:33of the workmanship was far inferior.
5:44:36Carl turned it over in his hands. then
5:44:39sighed and began to plan the runes. The
5:44:41dwarves didn't believe in specific
5:44:43effects. They wanted grand concepts in
5:44:45their rune crafting to the point that
5:44:47even the language supported working that
5:44:49way. So Carl thought for a few minutes
5:44:52and came up with the most absolutely
5:44:54ridiculous compound rune that he could
5:44:56fit on the blade. In a literal
5:44:58translation, it meant a divine sundering
5:45:01blow that splits the earth, shakes the
5:45:03skies, and instills fear into the hearts
5:45:05of men, dragons, and gods.
5:45:08But the supporting runes to shape the
5:45:10concept without breaking the single rune
5:45:12as well as the addendums for power, an
5:45:14earthquake that would split the earth
5:45:16and inspiring Reverend Awe of the
5:45:18wielder added quite a bit to the sigil.
5:45:21The dwarf stared at the rune as Carl
5:45:23finished writing the draft, then began
5:45:25to laugh out loud, his whole body
5:45:27shaking with mirth. Do you not have any
5:45:30fear of divine retribution?
5:45:32I am not certain I would dare to think
5:45:34that one, much less dare to actually
5:45:36inscribe it on a blade. Granite laughed.
5:45:40Well, I have limited invulnerability.
5:45:43At worst, I should only be 90% dead. But
5:45:47if the rest of you want to stand outside
5:45:49the room, I totally understand.
5:45:52Carl joked. The rest of the group was
5:45:54baffled as they couldn't even attempt to
5:45:56read what Carl had written. Carl decided
5:45:59to tempt fate and used disintegrate to
5:46:02carve the runes as he envisioned them on
5:46:04first one side of the blade, then the
5:46:07other. The runes appeared down the blade
5:46:10as if drawn by an invisible finger while
5:46:12Granite held his breath. He was waiting
5:46:15to see if they would be hit with divine
5:46:16wrath for hubris, but when the
5:46:18inscription was carved, nothing had
5:46:20happened. Now to see what happens when
5:46:23we empower it. Carl began to add mana to
5:46:26the inscribed blade and felt the air
5:46:29around him begin to tremble. He had
5:46:31probably overdone it with the runes to
5:46:33enhance the power of the blade. And even
5:46:35when he pushed the power level to
5:46:37commander, they still weren't lighting
5:46:38up. Royal rank brought a faint purple
5:46:41flicker to them. So Carl pushed it to
5:46:43monarch rank. Now they were glowing
5:46:46faintly red, as if beginning to
5:46:48activate.
5:46:50Then the blade exploded in a shower of
5:46:52blackened shards that rapidly dissolved
5:46:54into ash as the freshly imbued mana
5:46:56dissipated.
5:46:57Well, that was unexpected.
5:47:00I guess that blade wasn't up to the
5:47:01inscription.
5:47:03Carl sighed. Forge Master Granite
5:47:06cleared his throat and pointed at the
5:47:08table in front of Carl. There was a
5:47:10black scorch mark on it where the blade
5:47:12used to be, and the protective
5:47:14enchantments were shattered. Minor
5:47:16technical difficulty.
5:47:18Do we have someone on hand to fix the
5:47:20tables? Forgemaster Granite shook his
5:47:23head. Those tables weren't intended to
5:47:26be consumable items.
5:47:28First off, how did you shatter an
5:47:30overlord rank barrier with a monarch
5:47:32ranked crafting failure? Carl shrugged.
5:47:36It likely pulled the mana out of the
5:47:38enchantment when I didn't have enough to
5:47:39feed it. What none of them could have
5:47:42known was that a single bolt of black
5:47:44lightning had hit the park overhead at
5:47:46the moment that the blade disintegrated.
5:47:48Carl began to draw another inscription.
5:47:51This one is a bit less overblown.
5:47:54Can you get me a blunt weapon? A mall or
5:47:57a war pick of some sort, preferably. I
5:48:00will try to enchant this one to add both
5:48:02durability and large amounts of impact
5:48:04damage to strikes. It was a much less
5:48:07obnoxious enchantment than the other,
5:48:09and it would fit easily on the head of a
5:48:11hammer. An assistant came in with a cart
5:48:14holding a freshly crafted maul, still
5:48:16warm from the forge. Carl grabbed it to
5:48:19set it on the table, then froze halfway
5:48:22as everyone screamed in terror. I
5:48:24haven't even started yet, he complained.
5:48:28No, that mall. How are you all right?
5:48:32Ambrose asked. Carl looked at the hammer
5:48:35for a moment, then realized that the
5:48:37warmth on his hand was actually flesh
5:48:39melting heat to most people. Oh, that
5:48:43it's fine. That won't hurt my hand. It's
5:48:46just hot. But that makes it easier to
5:48:49carve if I can find the chisels. They
5:48:52seem to have been obliterated by the
5:48:54aftermath of the last failure. So, Carl
5:48:56used Earth Barrier to make himself a new
5:48:59one and set about carving the runes.
5:49:02This time, when he was almost done, Carl
5:49:04decided to add a bit more flare and
5:49:06added a small side note about melting
5:49:08armor on impact. A small homage to
5:49:11Hawk's love of fire and the heat held in
5:49:14the hammer. Extra impact force and armor
5:49:17damage, or possibly armor ignore,
5:49:19depending on how the weapon interpreted
5:49:21it when used, should make for a suitable
5:49:23level of enhancement.
5:49:25Carl began to add mana to the hammer and
5:49:28watched in awe as the head of the weapon
5:49:30slowly turned a deep crimson while the
5:49:32runes went from bronze through silver to
5:49:34gold. What is the mana compatibility of
5:49:37this weapon? he asked as the weapon
5:49:39approached the royal rank. It should be
5:49:42close to that of the first weapon,
5:49:44higher than pure silver. Forgemaster
5:49:47Granite insisted.
5:49:49All right, then we go all out. Carl
5:49:52pushed the weapon to the royal rank and
5:49:54the coloration changed. The head of the
5:49:57hammer turned deep amethyst while the
5:49:59runes shown silver. Then the runes went
5:50:02back to gold and Carl kept pushing the
5:50:05quality up. It appeared that the alloy
5:50:08had been enhanced, changing in core
5:50:09quality while sucking the mana out of
5:50:11the runes. That was interesting. He
5:50:15certainly hadn't expected it, and this
5:50:17might make for a much more powerful
5:50:19weapon than he had planned. The whole
5:50:22head of the weapon glowed purple when it
5:50:23reached royal rank again, and then the
5:50:25purple hue began to fade, turning to an
5:50:27opolescent sheen on the metal, similar
5:50:29to the maul that Carl had in his
5:50:31possession. The runes finally turned
5:50:33monarch rank red, and then the process
5:50:36stopped as it reached equilibrium with
5:50:37Carl's power level. And done. The worker
5:50:41who had brought in the hammer gasped at
5:50:43the changed appearance.
5:50:45That is incredible.
5:50:47Why did it do that when the ones before
5:50:49it did not? He asked. Carl shrugged.
5:50:54Well, one of them blew up. But the first
5:50:57one, the one that Forgemaster Granite
5:50:59created, was already at a much higher
5:51:02quality level. If I am right, then this
5:51:05should now be an exceptional or epic
5:51:07ranked weapon. But the blade that was
5:51:09used for the first weapon was already an
5:51:11epic item before being enhanced.
5:51:14Forge Master Granite nodded as he
5:51:16stroked his long black beard. Yes, it
5:51:19should be considered epic grade. All
5:51:22that it was missing was mana to get it
5:51:23there as the weaponsmith missed multiple
5:51:26steps in the imbuing process. The worker
5:51:29looked terrified at the prospect of what
5:51:30the forgemaster was going to do to
5:51:32correct such an oversight. They should
5:51:35all have been masters at their craft
5:51:36here. There was no real excuse for
5:51:38forgetting steps that would improve a
5:51:40weapon's quality to such an extent. It
5:51:43was sad news for Carl, who realized that
5:51:45the improvement was not actually from
5:51:47his skills, but just finishing the work
5:51:49that the previous craftsmen had skipped.
5:51:52But the result was an item that should
5:51:54be of more than sufficient quality for
5:51:55their purposes. Duke Ambrose cleared his
5:51:58throat as they were back to his
5:52:00department specialty. His petulent voice
5:52:03instantly annoyed everyone around him,
5:52:05but his idea made enough sense that they
5:52:07still listened. Perhaps we could have a
5:52:10less powerful user test the weapon to
5:52:12determine the scalability of the rune
5:52:14work. While the first round is going to
5:52:16the overlords should they be suitable,
5:52:19this craft will eventually spread to all
5:52:21of the special forces.
5:52:23Forge Master Granite held his hand over
5:52:25the mall, checking the temperature, then
5:52:27picked it up and hefted it carefully to
5:52:29test the balance. Granite was a
5:52:31commander, so he would be able to put a
5:52:33decent amount of force behind the
5:52:35attack.
5:52:36Plus, it was a dwarven rune, so there
5:52:38might be a bit of extra affinity for
5:52:40him. The forge master collected another
5:52:43similar maul from the pile of completed
5:52:45weapons as a baseline for their tests
5:52:47and led the way back to the testing
5:52:49room. This will be so much fun. I
5:52:53haven't gotten to hit anything but work
5:52:55in far too long. You should try it too,
5:52:58Fizz. It's quite therapeutic.
5:53:01They both excluded Duke Ambrose, who was
5:53:04a common rank human with no noticeable
5:53:06powers. That would be closer to comedy
5:53:09relief, assuming he could even lift them
5:53:12all. Carl charged the barriers in the
5:53:15training room again, while Granite set
5:53:17the new weapon on a table at the side of
5:53:19the room. Carl wasn't sure what sort of
5:53:22combat skills a forgemaster might have,
5:53:24but there should be something for
5:53:25swinging a hammer, and that was what
5:53:27this one was designed to enhance.
5:53:30Forge Master Granite's arms were
5:53:31powerful, and the first swing that he
5:53:33made with the regular hammer caused a
5:53:35flare of light on the barrier over the
5:53:37dummy. Impressive strength without using
5:53:40a combat skill. Do you need me to teach
5:53:43you one quickly for more effective
5:53:44testing? Carl asked. Forge Master
5:53:48Granite shook his head. I know how to
5:53:51fight well enough, but pure strength
5:53:54should always be the first test for a
5:53:56weapon. You never know when that fancy
5:53:58magic mumbo jumbo will fail you and it
5:54:01will be time to just beat something to
5:54:02death. Duke Ambrose looked somewhat
5:54:05dubious about the logic behind that, but
5:54:07Carl knew that it was true in more ways
5:54:09than one. You could be injured, out of
5:54:12mana, exhausted, or simply in an
5:54:15argument with Cara, and you wouldn't be
5:54:17able to use the skills that you were
5:54:18after. Granite swung the hammer and
5:54:21smashed it into the barrier, giving a
5:54:23solid low commander rank impact reading
5:54:25just from physical impact. That was
5:54:28truly impressive. And under that loose
5:54:30shirt, he had to be even more physically
5:54:32powerful than Carl himself had become.
5:54:35Impressive.
5:54:36Carl congratulated, but the smith simply
5:54:39grunted and nodded as he switched
5:54:40weapons with a reverent smile at the new
5:54:42one. He swung again and the numbers on
5:54:45the meter began to grow, stopping just
5:54:48short of the standard for a royal ranked
5:54:50skill. Now that's a hammer. He sighed
5:54:53fondly. That's as good as an actual
5:54:56skill, and all he did was swing the
5:54:58hammer. There was no added input on his
5:55:01part. Now, a lot of that is down to his
5:55:04physical strength, which humans will
5:55:06struggle to replicate, but I must say
5:55:08that the result is impressive. Duke
5:55:11Ambrose noted. Do we have a regular
5:55:14human elite here? Carl asked. Duke
5:55:18Ambrose looked pointedly at Carl and the
5:55:20bearded forgemaster began to laugh. No,
5:55:23we don't have any other warrior type
5:55:25elites here. Most of the apprentices
5:55:28have system skills, but they're the ones
5:55:30that awakened research and crafting
5:55:32related skills. So, they're not
5:55:33officially elites. They are researchers,
5:55:36Granite explained.
5:55:38Carl side. All right, then we have
5:55:41Forgemaster Granite do the honors for
5:55:43commander rank testing. I will do the
5:55:46full output destructive testing and his
5:55:48strength can be our proof of concept. I
5:55:51strongly suspect that we won't be having
5:55:53too many problems with the quality of
5:55:55the weapons his subordinates have been
5:55:56turning out. But with every new design,
5:56:00there is a need for testing. Now we have
5:56:03a blade design that will enhance skill
5:56:05output. A hammer to improve impact
5:56:08force. Do you make ranged weapons here?
5:56:12Chief engineer Fispark jumped up and
5:56:14down on Cara's back, waving her hand,
5:56:16while here pink pigtails waved along
5:56:18with her. That is my department. We have
5:56:22learned that the gods disapprove of
5:56:23mixing too much technology with magic.
5:56:26So while it can work, it won't link with
5:56:28the system. The operating theory is that
5:56:31the nature of the world dragon as a
5:56:32nature god prevents perversions of
5:56:34nature from working properly.
5:56:37Complex chemical compounds like potions
5:56:39work great, but complex chemical
5:56:42reactions to create substances that
5:56:44don't exist in nature, like gunpowder,
5:56:46don't interact with the system. There
5:56:49are 10,000 or more years of research,
5:56:51including the most recent research, as
5:56:53we were working to improve our base
5:56:55technology.
5:56:57But so far, nobody has found a proper
5:56:59answer. And the more you try to mix
5:57:01them, the worse the outcomes become. So,
5:57:04we have worked out three different
5:57:06paths.
5:57:08One is thrown and hurled projectiles
5:57:10such as knives and spears.
5:57:12Second are the bows and catapults.
5:57:15Third are grenade launchers.
5:57:18Carl stared at her for a second. I
5:57:21thought that you just finished saying
5:57:22that system linked items and technology
5:57:25don't mix. He asked. They don't. The
5:57:30grenade launchers are actually just a
5:57:31rifle shaped magic wand that fires
5:57:34fireballs.
5:57:36They're wonderful. Granite chuckled.
5:57:39They come in pistol form, too.
5:57:42Fantastically dangerous for the user.
5:57:45Fizz Spark shrugged. Minor technical
5:57:48difficulties.
5:57:49You just need to hold it far enough from
5:57:51your body that the proximity doesn't
5:57:53trigger the fireball to detonate, which
5:57:56a gnome is incapable of doing. Granite
5:57:59reminded her. Lotus would love this
5:58:01creature. Cara already did. Carl smiled
5:58:06at the excited little woman. It sounds
5:58:09like they're already well under
5:58:10development, but I can do something for
5:58:13the bows. I was reading a book the other
5:58:16day on dwarven rune crafting, and it
5:58:18included a section on how to enhance
5:58:20bows. Of course, the most practical
5:58:23application, creating arrows so that the
5:58:25archer never runs out, is a spell effect
5:58:27that isn't as popular with the author,
5:58:29but it is a common part of enchantment.
5:58:32I also have a bow of that nature, and
5:58:34from there, I think that I can make
5:58:36something functional. Fizz spark
5:58:38gestured toward a hallway behind Carl.
5:58:41Then onward, we will inspect the bows.
5:58:46I'm trusting you to know how to operate
5:58:47them. My arms are too short. Cara
5:58:51flapped her wings and flew down the hall
5:58:53with her pink-haired rider while Duke
5:58:55Ambrose sighed and ran his fingers
5:58:57through his hair. I thought that this
5:59:00was supposed to increase productivity
5:59:01and morale. He muttered. Granite
5:59:05shrugged and Carl could see that he was
5:59:07hiding his smile behind his beard. I
5:59:10don't know. It looks like it has
5:59:12improved morale already. Plus, we have
5:59:15two preliminary plans for actual
5:59:17Overlord issued weapons, and that's more
5:59:19productivity than the rest of us have
5:59:21managed in the last year. Duke Ambrose
5:59:24didn't appear to be fond of that
5:59:25reminder, as he was head of research and
5:59:27development, an area where their
5:59:29ambitions had fallen so far off target
5:59:32that the king himself had called in a
5:59:34replacement to put their projects back
5:59:35on track. It appeared to be an unspoken
5:59:38understanding that Carl was not so much
5:59:40an outside contractor as he was a direct
5:59:42slap in the face to the research and
5:59:44development department. Even the hour
5:59:47that he had spent here was enough for
5:59:48Carl to understand that much. After
5:59:51following Fispark into the archery room,
5:59:53which had its own shooting gallery in
5:59:55the back, Carl was flooded with cheerful
5:59:57greetings and the sound of cheerful
5:59:59conversations.
6:00:01It was a very different feeling than the
6:00:02forges where everyone worked in silence
6:00:05as the noise of the forge was too loud
6:00:07for casual conversation.
6:00:09Surprisingly, a large portion of the
6:00:11room was not crafters who had some
6:00:13special skill in creating bows, but
6:00:15nature priestesses.
6:00:17Bows were traditionally created from
6:00:19wood. Nature priestesses excelled at
6:00:22growing more of it. It was a perfect fit
6:00:25for them, Carl decided. Carl walked over
6:00:28to one of the bows and picked it up to
6:00:30examine the enchantments on it. Bow of
6:00:33multi fire, uncommon grade bow. Creates
6:00:37two arrows each time the bow is fired.
6:00:40Carl shook his head as he realized that
6:00:42the one important thing the bow didn't
6:00:44do was allow for separate targeting or
6:00:46even aim assist when you fired. But it
6:00:49was uncommon grade and that wasn't a
6:00:51particularly powerful item. The question
6:00:54was why was it the first thing he found
6:00:56on the table?
6:00:58What do we have that's already at the
6:00:59rare or epic grade to be enhanced?
6:01:02Carl asked. One of the Boers raised his
6:01:05hand and Carl walked over to see his
6:01:08work. Compound bow of brutal impact
6:01:11deals 110% of skill damage as physical
6:01:14impact.
6:01:15Requires skill used to activate. That
6:01:19wasn't terrible. It would be hard on the
6:01:21mana levels, but it would double your
6:01:23damage output or allow you to use a much
6:01:26lower output that didn't deplete the
6:01:27elite nearly as quickly. The problem
6:01:30that he could see was that the actual
6:01:32bow was not particularly highquality
6:01:34wood. Ascended rank Ash, if his botney
6:01:37knowledge was right, it would have
6:01:39helped to have Lotus here. She would
6:01:42gladly fill him in on all the little
6:01:43details without him having to ask.
6:01:46The clerics here were too nervous to say
6:01:48much today, but he would be able to work
6:01:51with that. It would just take more runes
6:01:53to reinforce the wood, which Carl noted
6:01:55was in a carefully crafted composite. It
6:01:58was quite a modern weapon with its
6:02:00compound design for improved arrow speed
6:02:02and shorter overall length while
6:02:04retaining power. Carl made a quick
6:02:07mental plan, then borrowed a paintbrush
6:02:09from the tools on the counter. Carving
6:02:11into the composite of the bow would do
6:02:13more damage than help, so he would have
6:02:15to do what he could with paint. I have a
6:02:18marker. One of the nature priestesses
6:02:21suggested helpfully.
6:02:23Oh, that would be easier. She handed it
6:02:26over, and Carl noticed that it was a
6:02:28rainbow colored marker with sparkles.
6:02:31Whoever got this bow once they were done
6:02:33testing had better have a sense of humor
6:02:35if the runes didn't change colors. Carl
6:02:38decided on two phrases.
6:02:40one to strengthen and stiffen the bow
6:02:42and one to greatly improve the travel
6:02:44speed of projectiles.
6:02:46Adding mana to the marker runes was not
6:02:49easy, and Carl suspected that it was the
6:02:51changing composition of the multicolored
6:02:53marker. Even when he brought it through
6:02:55awakened and ascended rank, it retained
6:02:57its sparkles. At commander rank, the
6:03:01runes turned shining gold. Carl
6:03:04hesitated, but a commander rank weapon
6:03:06wouldn't do them any good for an
6:03:07overlord rank ranger.
6:03:09So he took the bow to royal rank. The
6:03:13runes shifted color as the power level
6:03:15increased and the whole bow turned a
6:03:17rich black with golden lines making up
6:03:19the wood pattern around the amethyst
6:03:21runes. He could feel the saturation of
6:03:24the wood and didn't dare to take it any
6:03:26further, but it was a good start. "All
6:03:29right, who wants to test fire the bow?"
6:03:32Carl asked. The creator shrugged. "I
6:03:36don't have an attack skill." Carl nodded
6:03:39in understanding.
6:03:41His class was the boy, so he had thought
6:03:44the man should have at least one skill
6:03:45for testing purposes, but this bow only
6:03:49activated with a ranged attack skill.
6:03:52Perhaps whatever he had was not
6:03:53suitable, or worse, the class could be
6:03:56entirely crafting focused without even
6:03:59the ability to fight in an emergency.
6:04:02One of the others came over and picked
6:04:04up the bow, almost throwing it in the
6:04:06air. It's incredibly light. Feels good
6:04:10in the hands. Then he tried to draw the
6:04:12bow and only managed to get it a few
6:04:15centimeters back. Monarch, I think there
6:04:18has been a mistake. Nobody can draw
6:04:21this. He complained.
6:04:24Carl frowned, then took the bow and
6:04:26stepped to the archery range. He
6:04:28activated ren at commander rank and drew
6:04:31the bow string back, creating a vicious
6:04:34red metallic arrow. The draw weight had
6:04:37to be close to 150 kilos.
6:04:40All right, perhaps that's a bit too
6:04:42stiff, but rangers have strength close
6:04:44to warriors, so it should be usable for
6:04:46them. Carl let the arrow fly, and the
6:04:49barrier at the back of the room lit up
6:04:51while the metallic target rang like a
6:04:53gong. 1,200 m a second. As good as a
6:04:58bullet, Fizz Spark cheered. The bow
6:05:02effect activates on impact, so the skill
6:05:04hits first, then the bow's damage is
6:05:06secondary, hopefully after the barriers
6:05:08are down. Not too shabby, Carl agreed.
6:05:14Can you make it actually usable and not
6:05:16just for you? One of the buoyers asked.
6:05:20Sure, but the effect of the speed
6:05:22increase is percentage- based. The
6:05:25average combat bow tops out at something
6:05:27like a 100 m a second arrow speed. Now,
6:05:31without significantly improving that
6:05:32with the actual bow, we're not going to
6:05:34see the same sort of results. The Boer
6:05:37shrugged. The arrow speed is mostly
6:05:40irrelevant, isn't it? It's just to get
6:05:43the arrow where it needs to be. Carl
6:05:46sighed, then turned to Cara. Throw one
6:05:49of those arrows at me. Cara giggled and
6:05:52climbed on the table, then drew back her
6:05:54arm and hurled an arrow at him in a
6:05:56perfect spiral. Carl shifted slightly to
6:05:59the right and easily caught the
6:06:00projectile while the crafter stared at
6:06:02them in horror. And Fistbark tried not
6:06:04to lose her seat on the rapidly moving
6:06:06badger. As you can see, that won't work.
6:06:10At 100 m a second, not only can I dodge
6:06:13the arrow, but I can catch standard
6:06:15projectiles.
6:06:17The gnome side, we have underestimated
6:06:20the stronger elites. I told them that
6:06:23something like this was happening when
6:06:24they returned the last batch of weapons
6:06:26we tried to send them. What feedback did
6:06:29they give you? Carl asked. Duke Ambrose
6:06:33scoffed. Our researchers didn't have
6:06:36clearance to discuss the matter with the
6:06:37end users. It was determined that such
6:06:40interaction could unduly affect our
6:06:42development plans to favor the ones who
6:06:44had responded instead of creating
6:06:46weapons for the majority of the elites.
6:06:49Determined by whom? Carl asked. The
6:06:53answer was clear on the man's face,
6:06:56determined by him. All right, that's not
6:06:59going to work. It's clear that none of
6:07:01you actually understand the usage
6:07:03scenarios for the weapons that you are
6:07:05creating. If the enemy can casually
6:07:07dodge your attacks, what is the point in
6:07:10wasting mana? No, we need bows that will
6:07:13fire fast enough that even the mighty
6:07:15overlords don't have an easy time
6:07:16dodging them. So don't shy away from
6:07:20stiffer bows. If you have doubts, ask
6:07:23one of the blacksmiths if they can test
6:07:24it for you. If they can draw it, then it
6:07:28is usable by an average warrior or
6:07:30ranger. But for the overlords, an
6:07:32exceptional set of equipment is needed.
6:07:35The issue they have is that nothing we
6:07:37can get elsewhere is actually high
6:07:39enough quality for them. Even what I
6:07:41turn out to the peak of my skills and
6:07:43power is still an entire rank below what
6:07:45they truly need. and my limited skills
6:07:47means that there is a significant chance
6:07:49that we will still be lacking in quality
6:07:51compared to the items created by the
6:07:53Cyclops forge masters. As Carl finished
6:07:56his speech with a mention of the giants
6:07:58craftsman, Granite spat on the ground in
6:08:00disgust.
6:08:02Unacceptable.
6:08:04No way will we lose to the giants. But
6:08:06the forge masters should be extinct.
6:08:09Where did the giants get more? He asked.
6:08:13There was a monster spawn where multiple
6:08:15Cyclops Forge Masters were obtained by
6:08:18the giants at royal and possibly monarch
6:08:20rank. Forgemaster Granite's disgust
6:08:23turned to something bordering on rage
6:08:25until one of the nature priestesses
6:08:27handed him one of their signature
6:08:28cigarettes already lit. The dwarf smiled
6:08:32at her and took a drag, then put it out.
6:08:35Thank you, damnable giants.
6:08:38All right, I think I know why there is
6:08:40such urgency now. If the Giants have
6:08:43their legendary Smith's back and we're
6:08:45working with no information and a design
6:08:47team that has two functional brain cells
6:08:49fighting for third place, things are
6:08:51about to go south. Duke Ambrose stormed
6:08:54out of the room, sick of their insults,
6:08:57but nobody seemed sad to see him go.
6:08:59"How many people are on the research
6:09:01team now?" Carl asked. Just him and a
6:09:05couple of paperwork clerks. The last of
6:09:08his subordinates quit last week and none
6:09:10have been sent to replace them. The
6:09:13acolytes coming with you would
6:09:14presumably be the new team. Fark
6:09:17whispered. Carl gave her a surprised
6:09:20look before responding.
6:09:22This doesn't seem like the sort of place
6:09:24that you can just quit and head home
6:09:26from. The gnome nodded. They have the
6:09:29mage's mind wipe your time here so you
6:09:32can't spill secrets when you leave. I
6:09:34don't think that they'll try that with
6:09:36you, but most of our team doesn't get
6:09:38any consideration at all. Cara chuckled,
6:09:41making fist bark vibrate on her back.
6:09:44Cara has a point. Even if they wanted
6:09:47to, they probably couldn't. I am
6:09:50somewhat resistant to negative magical
6:09:52effects, and we already know that they
6:09:54don't have an overlord here to do the
6:09:55job every day when I head back to my
6:09:57room at the palace. Fark gasped. You get
6:10:01to stay at the palace. Lucky. I heard
6:10:05that it's really nice. What does the
6:10:08city look like? Carl shrugged. I went
6:10:12underground from the palace here. I
6:10:15haven't seen the city at all. Security
6:10:18reasons, they say. But there is a train
6:10:21that goes from the palace complex to the
6:10:23university. Then it's all indoors from
6:10:25there to the entrance. Rather dull,
6:10:28really. Their conversation was
6:10:30interrupted by the sound of the main
6:10:32doors opening. That was unusual enough
6:10:35that everyone in the main room turned to
6:10:37see what was going on. There were no
6:10:39scheduled deliveries today, and they had
6:10:41already gotten a new person who made the
6:10:43head of research and development cry.
6:10:46More excitement seemed like too much for
6:10:48one day. Five young acolytes, all in
6:10:51their first and second years at the
6:10:52seminary academy, were led in by a
6:10:55security guard. Carl and most of the
6:10:57occupants of the archery room came out
6:10:59to see what the commotion was about and
6:11:01Cara flew Fispark up to the landing.
6:11:04Then she poked the chief engineer with
6:11:06her nose and made a get on with it
6:11:08gesture for the gnome to begin her
6:11:10welcoming speech. Acolytes for the rune
6:11:13crafting project. Welcome to the
6:11:15development lab. Please do come in.
6:11:19Monarch Carl will be taking charge of
6:11:21your training from this point forward.
6:11:23They wouldn't actually be able to learn
6:11:25the rune crafting skill. Carl feared.
6:11:28Nact had said that it had incredibly
6:11:30high standards as a skill, but there was
6:11:33some hope that they could learn some
6:11:34subset of it as a trade skill. If
6:11:37nothing else, they could help Carl with
6:11:39his preparations while he worked out a
6:11:41way to alter the skills he had to the
6:11:42point he could train them properly. What
6:11:45would you even blend it with? Don't you
6:11:47need more useful skills before you can
6:11:49start mixing things for others? Remy
6:11:52reminded him. Good point. They keep
6:11:56promising me more skill books, but they
6:11:58never do make good on their promise
6:12:00before I'm sent somewhere else. Well,
6:12:03now we have captive blue dragon clerics.
6:12:06They should have some connections who
6:12:07would love to get more books for us.
6:12:10Maybe they brought books. I hope they
6:12:12brought books. I've already read almost
6:12:15all of mine. That was impressive.
6:12:18She had entire shelves full of them
6:12:20arranged around her altar, hundreds in
6:12:22total. But Remy didn't really sleep
6:12:25unless she was bored or full, so she had
6:12:27lots of time to research. It made her a
6:12:30lousy night watch, but a great
6:12:32researcher.
6:12:34Carl leapt up from the ground level to
6:12:36stand on the catwalk and inspect the new
6:12:38arrivals, who all waved happily at him.
6:12:41"I thought that there were 10 of you
6:12:42coming," he asked.
6:12:45Security rejected five of us because of
6:12:48family political connections.
6:12:50One of the girls, a tomboy with a crew
6:12:53cut, replied, "Or perhaps that was a
6:12:56very effeminite boy." Carl checked the
6:12:58system interface for the truth. Name:
6:13:01Marissa prefers Mark. Well, that was
6:13:05easy enough. He should start just
6:13:08keeping the name overlays up over
6:13:09everyone. Oh, yes. That made his life so
6:13:13much easier.
6:13:15So, Mark, you're saying that they picked
6:13:18the five of you because nobody would
6:13:19miss you if you were stuck here for an
6:13:21indeterminate amount of time. The
6:13:23acolytes looked panicked for a moment,
6:13:25then shook their head. No, the other
6:13:28five had high-ranking ministers for
6:13:30parents. The royal security team was
6:13:33concerned that they might pass
6:13:35information back to their families that
6:13:36could be leveraged in Parliament.
6:13:39One of the other girls, Janet the
6:13:41system, said her name was held out a
6:13:43tome as a peace offering. We rescued the
6:13:46books they brought. All the acolytes
6:13:48sent back had a few with them. We were
6:13:51supposed to give them to you as a
6:13:53goodwill gesture, she explained.
6:13:56Other than Mark, everyone was short,
6:13:58dark-skinned, and had long black hair.
6:14:01Markx was just cut differently, and Carl
6:14:04was beginning to wonder if the head
6:14:05librarian had chosen this group as a
6:14:07form of petty vengeance, knowing that
6:14:09Carl would find it nearly impossible to
6:14:11tell them all apart. Then he noticed
6:14:14something else, a twitch under the robes
6:14:16of the short-haired acolyte.
6:14:18Mark definitely had a tail. Carl tried
6:14:21not to make a show of scenting the air
6:14:23and found that they didn't have a scent
6:14:25at all. They were definitely disguised,
6:14:29but soul sight showed pure and clear
6:14:31energy. No signs of the corruption that
6:14:33came with being a fake or terrible
6:14:35person. "Do you want me to dispel them?"
6:14:38Cara asked. "No, I think I know what
6:14:42happened. They're using a human
6:14:44transformation spell to make Beastkin
6:14:46clerics look like humans. The librarian
6:14:49must be trolling the royals with her
6:14:51choice of acolytes."
6:14:53Remy giggled in her space.
6:14:55I bet they annoyed her about something,
6:14:58so she sent them all demihumans.
6:15:00Aren't the royals supposed to be like
6:15:02raw rago humans? Carl laughed to himself
6:15:06at the description. He already knew it
6:15:09was just a front as so many of the
6:15:11ranking members of the nation were
6:15:12dragons, but officially Remy was right.
6:15:16The royal family promoted the golden
6:15:18dragon nation as a human nation. That
6:15:21was about 95% true. But that last 5% had
6:15:25a unique knack for ending up in the same
6:15:27spot as Carl. Or perhaps it was the
6:15:30other way around. Carl took the book
6:15:33from Janet before the hesitation grew
6:15:35awkwardly long and admired the cover.
6:15:38Introduction to Inscription was the
6:15:40first book they had offered and Remy was
6:15:42ready to come out and steal it from him
6:15:44if he didn't turn it over quickly. Thank
6:15:46you, Janet. that will be very useful in
6:15:49the future. One after another, they
6:15:52handed him books. They were all crafting
6:15:55based, but Carl noticed that Janet had
6:15:58another one out, likely the book that
6:16:00one of the others was supposed to
6:16:01present to him as their welcoming gift.
6:16:04He returned to the start of the group
6:16:05and picked up the book from her hands.
6:16:08Learn skill, smite. Skill learned. Carl
6:16:12patted her on the head and smiled as the
6:16:15acolytes cheeks turned bright red.
6:16:18Thank you very much. He accepted the
6:16:21next book in the line, Poison Arrow,
6:16:23from the acolyte named Mabel, and
6:16:25repeated the process. Only Mabel didn't
6:16:28have as much self-control. And when he
6:16:30patted her head, the disguise broke and
6:16:32her ears broke free, twitching happily.
6:16:35Unfair.
6:16:36You knew, didn't you? She pouted. They
6:16:40must have been wagering on who would be
6:16:42the first to fail. That you're all
6:16:44beastkin.
6:16:46Yeah, you forget that I am a monarch
6:16:49ranked beastmaster.
6:16:51Carl agreed before moving on to Renee,
6:16:53who handed him a book of life leech. Now
6:16:57this will come in useful. Imbuing this
6:17:00on a weapon will improve the
6:17:01survivability of our elites by a large
6:17:03margin. Carl thanked her. The acolyte
6:17:07known as Renee freed her ears before
6:17:09Carl even took the book, revealing
6:17:11fluffy black cat ears and the twitching
6:17:13of a tail under her robes. She passed
6:17:16him a book of talisman, a shaman spell
6:17:19that was essentially a devolved form of
6:17:20rune crafting. But the knowledge that he
6:17:23gained from learning the skill added an
6:17:25incredible amount of useful practical
6:17:27information to his knowledge base.
6:17:30Finally, Mark handed him a book of
6:17:32blessed item, the skill that the clerics
6:17:34used to create holy weapons.
6:17:37Seriously?
6:17:38Carl asked. Mark nodded. The chief
6:17:42librarian herself wrote you that copy at
6:17:44the archbishop's request. Handing that
6:17:47skill to someone outside the high
6:17:49priesthood was unheard of. It was not an
6:17:52epic ranked skill, but it was the
6:17:54exclusive skill of the clergy, and it
6:17:56would never do to have someone passing
6:17:58out fake holy weapons that weren't
6:17:59aligned to one of their gods. I will use
6:18:02it well, and so will most of you, Carl
6:18:06replied with a smile. Sir, we don't know
6:18:10the skill. Mark reminded him. I will fix
6:18:14that later. First, say hello to Chief
6:18:17Engineer Fispark, who is responsible for
6:18:20ranged weapons, and Forge Master
6:18:22Granite, in charge of melee weapons. The
6:18:25acolytes instinctively curtsied before
6:18:28Mark caught himself and bowed. Granite
6:18:30didn't miss the slip up, but he didn't
6:18:32want them to be doing either on his
6:18:34behalf in the first place. His gruff
6:18:37tone startled them all when he began to
6:18:39speak. Right. Good to meet you acolytes.
6:18:43Now we have a lot of work to get done.
6:18:45So what are you all standing about for
6:18:48head down to the central clean room and
6:18:50get scrubbed in for your lessons. The
6:18:52acolytes ran off used to being given
6:18:55orders. And the dwarfs smirked at Carl.
6:18:58You're going to have your hands full
6:18:59with those ones. Monarch. They worship
6:19:02you like an idol. and you haven't even
6:19:04started showing off yet." Carl smiled.
6:19:08"I'm sure the novelty will wear off. But
6:19:11I should start teaching them the skills
6:19:13they'll need. There are only so many
6:19:16members of the special forces teams, and
6:19:18I will have to make their weapons
6:19:19personally. But these young ones will
6:19:22need to know the ways to make more
6:19:24flavors of weapons at lower ranks." Carl
6:19:27joined the acolytes in the central room
6:19:29and motioned for them to sit around one
6:19:31of the roundts.
6:19:33First up, you need two basic skills to
6:19:35be able to help with the job. Life leech
6:19:38and holy weapon. He announced, then
6:19:42used, "Follow me, little one," to
6:19:44transfer the skills. He didn't have high
6:19:47hopes for life leech, but it transferred
6:19:49without issues. Blue dragon clerics had
6:19:52an affinity for knowledge, and even if
6:19:54it wasn't something that they would use,
6:19:56they had an easy time learning most
6:19:58skills. even when they didn't have Carl
6:20:00to just imprint it in their brain. That
6:20:03skill is spectacular.
6:20:05"No wonder the librarian likes you when
6:20:07she hates people in general," Janet
6:20:10whispered to herself. "Too low for the
6:20:12others to hear. You all can drop the
6:20:15disguise spells now. Keeping them active
6:20:18will use up energy that you're going to
6:20:19need by the time that we're done
6:20:21training you on these techniques," Carl
6:20:24insisted.
6:20:25But before that, he had to try skill
6:20:28merger and see if he could come up with
6:20:30something if he combined rune crafting
6:20:33with holy weapon. What would happen? It
6:20:36took an immense amount of focus to bring
6:20:38up two such technical skills at once,
6:20:41especially when he couldn't activate
6:20:42them in his mind to see the effect. Sir,
6:20:46one of the acolytes asked carefully.
6:20:49Give me a moment. I'm trying to mentally
6:20:51blend a pair of skills to teach you the
6:20:53basics because you can't use rune
6:20:55crafting as a complete skill until royal
6:20:57rank. I don't know any of the subset
6:21:00skills that come before it. So, I need
6:21:02to isolate a portion that will let you
6:21:03learn now and not hinder your
6:21:05advancement."
6:21:06Carl's answer had tails wagging
6:21:08furiously, and Cara was laughing so hard
6:21:11at the sight that FS Spark nearly fell
6:21:13off her back. Carl lost track of the
6:21:16time, but eventually he had something
6:21:18workable. He had to eliminate 90% of the
6:21:21knowledge in rune crafting. But with the
6:21:23knowledge from holy weapon, he had a new
6:21:26skill. A skill he couldn't use. Trade
6:21:30skill already known. The system informed
6:21:32him. But he could visualize it in his
6:21:35mind. So he started with Mark.
6:21:37Hackmaster. Carl offers knowledge. His
6:21:40skill apprentice runsmith will be
6:21:42transferred to gentle pet mark. Mark
6:21:45frowned. Why is the system making fun of
6:21:48me?
6:21:49Carl chuckled. It does that to everyone
6:21:52when I use that skill. Did you accept
6:21:55the skill? Mark nodded.
6:21:58Yes, it taught me apprentice rune
6:22:00smithing. It's incredible.
6:22:03This is precisely what we need to add
6:22:05runes to weapons and make them better.
6:22:08Used with holy weapon or life leech to
6:22:10create a base enchantment. The acolyte
6:22:13trailed off seeing all the possibilities
6:22:15for future creations.
6:22:18Exactly.
6:22:19The smiths here are already turning out
6:22:21highquality weapons. If you add holy
6:22:24weapon and life leech along with some
6:22:26enhancing runes, we should have
6:22:28something that any commander would drool
6:22:29over. Behind Carl, Forge Master Granite
6:22:33cleared his throat. Before we get too
6:22:36far, is there some particular reason
6:22:37that the church sent you a whole group
6:22:39of cat girls as acolytes?
6:22:42Carl sighed and made a non-committal
6:22:43gesture. Yes and no. I am a beast
6:22:47master, so they're naturally drawn to
6:22:49me. But I suspect that the reason was
6:22:52more of a power play, a flex on the
6:22:54royal family. They sent half the team
6:22:57away for being politically connected.
6:23:00But we still needed acolytes, which left
6:23:02them no choice but to send the other
6:23:04five to us. The scans would have told
6:23:07them right away what the truth was, and
6:23:09it would have detected the
6:23:10transformation spell. Honestly, it's
6:23:13above our pay grade, and it's easier to
6:23:15just let them play their games while we
6:23:17make new smashing tools. Smashing tools?
6:23:21Thor cheered. He really wanted one of
6:23:24those hammers. It would work great with
6:23:27his gravity slam skill in human form.
6:23:30Mark, can you use that skill you have to
6:23:32enhance bows, or is it limited to
6:23:35metallic weapons? Carl asked, changing
6:23:38the topic. Mark thought about it for a
6:23:41bit, then nodded. It should work fine on
6:23:44wooden weapons. It's more like I've got
6:23:47an introductory primer to the skill and
6:23:49basic runes. There aren't many
6:23:52restrictions, just a lot that I don't
6:23:54know yet. Well, if I can teach it to
6:23:56everyone, then we can start getting you
6:23:58all to work. Carl sent the skill out to
6:24:01the other acolytes, and the girls
6:24:03giggled as they read the message. All
6:24:06right, we have more melee weapon users
6:24:08than ranged, so we will split the tasks.
6:24:11Who wants to do bows today? I need two
6:24:14volunteers,
6:24:16Carl requested.
6:24:18Janet and Mabel raised their hands.
6:24:21Perfect. You two will do bows today. I
6:24:24wish I had a better written primer to
6:24:26help you get started, but I will write
6:24:28you out a handful of options for the
6:24:29base runes. If I understand how this
6:24:32works correctly, you will need to add
6:24:34the runes and the spells as the weapon
6:24:36is created. So, you will have to work
6:24:38with the existing bowars. They know how
6:24:41to actually make the bows. You know how
6:24:43to do the advanced enhancements.
6:24:45But because you're new, we will bring
6:24:47them in here where I can supervise
6:24:49everyone. The other three of you will be
6:24:51with the smiths. Forge Master Granite,
6:24:54if you would please pick someone patient
6:24:56for them to work with. This is all new
6:24:59to everyone, but if they do it right, a
6:25:01runsmith should be able to create
6:25:03magnificent enchantments.
6:25:05Forgemaster Granite nodded. What is
6:25:08their path forwards after this? He asked
6:25:11as he chose the three smiths for them to
6:25:13work with. Well, the advanced form of
6:25:16the knowledge should be a dwarven run
6:25:18master, but as none of them are dwarves,
6:25:20I guess it's just a progression through
6:25:21the ranks of runesmith to run master.
6:25:24Carl guessed. Mark nodded. I think
6:25:28that's right. I can see the option in my
6:25:31system and the next step is Journeyman
6:25:33runsmith, but I can't buy it with skill
6:25:36points. It looks like the only option is
6:25:39to practice until this gauge is full. At
6:25:42the mention of filling a set amount of
6:25:44progress, Forgemaster Granite began to
6:25:46laugh.
6:25:48So, it works like blacksmith or
6:25:50weaponsmith does as a system skill. You
6:25:53need a thousand points of progress to
6:25:55reach journeyman.
6:25:57Not every creation will give you an
6:25:58advancement. But sometimes when you
6:26:00learn more than expected, it will give
6:26:02you more than one point. Now, it's all
6:26:05up to talent and time. If they're
6:26:07starting as apprentices, it might be a
6:26:10year or more before their journeymen and
6:26:12a decade before they are getting close
6:26:13to being called real rune masters. But
6:26:16lucky for us, the system will give them
6:26:18new bursts of knowledge when they
6:26:20advance.
6:26:21That was the one saving grace for the
6:26:23new crafters of all sorts. If the system
6:26:26wasn't giving them knowledge, the entire
6:26:28craft that they had gotten a skill for
6:26:30might remain lost to time. Before the
6:26:33apprentices could head to their
6:26:34stations, Hawk came out to stand on top
6:26:37of the armored glass enclosure of the
6:26:38clean room, startling everyone with his
6:26:41massive and majestic presence. What's
6:26:43up, Hawk? Decided to say hello to
6:26:46everyone. Carl asked. They don't know
6:26:50fire well enough. That explained it. My
6:26:54friend Hawk says that he's willing to
6:26:56help enlighten the smithy on the wonders
6:26:58that can come from fire magic. Carl
6:27:00explained as Hawk began to draw mana
6:27:03into his body. The fires of the forge
6:27:06began to flicker, then turned faintly
6:27:08blue as runes appeared on the walls
6:27:10above the forge pits. What is he doing?
6:27:14Granite gasped as he read what was
6:27:15appearing on the walls. It's something
6:27:18that I found written on the wall of a
6:27:20dwarven forge in a trial. He's improving
6:27:23the forges here with his innate ghost
6:27:25fire ability. I don't know what it will
6:27:27do to the weapons, but you won't have to
6:27:29worry about the forges being hot enough
6:27:31for your alloys anymore," Carl joked.
6:27:35"But the forge master was already out
6:27:37the door and headed for his forge
6:27:38station." While there was no doubt that
6:27:41many of the others would be able to turn
6:27:43out highquality weapons with a ghostfire
6:27:45forge, the forgemaster himself could
6:27:47make a true masterpiece with this sort
6:27:49of quality equipment.
6:27:51It was almost painful for a dwarf to
6:27:53work with a human forge, no matter how
6:27:55much they insisted that technology made
6:27:57it just as good. So, he happily tossed a
6:28:00handful of coal in the forge, not for
6:28:02fuel, but for the carbon that the steel
6:28:04would pick up as it was stuck in the ash
6:28:06bed to warm. One way or another, it
6:28:09needed to make its way into the alloy.
6:28:12And this was still the best way, even in
6:28:14a magical forge. The blue light would
6:28:17take some getting used to, but the steel
6:28:19heated quickly, and the bellows kept the
6:28:21forge heat exactly where he wanted it to
6:28:23be. Monarch, how much of the dwarven
6:28:26forge did you record? Granite asked as
6:28:29he realized the bellows were linked to
6:28:30the enchantment as well as the airflow.
6:28:33All of it, I hope. The city was damaged
6:28:36and abandoned, so there might have been
6:28:38more that wasn't carved into the
6:28:39building itself, but we got everything
6:28:41that was written on the walls and the
6:28:43forge base. Is it working out all right?
6:28:47Carl asked curiously.
6:28:49We will know in 5 minutes, but it looks
6:28:51promising so far. As the forgemaster
6:28:55turned back to his work, Carl settled
6:28:57into wait, and Hawk observed the smiths
6:28:59from the top of the clean room. They
6:29:02were so happy with his fire that the
6:29:03ghost fire Thunderbird was beginning to
6:29:05see some logic behind Thor's help people
6:29:08all the time for no particular reason.
6:29:10Logic. The forgemaster was making a
6:29:12mighty two-handed battle axe. So, Carl
6:29:15began to plan the runic design to turn
6:29:17that weapon into a true masterpiece of
6:29:19their combined arts. One of the overlord
6:29:22ranked berserkers would be over the moon
6:29:24with joy when they saw what Carl was
6:29:26turning out for them. Life steel would
6:29:28be the centerpiece of the effect,
6:29:30draining the enemy to restore their
6:29:32ally. Add to that some skill power
6:29:35enhancement, sharpness, and a
6:29:36combination of reduced weight with
6:29:38increased inertia that would let the
6:29:41overlord spin it like a toy, but the
6:29:43force behind the strikes would not be
6:29:44reduced the way that a lighter weapon
6:29:46would be. The only issue was that life
6:29:49steel was ugly, not the runes for the
6:29:52ability. It was one of what the runem's
6:29:55book had called the third path, unlin
6:29:57runes.
6:29:59So unlike the rest of the weapon, it was
6:30:01just a cluster of runes with no
6:30:03coherence or intricate patterning. Why
6:30:06not carve it into a gemstone, then put
6:30:08the stone in the axe? You can hide all
6:30:11the ugly that way, Remy suggested.
6:30:15Oh, that was a wonderful idea. If he
6:30:18just added a few more sets of runes to
6:30:20link a gem setting to the rest of the
6:30:21inscription, it would be perfect. He
6:30:24just needed to warn the forge master.
6:30:27Master Granite, please put a setting for
6:30:30a half-fistsized gem in the blade. I
6:30:33will need to set an enhanced stone to
6:30:35create one of the effects.
6:30:37Carl warned. Understood, Monarch. I know
6:30:42just how. Carl thought about his pattern
6:30:45for a second. Make that two gemstones if
6:30:48possible. If he put life leech on one
6:30:51side and brutality on the other side, it
6:30:54would balance out the design and an
6:30:55overlord would get a 70% strength in
6:30:58size increase from the second buff.
6:31:00Utterly terrifying.
6:31:02Hawk dropped a few stones out of his
6:31:04space and Carl showed them to Granite
6:31:07before he started the carving. That part
6:31:09only took a few minutes of stone as he
6:31:12wasn't trying to recreate the whole
6:31:13spell, only described the effect well
6:31:15enough that it would merge with the rest
6:31:17of the runes on the weapon. Run master,
6:31:20"The axe is ready." Granite declared
6:31:23half an hour after he had started to
6:31:25forge the axe. It glowed faintly blue,
6:31:28the same color as Hawk's flames, and
6:31:30there was a stone setting on either side
6:31:32where he had embedded the two stones,
6:31:34ready for Carl's handiwork.
6:31:37already. It would have three spell
6:31:38effects on it from the forge and the
6:31:41stones, but they were just getting
6:31:43started. Carl decided not to use tools,
6:31:47but to use a careful application of Rend
6:31:50on a pencil to carve the runes in honor
6:31:52of Hawk's first skill. Somehow, it just
6:31:55felt right for Ren to make the first
6:31:57weapon that was imbued with Hawk's fire.
6:32:00Hawk had chosen deep red fire element
6:32:02stones for the two spells, which should
6:32:04go well with the runes when Carl was
6:32:06finished. The amount he wanted to add
6:32:09would stretch his skills to focus on all
6:32:11the effects at once. But with the gems
6:32:14completed separately, at least it
6:32:16lightened his load somewhat. This might
6:32:19actually be why so many ancient weapons
6:32:21had enchanted gems. Purely practical
6:32:24reasons for the enchanters.
6:32:26With one long stroke, Carl wrote the
6:32:28runes across the entirety of the axe
6:32:30head, never once lifting the pencil
6:32:33while continuously imbuing power and
6:32:35intent into them. Then, with the last
6:32:38rune carved, he began to increase the
6:32:40energy level until he felt the two gems
6:32:42link at commander rank. After that, it
6:32:45was smooth progress as the runes turn
6:32:47purple before becoming a deep and rich
6:32:49ruby red. The weapon gave off a sense of
6:32:52foroding, as if simply looking at it
6:32:54threatened the life of the viewer. Most
6:32:57of the room was in hiding, only sneaking
6:32:59glances.
6:33:00But blue dragon clerics weren't afraid
6:33:02of new knowledge, even if it did get
6:33:04them killed. And the forgemaster was
6:33:06never going to be intimidated by his own
6:33:08weapon. Should we test this? Granite
6:33:12asked reverently. Carl shook his head.
6:33:16If I do, it will bond and I don't think
6:33:18that I will be able to break the link to
6:33:20give it away again. We need to call a
6:33:23Berserker class overlord in here or
6:33:25bring the weapon to them. Granite nodded
6:33:28decisively and walked to the stairs
6:33:30where a phone was mounted on one of the
6:33:32railings. Base commander, we urgently
6:33:36need a Berserker class asset here at the
6:33:38Overlord rank. We have a finalized
6:33:41product that needs to be bonded
6:33:42immediately, he declared.
6:33:463 minutes," the voice replied simply.
6:33:50Sure enough, 3 minutes later, a portal
6:33:52opened, revealing a massive overlord
6:33:55that Carl suspected might be part orc
6:33:57with the strong jaw and the way that his
6:33:59lower teeth dented his upper lip, but
6:34:01didn't quite extend to tusks. The face
6:34:04was wrong to be part troll, but Carl
6:34:06supposed that he had only seen a small
6:34:08sample of trolls, so it might be one of
6:34:10them as well. Garrick here," the burly
6:34:14overlord announced as he stepped through
6:34:15the portal. "Thank you for your prompt
6:34:18response.
6:34:19I want you to pick up that axe and bond
6:34:21with it for testing. It will be yours if
6:34:24it survives the tests," Carl announced.
6:34:28The Berserker's eyes flashed green with
6:34:31magic as he smiled and stomped to the
6:34:33weapon. At first, it flared with fire
6:34:36when he tried to pick it up, but the
6:34:38berserker simply growled at it and
6:34:40grabbed it by the handle to hold it up
6:34:42and smile at it. "Oh, we will be good
6:34:45friends, you and me," Garrick insisted,
6:34:48talking to his new weapon. The portal
6:34:51was still open, and Carl gestured
6:34:53through it. "Is there somewhere on the
6:34:55other side that we can test this? I
6:34:58don't think that the barriers in the
6:34:59room will hold up." Overlord Garrick
6:35:02laughed. "Oh, you're that confident, are
6:35:06you?" Carl and Granite both nodded
6:35:09silently. "All right, there is an empty
6:35:12valley by my house. We can test it
6:35:15there." Carl motioned for the acolytes
6:35:18to follow them, and Cara brought Fispark
6:35:20to watch the action from the back of the
6:35:22procession. Carl wasn't sure where it
6:35:25had dropped them, but there were two
6:35:26more overlord ranked warriors present,
6:35:28plus a mage Carl didn't know, and a
6:35:30royal rank high priest that he vaguely
6:35:32remembered seeing around the capital.
6:35:35This is my team. We won the lottery to
6:35:38be first, apparently.
6:35:40Overlord Garrick explained.
6:35:43Carl smiled.
6:35:45Well, then I will make weapons for them
6:35:47all next. Just write down your wish list
6:35:50and I will see what I can do. The mage
6:35:53chuckled. Oh, we all get custom, but
6:35:56poor gentle Garrick gets what he's
6:35:57given. The berserker laughed and held up
6:36:00the axe. Don't underestimate the power
6:36:03of random gifts. This one is feisty. Can
6:36:07you believe that it actually tried to
6:36:09resist being bonded? It wasn't a matter
6:36:12of free will. The spells were in balance
6:36:15as they were. So, it took an exceptional
6:36:17amount of willpower or magic to force
6:36:19them to bend to the point that the
6:36:20weapon would bond with the system. The
6:36:23mage set up a series of barriers and
6:36:25target golems for Garrick to test on,
6:36:27but the overlord immediately went all
6:36:29out, buffing himself, then pouring power
6:36:31into the weapon, which activated the
6:36:33brutality effect and increased his size.
6:36:37He swung the axe down hard into the
6:36:39ground using earthsplitting, an epic
6:36:41grade version of sunder that split the
6:36:43earth for 200 meters in front of him and
6:36:45sent out a shock wave that shattered
6:36:46overlord rank barriers and golems like
6:36:48crystal statues.
6:36:50Shards of earth, golem, and plant life
6:36:53flew into the sky, hiding the area for a
6:36:55few seconds while the mage stared at
6:36:57Garrick in shock. What the hell is that
6:37:00thing? He finally stammered. Bloody good
6:37:04axe it is. It's even got life leech. I
6:37:08got a nice little trickle from the
6:37:10things hidden underground.
6:37:12Overlord Garrick declared proudly. Carl
6:37:15and Granite stepped forward to examine
6:37:17the axe, ensuring that it didn't show
6:37:19any signs of damage, overload from being
6:37:21used by an overlord, or magical stress
6:37:24from an improper rune. Everything looked
6:37:27good, and the ax's power felt more
6:37:29stable now as it adjusted to its new
6:37:31owner. It looks like there are no flaws.
6:37:35You will have to test it in battle to be
6:37:36certain. So don't discard your old
6:37:38weapon, but I would say congratulations
6:37:41on your new weapon. Carl insisted.
6:37:45Garrick smiled as he returned to normal
6:37:47size, then tweaked his power a little
6:37:49and grew again, then shrunk. He had
6:37:52already learned to use the gem
6:37:54separately from the rest of the effects,
6:37:55and he was a very happy berserker who
6:37:58could grow into a nearly 4 m tall, very,
6:38:01very happy berserker.
6:38:04Forge Master Granite handed out notepads
6:38:06and pencils to the other team members,
6:38:08then went to survey the damage from the
6:38:10strike. Don't forget to write your
6:38:12direct phone number so I can contact you
6:38:14when all your weapons are ready. They
6:38:16might be similar to this one, unstable
6:38:19until bonded, the dwarf reminded the
6:38:22group. Gladly. If punctuality is all
6:38:26that it takes to get a monarch ranked
6:38:27class customized weapon, I will bring
6:38:29the team to you as many times as
6:38:31necessary, the mage agreed.
6:38:33The other warriors were crowded around
6:38:35Garrick, examining the tool work on the
6:38:38weapon. Are we allowed to know where
6:38:40this came from? Is there a resource that
6:38:43might produce more like it? One of the
6:38:45warriors asked. Carl smiled. It's a
6:38:49newfound system skill and still under
6:38:52development. There are resources that
6:38:54can produce more of them, but they're
6:38:56extremely limited in quantity. Give it
6:38:59another few years and we should be able
6:39:01to make dozens of commander rank weapons
6:39:03a week. But until then, a slow
6:39:06production of these monarch ranked
6:39:07blades for the overlord ranked special
6:39:09forces teams will be all there is. The
6:39:12mage smiled at Carl. I think that I see
6:39:15now the craftsmen can't make weapons
6:39:18above their own rank, so the number is
6:39:20limited by the time that it takes the
6:39:22available crafters to make it. and we
6:39:24don't really have any spare high-ranked
6:39:26elites who can be trained." Carl winked
6:39:28and leaned closer to whisper
6:39:30conspiratorally.
6:39:32"If you don't have a trade skill, I
6:39:34might be able to sneak the knowledge to
6:39:35you." The mage whispered back. "I will
6:39:39have you know that Overlord Dallas might
6:39:41have been born at night, but it was not
6:39:43last night. If I knew what you do, I
6:39:46would be the one locked in a lab for
6:39:48national security reasons."
6:39:50Carl laughed and raised his voice. Well,
6:39:54if you change your mind, let me know. I
6:39:57can make it worth your while. Maybe
6:39:59sweeten it with an epic grade summoning
6:40:01skill. Dallas eyes lit up with
6:40:04excitement, but Carl could see that he
6:40:06wasn't going to volunteer to change
6:40:07spots. Carl tapped him on the head and
6:40:10activated, "Follow me, little one."
6:40:13Skill successful. Suspicious Fox Dallas
6:40:16has learned. Epic guard. That was a
6:40:19different message than it usually gave
6:40:21Carl for the skill. Maybe he was getting
6:40:23better at it. Overlord Dallas gasped in
6:40:27shock, then summoned the new guardian.
6:40:29His epic guard appeared as a wind
6:40:31elemental with armor on. It was strange
6:40:34seeing a vortex with arms and a chest
6:40:36plate, but it was clearly an immensely
6:40:38powerful conjuration.
6:40:40"Well, see you later," Carl declared.
6:40:44"Oh, no, you don't. You don't get to
6:40:47just teach him a new skill and run away
6:40:49without explanation.
6:40:51Who do you think you are? The frost
6:40:53fairy. One of the warriors demanded,
6:40:56referring to the children's tale about a
6:40:58fay who gave gifts to good kids on the
6:41:00winter solstice.
6:41:02Carl smiled. Just wait. We've got to
6:41:05make more weapons so you'll see us
6:41:07again. That's two gifts in a day. I'm at
6:41:10my quota. Overlord Garrick laughed. You
6:41:14say that with such conviction that I
6:41:16almost believed it. But you should go.
6:41:20The others will need their weapons as
6:41:22soon as you can make them. This is too
6:41:24good to keep delaying you. Carl ushered
6:41:27everyone back through the portal to the
6:41:29lab. And once the portal was closed,
6:41:31Forge Master Granite turned to Carl with
6:41:33an accusatory look. When were you
6:41:36planning to tell them it would take
6:41:37about 4 hours to make the rest of their
6:41:39weapons? We already have base stock
6:41:42under production with the new forge fire
6:41:44to fill all these requests except the
6:41:45wand. The dwarf demanded in about 4
6:41:49hours. Wait, what time is it? It's got
6:41:53to be getting late by now. Maybe we
6:41:56should do them in the morning, Carl
6:41:58suggested.
6:42:00Then he snapped his fingers and wrote
6:42:02another series of notes. These are for
6:42:04another special forces team that I've
6:42:06worked with in the past. We will add
6:42:09their gear to the list and pass them all
6:42:11out tomorrow when the batches are done.
6:42:13Ladies and gentlemen of the archery
6:42:15team, Overlord Jorum is an archer and he
6:42:18will need the best bow that you can
6:42:19produce. According to Carl's watch, it
6:42:22was getting later in the afternoon, but
6:42:24not quite late enough to be headed back
6:42:26to the palace yet, no matter how
6:42:28productive the day was. The other smiths
6:42:31were making great progress on their
6:42:32weapons with the new forges, though it
6:42:34was taking some adjustment for them.
6:42:37Forge Master Granite had managed to
6:42:39adapt instantly to the new forge, but
6:42:41the others have repeated stages multiple
6:42:43times trying to get things just right.
6:42:46Once they finished, things would be
6:42:48greatly improved. Though, the addition
6:42:50of ghost fire flames to the forge only
6:42:53granted the ghost fire skill to the
6:42:54highest quality of weapons, but the
6:42:56level of refinement made the alloys
6:42:58subtly different and more mana
6:43:00compatible. The only issue Carl could
6:43:03see was that nothing created here would
6:43:05be particularly amanable to being
6:43:06enchanted with the ice or water element.
6:43:09There would be a few warriors and
6:43:11rangers who might be put out by that,
6:43:14but overall it was an improvement.
6:43:17Engineer Fispark gestured up the stairs
6:43:19toward the main door. Go head home for
6:43:22the evening and come back early. We will
6:43:25have something suitable by then and the
6:43:27workers will be less stressed without
6:43:28the extra supervisor.
6:43:31she demanded.
6:43:32Should the acolytes stay? Carl asked. We
6:43:37have rooms ready for them here. They're
6:43:39assigned here as long as you are, but
6:43:41they don't have rooms in the palace.
6:43:44Granite interjected.
6:43:46Carl nodded. "All right, make sure that
6:43:50they sleep so that they're not nodding
6:43:51off when I get back in the morning."
6:43:54That made the dwarf laugh. getting blue
6:43:57clerics to sleep when there was not only
6:43:58new knowledge but a new skill worth of
6:44:01knowledge that they could practice.
6:44:02Making them stop might actually involve
6:44:04drugging them to sleep. Locking them in
6:44:07their rooms for the night would only
6:44:08change the location of their research.
6:44:11Carl buzzed the security at the main
6:44:13door and informed them that he was
6:44:15headed back to the palace for the
6:44:16evening. The guards opened the door to
6:44:19let him out, then motioned for him to
6:44:21wait while they called for a security
6:44:22detail to escort him back out of the
6:44:24complex.
6:44:26Nobody moved alone around the complex,
6:44:28not even the guards. And Carl was the
6:44:30only real threat to the structure of the
6:44:32building. Not that anyone thought he
6:44:34would be attacking anything. The guards
6:44:37didn't get any news about what was going
6:44:39on inside the labs, but when a portal
6:44:41had been opened from the outside, they
6:44:43had been scrambled and had gotten some
6:44:45information that there had already been
6:44:46progress and that an item was being
6:44:48passed to an overlord. There were no
6:44:51security checks on the way out, only an
6:44:53escort until Carl was back in the main
6:44:55hallways and passed the first security
6:44:57guard at the elevator that took them
6:44:58down from the standard levels of the
6:45:00university's underground labs. From
6:45:03there, it was a short walk and a train
6:45:05ride back to the palace after a halfhour
6:45:07wait, but by then it was getting close
6:45:09to the formal dinner time at the palace.
6:45:12Unlike most homes, the palace served
6:45:14meals on a rigid schedule unless you
6:45:16were eating in your suite. And as new
6:45:18arrivals, it was considered courteous to
6:45:21socialize to some extent. The ladies
6:45:23might have done that for him while he
6:45:25was at work, but after weeks of daily
6:45:27training, he wouldn't blame them for
6:45:29simply resting in the suite, watching
6:45:31movies, and snacking for a few days. So
6:45:34when Carl got off the train and found
6:45:36the guards at high alert, weapons drawn,
6:45:38and in defensive formation, it took him
6:45:40a moment to understand what was going
6:45:42on. "Ray,
6:45:44did something big happen while I was
6:45:46gone?" he asked, suddenly concerned by
6:45:49her silence.
6:45:51Not to us. The guards are all running
6:45:54about like someone stepped on an ant
6:45:56hill, though. Carl could sense that she
6:45:58was incorporeal and enjoying the comfort
6:46:00of a web set in the main room's upper
6:46:02corner. The guard captain on duty nodded
6:46:05to Carl as he entered the palace from
6:46:07the underground train station.
6:46:09Sir, there has been an incident. We have
6:46:12placed guards on your team, but we ask
6:46:14that none of you move about without a
6:46:16guard detail. The captain announced
6:46:20that bad? Can you give me details? I am
6:46:24quite capable of dealing with most
6:46:26threats, Carl asked. There were two
6:46:29attempts today to infiltrate the palace
6:46:32with modified portal skills. We don't
6:46:35know who the target is, but the rest of
6:46:37the guests have been relocated out of
6:46:38the palace, and a second attempt
6:46:40occurred after that time. Carl nodded in
6:46:43understanding.
6:46:45So, it's either us or the royal family.
6:46:49I was hoping that it was something as
6:46:50simple as spies. I have an assassin on
6:46:53staff that would delight in feriting
6:46:55them out. The captain smiled faintly.
6:46:59Yes, we were made aware of that. We were
6:47:02going to assign an infiltration team to
6:47:04covertly keep watch on your associates,
6:47:06but we were unsure where the bloodbath
6:47:08spider was. The guard's frustration made
6:47:11Carl chuckle. Well, you made the right
6:47:14call. She's been in the suite all day,
6:47:17keeping watch over the ladies. Have you
6:47:20introduced the guard team on duty to
6:47:22them yet? It would be best. The captain
6:47:26ran a hand through his short blonde hair
6:47:28and smiled down at Carl. Yes, we made
6:47:32them lift their visors as well so that
6:47:34they could be personally identified if
6:47:36they needed to interact during their
6:47:37shift. The red priestess insisted.
6:47:41Carl considered that for a moment. Well,
6:47:44we could relocate outside the palace as
6:47:46well so that we're not interfering with
6:47:48the workings of the palace guard or
6:47:50reducing the number of available assets
6:47:52if there should be an attack. The guard
6:47:55kept inside. We did consider that. But
6:47:59if your team is the target, which is
6:48:01possible given your recent visibility,
6:48:03especially in defense of the capital,
6:48:05then it would put you all at excessive
6:48:06risk. It might be your skills that
6:48:09brought your entire team here, but if
6:48:11something should happen to any of you
6:48:12while under our care, it would be a
6:48:14public relations disaster.
6:48:17Carl side. You have a point. I was going
6:48:21to say that I could leave more of my
6:48:22beasts with them, but if they went on a
6:48:24rampage against attackers, there
6:48:26wouldn't be a city left. The guard
6:48:29general laughed. I don't think that it
6:48:31would be that bad. But I get where
6:48:34you're going. You have less to worry
6:48:36about than most. We're in a tough spot,
6:48:39but we can't afford not to have you at
6:48:41the research facility. Or so I'm told.
6:48:45How did things go today? Are they close
6:48:48to making anything? Carl patted him on
6:48:51the shoulder. I passed out the first of
6:48:54the new weapons to the overlords today.
6:48:57They had a good enough base that I could
6:48:58just add to it to make functional
6:49:00monarch rank weapons. It will be a long
6:49:03time before the supply is more than a
6:49:05trickle, but we should be able to get a
6:49:07few dozen out to the overlords in the
6:49:09next few weeks. The guard captain
6:49:12smiled.
6:49:13Well, once they're done with the
6:49:15overlords, us monarchs are next on the
6:49:17list, I would assume. Plus, whatever the
6:49:20trainees can contribute to the mix, Carl
6:49:23sighed. Yeah, that could be a bit. The
6:49:27trainees they gave me are all acolytes.
6:49:30Awakened rank acolytes.
6:49:32They're going to be a while before they
6:49:34can even turn out the commander rank
6:49:36mass-produced items we're hoping for,
6:49:38but give it a year or two and we will
6:49:40get enough of them trained. The guard
6:49:43captain chuckled. Well, I hear that the
6:49:46dungeon is giving a steady trickle of
6:49:48commander rank items as well, so we have
6:49:50a little something for the elites until
6:49:52then. Getting good equipment is always
6:49:54the hardest part of preparing a force,
6:49:56even here at the palace.
6:49:58Lotus stared expectantly at Carl as he
6:50:01entered the room. So, where are the
6:50:03acolytes?
6:50:05Did they send cute ones? Why aren't they
6:50:08here? Carl patted her on the head and
6:50:11gave the little cleric a pitiful frown.
6:50:14I'm afraid that they sent all blue
6:50:15dragon acolytes, and they couldn't be
6:50:17pulled away from new knowledge so
6:50:19easily. They're still at work and they
6:50:22will be staying at the lab tonight.
6:50:24However, they are all Beastkin clerics.
6:50:28I suspect that it was a little prank
6:50:29played on the lab as half of them were
6:50:31sent home, leaving only five acolytes.
6:50:35But they have all learned the basic
6:50:36skills that they are going to need. And
6:50:38from there, we can start building their
6:50:40skills. Lotus frowned.
6:50:43So, am I going to have to go there? No.
6:50:47I will bring them back in a day or two
6:50:49once they sort out the dangerous
6:50:51situation here. But one day I will have
6:50:54to bring everyone from the lab out to
6:50:55meet you. There is a gnomeish woman
6:50:58named Fispark there that you would get
6:50:59along very well with. She even rides
6:51:02Cara around the lab like a Sero. Carl
6:51:06realized when he finished speaking that
6:51:07the logical word would have been horse,
6:51:09but none of them had ever owned a horse
6:51:11as far as Carl knew. Once he was in the
6:51:14suite, the rest of the team came back
6:51:16out, even Hawk, who had decided to use
6:51:19the transformation token to look
6:51:20humanoid again. This time, he had a bird
6:51:23head and four wings with long clawed
6:51:25toes on his feet. But his hands were
6:51:28very nearly human. He flapped his wings
6:51:31and rotated his head halfway around to
6:51:33get a better look at them, which freaked
6:51:35out the maids. But he was satisfied with
6:51:38his transformation skills. Four wings
6:51:41might actually be better than two. You
6:51:44decided to come out twice in a day.
6:51:46Aren't you feeling adventurous?
6:51:49Carl joked. Hawk squawkked in amusement.
6:51:53Then he actually answered.
6:51:56Someone dared to target our new nest. I
6:51:59can't let Sister Ray have all the fun.
6:52:01His voice was raspy, and a few times
6:52:05Carl was certain that he heard a keening
6:52:06cry in the undertones of the voice,
6:52:08which made him wonder if the system was
6:52:10translating for him. But the maids were
6:52:13smiling, and they didn't have system
6:52:15access.
6:52:16So, Hawk had finally made a head that
6:52:19could speak common, or he had learned to
6:52:21speak in everyone's minds at once. Both
6:52:24were possibilities with Hawk's
6:52:26transformational limitations. Should we
6:52:29prepare separate rooms for the newly
6:52:31arrived guests? One of the maids asked.
6:52:35That would be appreciated.
6:52:37Until they are certain that everyone is
6:52:39safe, I suspect that they will prefer to
6:52:41remain active in the outside world.
6:52:44Remy, stop teasing Lotus. She just wants
6:52:47to pet the bird. Remy had the little
6:52:49cleric wrapped right to her armpits,
6:52:51stopping her from running to Hawk.
6:52:54Reluctantly, Remy let her go, and Lotus
6:52:57ran over to bury her face in Hawk's
6:52:59wings. For once, he wasn't covered in
6:53:02fire, and she could feel the soft
6:53:04feathers. Ghostfire body was still
6:53:07active. He had just pulled it back to a
6:53:09warm layer over his body so he could
6:53:11move freely. As an added safety measure,
6:53:14Carl called the guardian and both
6:53:16bodyguards.
6:53:18The Lania pair glided across the room to
6:53:20bask in the late afternoon sun by the
6:53:22patio door, while the guardian remained
6:53:24near Carl, her scaled and barkcovered
6:53:27body barely visible to others as her
6:53:29camouflage skill passively activated.
6:53:32Oh, that's a great idea. Anyone who
6:53:35comes to bother us will think that's me
6:53:36at first, then chop, chop, chop. Ry
6:53:41cheered. She had a good point. intruders
6:53:45would definitely see the guardian first
6:53:47and if they attacked her they would be
6:53:48defenseless when Ry arrived. These new
6:53:52ladies Carl's maid asked are summoned
6:53:57like a living golem. They don't sleep so
6:54:00they don't need beds but I am feeling a
6:54:03bit hungry. When is dinner? He asked.
6:54:08whenever you would like, sir. The other
6:54:11guests have been sent away, so dinner
6:54:13will be here in your suite, and it can
6:54:15be ready in 15 minutes whenever you
6:54:16request." Dana nodded in agreement, and
6:54:20Oilia gave them an enthusiastic thumbs
6:54:22up. So, the maid ducked her head out the
6:54:24door and had someone outside run with
6:54:26the message. There was an underlying
6:54:28tension in the suite that was definitely
6:54:30coming from the maids. They weren't
6:54:32elites or even combat trained. Their job
6:54:36was to clean and assist guests.
6:54:39So, the day's news had them rattled. The
6:54:42palace hadn't come under threat since
6:54:44any of them had started working here,
6:54:46making this the first time that they had
6:54:48actually had to use the security
6:54:49protocols.
6:54:51Even worse, while they were relatively
6:54:54safe for now with the elites, their
6:54:56friends were still at work elsewhere in
6:54:57the palace, and nobody knew what the
6:54:59target was. If they realize just how
6:55:02eager the beasts were to find out what
6:55:04the threat was, they might not feel as
6:55:06safe here with Carl's group. But for
6:55:09now, the presence of so many powerful
6:55:11creatures in this one suite had put all
6:55:13thoughts of seeking safety in the bed of
6:55:15a guardsman at the barracks for the
6:55:17night vanish from their minds. That sort
6:55:20of protection came with not just a
6:55:21price, but implied future obligations.
6:55:25But staying here to watch over a group
6:55:27of monsters and elites was just
6:55:28passively safe. assuming that the
6:55:31monsters were actually safe to be
6:55:33around. It seemed that they should be as
6:55:36they were summoned by a spell. However,
6:55:39none of the maids were familiar with
6:55:41intelligent summons, and there was
6:55:43nobody they could ask for reference. The
6:55:45food arrived quickly, and the maids
6:55:47retired to the servants quarters of the
6:55:49suite for their own meal, leaving only
6:55:51one behind to fill drinks and clear the
6:55:53empty plates.
6:55:55Ry dropped from the ceiling to join them
6:55:57at the table for a strategic discussion,
6:55:59only appearing in humanoid form when she
6:56:01was already seated on the sofa. "So,
6:56:04what are we going to do about the
6:56:05attackers?"
6:56:07she asked. Whack-a- Mouse. Hawk offered.
6:56:12Smash them when they dared to poke their
6:56:14heads out. That sounded about right.
6:56:18There was a rather low chance that the
6:56:19enemy would actually attack during the
6:56:21daytime under normal circumstances. But
6:56:24what really got to Carl was that not
6:56:25only had they done it, they had done it
6:56:27twice after he had left for work. Was it
6:56:30because they were waiting for the
6:56:31increased guard detail at night to relax
6:56:33and fall asleep? Or were they really
6:56:36targeting his friends when they thought
6:56:38he had left them unprotected?
6:56:40The dishes were efficiently cleared once
6:56:42they had all finished eating, and Thor
6:56:44immediately began to redecorate the main
6:56:46room. "What are you planning, big guy?"
6:56:50Tessa joked as Thor slid the sofa she
6:56:52was sitting on. Not all the spots can
6:56:55see the TV for movies. The last time got
6:56:58interrupted.
6:57:00Lotus jumped at the chance and Carl
6:57:02laughed as she immediately put on a
6:57:04nature documentary where two clerics
6:57:06were exploring a forest looking for a
6:57:08new species of magical fruit. That
6:57:11wasn't quite what Carl had in mind for
6:57:13movie night the last time, but the plan
6:57:15brought the maids with a tray of snacks
6:57:16and drinks while Tessa settled in next
6:57:19to Thor and Lotus used Cara as a pillow
6:57:21on the floor. Dana pulled a blanket over
6:57:24her and Carl, then settled her head on
6:57:26his chest to watch the documentary,
6:57:28which was turning out to be a tragic
6:57:30comedy of sorts. Not intentionally, of
6:57:33course, but the duo seemed to be a
6:57:36magnet for all sorts of monsters and
6:57:38wildlife, and they had kept all the
6:57:40mishaps in the film as a warning to
6:57:41anyone who tried to emulate them. After
6:57:44a few minutes, everyone had changed into
6:57:46their pajamas, settling in for the night
6:57:48while wondering just how long this
6:57:50documentary was. The answer turned out
6:57:53to be 4 hours, though everyone but Carl,
6:57:56Rey, and Thor were asleep long before
6:57:58that. Carl didn't bother to move anyone
6:58:01except to put Hawk back in his space as
6:58:03the transformation spell was beginning
6:58:05to fade off without him awake to refresh
6:58:07it. Thor had already stopped using his
6:58:10amulet and had managed to emulate the
6:58:12skill on his own, following the same
6:58:14learning pattern that Ry had. As it was,
6:58:17they both found it easier to look just
6:58:19vaguely human instead of trying to get
6:58:22all the features right. Ry looked scary,
6:58:25but the more that Thor practiced, the
6:58:27more like an affable young giant elf he
6:58:29appeared. In Thor's version of
6:58:31nightwear, just a pair of silk pants
6:58:33from Ry, Carl could see that the Sarah
6:58:36was mostly scaled across his back and
6:58:38shoulders, but that was all hidden in
6:58:40casual clothing or his armor. Once he
6:58:43was sure that Ry had slept enough to
6:58:44keep watch for the night, Carl fell
6:58:46asleep with Dana draped over his chest
6:58:48on the sofa. a deep sleep that ended
6:58:51suddenly when the first light of dawn
6:58:53hit their faces. He kissed her forehead
6:58:56good morning before sliding a hand up
6:58:58her back to pull the mage closer. Only
6:59:01as soon as he did, he caught sight of
6:59:03the glare that Cara was giving him while
6:59:05holding Lotus like a body pillow. Carl
6:59:08looked over to Thor, who was similarly
6:59:10entwined with Tessa under a blanket on
6:59:12the other sofa, and the void badger
6:59:14laughed in his mind. That doesn't count,
6:59:18she insisted.
6:59:20Still, I'm not getting a head start.
6:59:22Thor has a cuddle buddy for the night.
6:59:25Carl briefly wondered when Cara would
6:59:27give up on her mission, then realized
6:59:29that it was no longer about Thor's
6:59:30dating life, if it had ever been. The
6:59:34badger just enjoyed frustrating him. Any
6:59:37action during the night? he asked Rey
6:59:40while doing his best to avoid having to
6:59:42get up and give up the warmth of Dana's
6:59:44body against his own. A whole lot of
6:59:47nothing. Some of the stuffed suits say
6:59:50that it might have been a one-off
6:59:51incident in their words. Stuffed suits.
6:59:55That's what the guards call them. The
6:59:58useless ones with titles that make up
7:00:00reasons for everyone else to work. Carl
7:00:03understood that concept very well, and
7:00:05the name actually suited them very well.
7:00:07Am I on watch again today? Rey asked. I
7:00:12think that is for the best. I will leave
7:00:15Thor here with you as well. He would
7:00:17never forgive us if he didn't get to
7:00:19play night if there was an attack while
7:00:21we were in an actual royal palace. Thor
7:00:24rumbled with amusement, waking up Tessa,
7:00:26who simply looked around for a second,
7:00:28then closed her eyes again when she
7:00:30realized there was no danger. No better
7:00:33place for it. Princesses need knights.
7:00:36It's a rule. The Sarah agreed. Thor had
7:00:40put thought into this. Princesses needed
7:00:43knights. Queens needed knights.
7:00:47Overlords always had a most trusted
7:00:49knight at their side. In short, there
7:00:52was never a situation where being the
7:00:53knight was the wrong call. According to
7:00:56Sister Remy's romance books, knights
7:00:58even had good luck in love. Carl
7:01:01extended his senses outward and found
7:01:03that none of the maids had returned to
7:01:04their rooms last night. They were all
7:01:06uncomfortably sharing the two small beds
7:01:08in the servant quarters of the suite.
7:01:11They had already heard the talking and
7:01:13were beginning to get ready for the day
7:01:15if his hearing were right, so there
7:01:17would be food soon without having to
7:01:18make a request. There was a soft knock
7:01:21at the door, which brought a maid
7:01:23running to answer, then hand the letter
7:01:25to Rey with a confused look. Carl looked
7:01:28at the elaborate penmanship on the
7:01:29simple folded parchment letter which had
7:01:31an old-fashioned wax seal. Oh, our Lady
7:01:35Bloodbath is getting love letters so
7:01:37early in the morning. Carl teased. Ray
7:01:40smiled and nodded happily. They really
7:01:44know how to sweet talk a lady. The
7:01:46curiosity was too much to resist and
7:01:49Lotus managed to haul herself to her
7:01:51feet without disentangling Cara. She
7:01:54giggled as she read the letter. Then Ray
7:01:56handed it to Carl. Lady Ray Bloodbath.
7:02:00His majesty's royal guard would ask for
7:02:02your assistance should there be any
7:02:03further incidents in the west wing of
7:02:05the palace during your stay. We will
7:02:08have agents in the area as well and ask
7:02:10that you not eat them if you should
7:02:11happen to detect them. If you have any
7:02:14questions about current deployments and
7:02:16situations, please feel free to contact
7:02:18me directly. Guard Captain Scrugs.
7:02:22Even the maids got a laugh out of that.
7:02:25The spies and stealth agents of the
7:02:27palace were supposed to be among the
7:02:28finest in the world, and regular
7:02:30attempts were made to poach them for
7:02:32elite foreign forces. But the guard
7:02:34captain hadn't mentioned any chance of
7:02:36Ry being injured, only a concern that
7:02:39she might consider them a food product.
7:02:41It seems that you have a fearsome
7:02:43reputation, Lady Bloodbath,"
7:02:46one of the maids noted, then slowly
7:02:48processed the actual name that she had
7:02:50spoken. "Oh, you haven't seen me yet,
7:02:53have you?
7:02:54just this human form," Rey noted. The
7:02:58maids looked confused as Rey jumped back
7:03:00into an open area of the room and
7:03:02transformed back into her natural form,
7:03:04which brushed the ceiling with its back,
7:03:06even with her legs crouched at her usual
7:03:08standing height. "Dragon gods above,
7:03:12what sort of power is that?" one of the
7:03:14maids asked as Ray shifted back into her
7:03:17usual ebony skinned humanoid indoor
7:03:19form. "I am a monarch rank bloodbath
7:03:22spider. This form is the disguise, but
7:03:25it's much more convenient for indoor
7:03:27pursuits.
7:03:28Lord Thor over there is a divine thunder
7:03:30sparrow, and he's three times my size.
7:03:34There is no way that he could transform
7:03:36indoors without knocking down a chunk of
7:03:38the castle. Rey explained. The maid
7:03:42smiled. And we've seen Hawk's natural
7:03:44form when he first arrived on the
7:03:46balcony. Truly impressive, all of you.
7:03:50Cara looked up, waiting her turn for
7:03:53praise. And then there is this furry
7:03:55bundle of joy. I suspect that she is
7:03:58actually much more dangerous than she
7:04:00looks. Well, that is a given because she
7:04:03is adorable, but she feels powerful as
7:04:06well. Thor laughed, and all the maids
7:04:09turned to look at him. Void badgers are
7:04:12basically indestructible.
7:04:14The guards could hack away at her all
7:04:16day with swords, and unless they used
7:04:18skills, it would only massage her, he
7:04:21explained.
7:04:23Cara thought about it for a second, then
7:04:25nodded. None of them could do enough
7:04:28damage without skills, no matter what
7:04:30weapon they had. Well, then we're in the
7:04:33safest room in the palace if something
7:04:34does go wrong. I will ensure that the
7:04:37maid's gossip makes it to Lady Bloodbath
7:04:39so that she can be kept up to date on
7:04:41any strange happenings through the
7:04:42palace.
7:04:44just in case there is a pattern that we
7:04:46might have missed. The maid agreed with
7:04:48a smile. Carl sighed as he alternated
7:04:51between eating breakfast and feeding
7:04:53bites to Dana, who was still under the
7:04:55blanket on top of him. I suppose that I
7:04:58should go to work. This whole having a
7:05:01day job thing is highly overrated.
7:05:04Who wants to go with me today and who
7:05:06wants to stay here and play with the
7:05:07ladies? He asked curiously.
7:05:11Cara looked deep in thought. There was a
7:05:14whole group and maids and a bubble bath
7:05:16here, but there was a fizz spark over
7:05:19there. Flying around the laboratory with
7:05:22a gnome was a lot of fun. And if they
7:05:24were attacked, she would have a tiny
7:05:26artillery piece. Well, if the gnome
7:05:29actually had combat skills, she might
7:05:32just have a panic gnome on her back,
7:05:34which would be even more fun. In the
7:05:37end, the higher chances of fighting if
7:05:39she remained here with the others seemed
7:05:40like the better option. Now, where was
7:05:43that bottle of bubble soap? Remy
7:05:46returned to her space, more interested
7:05:48in the research of runes. She was
7:05:50learning a lot in the lab, and she
7:05:52didn't want to miss the second day of
7:05:54lessons.
7:05:56So, it was only the two of them that
7:05:57went along with the epic guard who just
7:06:00silently followed Carl once it realized
7:06:02he was leaving.
7:06:04Nobody else even seemed to realize that
7:06:06it was with him other than the guards
7:06:08who did a double take when they noticed
7:06:10it silently trailing him. Carl got on
7:06:13the train trying to ignore the eerie
7:06:15feeling that the abandoned station was
7:06:16giving him. It was morning and there
7:06:19should have been workers on shift change
7:06:21coming and going. But there was
7:06:23absolutely nobody. Even the guard on
7:06:26duty gave Carl a confused look. There
7:06:29should have been workers for the day
7:06:30shift arriving, but he hadn't seen
7:06:32anyone. The train station is empty. I
7:06:36think that things are about to get
7:06:38spicy. Carl's warning made Ray do a
7:06:41little dance in the living room of their
7:06:42suite, much to the confusion of the
7:06:44maids. Has anyone arrived? Carl asked.
7:06:50The guard shook his head. The train was
7:06:53exactly on time, but empty. The driver
7:06:56is as confused as I am.
7:06:58There was nobody at either station
7:07:00waiting for the train. Carl nodded and
7:07:03got on board, waiting until the driver
7:07:05gave him a nervous thumbs up through the
7:07:07small window in the door to his
7:07:08compartment in the transit train. The
7:07:11train glided out of the station toward
7:07:13the university, but didn't pick up its
7:07:15usual speed. The driver was becoming
7:07:17nervous that something might have
7:07:19blocked the tracks or that there might
7:07:21be an ambush waiting for them. But there
7:07:23was nothing moving under the city except
7:07:25them. Absolutely nothing, Carl noted.
7:07:29And that was not right. There should be
7:07:31flowing water, rats, and other vermin,
7:07:34insects in the stagnant water that
7:07:36gathered near the surface ventilation
7:07:37holes, or even maintenance workers. But
7:07:40none of them was present today. Carl
7:07:43focused on the area around him and cast
7:07:46nullify at full output as an area
7:07:48effect. He had fully expected to see
7:07:51something extreme, like a train full of
7:07:53corpses and a demon driving.
7:07:56However, what he found was that
7:07:58everything looked exactly as it had
7:07:59before. Only there was now sound. Far
7:08:02too much sound. Ray Thor informed the
7:08:06others that there is a battle in the
7:08:08city. I can hear it through the
7:08:10ventilation shafts.
7:08:12Cara, remember to rinse the bubbles from
7:08:14your fur when you're finished your bath
7:08:16or you will get itchy. Hawk laughed at
7:08:19the warning. He was also transformed in
7:08:22the bath pining his feathers, but he
7:08:25didn't use soap and he had fired to dry
7:08:27himself.
7:08:29Driver, there is a battle in the city
7:08:31overhead. I have enhanced hearing. Carl
7:08:35warned the only other occupant of the
7:08:36train. I will take you to the
7:08:39university, then I will wait for more
7:08:41instructions.
7:08:42I don't know what to do in this
7:08:44situation.
7:08:45All my instructions just say to wait for
7:08:47passengers unless I have a scheduled
7:08:49pickup.
7:08:50The driver replied nervously.
7:08:53They pulled up to the train station at
7:08:55the university and Carl reached out with
7:08:57nullify again using it to sense for
7:09:00magic in effect. He didn't want to mass
7:09:03dispel the whole area as there were labs
7:09:05above and below him that would be using
7:09:07magical barriers, but he didn't sense
7:09:10anything on the platform and soul sight
7:09:12didn't find anyone waiting for him. Carl
7:09:15quickly moved down the hallway wondering
7:09:17where the guards had gone. There should
7:09:20have been some on the platform, some at
7:09:22the first corner, and more at the
7:09:23elevator. Carl cast nullify again,
7:09:27targeting the hallway. There was
7:09:30definitely a spell on it, but Carl
7:09:32didn't see any changes until he got
7:09:33around the corner and saw the next guard
7:09:35station. All six were dead, hacked apart
7:09:39with dozens of blade strikes. Whatever
7:09:42had attacked them had to be close to or
7:09:43at the commander rank, as the guards had
7:09:45put up a vicious fight before they had
7:09:47fallen, and there was blood everywhere.
7:09:50But there were no signs of the enemy,
7:09:52and all the blood smelled human to him.
7:09:55Some species had very distinctive blood,
7:09:57but there were no strange colors here,
7:09:59and no distinct scents like orc or ogre
7:10:01blood had. Carl borrowed one of the
7:10:04security cards off a fallen guard, then
7:10:06noted that only one of the others was
7:10:08missing his lanyard. Whoever came before
7:10:11him had the same idea. The elevator in
7:10:14the next room didn't just need a key
7:10:16card, though. It also had a passcode to
7:10:19call it. A small detail that the first
7:10:22group had failed to notice. They had
7:10:24pried the doors apart, most likely using
7:10:27a spell, as Carl could feel the
7:10:29lingering magic in the air, and they
7:10:30were blown right off their rails. With
7:10:33nothing to stop him, Carl hopped into
7:10:35the shaft and let his fingers bounce off
7:10:37the rungs of the safety ladder as he
7:10:39fell. When he saw the open exit to the
7:10:42lab and the rapidly approaching spikes
7:10:44at the bottom of the shaft, Carl grabbed
7:10:46the ladder and swung himself out onto
7:10:48the tile floor. The security area was
7:10:51filled with blood and bodies, both
7:10:53guards and mages in spellblade outfits.
7:10:56Carl kicked one to roll it over, but it
7:10:59didn't have any sort of insignia on it
7:11:00to identify the faction that might have
7:11:02sent them. The robes were black and
7:11:05enchanted with stealth spells, but not
7:11:07as good as what the guardian was using.
7:11:10Even Carl could hardly see it as the
7:11:12construct landed behind him. He
7:11:14activated silent movement and void body
7:11:18on them both, then moved toward the lab
7:11:21where he hoped the blast doors were
7:11:22still holding. There was noise ahead of
7:11:25him, frustrated orders, and the sound of
7:11:28some sort of fan along with a crackling
7:11:30hum. A sharp whistle let Carl know that
7:11:33they had seen him, so he summoned the
7:11:35bodyguards behind him and warned Remy to
7:11:37stay hidden for a second, though she
7:11:38summoned her bodyguards as well. "Good
7:11:41morning, ladies and gentlemen. It seems
7:11:44you are determined to make my workday
7:11:46more difficult than it needs to be." He
7:11:49greeted the mages in front of him, then
7:11:51noticed that they had an overlord with
7:11:53him.
7:11:54in an enclosed space. This was going to
7:11:56be very, very brutal. The overlord
7:11:59didn't reply and chose to charge at
7:12:01Carl, who hit him with a nullify halfway
7:12:04across the gap, cancelling his movement
7:12:06skill and putting him off balance as he
7:12:08hit the floor. The mall came to Carl's
7:12:11hands, stacked with disintegrate.
7:12:14The hallway rang with the displaced air
7:12:16as he swung, and the head of the weapon
7:12:18hit the mage's barriers. The overlord
7:12:21was flung 2 m to the right into the
7:12:24wall, which crumbled on impact along
7:12:26with the barrier that he had nearly
7:12:28instantly replaced. A flurry of blade
7:12:31skills flew in both directions as the
7:12:33bodyguards engaged with the spellblades,
7:12:35and the epic guard launched herself into
7:12:37combat. Carl equipped the haint claw on
7:12:40the epic guard in preparation for the
7:12:42final ambush and charged at the overlord
7:12:44again, but the mage used a blink type
7:12:47spell to appear halfway down the hall
7:12:49behind him, putting their fight away
7:12:50from the others. All of the other mages
7:12:53were at the low royal rank, and they
7:12:55wouldn't last long against the
7:12:56bodyguards, but they wouldn't last a
7:12:58single attack around Carl or the
7:13:00overlord.
7:13:01Carl attacked again, hurling
7:13:03disintegrate at the mage, who countered
7:13:06with a rapid flurry of sword skills that
7:13:08knocked down the skill and then flew at
7:13:10Carl. One of the Naga warriors hurled a
7:13:13spellb blade between Carl and the spell,
7:13:15which simply cut through him without
7:13:17slowing as horror dawned on the doomed
7:13:18man's face. Carl smacked the spell down
7:13:22with his maul that reactivated the
7:13:24spells. He was burning through a load of
7:13:26energy, but the haint claw that the
7:13:28guardian was wearing was pulling energy
7:13:30from all around the room as the spellb
7:13:32blades died and her innate skill shared
7:13:34it. The overlord was obviously looking
7:13:37to run, but a portal wouldn't be fast
7:13:39enough to open, so he would have to make
7:13:41it up the elevator or into a secure
7:13:43room. Carl charged and the spellblade
7:13:46attacked again. He was slower than Carl
7:13:49in a purely physical sense, but his
7:13:51spell activations were nearly instant,
7:13:53and he had more stored energy. But Carl
7:13:57had one advantage that the spell blade
7:13:58didn't. The mage's attack tore through
7:14:01the Carl's barriers and his armor,
7:14:03leaving him bleeding from a dozen slices
7:14:05that crossed his entire body. But it
7:14:08didn't slow his swing, and the
7:14:09overlord's barriers fell under the mass
7:14:11onslaught for a split second. Carl could
7:14:14see the victorious smirk on his face.
7:14:17Then the pain as the shadow drake
7:14:18Trent's long fingers pierced fully
7:14:20through his chest and tore apart his
7:14:22internal organs. The guardian seemed to
7:14:25absorb the blood from the body while the
7:14:27haint claw tore the soul free of the
7:14:29corpse with a keening shriek as if in
7:14:31his last moments the mage realized the
7:14:33horror that awaited him. His corpse fell
7:14:36to the ground, flesh shredded with a
7:14:38look of disbelief permanently etched on
7:14:40its features. Remy snatched it up before
7:14:43it could be further mutilated.
7:14:45Rey would want whatever blood was left
7:14:47in there as she was short on human
7:14:49varieties.
7:14:51Then the Naga shaman picked up the rest
7:14:53of the bodies, guards, and spellblades
7:14:55alike, and placed them in her swamp to
7:14:57keep until they could be sorted. Master,
7:15:00the job is done. One of the Lameia
7:15:03bodyguards announced from behind him as
7:15:05Carl dismissed his armor and stood nude,
7:15:07watching void body regenerate the torn
7:15:10sections of his flesh.
7:15:12That process was exhausting, but he was
7:15:14as good as new in half a minute. Just in
7:15:17time to refresh his armor and smile at
7:15:19the Lameia before the tunnel began to
7:15:21collapse. The guardian grabbed him and
7:15:24the world went blue for an instant. Then
7:15:26Carl found himself standing inside the
7:15:28lab and the hang claw on the guardian.
7:15:31Rumbling outside the blast door and a
7:15:33sense of loss told him that the area had
7:15:35collapsed, crushing the bodyguards,
7:15:38which he immediately summoned to his
7:15:39side. Monarch, thank the dragon gods.
7:15:43You're all right. Have the security
7:15:46teams rescued us from the intruders?
7:15:49Wait, how did you get in without opening
7:15:51the door? Fizz spark demanded.
7:15:54Carl patted the guardian on the head and
7:15:56felt the pulse of energy from the haint
7:15:58claw. It wasn't awareness, more like a
7:16:01preset safety mechanism. The haintclaw
7:16:05could inhabit the guardian and in that
7:16:07body it could use its ethereal form to
7:16:09move between targets the way that it had
7:16:11in combat against overlords golems.
7:16:14Secret skill. Is everyone in here all
7:16:17right? Carl asked. The gnome smiled.
7:16:22Yes. As soon as the alarm was sounded,
7:16:26we activated the full lockdown barriers,
7:16:28preventing portal openings and
7:16:30reinforcing the lab. I can still feel
7:16:32the shaking. What did you do out there?
7:16:35Carl sighed. I got into a fight with a
7:16:38foreign overlord. We might have caused
7:16:41the tunnels to collapse.
7:16:43Fizz Spark gave Carl a confused look.
7:16:47Tunnels? There are no tunnels, at least
7:16:50not in a conventional sense. The whole
7:16:53area is one huge underground building,
7:16:55and the part by the university is
7:16:57constructed for 50 floors before it
7:16:59reaches ground level. If it collapsed,
7:17:02if more than just the last section
7:17:04collapsed, then the entire research wing
7:17:06of the university lab complex collapsed
7:17:09in on itself.
7:17:10Rey, what is happening at your end? I
7:17:14broke the university,
7:17:16Carl asked while motioning for the gnome
7:17:18to wait a moment. Nobody is in the
7:17:20palace yet, but we can see the fight in
7:17:23the city. Four portals and a lot of
7:17:26combat. No, five portals now. I think
7:17:31that three of them are our team. It's
7:17:33hard to tell from here. The buildings
7:17:35are in the way, but I promised that
7:17:38guard Captain Jerk that I would wait and
7:17:39help him defend the palace. Rey
7:17:42complained. The barriers over the lab
7:17:45shook and Carl instinctively traced the
7:17:47attack to the surface. Someone was
7:17:50trying to blast their way in. It looks
7:17:53like the enemy isn't contained yet. Only
7:17:56the ones that were in the hallway
7:17:57outside the main entrance. Carl reminded
7:18:00the others. Right. Everyone, breach
7:18:04protocol priority one. Destroy
7:18:07everything. F. Spark shouted, followed
7:18:10by Forgemaster Granite. There were
7:18:13pained whales from somewhere in the
7:18:15back, and Carl recognized them as coming
7:18:17from Duke Ambrose.
7:18:19No, you idiots. If we destroy it all,
7:18:23they will kill everyone. You have to
7:18:25stop. Don't you understand? I've already
7:18:29the human researcher stopped, but
7:18:31everyone was staring at him. You've
7:18:34already what? Forgemaster Granite asked
7:18:37in a deadly tone. It's just they're
7:18:40going to get in, and if we can't give
7:18:42them what they want, Ambrose stammered.
7:18:46Lie. The guardian standing beside Carl
7:18:49muttered. Granite was thinking the same
7:18:52thing and in a split second he had his
7:18:54smithy hammer in his hand and Duke
7:18:56Ambrose's brains were on the wall.
7:18:58"Well, that's one traitor down. Anyone
7:19:02else? It will hurt less if I find out
7:19:05now." The dwarf insisted.
7:19:08Dwarves really hate traitors,
7:19:10Fizz. Spark whispered. Carl saw a couple
7:19:14of others panic and try to run before
7:19:16the other researchers turned on them.
7:19:18But even with that issue solved, it
7:19:20didn't stop the pounding on the
7:19:22barriers, and their energy storage
7:19:23wouldn't last forever. I'm going to the
7:19:26energy storage crystals. It will buy us
7:19:29some time for them to solve the issues
7:19:31overhead, he explained as he jumped over
7:19:34the railing and down to the main floor.
7:19:37Between him and Remy, they should be
7:19:39able to greatly slow the process of
7:19:40entry, and by the researchers enough
7:19:42time to destroy everything that they had
7:19:44already produced. The smiths were
7:19:47already slagging down the weapons that
7:19:49they had in stock with pain etched on
7:19:51their faces at the loss of hundreds or
7:19:53thousands of hours of work. The archery
7:19:56specialists soon joined them, dumping
7:19:58armloads of wooden weapons in used
7:20:00forges, letting everything burn to ash.
7:20:03For 15 minutes, Carl poured energy into
7:20:06the process of reinforcing the barriers
7:20:08while they worked. Then the sound of
7:20:11destruction fell silent and the
7:20:12forgemaster came out of the backroom
7:20:14smelling of smoke. He must have gone to
7:20:17destroy the paper records made by the
7:20:19traitorous research and development
7:20:21chief. It's done. Everything is
7:20:24destroyed and I used forge fire to
7:20:27destroy his room as well as the hidden
7:20:30enchanted storage spots he had placed in
7:20:32it. There is nothing left for them to
7:20:34find. You can let down the defense now
7:20:37and we will face whatever comes our way.
7:20:40The blue dragons have provided us with
7:20:42an emergency measure. Worse than death,
7:20:45as they put it. A memory erasing potion.
7:20:49Their last resort if captured. For a
7:20:52blue dragon cleric, that was a fate
7:20:54worse than death. But if someone was
7:20:57going to try to torture them for
7:20:58information, it would be incredibly
7:21:00effective.
7:21:02Carl nodded. I am only putting in mana
7:21:05at the rate I can regenerate it. I am at
7:21:08full capacity for what might come next.
7:21:11Let them wait a little longer. For a few
7:21:14minutes, the pounding at the barrier
7:21:16paused, and the mana storage began to
7:21:18recover. That didn't last long, and the
7:21:21attack soon resumed, but with a much
7:21:23lower intensity.
7:21:25Whatever group of mages had been
7:21:27attacking the barrier before had left or
7:21:29lost members, and now they weren't doing
7:21:31enough damage to defeat Carl's efforts
7:21:33to sustain the defenses. The pounding
7:21:36continued as Carl checked in on the
7:21:38others. Any fun yet, Rey? Ray's mental
7:21:42voice was amused. We're playing hide and
7:21:45seek. There are invisible mages all over
7:21:48the palace. They sent Neil here to help
7:21:51me play. Are you winning? Carl asked. I
7:21:56don't know yet. We took different wings.
7:21:59Thor has a whole herd of maids and a
7:22:01guard team in the suite to help him and
7:22:03the others, but they haven't been
7:22:05attacked yet. A message came in from
7:22:08Inquisitor Neil, filling Carl in on the
7:22:10details as far as he had managed to
7:22:12decipher them. Monarch, there are
7:22:15spellblades from three different nations
7:22:17attacking today. A bounty has been put
7:22:20on the heads of a number of ranking
7:22:22elites as well as the king. I must say,
7:22:25if we weren't friends, the amount that
7:22:27they put on your head is enough to tempt
7:22:29even me to take the reward and go into
7:22:31retirement.
7:22:32Overlord Neil joked in a system message.
7:22:36Oh, that good. But the overlord replied
7:22:39to Carl's sarcasm in a serious manner.
7:22:42Whoever issued the bounty is making the
7:22:44continued survival of the northern
7:22:46nations contingent upon the completion
7:22:47of the list.
7:22:49But more personally, they have also
7:22:51offered the equivalent of 100 million
7:22:53credits and 400 acres of fertile river
7:22:55bottom farmland for your death. Carl
7:22:58sighed at the revelation.
7:23:00I don't suppose you know who is
7:23:02attacking the facility right now, do
7:23:03you? I took out some black robed
7:23:06spellblades who were trying to break in
7:23:08earlier. However, now the building has
7:23:11collapsed and someone is attacking the
7:23:13barriers from above. At least if they
7:23:16were going to claim a bounty on him,
7:23:17they would have to have an intact body
7:23:19to show their boss. Carl was almost
7:23:22absolutely certain that was how it
7:23:24worked or at the very least his head.
7:23:28But could he regenerate from just a
7:23:30head? Void body didn't specify how much
7:23:33of you could get blown up before you
7:23:35couldn't regenerate anymore. The ones
7:23:37above you now would be the spell blades
7:23:39from Lineia with a group of overlord
7:23:41ranked foreigners backing them up. The
7:23:44team under Overlord Athell is there
7:23:46dealing with them. Coincidentally, her
7:23:49name is on the list. So are Ahmad and
7:23:52Tabitha. The invaders had a serious
7:23:55abundance of confidence if they were
7:23:56willing to put those names on the list.
7:23:59For a few minutes, the damage being done
7:24:01to the barrier was minimal, and Carl
7:24:03wondered if Athell and her team were
7:24:05winning the battle above him. Then a
7:24:08massive lance of power smashed clean
7:24:10through the barrier and into the floor
7:24:11of the lab in front of him.
7:24:13Three overlords in pale blue robes
7:24:15floated down from the hole in the
7:24:17ceiling, smirking as they stared at
7:24:19Carl. Ah, we have found you, little rat,
7:24:22hiding in his hole. To think that it
7:24:25would be our team who gets the bounty on
7:24:27the beast master. The mage on the far
7:24:30left, an elderly man with liver spots on
7:24:32his bald head, chuckled in a sinister
7:24:34whisper. Carl smiled and stacked five
7:24:37layers of obliterate on his maul, which
7:24:40made the overlord laugh even harder. But
7:24:43when Carl fired the five stack spells
7:24:45layered in nullify, the overlord ranked
7:24:48skill shared by Cara, the mage's barrier
7:24:50shattered like glass and his body simply
7:24:52vanished. Carl turned to the other two.
7:24:56You seem to have fundamentally
7:24:58misunderstood something. Carl began.
7:25:02We're not stuck in here with them.
7:25:03They're stuck in here with us.
7:25:06I heard that one in a movie. Remy
7:25:08cheered in his mind. The spellblade
7:25:11stared at the spot where their ally had
7:25:13been for another half second before
7:25:15recovering. You were never going to live
7:25:17long enough to see the reward. Carl
7:25:20finished while Remy booed him silently
7:25:22for not going with the cliche. The two
7:25:25overlords charged for him only to have
7:25:27the bodyguards throw themselves in
7:25:29between, grabbing with their serpentine
7:25:31bodies and sacrificing themselves to buy
7:25:33the time for Carl to recharge his
7:25:35spells. Carl sent out another stack of
7:25:38disintegrate coated in nullify and the
7:25:41younger of the two overlords vanished in
7:25:43a puff of ash along with the bodyguard
7:25:45wrapping him. The overlord died at the
7:25:48exact moment that a flash of purple
7:25:50magic blinded Carl's eyes, and he winced
7:25:52as a blade ran through his stomach, bare
7:25:55steel, stripped of its magical
7:25:56enchantments by the barriers it had
7:25:58broken. "You were saying?" The last
7:26:01overlord asked, his sword buried to the
7:26:03hilt in Carl's body as he prepared
7:26:05another spell. Carl grabbed the sides of
7:26:08the mage's skull, shattering his barrier
7:26:10with nullify before physically removing
7:26:13the man's head from his body.
7:26:15Carl slumped to the ground and Remy left
7:26:18her space to douse him in healing splash
7:26:21while activating both of her healing
7:26:22totems.
7:26:24Oh, that's not good. It destroyed most
7:26:27of your insides.
7:26:29Are you sure that the Cara healing can
7:26:31fix that before you die? She asked. Carl
7:26:35didn't have the energy to even make a
7:26:36mental response, but his body was
7:26:38surrounded with black smoke as he
7:26:40regenerated.
7:26:42Forge Master Granite ran up the steps
7:26:44and dumped a potion in Carl's mouth.
7:26:47Stamina and mana potion. It helps with
7:26:50regeneration type spells. He explained
7:26:53to the confused Naga Queen. Remy made a
7:26:56mental note that she would have to add
7:26:58that step next time, but Carl was still
7:27:00in rough shape even after his body had
7:27:02healed. Then power began to flow from
7:27:05the haint claw to him, restoring the
7:27:07metaphysical damage that healing his
7:27:09body could not repair.
7:27:11Carl gave the dwarf a weak fist bump and
7:27:13carefully sat up to inspect himself.
7:27:16"Well, that sucked about as much as
7:27:18expected." "But aren't they too weak for
7:27:21overlords?"
7:27:22he whispered. The old dwarf laughed.
7:27:26"They're researchers from a tower
7:27:28somewhere, not trained assassins.
7:27:31They've likely never cast a spell with
7:27:33intent to kill in their lives. See the
7:27:36talisman that was on this one's neck?
7:27:38It's a translation amulet, the sort that
7:27:41the blue dragon clerics use to help with
7:27:44books they can't read. Above them, Carl
7:27:47saw a familiar face. Overlord Athell's
7:27:50polished silver armor was shining in the
7:27:52sun as she looked down into the labs.
7:27:55Carl called up to the overlord. We're
7:27:58all right down here. How is your team
7:28:01doing? I have limited healing here and a
7:28:04resurrection capable cleric in my suite
7:28:06at the palace. We're not dead yet, but I
7:28:10don't think that we can get you out of
7:28:11there. I can't fly, and the university
7:28:14is rubble. The entire complex is gone.
7:28:19She shouted back. "I can get out with,"
7:28:22Earth barrier. "Do you want to retreat
7:28:24and rest?" The paladin nodded and
7:28:27gestured to someone near her on the
7:28:29surface. Carl began building a stone
7:28:32stairwell to the surface. A narrow spike
7:28:34of stone with thin runners in a circle
7:28:36around it made using the stone that had
7:28:39tumbled down as the barrier was
7:28:40breached. Athell along with four
7:28:43monarchs made their way down the stairs
7:28:45then slumped down in the chairs of the
7:28:47ruined clean room. What a mess. There
7:28:51are hundreds of attackers in the city.
7:28:53Half of them are invisible and they
7:28:55brought overlords with them. How much do
7:28:57you know? Athell asked. Overlord Neil
7:29:02gave me the rundown. What do you need?
7:29:05I've got a whole group of researchers
7:29:07here to protect. Though it sounds like
7:29:10they're not a primary target, and we've
7:29:12already destroyed all the research
7:29:14material here. Athell blinked in shock.
7:29:18You did what? Standard practice.
7:29:22Nothing for the enemy to steal. Carl
7:29:24replied with a shrug. Right. You didn't
7:29:28know that they weren't here for it. Or
7:29:30perhaps they are. They are after you,
7:29:33and we can't say for certain that
7:29:35they're not under orders to take certain
7:29:36targets alive. The Inquisition had a
7:29:39friendly chat with a spy, and that's
7:29:41where the little information and the
7:29:43target names we have come from. The mage
7:29:46with Athell sealed the ceiling with a
7:29:48barrier, and Carl closed it completely
7:29:50with the stone barrier spell, locking
7:29:52them all back inside. Then the mage cast
7:29:56a spell that brought the main barrier
7:29:57back online, though it was nearly out of
7:30:00mana storage. We can open the barriers
7:30:03again when it's time to leave. But for
7:30:05now, we all need to rest and recover
7:30:07before we make ourselves a vulnerable
7:30:09target, he explained.
7:30:12Carl shrugged. That's fine by me. But
7:30:16isn't this a bit too much? It sounds
7:30:19like a full invasion of the royal palace
7:30:21and surrounding area. Nevertheless,
7:30:24they're so confident that they're not
7:30:26even trying to hide their identities. I
7:30:29get that we're not exactly the most
7:30:30feared nation on the continent, but
7:30:32they've got some serious guts. The group
7:30:35with Athell nodded in agreement, but the
7:30:37paladin frowned. Some of the bounties
7:30:40say that the claimant will get a large
7:30:42plot of land in return. Now, I don't
7:30:45know about you, but unless it's the
7:30:47leader of a nation, doesn't that sound a
7:30:49lot like they're planning to completely
7:30:50topple the Golden Dragon Nation? Carl
7:30:53paused while he considered that. I think
7:30:56it is possible. If there was some rumor
7:30:59spreading among the other nations that
7:31:00the Archbishop was in poor health, would
7:31:02that not embolden them? Without our
7:31:05totem rank strength, we're even less
7:31:07organized than other nations who have
7:31:09overlords and towers all over their
7:31:11maps. Athell chuckled. Carl might have
7:31:15slightly misunderstood the actual
7:31:17politics of the other human nations, but
7:31:19it was true that most of the towers were
7:31:21headed by overlords, and they were
7:31:22spread fairly evenly over the nations,
7:31:25with each of them controlling a section
7:31:26of farmland and surrounding villages as
7:31:28their own semi-autonomous region.
7:31:31"Speaking of which, where are the other
7:31:33two? Did they get away?" Athell asked.
7:31:38Carl shook his head, and Remy hissed an
7:31:40answer. "We didn't permit them to leave.
7:31:44There just weren't any bodies left. That
7:31:47reminded her she was getting sloppy and
7:31:50she needed to clean up the last one for
7:31:52Sister Ray's bath. The monarchs gave her
7:31:55a strange look as she used a tiny
7:31:57cyclone to wash the floor and made the
7:31:59body vanish. But when she was done, it
7:32:02was like no battle had ever happened.
7:32:04Carl passed out fruits and roast meats
7:32:07from Remy and Hawk spaces so everyone
7:32:09could recharge as they waited. And
7:32:11Athell began to draw a map. The
7:32:13communications are out again. There is a
7:32:16mana storm forming over the city and
7:32:18it's interfering with all sorts of
7:32:20electronic signals. We can talk to
7:32:23others in the city still, but even
7:32:25contacting the capital was sketchy. They
7:32:28had to try three times before we could
7:32:30understand that they needed us to send
7:32:31teams here. The storm is getting
7:32:34stronger as well, so we should try to
7:32:36either regroup or clear an area of the
7:32:38surface before the actual storm part of
7:32:40the mana storm begins. Too late. I can
7:32:44hear the drops falling on the barrier
7:32:46above us. It looks like we will be
7:32:48fighting in the rain. Carl sighed.
7:32:52Athell shrugged. Better than fighting in
7:32:55a basement. On the other side of the
7:32:57city, back at the apartments in the
7:32:59palace, Dana slowly removed a dagger
7:33:01from her arm as she stared down at the
7:33:03body of a palace guard. The man had
7:33:06suddenly attacked her, and he had died
7:33:08just as quickly. Dana's spell had hit
7:33:11after he was already dead, executed by
7:33:13his former comrades for his apparent
7:33:15treason. But she wasn't bleeding. A waft
7:33:19of black mist extended from her arm as
7:33:21the dagger was removed and it healed
7:33:23before Lotus even had a chance to see if
7:33:25it was poisoned. "What was that?" she
7:33:29asked, shocked at the sudden
7:33:30assassination attempt. Cara knew it
7:33:33instantly.
7:33:35Thor, tell her that she's got void body
7:33:37active. Remember how Carl said that the
7:33:40new scaly Leafa golem heals the whole
7:33:42team? Well, he's got void body active
7:33:45all the time. We just didn't notice
7:33:48because nobody is dumb enough to stab
7:33:50one of us. Thor relayed the explanation
7:33:53to the rest of the team while the guard
7:33:55captain stared at Dana in awe. Then he
7:33:58snapped out of it. You need to cleanse
7:34:00her anyhow. That dagger is poisoned.
7:34:04When whatever healing spell she has
7:34:06active wears off, the poison will take
7:34:08effect. He insisted.
7:34:12Once that was done, a tense situation
7:34:14began to build in the room. One of the
7:34:17guards was a traitor, which meant that
7:34:18there might be more traders among the
7:34:20palace guard, both in this room and
7:34:22elsewhere in the palace. But they had no
7:34:25way to tell who was and who wasn't. It
7:34:28wasn't like they were disguised giants,
7:34:30just humans with different loyalties.
7:34:32A foreign spy didn't see himself as a
7:34:35traitor. He was loyal to his actual
7:34:37employer and possibly even a noble
7:34:40person, so his soul wouldn't look
7:34:42suspicious with soul sight. And they had
7:34:44hired far too many foreigners for the
7:34:46royal guard. Outside the room, the storm
7:34:50was raging. The air crackled with
7:34:52lightning and magic while the wind
7:34:54howled and the rain poured down. It was
7:34:57getting stronger by the second and the
7:34:59gardens outside were already starting to
7:35:01flood. The radio calls had mostly fallen
7:35:04silent as the constant thunder made it
7:35:06too difficult to get a clear signal
7:35:08through and the battle was beginning to
7:35:10wind down. The attackers had begun to
7:35:13retreat either after completing their
7:35:15assignment or when the danger level got
7:35:17too high for their power.
7:35:19The declining battle hadn't reduced the
7:35:21fury of the mana storm building over the
7:35:23city, and Tessa could feel the power
7:35:25crackling on her skin as the events in
7:35:27the region drew the attention of her
7:35:28patron deity. In contrast, Lotus was
7:35:32nervous, as the storm was not a natural
7:35:34phenomenon.
7:35:36Something was happening, and all of her
7:35:38training as a priestess hadn't covered
7:35:40anything like this, especially when the
7:35:42power in the clouds began to rotate,
7:35:44creating mana tornadoes in the upper
7:35:46atmosphere.
7:35:48That was the signal for the last of the
7:35:50attackers to flee the city before it was
7:35:52no longer possible. The storm would
7:35:54interfere with any sort of
7:35:56spell-casting, and soon it would be
7:35:57nearly impossible for a mage or magic
7:36:00type class to do, even defend
7:36:01themselves.
7:36:03In the lab beneath the ruins of a
7:36:04university complex, there was not much
7:36:06that Carl could do about the storm other
7:36:08than wait for it to pass. There were no
7:36:11more sounds of nearby battle, and
7:36:13Athell's entire team was exhausted after
7:36:15battling the allies who had arrived with
7:36:17the overlords that Carl had defeated.
7:36:20The fact that she had held the foreign
7:36:21overlords off four-1 before they had
7:36:24separated and broken in to attack Carl
7:36:26was truly impressive, but it had taken a
7:36:28toll on her team stamina levels, even
7:36:30with eternal lightning now active on the
7:36:33five of them. High above the city, the
7:36:36final battle of the day still raged, but
7:36:39not as an assassination attempt or for
7:36:41control of the city. Overlord Ahmad
7:36:44stood on the shoulders of a wind
7:36:46elemental conjuration, facing off with
7:36:48Overlord Kenichi, whose black drake
7:36:50mount was lazily flapping its wings,
7:36:52hovering in place. But both of them were
7:36:55wary of the third arrival to their
7:36:57party. Gentlemen, you might as well go
7:37:01home. This opportunity is mine. The
7:37:05arrogant young overlord sneered. Ah,
7:37:08Reginald.
7:37:10So good to see you again. Did you know
7:37:12that your entire family was just killed
7:37:14by a Naga queen who didn't even
7:37:16understand what they wanted? Overlord
7:37:19Kinichi taunted. The young overlord did
7:37:22his best not to rise to the provocation.
7:37:25You won't get me to leave the eye of the
7:37:27storm on a fool's errand. Reginald
7:37:29replied in a tone much more calm than
7:37:31the seething hatred on his face.
7:37:34Overlord Ahmad smiled. Actually, he's
7:37:37not lying. Well, probably not lying. I
7:37:42felt all three of their souls vanish
7:37:44only sans apart, and they were nowhere
7:37:46near a portal. There was a pause as all
7:37:49three of them looked at the massive
7:37:50floating mana crystal between their
7:37:52positions. The battle in the city had
7:37:55formed. It bonded with the souls of the
7:37:56deceased and it represented one of the
7:37:58greatest opportunities that any mage
7:38:00could ever hope to see. Each of them
7:38:03would willingly fight to the death to
7:38:05get their hands on it. And from what
7:38:06they could tell, there was nobody else
7:38:08willing and able of challenging them for
7:38:10it. The problem was it was a single-use
7:38:13item. The massive amount of mana and
7:38:16soul power that it contained would be
7:38:18transferred to the first user and only
7:38:20to them. Nobody had expected this
7:38:23particular outcome when the battle had
7:38:24started. It was a one ina- million freak
7:38:27chance. But so many overlords had died
7:38:30today, and so many more of their
7:38:32acolytes that the gods of war and death
7:38:34had both been intrigued by the power
7:38:36play and granted their blessing.
7:38:38Suddenly, Reginald surged with power,
7:38:41and the other two immediately reinforced
7:38:43their barriers. But it was not them that
7:38:45the spellblade was aiming for, but
7:38:47Kenichi's mount. Of the three, his
7:38:50personal skills were worst suited to
7:38:52flying, and the overlord tumbled away
7:38:54from the stone as Ahmad attacked
7:38:56Reginald.
7:38:57This was a fight that the spellblade was
7:38:59sure he could win. Ahmad was a golem
7:39:02mage, and his golems were not a flying
7:39:04type. So, he had to rely on a simple
7:39:08conjuration or air magic to fly, and
7:39:10neither was his specialty. Lightning
7:39:13struck his armor, tossing him backwards
7:39:15as a mod worked to drive Reginald away
7:39:17from the mana stone, which was now
7:39:19nearly done forming. A barrage of magic
7:39:22missiles formed in return, met by an
7:39:25identical spell from the Catman. The two
7:39:27peak Overlord area suppression spells
7:39:29shook the ground far beneath them as
7:39:31they collided, sounding like thousands
7:39:33of concurrent peels of thunder. But the
7:39:36match was not even. When it was over,
7:39:39Reginald gave a victorious laugh while
7:39:41Ahmad spat blood and held a large wound
7:39:43on his right shoulder to staunch the
7:39:45bleeding. "Sorry about your luck. Maybe
7:39:49next time, Beastkin,"
7:39:51he crowed mere meters from the stone as
7:39:53it solidified in this world. Then Ahmad
7:39:57smiled. "Yes, perhaps in your next life,
7:40:01Neil, I need you in the air. Bring the
7:40:04spider." The two assassins appeared in
7:40:07the dim light between lightning strikes
7:40:09before both going incorporeal.
7:40:11Reginald began to panic, reaching for
7:40:14the mana stone, only to see his arm
7:40:16falling away toward the ground. Piercing
7:40:19pain shot through his back, and the
7:40:21black masked face of the Golden Dragon
7:40:23Nation's chief assassin appeared before
7:40:25him. "Too slow!" Neil chided as he began
7:40:29to fall from the sky. Once he was below
7:40:32the waist of his opponent, he struck
7:40:34straight up using vibrating blade so it
7:40:37didn't hit Rey, who had stabbed her legs
7:40:39through the mage for balance. Reginald's
7:40:42flight spell failed as the life left his
7:40:44body, and Neil grabbed Ray's spider
7:40:46form. Advanced shadow step took them
7:40:49both to the courtyard outside Rey's
7:40:51suite, and both returned to their
7:40:53incorporeal forms, leaving the rain
7:40:55behind as they entered the relative
7:40:56safety of the palace. Dana jumped as the
7:41:00two appeared in front of her, sitting on
7:41:02opposite sofas with pencils and paper.
7:41:05Five points for each overlord, three for
7:41:07monarchs, two for royals, and one for a
7:41:09commander. Neil insisted.
7:41:13Ry nodded and began making tally marks
7:41:15on her paper. Are they doing what I
7:41:18think they're doing? The guard captain
7:41:20whispered to Tessa. It looks like it.
7:41:24The question is, who will win? At three
7:41:27points for a monarch, pure volume could
7:41:29easily sway this count. The war cleric
7:41:32explained, "There simply weren't enough
7:41:35overlords in most battles for them to
7:41:37change the outcome of this contest."
7:41:40After 20 agonizingly slow minutes of
7:41:42room by room tallying with a map of the
7:41:44castle, they were finally finished. The
7:41:47pages were handed to Tessa as their
7:41:49neutral arbiter, as she would verify
7:41:51their math and make sure that they
7:41:52didn't both count kills in the same room
7:41:54without a good reason.
7:41:56The final score is in and verified.
7:41:59The verdict is that Ry is terrible at
7:42:01keeping allegible kill count. You can't
7:42:04measure kills in milliliters for this
7:42:06contest. The big ones don't count for
7:42:09more, only the powerful ones. However,
7:42:12after some recalculation, we have a
7:42:15total of 1,84 points for Ray. And with a
7:42:18decisive victory, thanks to an explosive
7:42:20device through a portal, Overlord Neil
7:42:22has scored 1,912 points.
7:42:26Rey sighed and shook her head. That
7:42:29portal was a lucky find. But I learned a
7:42:32valuable lesson today. I need to work on
7:42:35the speed of my humanoid form. It takes
7:42:38too long to move around the castle on
7:42:40only 2 feet. While the battle appeared
7:42:42to have ended, the chaos in one mouth
7:42:45was far from over. Twothirds of the city
7:42:48had been damaged or destroyed. Large
7:42:50portions of the palace were rubble, and
7:42:52the university complex had collapsed,
7:42:54trapping an unknown number of students
7:42:56and employees.
7:42:57But that was not the largest concern for
7:42:59Carl and the others in his suite. There
7:43:02was a growing sense of power overhead as
7:43:04the storm began to fade, and the auras
7:43:06of at least a halfozen totem ranked
7:43:08powerhouses had surrounded the city
7:43:10while something stronger was flying
7:43:12overhead. Their best guess was that
7:43:15whatever had happened here had attracted
7:43:16the attention of the mythic rank black
7:43:18dragon that held the unofficial title of
7:43:20overseer of the continent. Carl and Neil
7:43:23had a general idea of what had happened.
7:43:25As Ry and Neil had gone to assist Ahmad
7:43:27in the fight, but the storm was
7:43:30interfering with any attempt to observe
7:43:32from the ground. There was no way that
7:43:34they could have guessed the monumental
7:43:36nature of the events that were occurring
7:43:37in the sky above one mouth. Overlord
7:43:40Ahmad surged with power as he stood on
7:43:42the shoulders of his summon. His back
7:43:45was bent in a deep bow, welcoming the
7:43:47mythic dragon, but his attention was
7:43:49entirely on the process happening inside
7:43:51his body. Once the stronger challengers
7:43:54had arrived, he had immediately used the
7:43:56mana core of the storm. A missed
7:43:59opportunity was worthless, but to the
7:44:01gathered totems, the mana core was
7:44:03nearly as valuable intact as it was to
7:44:05him. You have gained quite the
7:44:07opportunity today. The dragon in
7:44:11speaking slowly, the human language
7:44:13unfamiliar and difficult from his
7:44:14draconic form. Indeed, Mythic Lord,
7:44:19Ahmad agreed. The dragon's passive look
7:44:22turned to a faint smile. Perhaps from
7:44:25now we shouldn't call the Golden Dragon
7:44:27Nation the largest human nation anymore,
7:44:29but the Northern Beastkin territories,
7:44:32it suggested.
7:44:34Ahmad shook his head. You flatter me.
7:44:38The archbishop is still the leader of
7:44:40the nation. The mythic dragon snorted in
7:44:43amusement. For how much longer? A year.
7:44:47Two at most. Lord Nact has been keeping
7:44:50vigil over him for months, ready to step
7:44:52in if he should go earlier than
7:44:54expected. But in a few more minutes, the
7:44:57golden dragon will have a new heir to
7:44:59the nation. To think that so many
7:45:01overlords among the humans would have
7:45:03thrown their lives away in one battle
7:45:05for greed and power. But their sacrifice
7:45:08birthed a new totem and over the next
7:45:10days new overlords will rise to replace
7:45:12those who have fallen. Such is the will
7:45:15and blessing of the god of death. That
7:45:18was when it really began to dawn on
7:45:19Ahmad what he had done. He had taken the
7:45:22chance to gain the greatest of powers
7:45:24and had pushed himself past the brink
7:45:26and into the totem realm. Already the
7:45:29toemic blessing was settling into his
7:45:31bones and his power was skyrocketing as
7:45:34his magic and his very soul merged with
7:45:36the world in new ways. But the power
7:45:38came with a cost. There was only one
7:45:41other totem in the golden dragon nation.
7:45:43And he would soon be on his deathbed,
7:45:45leaving Ahmad as the leader of the
7:45:47country by default. Surely that young
7:45:50monarch was laughing at him now.
7:45:53Everyone had assumed that his
7:45:54astronomical rise to the top would have
7:45:56marked the next totem ranked powerhouse
7:45:58on the continent. But instead, he was
7:46:00comfortable in his palace suite while it
7:46:01was a mod up here, trying to digest the
7:46:03implications of his own actions.
7:46:06Carl wasn't actually at the palace, but
7:46:08in the labs beneath the city. But Ahmad
7:46:10didn't know that. Ahmad couldn't sense
7:46:13him there, but he had felt the familiar
7:46:15presence of Thor and the ladies. Not
7:46:18only had he done this to himself, he had
7:46:20literally killed for it.
7:46:22well, ordered someone killed for it. He
7:46:25should have made Inquisitor Neil use the
7:46:27stone. That smug bastard deserved to be
7:46:30stuck with a desk job. As his
7:46:33advancement took hold, Ahmad realized
7:46:35that he no longer needed assistance to
7:46:37fly. He could simply control the mana in
7:46:39his body to hold himself a loft on the
7:46:41natural mana currents. So, he dismissed
7:46:44the elemental and let himself hover.
7:46:48Good. You are learning quickly.
7:46:50Congratulations on your advancement,
7:46:52young enlightened one. Now I have welps
7:46:55to oversee, new to their training, the
7:46:58mythic dragon announced before simply
7:47:01vanishing. Ahmad smiled as he realized
7:47:04how the ancient dragon was doing it. He
7:47:07knew both teleportation and portal, so
7:47:09he opened a tiny portal, then simply
7:47:11teleported through it to the other side,
7:47:13bypassing the limits on the range of the
7:47:15teleport spell. He was simply so good at
7:47:18it that the process was complete before
7:47:20even an overlord ranked mage could tell
7:47:22what he was doing. With the mystic
7:47:25dragon gone, the other totem rank
7:47:27leaders approached to introduce
7:47:28themselves or make sure that the new
7:47:30golden dragon nation totem was who they
7:47:32thought it was. Welcome everyone. Why
7:47:35don't we move this to my place for a bit
7:47:37of tea? Ahmad suggested
7:47:40his house in the hills outside the city.
7:47:43Obviously,
7:47:44bringing all of these people to the
7:47:46capital was a terrible idea. The storm
7:47:49cleared as they left and the palace
7:47:51started to give out damage reports. No
7:47:54casualties in the visitor wing, 14 in
7:47:56the guard barracks.
7:47:58Seven guards were killed at the train
7:48:00station, two in the east wing. 15 died
7:48:04in the underground areas where Carl
7:48:06assumed the dungeons and storage areas
7:48:08were. But the true extent of the attack
7:48:11became clear in the last line. 50
7:48:14guards, two overlord rank protectors,
7:48:16five princes, two princesses, the queen
7:48:19consort, and the king slain in the
7:48:21throne room region. A king is dead. King
7:48:25Axel inherits the throne by birthright.
7:48:28Long live the king. Neil and Ray stared
7:48:31at the message that had been handed to
7:48:33the maid. That shouldn't be right. We
7:48:36cleared that area. Rey insisted.
7:48:40Neil nodded in agreement. And I killed
7:48:43four other overlords with their retinue
7:48:45just over here. Only one turned down the
7:48:47hall. They were on their way in, not
7:48:50out. Ry vanished and started counting
7:48:53bodies in her space. She had collected
7:48:56all the overlords once they met up, and
7:48:58nobody had tried to steal any of them
7:49:00before she got to them. There are still
7:49:0317. We didn't lose any of them, she
7:49:07explained when she returned.
7:49:09Neil sighed. It looks like my work is
7:49:12not over yet. The church will want
7:49:15answers to this. In the labs, Carl and
7:49:18the others were fully recovered and
7:49:20ready to face the chaos of the city.
7:49:23Overlord Athell was on her feet already,
7:49:25motivating the rest of her people to
7:49:27move. Is the train station collapsed?
7:49:31Most of these people are not combatants.
7:49:34and we destroyed all the spare weapons
7:49:36anyhow?" Carl asked. Forge Master
7:49:40Granite took the first blade they had
7:49:41made and the war out of a hidden storage
7:49:44spot under his forge with a
7:49:45conspiratorial wink. "If they never find
7:49:48them, it's as good as destroyed. These
7:49:51were too good to give up." The other
7:49:54smiths laughed, and one of them pointed
7:49:56to his forge. "We all saved the raw
7:49:59materials.
7:50:00Give it a few days and we will have a
7:50:02fresh batch ready for upgrading. Or give
7:50:05us 6 hours and we will make enough for
7:50:07the overlord and her team. One of them
7:50:10suggested, "I think we should stay and
7:50:13make at least one more weapon. The fight
7:50:16is over and Rey says that cat mage is
7:50:18likely going to be a totem now. He got a
7:50:21good thing that didn't look tasty." Remy
7:50:24suggested in Carl's mind. Remy says that
7:50:27the fight is over. We can wait here and
7:50:30make a round of weapons, which was our
7:50:32assigned task to begin with. Others will
7:50:35search for survivors and clear rubble.
7:50:37They won't miss us for a single night,"
7:50:40he explained to Athell and her team.
7:50:43"You prioritize weapons at a time like
7:50:45this," the paladin asked. "I know it's a
7:50:49strange response, but we're on a project
7:50:52to make Monarch ranked weapons for the
7:50:54Overlord special forces members. I will
7:50:57make one for you tonight." and a few
7:50:59more as gifts as well as for the special
7:51:01forces members. My source says we might
7:51:05have a new totem and a new king. Both of
7:51:08them will need gifts. Athell had a good
7:51:11idea who his source was as only the Naga
7:51:13queen was here with him today.
7:51:16Forgemaster Thorne smiled. Well, you
7:51:19heard the man. Forget the scrap of the
7:51:22past. We need a fresh batch of the most
7:51:25mana compatible weapons we can get. Does
7:51:28the lady have a preference? I will make
7:51:31the weapon for you and the VIP gifts.
7:51:34Athell silently held up her current
7:51:36broadsword, and Granite looked at the
7:51:38one that was currently in his
7:51:39possession. It was a most excellent
7:51:41blade and monarch rank, but they could
7:51:44do better. He was sure. Plus, it could
7:51:47be precisely designed for a paladin.
7:51:50Surely, the lady would want a more
7:51:52elegant blade. Athell turned to Carl.
7:51:56Are you sure that you can turn out a
7:51:58weapon suitable for royalty with this
7:51:59team? Normally, you would need multiple
7:52:02monarch ranked craftsmen for that sort
7:52:04of work. Carl patted her on the
7:52:07shoulder. You will see. What really
7:52:10matters is the alloy and the
7:52:12craftsmanship.
7:52:13I have rune crafting as a trade skill,
7:52:16and it is designed to upgrade compatible
7:52:18weapons to my level. These five lovely
7:52:21young acolytes are learning the ways,
7:52:23and they have gained the runesmith trade
7:52:25skill.
7:52:26Have some faith. They're blue dragon
7:52:28clerics. They learn fast. The clerics
7:52:31looked dubious about his assertion, but
7:52:33with Carl here, they only needed to get
7:52:35the job 90% done. Then he could take
7:52:38over the end to activate their perfectly
7:52:40carved runes. It wasn't a perfect
7:52:42system, but even with the transfer and
7:52:44intent between creators, Carl was fairly
7:52:47certain that he could still get the
7:52:48weapons up to a decent standard. If
7:52:51nothing else, it would be a good
7:52:53training lesson. All the crafters
7:52:56scattered, getting to work so that there
7:52:57would be a weapon of every type
7:52:59available. But it was a very smug nature
7:53:02cleric that finished first. I left a
7:53:05spot for an elemental gem. I think that
7:53:08any mage would be proud to have that
7:53:09gnarled black ironwood walking staff.
7:53:12It's incredibly mana compliant and as
7:53:14hard as steel, even without upgrading,
7:53:17he declared proudly. Remy reached into
7:53:20her space and handed Carl a large stone.
7:53:24not a gemstone, a rounded chunk of
7:53:26meteoric iron rock that she had
7:53:28extensively carved with runes. Carl
7:53:30turned the rock until he found the start
7:53:32of the inscription and read it as it
7:53:34wound around the rock. She had inscribed
7:53:37the meteor storm spell effects
7:53:39description on the practice piece a few
7:53:41days ago, and it seemed ironically
7:53:43perfect for this purpose. Thank you,
7:53:45Remy. Now, let's see what we can do with
7:53:48this lovely staff. It would be a
7:53:51nightmare trying to get the runes placed
7:53:53properly for such an oddly shaped
7:53:55weapon, but that was part of the appeal
7:53:56of a true work of functional art. Carl
7:53:59made plans to increase the spell power,
7:54:02but split the effect into eight times as
7:54:04many smaller stones with increased
7:54:06coverage area. The damage per meteor
7:54:09would end up being less than half of the
7:54:10original, but the meteors would fall
7:54:12like a hailtorm of headsized boulders.
7:54:16An enchantment to trigger more mana flow
7:54:18through the weapon from the outside
7:54:19would go well with that. And naturally,
7:54:21an increase in the durability of the
7:54:23staff, just in case the mage had to
7:54:26resort to beating someone with it. It
7:54:28took Carl nearly 2 hours to complete
7:54:31after the nature priest had set the
7:54:32engraved stone, which was now glowing
7:54:34with deep red runes and looked like a
7:54:37small ball of magma from a distance.
7:54:39"That is incredible. Do you do that for
7:54:42every weapon you make?" Athell asked.
7:54:46Well, I usually add a spell stone to
7:54:48weapons for overlords, but this was
7:54:50overkill. It should only take me half an
7:54:53hour at most to do a blade or axe. The
7:54:56nature cleric looked sheepish as he
7:54:58realized that his beautiful staff had
7:55:00actually made a lot more work for
7:55:02someone else. But it just looked so
7:55:04spectacular that he couldn't bring
7:55:06himself to grow out the base and cut it
7:55:08into a staff or bow. Fortunately, that
7:55:11had given the forgemaster time to make a
7:55:13blade that he thought was suited to
7:55:14overlord Athell. It matched the theme of
7:55:17her armor and shield. And when Carl was
7:55:20finished with it, it would definitely be
7:55:22superior as a combat weapon. Carl smiled
7:55:25as he made up a poem to inscribe on the
7:55:27weapon, which didn't actually need a
7:55:29highly detailed buff for a paladin.
7:55:32First, he would put on runes for
7:55:34increased skill effect, physical
7:55:36strength, and radiance.
7:55:38That part was mandatory because a
7:55:40paladin should be a shining beacon of
7:55:41holiness in combat. Thor definitely
7:55:44approved of that message. Then he
7:55:47borrowed one of Thor's holy stones and
7:55:49enchanted it with the blessed item spell
7:55:51before having forgemaster granite
7:55:53mounted in the hilt. Linking that to the
7:55:56main inscription would make the whole
7:55:57sword a holy relic continually blessed
7:56:00by the holy stone. Then he added the
7:56:03masterpiece.
7:56:04In polished armor shining so bright, a
7:56:07paladin stands, a beacon of light. With
7:56:10a sword in her hand, she fights for what
7:56:13is right. Never will others wish her to
7:56:16leave, but watching her go will make
7:56:17their night. Remy and Granite both
7:56:20laughed quietly as Carl finished
7:56:22engraving the blade, then began to pour
7:56:24power into it. For some reason, this one
7:56:27enchanted much more easily than the
7:56:29attempts that Carl had made before. like
7:56:31it was actually eager to reach maximum
7:56:33power. But when Carl touched the blade,
7:56:36it burned his fingers. Not that it did
7:56:39actual damage with void body active, but
7:56:42he could still feel it burning his hand.
7:56:44"All right, it is ready. Once you bond
7:56:48it, you should be able to see the system
7:56:50status of the weapon." Carl announced as
7:56:53he finished. Athell stared down at the
7:56:55glimmering silver blade with its blood
7:56:58red runes and golden hilt. It was
7:57:00beautiful, and the runic inscription
7:57:02scrolled down the blade like a Gordian
7:57:04knot of power. The moment her hand
7:57:07touched the blade, Carl could see it
7:57:09bond with her, and a smile slowly spread
7:57:11across her face. Blade of the Avenging
7:57:14Angel adds 20% skill damage. Adds 40%
7:57:19physical strength. Deals 150% additional
7:57:23weapon damage as holy damage. deals
7:57:26double damage to targets with impure
7:57:28intentions toward the wielder. Not
7:57:30usable by unholy or a male wielders.
7:57:35Granite stared in shock as he inspected
7:57:37the weapon. I can't believe that worked.
7:57:41And it worked well. Double damage to
7:57:43targets with impure intentions.
7:57:46That has to be an epic grade bonus. The
7:57:49others might not make the epic standard,
7:57:51but that one for certain should, even if
7:57:53it's limited. the dwarf announced. Is it
7:57:57a random effect? Or did you specifically
7:58:00try for an effect that would keep a
7:58:02female paladin safe from unwanted
7:58:04attention? Athell asked Carl, who put on
7:58:07his best innocent expression while
7:58:08Granite sat down on the floor, holding
7:58:11his belly as he laughed and tears rolled
7:58:13into his beard. I lass a very specific
7:58:17inscription.
7:58:19The bottom half of the inscription is a
7:58:21poem about how nice your ars is. the
7:58:24dwarf crowed. You didn't, Athell gasped.
7:58:28Carl shrugged. It is the outcomes that
7:58:31matter, right? Besides, there are fewer
7:58:35than 10 people in the country who can
7:58:36read those runes, and even fewer who
7:58:39will have the chance. The holy damage
7:58:41should stack on all of your attacks, the
7:58:44same as ghost fire does when I use the
7:58:45hint claw. So that's a significant
7:58:49damage increase or the equivalent of a
7:58:51moderate powered overlord ranked skill
7:58:53without expending any of your own
7:58:54energy. When it is endurance that
7:58:57matters, that much extra damage will
7:58:59make a real difference in your
7:59:00expenditure.
7:59:02Mabel, one of the blue dragon acolytes,
7:59:04raised her hand. Overlord, might we ask
7:59:08for a favor? She inquired politely.
7:59:11Athell nodded and the cleric smiled. Can
7:59:15you turn around? Um, it would seem that
7:59:18the shape of your posterior is relevant
7:59:20to our notes on the effectiveness of
7:59:21targeted poetry in inscriptions.
7:59:24Athell turned to face Carl,
7:59:26inadvertently doing what the cleric
7:59:28asked. "See what you have started. You
7:59:31have a whole team of ladies at the
7:59:33palace. Are you so affection starved
7:59:35that you need to be fantasizing about
7:59:37other women?" she demanded.
7:59:40Carl held up his hands defensively.
7:59:43"It's not like that.
7:59:45You see, if you put a rant about how bad
7:59:47human craftsmanship is on a human-made
7:59:49weapon with the rune to strengthen it,
7:59:51the effect is amplified.
7:59:53So, my logic was that if I put a cheeky
7:59:56poem about the virtues of a female
7:59:57paladin on a weapon specifically for
7:59:59you, it should increase the other
8:00:01effects. I didn't know that it was going
8:00:04to add a whole other spell effect. The
8:00:07intent was to increase the other three
8:00:08effects. Then, Carl gestured at her
8:00:11shield. Can you hand me that for a
8:00:14moment? I can see that it's just a
8:00:16commander rank holy item, but I think
8:00:19that it can be improved if you're fond
8:00:20of it. I promise no weird inscriptions
8:00:23on this one. Overlord Athell's trust in
8:00:26Carl's rune crafting, not in his skill,
8:00:29but in his intentions, was evidently
8:00:31low. But she handed over the shield, and
8:00:34Carl quickly sketched a set of runes on
8:00:36the back, not going for a full coverage
8:00:38runic inscription. There you go. more
8:00:42durable and better at channeling skills
8:00:44like shield bash. Athell smiled as she
8:00:47picked up the shield, then giggled when
8:00:49she saw that Carl had added property of
8:00:52Athell in at the top. It was all in
8:00:55runic, but the translation for the name
8:00:57tag appeared before her eyes thanks to
8:00:59the system. Forge Master Granite came
8:01:02over to inspect the shield now that he
8:01:04had mostly stopped laughing and grunted
8:01:07in approval. That's a fine piece of
8:01:09armor. It should be able to take a
8:01:12proper hit, even if you don't have a
8:01:14skill on it. That will save you some
8:01:16energy in battle. I don't recommend that
8:01:19you just let the shield take everything,
8:01:21but if you can't get a skill up in time,
8:01:23one hit shouldn't destroy it, the dwarf
8:01:26decided. Unfortunately for Carl, he
8:01:29didn't know a rune combination that
8:01:31would actually lead to a self-repairing
8:01:33piece of armor, which would limit the
8:01:35value and longevity of defensive items
8:01:37much more than a magical weapon was
8:01:38limited. Returning them to storage in
8:01:41your inventory often repaired small
8:01:43damages on items, though, so there was
8:01:46some hope that stronger magical items
8:01:48would be able to ignore small amounts of
8:01:50wear and tear without needing to go to a
8:01:52forge regularly. The rest of Oilia's
8:01:55group stared at the weapon in envy. If
8:01:58she gets something that excessive, I can
8:02:00only imagine what the consolation prizes
8:02:02are going to look like. One of the
8:02:05warriors joked. Carl chuckled and
8:02:07gestured to the weapons that the other
8:02:09smiths had been making. Pick your
8:02:12favorite style and I will enchant it for
8:02:13you. Those blades will all handle royal
8:02:16rank power, and with a standard
8:02:18inscription on them, they will be quick
8:02:20to upgrade. It might not be as glamorous
8:02:23as what the overlords get, but I can do
8:02:25the work for all four of you in under an
8:02:27hour." The mage looked concerned for a
8:02:30moment, but the nature cleric had him
8:02:32covered, and there were freshlymade
8:02:33compound bows assembled from spare parts
8:02:36that the ranged weapons team was now
8:02:37working to upgrade. The ranger in the
8:02:40team looked torn. His class often needed
8:02:43both, but asking for two weapons to
8:02:46everyone else's single gift seemed like
8:02:47it would be pushing his luck. His blade
8:02:50was a strong commander rank one with
8:02:52life steel on it, so he kept that one
8:02:54and went for a new bow. He had no idea
8:02:57what Carl could do for archers, but a
8:03:00royal rank bow could be enough to swing
8:03:02many battles.
8:03:03Carl looked at the bow that was brought
8:03:05to him and the simple staff that the
8:03:07mage had chosen. All right, I know what
8:03:10to put on both of these. Give me a few
8:03:13minutes, then I will do the blades for
8:03:15the warriors, he explained.
8:03:18He would have to do a few for his own
8:03:20team as well. They had yet to reap the
8:03:22benefits of having a craftsman in their
8:03:24group. Carl kept the staff simple with
8:03:27skill enhancement percentage increase.
8:03:30Blessed item for bonus damage and
8:03:31strengthening abilities for the staff
8:03:33itself. At royal rank, that was already
8:03:36enough to make it an exceptional weapon,
8:03:38and it had the advantage of only taking
8:03:4010 minutes to write the runes and cast
8:03:42the blessed item spell. The bow got a
8:03:45short poem about unairring aim and swift
8:03:47arrows along with a blessed item spell,
8:03:50but it also got a small stone inscribed
8:03:52with the poison arrow skill. Since Carl
8:03:56had gotten new spells from the clergy,
8:03:58he might as well use them all when he
8:03:59had the chance. Plus, adding poison
8:04:02arrow removed the need to have an arrow
8:04:04creating skill or carry physical arrows.
8:04:08That was the best part about his own
8:04:09bow. Other than the fact that it helped
8:04:11target, he was tempted to do more, but
8:04:14if he tried to overload the less capable
8:04:16alloy with too many runes, it would
8:04:18either shatter or simply fail. They
8:04:21didn't have the time to be wasting
8:04:23weapons today, so this would have to do
8:04:25for the royal rank weapons. The mage
8:04:28smiled as he held the staff. I must say,
8:04:31it's a bit odd having a holy weapon in
8:04:33my hands, but even more strange to think
8:04:36that it was made by Carl from the
8:04:38capital, not some bishop.
8:04:40Athell chuckled. That would be Carl from
8:04:43the lithium mines. He's still not
8:04:46adapted to being a Capital Towers
8:04:48resident. Carl sat down at a surviving
8:04:51table in the ruined clean room and began
8:04:53to meditate before he worked on the next
8:04:55few weapons. He needed some mental
8:04:57clarity before working on new runes so
8:04:59that he didn't make any mistakes. As he
8:05:02focused on the flow of energy within his
8:05:04body and the circulation through his
8:05:06veins, Carl began to feel something
8:05:08shift within him. Requirements
8:05:10fulfilled.
8:05:12Skill unlocked. Bestial form allows the
8:05:15packmaster to join his beasts in
8:05:17frontline combat. Carl maintained his
8:05:20focus on the process of clearing his
8:05:21mind and recovering his energy. But the
8:05:24collective gasps of the people in the
8:05:25room, as well as Remy's clapping,
8:05:27brought him out of his meditative
8:05:29trance.
8:05:30I unlocked a new skill. Did it do
8:05:33something visual? He asked. Remy nodded
8:05:37happily and one of the acolytes cast a
8:05:39spell that created a large mirror out of
8:05:41water magic. The Dana mage is going to
8:05:44love you. Remy insisted as Carl stared
8:05:48in shock at the mirror. His body looked
8:05:50similar to the way that it had for the
8:05:52last month or so. Massively muscular in
8:05:55a way that would make the most avid
8:05:56steroid enthusiast blush. But now it
8:05:59looked more balanced as he was close to
8:06:01220 cm tall and completely covered in
8:06:05white fur with black stripes. His head
8:06:08was a bestial muzzle and he had fluffy
8:06:10ears on top. He had become a war tiger.
8:06:14That was the best guess that he had for
8:06:16what to call this beast form
8:06:18transformation.
8:06:19His hands were still functional as human
8:06:21hands, but he had retractable claws of
8:06:23black metal that leaked magic as if
8:06:26always covered in disintegrate. His feet
8:06:29were paws and his legs had an extra
8:06:31joint the same as cat legs did. It made
8:06:34standing a strange experience, but he
8:06:37instinctively understood how to move in
8:06:38this form. And the sense of power from
8:06:40the increased strength was addictive.
8:06:43Carl chuckled. A deep rumbling feline
8:06:45sound in this form and then deactivated
8:06:48the skill. Hey, you shrunk. Fizz gasped.
8:06:53Carl looked at himself. He was still a
8:06:56bit bulky and muscular, but he was
8:06:58definitely smaller than he had been this
8:07:00morning. Hopefully not shorter. He was
8:07:04already short enough. Fizz Spark held
8:07:07out her arms, and Remy picked her up in
8:07:09both of her right arms so the gnome
8:07:11could inspect Carl more closely. She had
8:07:14a small magical device in her hands as
8:07:17she happily poked Carl with a finger. I
8:07:20don't think that it was a backlash.
8:07:22I suspect that the skill didn't activate
8:07:24properly the first time. So, he has just
8:07:26been slowly expanding until it became
8:07:28fully active, and now he's back to
8:07:30normalized.
8:07:32Well, I think that he's normalized.
8:07:35He's still kind of muskly.
8:07:37No men are sort of pudgy and squishy,
8:07:40much more pleasant. Ray's voice filled
8:07:42Carl's mind with enthusiasm.
8:07:45Cara and Dana both approve of this
8:07:47change. They say that you were taking up
8:07:50too much bed.
8:07:52Tell Cara that Remy can carry her gnome
8:07:54like a baby in just her two right arms
8:07:56and it's adorable. If they were going to
8:07:59joke about his size, he could at least
8:08:01taunt the badger back. Ry laughed at
8:08:03Cara's response to Carl's words, but the
8:08:06badger had an idea. If we're both furry,
8:08:09we can turn the heat all the way down in
8:08:11the room, and Dana will never want to
8:08:13get out of bed, so we can just sleep all
8:08:16day. It was brilliant in a way. Nobody
8:08:20wanted to get out of a warm bed into a
8:08:22freezing room, but they might need Remy
8:08:25to use ice magic to make the room that
8:08:27cold until next winter. Carl sighed and
8:08:30waved Remy back a step so that he could
8:08:32get started on the blades. Two more for
8:08:34the team that was here, then weapons for
8:08:37his own team, and finally he could make
8:08:39something for the new king. The fancy
8:08:42staff for a mod might not be as cool as
8:08:44some of the other things he would get,
8:08:45but it was as good as Carl could do.
8:08:48Unless
8:08:50runes didn't have to go on weapons to be
8:08:52useful, he could make the new totem some
8:08:55jewelry. Surely, Forge Master Granite
8:08:58knew how to make more than weapons. That
8:09:01would be an exceptional gift for him, as
8:09:03Monarch ranked accessories were even
8:09:05more rare than Monarch ranked weapons,
8:09:08especially ones that were tailored to
8:09:09the user. Carl quickly finished the
8:09:12blades for the Monarchs in Athell's team
8:09:14and turned to Forgemaster Granite. I
8:09:17have an idea if you're up for it.
8:09:20Weapons are fairly common and everyone
8:09:22looks for one. So, our new leaders will
8:09:24already have something, but what they
8:09:26might not have is some quality jewelry.
8:09:29How are your skills as an artist? He
8:09:32asked. The forge master smirked and
8:09:35looked at his forge, which was currently
8:09:37glowing bright with Hawk's ghost fire.
8:09:40Oh, I think that I can come up with
8:09:41something. I didn't get the title of
8:09:44forgemaster for nothing and dwarves are
8:09:46well known for their artistry. Granite
8:09:49nodded to himself and went to his forge
8:09:51where he pulled out a sheet of alloy
8:09:53from a side storage cabinet while Carl
8:09:55got to work on the weapons for the
8:09:56warriors in Athell's team plus a pair of
8:09:58axes for Oilia which would get life
8:10:00steel stones in them though they were
8:10:02only royal rank capable materials.
8:10:05Far laughed as Remy turned her to watch
8:10:08Granite's work. Oh, he's serious this
8:10:11time. He's using the rare materials.
8:10:15There are some very suitable materials
8:10:16for mana transfer, but they're so rare
8:10:19and expensive that we don't have much to
8:10:20work with and can't use it to make
8:10:22weapons. How much room do you need for
8:10:25runes? Granite asked as he heated the
8:10:28metal. That depends on the material. But
8:10:31my eyesight is good and my hands are
8:10:34steady. If the material is up to it, I
8:10:37could make a proper enchanted item out
8:10:39of a hoop earring. Carl's joke made the
8:10:42dwarf laugh, but inwardly he was sighing
8:10:44in relief. He only had the one small
8:10:47sheet of this material, and if he was
8:10:49going to make two masterpiece quality
8:10:51items from it, he would have to
8:10:52conserve. But if he could just make a
8:10:55pair of small bracelets, he would have
8:10:57enough for a dozen or more additional
8:10:58items.
8:11:00So that was what he did. Wide dwarven
8:11:03bangles with a flat rear surface to give
8:11:06Carl more room to work without
8:11:07interruption.
8:11:09It would also give him more than enough
8:11:10spare material to replace mistakes and
8:11:13an excuse to add a decentsized gem for a
8:11:15spell ability. Remy handed Carl a deep
8:11:18green stone, nearly the same shade as
8:11:21Ahmed's eyes, and Carl frowned as he
8:11:23tried to determine what sort of spell
8:11:25would go well with a nature element
8:11:26stone. He didn't really have a lot of
8:11:29nature spells at his disposal, but life
8:11:32link was close in a way. It was blood
8:11:36magic, but Carl could make it with his
8:11:38own blood as a medium to get the stone
8:11:40to work with the spell. Carl borrowed a
8:11:42magnifying glass from the ruins of the
8:11:44work area and began to carefully carve
8:11:47everything that he would need for the
8:11:48spell. Then he pricricked his finger and
8:11:51focused on letting a drop of blood fall,
8:11:53then another, so that the gem was coated
8:11:55with the black metallic sheen. A flood
8:11:58of mana activated the stone, and the
8:12:00blood seemed to be absorbed into the
8:12:02stone, leaving shimmering black runes
8:12:04behind. No matter how much Carl advanced
8:12:07the stone, and he was certain it should
8:12:09be at monarch rank now, the runes
8:12:11remained black on the polished oval
8:12:13emerald. Forgemaster,
8:12:16I have the spell stone for the first
8:12:18item. Granite mounted the stone and then
8:12:21used a system skill to finish his
8:12:23carving, creating what looked like the
8:12:25skyline of the eastern border mountains
8:12:26around the outside of the bracelet. Carl
8:12:29couldn't be sure, but it certainly
8:12:31looked similar to the view southeast of
8:12:33where he was stationed along the frost
8:12:35giant border. Carving the inside of a
8:12:38bracelet was a real pain, but Carl had
8:12:40meticulously planned the layout. And all
8:12:42that he really wanted to add to this
8:12:43item was an increase in skill damage and
8:12:46the lifelink skill from the stone
8:12:48modified to specify that it would link
8:12:50to all of the wearer's constructs.
8:12:52Amod was a golem mage, and the golems
8:12:55were much more durable than he was. But
8:12:58Carl was also careful to specify that
8:13:00the link only went one way, from the
8:13:03golems to him, never from him to the
8:13:05golems.
8:13:06It seemed a bit simple, but as far as
8:13:08jewelry went, he didn't think that there
8:13:10was likely to be a better replacement.
8:13:13The second one that Granite created was
8:13:15a city skyline of the royal palace from
8:13:17the university, or so Fispark insisted.
8:13:21That should be a proper heirloom item
8:13:22for the royal family. "Um, does anyone
8:13:26remember what class Prince Axel was?" he
8:13:29asked the others. "Warrior,"
8:13:32Granite replied with a shrug. Well, then
8:13:35that is easy. Warriors are easy to
8:13:38please. Carl smiled and the forgemaster
8:13:42chuckled. Remy handed Carl another green
8:13:45stone, deliberately choosing ones that
8:13:47only one person would want in their team
8:13:49and not elements that were more
8:13:50versatile. Carl began to inscribe
8:13:53trollish regeneration on the stone. And
8:13:56Remy suddenly realized that green stones
8:13:58were actually quite useful. They needed
8:14:01to give one to the bear and the lotus
8:14:03and maybe even Tessa. Carl put the same
8:14:07basic inscription for skill damage
8:14:09increase, but trollish regeneration was
8:14:11easier to link, so Carl used some extra
8:14:13space to add a physical strength buff
8:14:15before boosting the power level. The
8:14:18material appeared to be somewhat
8:14:20translucent, and when Carl inscribed it,
8:14:22the whole bracelet glowed with red light
8:14:24in the background, highlighting the
8:14:26outline of the royal palace like early
8:14:28morning dawn. Excellent work. Now those
8:14:32are proper gifts. Even if they never
8:14:34wear them, we don't have to be ashamed
8:14:36of our present. Forge Master Granite
8:14:39insisted.
8:14:41Carl nodded in agreement. What do you
8:14:43say we all go to the palace now? The
8:14:46guest area is nearly empty, so we can
8:14:49find spots for everyone before the other
8:14:50visitors start to show up. There will be
8:14:53all sorts of chaos with a new king<unk>s
8:14:55coronation and with whatever advancement
8:14:57party that they're going to have for
8:14:58totem lord Ahmad. Athell looked up at
8:15:01the ceiling. Well, it should be safe
8:15:04enough to go out there now. It's a shame
8:15:07we can't use the train, but everything
8:15:09collapsed, so we can't get to it, and we
8:15:11will have to walk across the city. Once
8:15:14they had everyone to the surface, Carl
8:15:16realized that making it all the way
8:15:18across the city was going to be easier
8:15:20said than done. Everything was destroyed
8:15:23and while they were in the middle of a
8:15:24park, Carl could already smell the death
8:15:27mixed with the fresh rain. Most of the
8:15:29city was leveled and the civilian
8:15:31casualty rates must have been horrific.
8:15:34Athell noticed his unease and patted his
8:15:36shoulder. There was an emergency alarm
8:15:39at the start of the fight. Casualties
8:15:42won't be too bad. I don't see any smoke
8:15:44signals from breached civilian emergency
8:15:46shelters.
8:15:48Carl didn't even know that was a thing.
8:15:50But in a city that expected disasters or
8:15:53attacks, it did make sense to get
8:15:55everyone who couldn't take a hit out of
8:15:56the way. The buildings could eventually
8:16:00be replaced.
8:16:02Well, most of them. Rebuilding the
8:16:04university and its labs was not going to
8:16:06be an easy feat, even after they had dug
8:16:09through all of the hazardous materials
8:16:10and damaged experiments to remove the
8:16:12rubble. Fortunately for them, there were
8:16:15no major injuries, and everyone was in
8:16:18good shape for a long walk. Well, Remy
8:16:21was carrying Fispark as the gnome's legs
8:16:24were very short, but the others were
8:16:26capable of a brisk walk. The bodyguard
8:16:29surrounded the convoy of researchers
8:16:31with Athell and her team in the lead,
8:16:34followed by Remy and Carl in the rear
8:16:36with the guardian. The dust had mostly
8:16:38settled after the rainfall, and an eerie
8:16:41silence had fallen over the city after
8:16:43the enemy had retreated. Carl could
8:16:45sense and sometimes see elites in the
8:16:48distance. But with Athell leading their
8:16:51group, the others recognized them as
8:16:53friendly right away. Even with a decent
8:16:56walking pace and minimal damage to the
8:16:58road they were walking down, it still
8:17:00took them 3/4 of an hour to walk from
8:17:02the lab to the palace's servants
8:17:04entrance. The palace itself was on a
8:17:07hill, and the servants entered from the
8:17:09bottom levels after passing through the
8:17:10gates in the outer walls. The entrance
8:17:13was heavily guarded and Carl waved as he
8:17:16recognized Guard Captain Scrugs among
8:17:18the soldiers on duty. Guard captain,
8:17:21this is Overlord Athell and her team as
8:17:23well as the researchers from my lab at
8:17:25the university. It appears that our
8:17:27facility was one of the targets today
8:17:29and the university has been destroyed.
8:17:32Would it be possible to get sweets for
8:17:34everyone? Carl asked, raising his voice
8:17:37from the rear of the group. The captain
8:17:40sideighed. We're already being flooded
8:17:43with requests thanks to the damage in
8:17:45the city, but if you're willing to share
8:17:47space with the overlord and her friends,
8:17:49we can find room for the others in the
8:17:51lower visitor quarters. Athell nodded.
8:17:55That works well enough for me. We will
8:17:58sort out sleeping quarters when we
8:17:59arrive. Carl, bring the whole team with
8:18:03us until we can get rooms sorted out for
8:18:05everyone. They will need to be kept a
8:18:07breast of developments.
8:18:09Guard Captain Scrugs if possible. Do not
8:18:12put the others too far away. If you do,
8:18:15the acolytes will drive you crazy trying
8:18:17to get to the leaders. The guards
8:18:20brought out a haggarded looking maid and
8:18:22gave her some quiet instructions.
8:18:24She nodded, then gestured for Carl and
8:18:27the others to follow her. I will deliver
8:18:30Monarch Carl and the Overlord<unk>'s
8:18:31team to their suite first. Then we will
8:18:33find quarters for everyone else nearby.
8:18:36Unfortunately, all of the noble suites
8:18:38are booked, but we have some other
8:18:40quarters available that are nicer than
8:18:42bunking you all in a room in the
8:18:43servants quarters," she explained in a
8:18:46dry tone. One of the Blue Dragon
8:18:49acolytes laughed at the thought. The
8:18:52servants quarters in the palace were
8:18:53likely more luxurious than their rooms
8:18:55in the Cathedral Libraryies residences.
8:18:58Not only were the rooms simple in
8:19:00nature, there were usually so many books
8:19:02and random items packed into them that
8:19:04you could hardly move from the door to
8:19:05the bed. There were only 12 researchers
8:19:08in total, not an excessive number,
8:19:10excluding the five acolytes and the
8:19:12green dragon cleric. If they could find
8:19:15decent rooms, then this would
8:19:17practically be a vacation for them, as
8:19:19there was neither a forge nor a
8:19:20woodworking shop here in the palace.
8:19:23Halfway to the suite, they were joined
8:19:25by Melanie, Carl's assigned made here in
8:19:27the palace. She silently stepped up
8:19:30beside him, then produced a wine skin
8:19:33and a stack of plastic cups. Beverage.
8:19:37I heard that there is heavy damage to
8:19:39the city after the attack, so your mouth
8:19:41might be dry. She whispered.
8:19:44Carl nodded, and the maid began to pour
8:19:46drinks for the group, starting with him.
8:19:49The scent from the large soft bag was
8:19:51not wine, but fruit juice. Better for
8:19:55refreshment, but stored in a soft bag
8:19:57slung over her shoulder with a push
8:19:59button on the cap for easy pouring. The
8:20:02closer that they got to the suite, the
8:20:04more guards they were seeing, and Carl
8:20:06could hear a lot of chatter from the
8:20:07area ahead. Did something happen in the
8:20:10suite? Carl quietly asked the maid. One
8:20:14minor issue involving a traitor. No
8:20:17injuries that I'm aware of, but the
8:20:19entire guest wing guard contingent is
8:20:21gathered nearby except those on patrol
8:20:23and on courtyard duty, she explained.
8:20:27They arrived at the suite a few minutes
8:20:29later, and a fellow whistled in
8:20:31appreciation.
8:20:33All this room for the five of you.
8:20:35That's not even half full without shared
8:20:37bedrooms, and I know that most of you
8:20:39probably are bed fellows, she joked.
8:20:43Carl shrugged. While that is true, and
8:20:46it's much more space than we need, I
8:20:49believe your team is much less cuddly
8:20:50than mine. Athell's teammates snorted in
8:20:54amusement. Can we trade? We will share
8:20:57rooms with your team. One of the
8:21:00warriors joked. Oilia gave him a
8:21:03dangerous smile. I don't think that you
8:21:06thought this one through. I sleep in
8:21:08Bear form. that left the clerics and the
8:21:11mage, but one of them was likely
8:21:13involved with Carl, unless he was
8:21:16sharing his bed with the void badger. I
8:21:19think that there should be enough room
8:21:20for everyone here. I believe the servant
8:21:23quarters are taken by the maids, but if
8:21:25the researchers aren't too particular, I
8:21:28believe that we can make just one suite
8:21:29work. Melanie cleared her throat.
8:21:33Actually, there is an entire personal
8:21:35guard dorm at the end of the hall. We've
8:21:38just been using it because the beds are
8:21:39more comfortable than the standby room.
8:21:42She swung a painting on one wall and
8:21:44revealed a small room with two triple
8:21:46rack cotss and no window but a small
8:21:48magical light on the ceiling. Carl
8:21:51frowned. I think we can still make this
8:21:54work. What are the other rooms like? The
8:21:58ones on the lady's side. Two large beds,
8:22:01two dressers, and vanity stations with
8:22:03an insert privy with a shower. Very much
8:22:06like a standard hotel room. If we put
8:22:09your sleeping group in one of the large
8:22:11rooms and Lady Athell in another, that
8:22:13leaves five of the seven double rooms
8:22:15open and one of the larger. Or did you
8:22:18want to change rooms and keep the
8:22:20segregated wings? Carl shook his head.
8:22:24Free for all is fine. That was a signal
8:22:27for the others, and the maids quickly
8:22:29moved to block the two rooms that the
8:22:31ladies had been using. I'm at the end of
8:22:33that hall. Carl informed Athell, who
8:22:36looked in the first room and nodded with
8:22:38satisfaction.
8:22:40That works for me. Why don't we put the
8:22:43forgemaster and chief engineer in the
8:22:45room between us? Or do they have someone
8:22:47they prefer to share with? Fizz bark
8:22:50shrugged. I'm fine with that. Granite
8:22:54doesn't snore.
8:22:56The researchers had gone all the way
8:22:57down the hall, and Carl could hear them
8:23:00laughing in the far room where the maids
8:23:02had been sleeping. "There are bunks for
8:23:04like two dozen people here. We're not
8:23:07even close to short on beds. Plus, it
8:23:10has a divider,"
8:23:12someone shouted from the dorm. Carl
8:23:15shrugged. "Well, if they are happy, it's
8:23:18good. The maids can share one of the
8:23:21other bedrooms if they're not returning
8:23:23to their own beds. I won't blame them if
8:23:26they don't want to be alone for a few
8:23:27days after all this chaos. The maids
8:23:30silently cheered at the upgrade as the
8:23:32standby rooms were awful. Even if the
8:23:35four sleeping shared double beds, they
8:23:38had more space in a real room. It took a
8:23:41few minutes of shuffling, but eventually
8:23:43all the rooms were filled with the male
8:23:45researchers taking the dorm and the
8:23:46ladies of the research team sharing a
8:23:48pair of rooms. It took a few minutes for
8:23:51the changes to sink in, but once Dana
8:23:53finally got a good look at Carl, she was
8:23:55stuck staring at him in shock. You
8:23:58changed. Did something weird happen. Not
8:24:02that I mind. This is a much better look
8:24:04than super muscled. But it's a rapid
8:24:07change, she asked. Thor and Ry already
8:24:11knew, but they hadn't warned anyone. Or
8:24:15at the very least, they hadn't warned
8:24:17Dana. The extra bulk was from a new
8:24:20skill that hadn't properly activated.
8:24:22Bestial form is that same sort of
8:24:25massively muscled, Carl explained.
8:24:29Dana smiled and Lotus ran over with an
8:24:31expectant look. She was not missing the
8:24:34grand reveal. Carl activated the skill
8:24:37and Dana gave him a secret smile while
8:24:40Lotus clapped and cheered. Now we have a
8:24:43tiger and a bear. Nap time will be
8:24:46spectacular.
8:24:47The nature priestess cheered. The others
8:24:50had more subdued reactions, but some of
8:24:52the guards had conflicted expressions.
8:24:55Built so wide that your shoulders
8:24:57brushed both sides of a door frame was a
8:24:59life goal for a few of the more muscular
8:25:01ones. Nobody got past you in a hallway
8:25:04if you took up the whole hallway. Being
8:25:07massive was the ultimate passive
8:25:09defensive build. Carl was going to
8:25:11settle in and watch a movie, but the
8:25:13excitement level in the sweets was too
8:25:15high. And even overlord Athell was eager
8:25:17to see him keep working on the project
8:25:19that had been disrupted with the
8:25:20destruction of the labs. But that
8:25:23reminded Granite of one important
8:25:25oversight.
8:25:26Should we have destroyed the ghost fire
8:25:28forges before we left? He asked. Carl
8:25:32shook his head. No, I think that they
8:25:35will make a new entrance to the lab soon
8:25:37and then you will want to have your
8:25:38forges intact. We sealed the roof with
8:25:42earth magic when we left, so it's not
8:25:44going to fill with water or anything,
8:25:46and most of the spells are still online.
8:25:49That was enough to assure the workers
8:25:50that they weren't permanently
8:25:51unemployed. And with heavy
8:25:53encouragement, Carl sat and brainstormed
8:25:55runic inscription ideas with the
8:25:57acolytes and the workers from the lab
8:25:59all through the afternoon. They only
8:26:01stopped long enough for dinner, and then
8:26:03called it a night when it got dark
8:26:05outside. The acolytes had all been
8:26:08taught the talisman spell, which would
8:26:10let them create a paper version of a
8:26:12spell that they knew, but it could also
8:26:15be used for more creative magical
8:26:16effects, such as a custom rune string.
8:26:20They had quickly mastered the basics,
8:26:22such as locking a door shut with the
8:26:24talisman when it had no lock, and
8:26:26creating a barrier of silence to prevent
8:26:27eavesdropping.
8:26:29But a talisman didn't have to be paper.
8:26:33They could also create a single-use
8:26:34wooden or other type of talisman. It was
8:26:38only the temporary nature of the spell
8:26:39that made paper the best idea. For the
8:26:42acolytes, it only lasted a few hours
8:26:45after activation.
8:26:47For Carl, the spell had lasted half the
8:26:49day. However, that meant neither was
8:26:52suitable for engraving on a permanent
8:26:54object, and none of them had mastered
8:26:56the art of simplifying runes to make
8:26:57rune crafting as easy as creating a
8:26:59talisman.
8:27:01Carl suspected that the simplified
8:27:03nature and reliance on the caster's will
8:27:05was the reason they were temporary and
8:27:06that it wouldn't be possible to make
8:27:08them permanent. But they had already
8:27:10been able to get a good grasp of the
8:27:12spells possibilities and using the runic
8:27:14language was much more compact than
8:27:16writing in common. Just after dark, a
8:27:19messenger came from the royal family.
8:27:22Elites, nobles, and gathered employees
8:27:24of the crown. The coronation ceremony
8:27:27has been moved up. King Axel will be
8:27:30crowned by the Queen Daajager tomorrow
8:27:32at noon. Please be in attendance.
8:27:36Also, attendance at breakfast has been
8:27:38requested for the elites. Not for the
8:27:41king, but for Totem Ahmad, who will be
8:27:43arriving in the morning, the messenger
8:27:46announced. Then he handed them a formal
8:27:49announcement card addressed to the
8:27:50residents of their suite as a group.
8:27:53That was a change from what Carl had
8:27:56heard during his brainstorming session
8:27:58today. The ceremony was normally
8:27:59exclusive to the ones closest to the
8:28:01king. And then there would be seven days
8:28:03of public parties which he would attend
8:28:05so the people could see him or her if
8:28:08the new leader was a queen. This was
8:28:11incredibly quick though, especially with
8:28:14the city mostly destroyed and heavy
8:28:16damage to some portions of the royal
8:28:18palace. But perhaps they wanted to get
8:28:21it out of the way so that the new king
8:28:23could focus on fixing things. Bright and
8:28:26early the next morning, Melanie tapped
8:28:28at the door to wake Carl up. Not that it
8:28:31was necessary.
8:28:32Lotus and the other nature cleric had
8:28:34been experimenting with new coffee blend
8:28:36since before dawn, and they had enlisted
8:28:38the blue dragon acolytes as their taste
8:28:40testers. Few beings could sleep through
8:28:43that. Carl put on a casual outfit of
8:28:46slacks and polo shirt made by Ry, then
8:28:49gathered both teams of elites and headed
8:28:51for the dining room where a mod was
8:28:53waiting for them. Being a new totem rank
8:28:56mage, it wouldn't do to keep him
8:28:58waiting. Plus, Carl had a gift for him.
8:29:02The catman's ears perked up when they
8:29:03entered, and Carl smiled at his
8:29:05excitement. Lord Ahmad, it's an honor to
8:29:09get a breakfast invite. Athell greeted
8:29:11him with a slight bow, which Carl copied
8:29:14with a wink that made the mage laugh.
8:29:16I've known the two of you for how long
8:29:18now? No need to stand on ceremony.
8:29:22Welcome everyone. I wanted to see you
8:29:25all before the ceremony, and I have some
8:29:27news for you after, he explained.
8:29:31Carl nodded and patted him on the
8:29:32shoulder to transfer meteor swarm, the
8:29:35combination spell that he had modified
8:29:37for the staff originally intended to be
8:29:39his gift. Then he held out the bracelet
8:29:42with the lifelink gem on it. A combined
8:29:45effort between myself and the research
8:29:47team. Congratulations on your
8:29:50advancement.
8:29:51Amod slid a magical bracelet off one
8:29:53wrist and put the new one on with a
8:29:55surprised smile as it bonded, allowing
8:29:57him to see the stats on it. This is
8:30:01amazing.
8:30:02Life link to my golems.
8:30:04All of them, it seems. Now, that's a
8:30:08cheat code for a mage. And the extra
8:30:11skill power as well. I have never seen a
8:30:14monarch ranked created item before. But
8:30:16if they're all at this level, I can
8:30:18understand the context behind the news I
8:30:20have for you much more clearly. But
8:30:22that's for after the ceremony.
8:30:25First, let's eat. Breakfast took nearly
8:30:28to lunch with all the interruptions and
8:30:30people showing up to talk to the ranking
8:30:32elites. After the first hour, everyone
8:30:35but Carl, Athell, and Ahmad managed to
8:30:37excuse themselves.
8:30:39The monarchs with Athell's team didn't
8:30:41make it far before they were caught by
8:30:43someone with propositions or a history
8:30:45with them, but at least they got to try.
8:30:48The coronation was exactly at noon, so
8:30:51Ahmad ended up leading them directly to
8:30:53a VIP box in the throne room above floor
8:30:56level. The rest of the teams would be in
8:30:58the crowd below, and Carl spared a
8:31:01moment of sympathy for the guards who
8:31:02had to maintain security with so many
8:31:04active skills in one room. After the
8:31:07recent events, nobody who had the power
8:31:09would agree to go without defensive
8:31:11spells, especially not here in the
8:31:14throne room, where the resident members
8:31:15of the royal family were killed. The
8:31:18cause hadn't been officially announced,
8:31:20but both Rey and Neil were certain
8:31:22nobody went in or out. Even the guards
8:31:25outside the door survived the battle.
8:31:28Neil had questioned them, but the door
8:31:30remained barred from the inside, and
8:31:32they hadn't heard anything thanks to the
8:31:34silencing spells on the throne room.
8:31:36Ahmad smiled as Carl extended eternal
8:31:39lightning over him. A totem was nearly
8:31:42impervious to the attacks of those below
8:31:44his rank, but activating a totem ranked
8:31:46barrier would be an incredibly
8:31:48oppressive force for the unawwakened
8:31:49humans in attendance, as well as most of
8:31:51the elites. Trumpets began to play a
8:31:54marching tune, and the room fell silent.
8:31:57King Axel looked exhausted, but his back
8:32:00was straight, and his expression was
8:32:02grim as he entered the room with a pair
8:32:03of familiar overlords walking behind
8:32:05him. One was Overlord Drake, who had
8:32:08been traveling with him when Carl first
8:32:10met them, and the other was a female
8:32:12bishop from the church that Carl had
8:32:14seen multiple times before, but never
8:32:16officially met. The king stepped up in
8:32:19front of the throne, and his grandmother
8:32:20came out with the crown on a pillow.
8:32:23Then the silence of the room was
8:32:25shattered when King Axel extended his
8:32:27hand and led the bishop to the throne on
8:32:29his left. The queen's throne. Ahmad
8:32:33whistled softly.
8:32:35Oh, things are going to get spicy now.
8:32:37The king has always been a secular force
8:32:40in the nation, but it appears the rumors
8:32:42about King Axel's love life were true.
8:32:45He has taken a bishop as his queen. Carl
8:32:48didn't even pretend to understand the
8:32:50politics, but they made a cute couple.
8:32:53Both were in their late 20s, so they
8:32:55both would be considered prodigies of
8:32:56the elite program, assuming they were
8:32:58both awakened that way. While Carl was
8:33:01distracted, the speech by the Elder
8:33:03Royal had begun, and Carl snapped back
8:33:06to attention partway through. My dear
8:33:08grandson, it is with great pride and
8:33:11admiration that I address you on this
8:33:12momentous occasion. You have shown
8:33:15extraordinary courage, wisdom, and
8:33:17compassion in your ascension to the
8:33:19throne. Your father would be proud of
8:33:21the man you have become, a leader who
8:33:23understands the importance of serving
8:33:25others, a monarch who recognizes the
8:33:27weight of his responsibilities.
8:33:30As we bid farewell to an era and usher
8:33:32in a new one, let us remember that our
8:33:34kingdom has faced trials before and each
8:33:36time we have emerged stronger. The loss
8:33:40of your father was a devastating blow,
8:33:42but it is now up to you, King Axel, to
8:33:44lead us through these dark times and
8:33:46into a brighter future.
8:33:48You, King Axel, beloved of the gods,
8:33:51with the admiration of the entire
8:33:53nation, from every region, every cast of
8:33:56society and every rank of elites who
8:33:58defend our sovereignty. It is that
8:34:00unwavering spirit that makes you the
8:34:02most suited to stand here in this
8:34:04hallowed chamber today. Carl wondered if
8:34:06there was some form of contest for the
8:34:08throne that he wasn't aware of, but then
8:34:11realized he really should be paying
8:34:13attention to the old royal speech. As we
8:34:16bid farewell to an era and usher in the
8:34:18age of the elites, let us remember that
8:34:20our kingdom has faced trials and
8:34:22betrayals before. Each time we have
8:34:25emerged victorious and stronger than
8:34:27ever. So shall it be again in these
8:34:29trying times. The loss of the king was a
8:34:32blow that devastated the hearts of the
8:34:34nation. But there is no doubt in my
8:34:36heart that the king will once again lead
8:34:38us through these dark times to a
8:34:39brighter future than any could have
8:34:41foreseen. In this time of sorrow and
8:34:44change, let us be reminded of the words
8:34:46of our ancestors.
8:34:48The strength of a nation lies in its
8:34:50unity. The power of a king is measured
8:34:53by his ability to serve his subjects.
8:34:56May you, King Axel, embody these
8:34:58principles as you lead us forward. As we
8:35:01move forward toward vengeance and
8:35:02retribution, the nation stands behind
8:35:05the king and supports him with all our
8:35:06might. The path will not be easy, but
8:35:09with faith and determination, the golden
8:35:12dragon nation will overcome any
8:35:13challenge put in our path. King Axel
8:35:16knelt and the queen Daager placed the
8:35:18crown upon his head. From beside him,
8:35:21the new queen raised her voice. To King
8:35:24Axel, may he reign forever. The room
8:35:28burst into shouts and cheers,
8:35:30accompanied by a stomping that shook the
8:35:32stone of the throne room. The entire
8:35:34coronation ceremony had taken less than
8:35:3615 minutes. There was nearly no
8:35:38pageantry, and while the throne room was
8:35:40decorated, it was no more than would
8:35:42have been done for a royal banquet.
8:35:45There simply hadn't been time. But to
8:35:47the new king and the elites in
8:35:49attendance, it didn't matter. The old
8:35:52queen had been right. What was coming
8:35:55was vengeance and retribution on those
8:35:57who would dare to launch such an
8:35:58audacious attack on the nation. Carl
8:36:01could hear the murmurss among the
8:36:02elites, plans to exact revenge, sharing
8:36:05evidence of the specific forces that had
8:36:07been found dead in the capital after the
8:36:09battle. None would escape their wrath.
8:36:13Once the coronation was over, Ahmad took
8:36:15Carl's hand and used an air spell to
8:36:17deposit them both along with overlords
8:36:19Athell and Neil in front of the throne.
8:36:22A few other overlords were in
8:36:24attendance, and they were filling the
8:36:26path to the throne behind them while
8:36:28everyone else waited for their turn.
8:36:30Take out your gift for the king. You did
8:36:33make one, right? Not just something for
8:36:36me, Ahmad asked with a system message.
8:36:40Yes, I made him a custom bracelet with
8:36:42trollish regeneration on it and some
8:36:44warrior buffs. Ahmad was the first to
8:36:47the throne where he refrained from
8:36:49taking a knee but bowed deeply before
8:36:51the king. Your Majesty, on behalf of the
8:36:54elites, I present Monarch Carl with a
8:36:57custom-crafted gift to begin your reign.
8:37:00Oh, that was devious.
8:37:02It saved the rest of the elites from
8:37:04needing to turn over a particularly
8:37:06valuable gift of their own. They could
8:37:08rely on the one given on behalf of the
8:37:10elites as a group. Carl moved forward at
8:37:13the totem's direction and bowed in the
8:37:15military manner, left knee down so that
8:37:17he could easily get at his blade if
8:37:19necessary.
8:37:20Not that he was openly wearing a weapon.
8:37:23There was no need with an inventory.
8:37:26Carl held out the bracelet on a small
8:37:28black pillow that got nearly as much
8:37:30attention as the actual gift. Ry had
8:37:33made it of her silk, and it was a
8:37:34precious treasure on its own. But once
8:37:37he saw the bracelet on the pillow, the
8:37:39new king's eyes went wide, and he
8:37:41quickly picked it up to place it on his
8:37:43wrist. That wasn't protocol. He should
8:37:46have recognized the gift and then had a
8:37:48maid place it to the side. But King Axel
8:37:51surged with power as he put it on and
8:37:54trollish regeneration took effect along
8:37:57with the other buffs that Carl had put
8:37:58on the item. This is a most wonderful
8:38:01gift. The crown thanks the elites for
8:38:04their generosity.
8:38:06Then he motioned for a maid to take the
8:38:08pillow and Carl hid his smile. They were
8:38:11giving him two gifts today, it seemed.
8:38:14The four of them stepped aside and Carl
8:38:17noted the relief on the faces of a
8:38:18number of overlords behind him. Now they
8:38:21only needed to give something worthy of
8:38:23being a personal gift to the king, a
8:38:25much lower standard than trying to come
8:38:27up with something that would be noticed
8:38:28and prove goodwill from King Axel's
8:38:30fellow elites. Mostly they were giving
8:38:33him dungeon gold and magical gems, a
8:38:37practical gift to help rebuild the royal
8:38:39city of One Mouth. Such gifts were
8:38:42considered a standard form of goodwill
8:38:44and the city was going to need a lot of
8:38:45them. But Carl did notice a few of the
8:38:48mages had scrolls in their hands. Work
8:38:51pledges.
8:38:53They are volunteering to help rebuild
8:38:55the city with earth magic. Those are
8:38:57mostly mages who have a link to the
8:38:59city. Ahmad explained with a system
8:39:02message as he led Carl away. Carl
8:39:05gestured to the other members of the
8:39:06team that he was fine and then asked Ry
8:39:09and Thor to hand out treasures to the
8:39:11others to give to the king. Ry made
8:39:13small bags and pillows since the king
8:39:16liked the pillows so much. By the time
8:39:19they were all done, he would have a
8:39:20whole pile of them for his bed. Ahmad
8:39:23led Carl to an extremely fancy suite not
8:39:26far from his own, then dismissed all the
8:39:28maids and put four layers of barriers
8:39:30over the room. Carl double-ch checked it
8:39:33with soul sight and with all of his
8:39:35various vision abilities.
8:39:37It appears clear to me. I don't sense
8:39:40anything living within your barriers.
8:39:42Carl explained. Ahmad nodded in relief,
8:39:46then sighed as he sat down. Well, I
8:39:49suppose that I should start from the
8:39:51beginning of this show. First off,
8:39:54the king was assassinated by one of his
8:39:56brothers. But what the idiot didn't know
8:39:59was that the magical device he obtained
8:40:01wasn't targeted and it killed everyone
8:40:02in the room. No, that's not the start.
8:40:07Recent events in the war with the giants
8:40:08have raised concerns in the other
8:40:10nations of the continent.
8:40:12Firstly, because the archbishop's power
8:40:14is beginning to fade. There is a
8:40:17successor among the bishops who is
8:40:19likely to gain enlightenment soon, but
8:40:21possibly not soon enough.
8:40:23So the other nations all saw that as an
8:40:26opportunity to split our territory
8:40:28between them. Strangely, Nubon and the
8:40:31divine beast nation sat it out. But
8:40:33there were forces from every other
8:40:34nation in the capital. All three giant
8:40:37nations, every human nation, even a few
8:40:40overlord ranked divine beasts from the
8:40:42wilds came to join the chaos and attempt
8:40:44to claim parts of the south as their
8:40:46own. Afterwards,
8:40:47it was my ascension that prevented the
8:40:49complete collapse. The other totems
8:40:52didn't dare to push their luck when I
8:40:54was here alongside the archbishop.
8:40:56No matter how bad his health is, he's
8:40:58not dead yet. And between us, we're one
8:41:01of the strongest forces on the
8:41:02continent. But on a more personal note,
8:41:05I don't think you are aware just how
8:41:07much danger you were in. Carl waited to
8:41:10see if Ahmad would continue, then
8:41:12explained what he knew. I was informed
8:41:14by Overlord Neil that there was a rather
8:41:16large bounty on my head. I personally
8:41:19dealt with a total of four overlords
8:41:21from two different forces who had come
8:41:23for me. Ahmad nodded. And that is the
8:41:27root of the problem. Your powers are
8:41:29viewed as too great of a threat to be
8:41:31allowed to roam free. I don't know how,
8:41:34but it has become common knowledge among
8:41:36the totems that you have the ability to
8:41:38elevate a skill above your rank. When
8:41:40you hit overlord, that means you will
8:41:42have a chance to elevate a skill to the
8:41:44totem rank. and they are not willing to
8:41:47allow that to happen. If you could
8:41:49threaten the totems, that would be as
8:41:51good as a third totem in the golden
8:41:53dragon nation and nothing short of a
8:41:55declaration of war in the minds of the
8:41:57other nations. You see, there is a
8:42:00reason that each nation only has a few
8:42:02overlords and a single totem, two at
8:42:04most. When blessed ones, the ones that
8:42:07can threaten the balance of power, are
8:42:09found on this continent, they are either
8:42:11killed or exiled.
8:42:13That is what the totems are demanding
8:42:15now. That you are sent off the continent
8:42:18or that I turn you over to them for
8:42:20execution.
8:42:22Obviously, that second option isn't
8:42:24going to happen, but keeping you active
8:42:26on the battlefield will not be an option
8:42:27either. Now, I get what the Archbishop
8:42:30was hoping for, that you would advance
8:42:32quickly enough to replace him. But now
8:42:35that I have advanced with a strong
8:42:37likelihood that a new archbishop will
8:42:39advance when the old one passes, the
8:42:41timeline doesn't work.
8:42:43But the two nations most likely to take
8:42:45you in also already have two totems a
8:42:47piece. New and the divine beast nation
8:42:50both suggested that you be transferred
8:42:52to them as an alternate solution. Carl
8:42:55needed a few minutes to take that in.
8:42:58The archbishop wasn't really a people
8:43:00person, and he was somewhat aloof. But
8:43:03the church had always sent Carl to
8:43:05wherever the greatest opportunity was,
8:43:07and now the reasoning began to make
8:43:09sense.
8:43:10The church knew there was a chance that
8:43:12every other nation would team up to try
8:43:13to kill him. But if he gained power fast
8:43:16enough, he could be protected until he
8:43:18was the golden dragon nation's next
8:43:19totem. But that had relied on the
8:43:22archbishop being the only totem in the
8:43:24nation. Now that there was a 30-year-old
8:43:27mage at the totem rank with a century of
8:43:29likely good health in front of him,
8:43:31things were different. Nobody was
8:43:33willing to risk the Golden Dragon Nation
8:43:35gaining an expansionist mindset with the
8:43:37power to back it up.
8:43:39Carl was slowly accepting that things
8:43:41were getting bad for his personal
8:43:43situation, but there were other concerns
8:43:45as well. So, what will we do? I know
8:43:49that you have the ability to portal, and
8:43:51that should be enough for our purposes.
8:43:54If I'm sent away somewhere like the Nia
8:43:56continent, what happens to the rest of
8:43:58my teammates? Are they going to become a
8:44:00target of the other nations thanks to
8:44:02all the damage that we did as a group?
8:44:05He asked. Ahmad sighed. I can't
8:44:09guarantee that. I can put them under my
8:44:12protection, but I know that the giants
8:44:14have a vendetta against them. The other
8:44:16nations don't view them as nearly as
8:44:18high of a threat level as they do you.
8:44:20But that might only be because you're
8:44:22there to dim their light. If you weren't
8:44:25around, then Dana and likely both the
8:44:27clerics would be viewed as shocking
8:44:29prodigies for the speed that they are
8:44:31growing. But if I'm right, they probably
8:44:33wouldn't be growing as quickly if you
8:44:35weren't there. So, it might be a moot
8:44:37point.
8:44:38Carl nodded. That made sense, as a lot
8:44:42of their combat power was the beasts,
8:44:44and the system seemed to reward acts of
8:44:46massive excess to a greater extent than
8:44:48the average soldiers. If I asked, and
8:44:51they agreed, would it be possible for us
8:44:53all to go into exile together? I know it
8:44:56would be a lot to ask of them, but we do
8:44:58work very well as a team. Ahmad frowned.
8:45:02It might be possible, but asking an
8:45:04entire team to give up their lives to
8:45:06join you in an indeterminate exile is
8:45:08big. It's not a year or two. You may
8:45:12never be able to return, and the only
8:45:14likely scenario that involves you coming
8:45:16back is one of the nations losing their
8:45:18totem ranked guardian and you being the
8:45:20first one back with the ability to claim
8:45:22it. Now, those odds aren't zero, as you
8:45:25would have me on your side supporting
8:45:27you, but there are likely to be other
8:45:29exiled geniuses who might have reached
8:45:31totem rank with the desire to return. I
8:45:34don't really know. There are countless
8:45:37details that I haven't caught up on yet
8:45:39since I advanced, but there is also the
8:45:42matter of where you will be sent. Nia is
8:45:45a possibility.
8:45:46There are more than enough overlords and
8:45:48totems there to not cause a major
8:45:50disturbance when you advance.
8:45:52However, there is also a push to have
8:45:54you sent to the Dragon Isles. It's
8:45:57actually four subcontinents grouped
8:45:59together, but the danger level there is
8:46:01immense. To put it kindly, the Dragon
8:46:04Isles have the highest mana
8:46:05concentration of anywhere on the planet,
8:46:07and I am not aware of any human nations
8:46:09at all. It's all monsters, dragons, and
8:46:13subdragons.
8:46:15There will likely be humans, but as
8:46:17slaves.
8:46:18I don't know how your team will handle
8:46:20that or if they will be in danger of
8:46:22slavers during their stay. In fact, we
8:46:25don't really know much about the Dragon
8:46:27Isles at all. They're not particularly
8:46:29welcoming to outsiders of the power
8:46:31level to safely travel around them. The
8:46:34Dragon Clerics might be all right as
8:46:36they are slowly becoming Dragon Kin, but
8:46:39you do have two humans in your team.
8:46:42That could definitely change the plans.
8:46:45He wouldn't want to put them in that
8:46:47sort of danger, and needing to rescue
8:46:49the princess from slave caravans was a
8:46:51bit too cliche. On the other hand, Carl
8:46:54felt like he had always been with his
8:46:56group, and he was reluctant to leave
8:46:57them behind, even if he knew that he
8:46:59should, and that his selfish desire for
8:47:01companionship was likely to ruin
8:47:03everyone's life. Would you have time to
8:47:06explain the dangers to them for me? I
8:47:09have never even heard of the Dragon
8:47:10Isles before, and I know precisely zero
8:47:13about them. If it is Nia, I do know a
8:47:16bit about how it was 10,000 years ago,
8:47:18but nothing current. Carl asked. Ahmad
8:47:23nodded. I don't have a problem with
8:47:25that. After all, you did give me that
8:47:28most wonderful meteor swarm skill plus
8:47:30the bracelet. That skill might seem like
8:47:33a trivial thing to you, just a modified
8:47:35meteor spell, but when it's used by a
8:47:38totem rank mage, it can wipe an entire
8:47:41city off the map in a matter of seconds.
8:47:44something like mutually assured
8:47:45destruction in spell form as I can cast
8:47:48it through a portal anywhere on the
8:47:49continent. When he planned to use it
8:47:52that way, the meteor swarm spell was
8:47:55absolutely terrifying.
8:47:57Threaten Ahmad and he could just take 3
8:47:59seconds to wipe your capital off the map
8:48:01out of annoyance.
8:48:03That should keep anyone from seriously
8:48:05challenging his leadership of the Golden
8:48:07Dragon Nation. But that sort of thinking
8:48:09was probably a large part of the reason
8:48:11that Carl was being exiled in the first
8:48:13place. There was a disturbance in the
8:48:16energy of the area and Carl
8:48:18preventatively prepared nullify while
8:48:20Ahmad frowned at the attempt to intrude
8:48:22through his barriers. It seems that the
8:48:25other leaders are impatient.
8:48:27I will call your teammates to us and you
8:48:29can decide as a group, but you might
8:48:32have to do it quickly if we're going to
8:48:34avoid a fight. Carl nodded. let them in.
8:48:39Unless they're willing to go all out in
8:48:40an enclosed space, I'm not particularly
8:48:43concerned about a few eavesdroppers.
8:48:45In his mind, Cara laughed. Between the
8:48:49two of them, they could just spam
8:48:51nullify while the golem cat slapped the
8:48:53intruders around like disobedient
8:48:55children. The thought made Remy laugh,
8:48:58but Thor agreed with Ahmad. They enjoyed
8:49:01causing trouble far too much. letting
8:49:04them be humbled a bit might be good for
8:49:06his sisters. Ahmad let down his barriers
8:49:09and a group of six spellblades in
8:49:11different colored robes. Plus, the
8:49:13general from Newon appeared through a
8:49:15portal. Carl waved to the one totem that
8:49:18he knew and the Naga general smiled back
8:49:20before shaking Ahmed's hand. Totem Lord
8:49:23Ahmad, have you made your nation's
8:49:25prodigy aware of the situation?
8:49:28One of the spellblades asked.
8:49:30Indeed, I have. We are just waiting for
8:49:33a few others to arrive. They may wish to
8:49:36enter exile together. The foreign mage
8:49:40gave a vicious chuckle. Oh, I don't
8:49:42think that they will be so enthusiastic
8:49:44when they hear the verdict. Ahmad nodded
8:49:47at Carl. That was what he had expected.
8:49:51It would have been better if there was
8:49:52time for them to discuss in more detail,
8:49:55but the others appeared impatient to
8:49:56send the young prodigy away. The rest of
8:49:59Carl's team entered, then stopped at the
8:50:01door when they felt the power of the
8:50:03gathered visitors. One of the mages
8:50:06turned to them, and his evil smirk
8:50:08turned to an honest smile.
8:50:10Well, this is unexpected.
8:50:13Yes, this works very well. I approve of
8:50:16sending them all together, he announced.
8:50:20Dana turned to Carl, who motioned for
8:50:22them to move to a side room. I will keep
8:50:25it short because they're getting
8:50:26impatient. I am being exiled as a threat
8:50:29to the power balance. They haven't said
8:50:32where to yet, but it's unlikely to be
8:50:34somewhere nice, and the danger level
8:50:36will be high enough that if I do reach
8:50:38totem rank, it won't even make a ripple
8:50:40in their local power balance. The
8:50:43problem is that it's almost certainly
8:50:44not going to be somewhere human
8:50:46friendly. You all have the choice if you
8:50:49want to go with me and possibly never
8:50:51come back or remain here under the
8:50:53protection of totem lord Ahmad. Carl
8:50:56couldn't remember if that part had been
8:50:57explicitly stated, but he was certain
8:50:59that the mage could be counted on for at
8:51:01least that much. Dana understood right
8:51:04away what the danger was, and Oilia
8:51:06wasn't far behind her. Both looked
8:51:09vaguely horrified, but Tessa had a
8:51:11placid look, as if she had made peace
8:51:13with her decision, whatever it was. In
8:51:16contrast, Lotus looked outraged.
8:51:20You're not taking all the beasts and
8:51:21leaving. Nope. No way. If you go, I go.
8:51:27Yeah, that was about what he should have
8:51:29expected. Oilia sighed. You know, it's
8:51:33impossible for me to say no now. If you
8:51:36had left without saying anything, I
8:51:38would have made peace with your choice.
8:51:40But given the option, I can't just
8:51:42abandon my friends. Carl patted her on
8:51:46the shoulder. I know, and I apologize
8:51:49for putting this sort of pressure on you
8:51:51all. I also understand if you all want
8:51:53to wait here for me to return one day.
8:51:56It's not like I will be alone and Lotus
8:51:58will still have a cuddle bear even if
8:52:00you all stay here. Lotus calmed down a
8:52:03bit when she realized that one cuddle
8:52:06bear wasn't a total loss. Plus, Oilia
8:52:10was probably the most riskaverse one in
8:52:12the group when she wasn't raging. Not
8:52:14that it was a high standard. Dana
8:52:17straightened a bit and nodded to
8:52:18herself. If it's not human friendly, we
8:52:22can use disguise spells. I'm coming with
8:52:25you. Tessa nodded, as did Oilia, which
8:52:28left Lotus to shrug. I guess we're going
8:52:31on an adventure, then. The nature
8:52:34priestess agreed. They walked back into
8:52:37the main room with grim looks, and the
8:52:39totem rank Naga general of Newon nodded
8:52:41happily. The eldest of the spellblades
8:52:44nodded politely to the group before he
8:52:46began to speak. Prodigy Carl and
8:52:49friends, we have decided on the location
8:52:52of your exile, we have signed a magical
8:52:55contract not to interfere with your
8:52:56lives after you arrive and to keep your
8:52:59location secret from anyone not involved
8:53:01in this negotiation.
8:53:03You will be sent to the kingdom of Dro
8:53:05in the Dragon Isles. It is a primarily
8:53:07demon inhabited nation with a much
8:53:10higher population density than anywhere
8:53:12on this continent. As per the general's
8:53:14insistence, you will be deposited on the
8:53:17outskirts of a city to give you a chance
8:53:18to understand the local culture before
8:53:20looking for a more permanent home. In
8:53:23order to make the story of your
8:53:24disappearance more compelling, we will
8:53:26not allow you time to gather any
8:53:28personal items, and you will be leaving
8:53:30right now. The spellb blades worked
8:53:32together and quickly opened a portal
8:53:34that showed some sort of altar on the
8:53:36other side, then motioned for Carl to
8:53:38enter. It is considered rude to hold the
8:53:41portal more than 30 seconds at a public
8:53:43station.
8:53:44Now go, he complained.
8:53:48Carl did a quick double check to ensure
8:53:50everyone was in their space so they
8:53:52didn't get left behind on the wrong
8:53:54continent and then activated bestial
8:53:56form and stepped through the portal. If
8:53:59he had been thinking ahead, he would
8:54:00have tried to teach the others that
8:54:02skill in advance. But Oilia had already
8:54:04changed to warbear form, the same as she
8:54:07did in Newubon.
8:54:09Carl heard the startled sound the mages
8:54:11made when he transformed with his
8:54:12bestial rayment armor spell active, but
8:54:15the guards on the other side of the
8:54:16portal didn't seem bothered by Carl's
8:54:18appearance. They were also all overlords
8:54:21and all demons with large black leathery
8:54:24wings. Welcome to the city of Drad. The
8:54:28entry fee is one silver coin each. The
8:54:31guard blocking the path toward the city
8:54:33announced.
8:54:35Carl took out a gold coin and flipped it
8:54:37to the guard who took out five silver
8:54:39coins and handed them to Dana who had
8:54:41just come through the portal. The others
8:54:44followed close behind with Oilia going
8:54:46last right before the portal closed and
8:54:48another open to let a group of demons
8:54:50pulling large carts through. In front of
8:54:53them were masses of simple wood
8:54:55buildings looking both aged and hastily
8:54:57constructed at the same time. It
8:54:59appeared that the portal area was in an
8:55:01outlying impoverished area past the city
8:55:04walls. At least they all hoped that it
8:55:07was going to get better once they got in
8:55:08the city itself. Carl brought up the
8:55:11system interface as he walked toward the
8:55:13city away from the busy portal. Nearly
8:55:17everyone here had a name visible above
8:55:18their head, showing that they had a
8:55:20class from the system. Warriors made up
8:55:23nine out of 10, but there were rogues,
8:55:25mages, and a few shamans visible as
8:55:28well.
8:55:29Clerics were rare and Carl hadn't seen
8:55:31any yet, but there were a few other
8:55:33colors that he didn't immediately
8:55:34recognize.
8:55:36There didn't seem to be any restriction
8:55:38on skill use in the city other than
8:55:40damaging spells, and most residents had
8:55:42some sort of defensive magic active.
8:55:45So, Carl brought out the guardian to
8:55:47spread void body to the whole group
8:55:50along with the eternal lightning
8:55:52barrier.
8:55:54That should be safe enough for now.
8:55:56Everyone was giving them a wide birth
8:55:58despite the busy street. That seemed a
8:56:01bit odd as there was no shortage of
8:56:03overlord ranked demons and monsters in
8:56:05the crowd. It wasn't as if he were an
8:56:08overwhelming force here, and even the
8:56:10weaker adult residents were mostly
8:56:12commanders. Then Carl realized what the
8:56:15issue was. Everyone had a system active,
8:56:18and when a stranger in a black and white
8:56:20tabard bowed to him as they passed, it
8:56:22reminded Carl to see what was visible
8:56:24from his own status.
8:56:26Monarch Carl in the deep red color with
8:56:29black trim distinctive to the
8:56:30packmaster.
8:56:32Grand war champion of the dark light
8:56:34host. He was wearing a guild war
8:56:36champion tabard openly in the city. When
8:56:39they turned down a narrow alley, Carl
8:56:41refreshed his armor and sighed in relief
8:56:43when the tabard vanished, replaced with
8:56:45simple black dragon scale and metal
8:56:47plate armor. That also deactivated the
8:56:50guild tag on his name. But when they
8:56:52came out the other side of the alley,
8:56:54they were still getting a clear zone
8:56:56around them. Lotus pointed down the
8:56:59street. Oh, an inn. Should we get a room
8:57:03and see what we can learn at the tavern
8:57:04on the main floor? If nothing else, we
8:57:07can try the local food. Strangely, for
8:57:10all the power of the residents and the
8:57:12artistry of the stone construction of
8:57:14the majority of the buildings inside the
8:57:16city walls, the city of Drad appeared to
8:57:18be on a nearly primitive level. There
8:57:21were beast-drawn wagons in the streets,
8:57:23no sign of technology, and the interior
8:57:26of the inn, visible through the open
8:57:28doors, used magical lamps, and smelled
8:57:30of wood smoke. It wasn't strong, and a
8:57:33few seconds later, Carl located the
8:57:35source. There was a magic powered smoker
8:57:38outside the inn, which must be burning
8:57:40wood for the authentic smoked flavor.
8:57:43So perhaps the city wasn't as primitive
8:57:45as it looked, even if most of the
8:57:47buildings were simple wood and plaster
8:57:49or stone block constructs with slate
8:57:51tile or thatch roofs. The inn, labeled
8:57:54as the laughing dragon was simple inside
8:57:57but immaculately clean. Carl led them to
8:58:00the counter and the inkeeper bowed
8:58:02politely. Lord Roshesa, how may I be of
8:58:06service today? As Carl recalled, that
8:58:09was a type of tiger demon. That must be
8:58:12what people here thought he was in this
8:58:13form. A room or rooms for five, then
8:58:18dinner and drinks for the evening, Carl
8:58:21replied, hoping that whatever the system
8:58:23translated his voice to sound like in
8:58:25the demon's language wasn't too strange.
8:58:28Of course. Did you need to deposit
8:58:30anything in the rooms before dinner?
8:58:33Carl shook his head. No, but we will
8:58:36check them first if you don't mind. The
8:58:39inkeeper motioned for a serving girl who
8:58:42had small wings on her back and curled
8:58:44horns on her head with an adorable
8:58:46little heart shaped tip to her tail to
8:58:48lead them up to the rooms. "So, what
8:58:51brought you to the laughing dragon?" "I
8:58:54know we're a bit off the beaten path,
8:58:56but I am certain you will enjoy your
8:58:57stay," the barmaid asked. Carl chuckled.
8:59:02"Well, we took a shortcut to get out of
8:59:05traffic for a moment, and then our
8:59:06nature priestess saw your sign.
8:59:09What could be a better omen than a happy
8:59:11dragon? The demoness shook her head in
8:59:14dismay. There were many reasons that a
8:59:16dragon might laugh, and the answer was
8:59:18rarely happiness.
8:59:20In her experience, dragons tended to be
8:59:23cruel and egotistical creatures. But
8:59:26there were two dragon clerics in the
8:59:27guests group, and those sorts of dragon
8:59:29kin tended to have something of a hero
8:59:31worship complex for the full-blooded
8:59:33dragons, and an even more severe one for
8:59:35the dragon gods. The room was simple
8:59:38with bunk beds for six people, all
8:59:40oversized for demons, who were often
8:59:43over 2 m tall. "That will be perfect,
8:59:46thank you," Carl announced once he had
8:59:49searched the room's corners and windows
8:59:51with a quick visual scan. "Was there
8:59:53something particular you were looking
8:59:55for?" the barmaid asked. "Rod signs. I
9:00:00can see their footprints, filthy little
9:00:02creatures," Carl explained. The demonist
9:00:07did a double take, then nodded in
9:00:09understanding.
9:00:10If you could see that there had
9:00:11previously been rats running across the
9:00:13floor, it must be incredibly hard to
9:00:15find a good hotel. But here in Drad,
9:00:18there were enough demons with the
9:00:20ability to create repulsion charms that
9:00:22rodent infestations were only for the
9:00:23lowest of the lowclass establishments.
9:00:26Carl took out a notepad from his
9:00:28inventory and scrolled a few runes on
9:00:30it. If he did it right, that should be
9:00:33the simplest of security talismans.
9:00:36It would inform him of the basic
9:00:37description of anyone who entered the
9:00:39room, then fall inactive.
9:00:41Just enough to know if the room was not
9:00:43secure while they were away. "What sort
9:00:46of charm is that?" the demoness asked as
9:00:49Carl finished, her tail instinctively
9:00:51reaching toward the paper. "Well, I had
9:00:54considered some fun protective charms
9:00:56for the room. you know, divine lightning
9:00:59or uncontrollable orgasms.
9:01:02But I went for a simple intruder
9:01:04detection charm, Carl.
9:01:07The demon froze, her eyes going huge as
9:01:10she stared at Carl. Don't joke. Can you
9:01:14really do that? She gasped.
9:01:17Create a protection charm. It's right
9:01:20there. She shook her head. No
9:01:24uncontrollable orgasms.
9:01:26I would pay very well if you could make
9:01:28one of those for me to donate to a
9:01:30friend. Lotus burst into a giggling fit.
9:01:34Can you imagine the aftermath?
9:01:37Wait, it's not a male friend, is it?
9:01:40Because you so messy. Dana sighed and
9:01:44bonked the cleric on the head. We're
9:01:47getting sidetracked.
9:01:49But yes, he probably can. I don't think
9:01:52that we should be making a reputation
9:01:54for pranks and troublemaking on our
9:01:56first day in the city. The demonist
9:01:58stared at her confused.
9:02:01Oh, I guess I didn't explain clearly. My
9:02:04friend is also a succubus and her
9:02:06husband is a little, you know, not
9:02:09talented. Now Carl was the one confused.
9:02:13Was this some sort of medical treatment
9:02:15she was asking for?
9:02:17fine, he would make it, and then if
9:02:19there were problems, he would deny
9:02:21everything. Carl wrote the talisman and
9:02:24heard a faint laughing voice in the back
9:02:26of his mind, not from one of his beasts.
9:02:29He pointedly ignored the divine sign
9:02:31that he was about to do something dumb,
9:02:33and handed over the talisman. It's
9:02:36single use, but it should last a few
9:02:38hours. Remember to focus on the target
9:02:41when you use it, or when your friend
9:02:43uses it. The barmaid tucked it in her
9:02:46inventory and gave him a happy thumbs
9:02:48up. Let's head back down to the tavern.
9:02:52I will cover your first round of drinks.
9:02:55Now they were making progress.
9:02:57And new friends, Carl discovered once
9:03:00the other demons in the tavern saw that
9:03:02the server was bringing them free
9:03:03drinks. Making friends with the staff
9:03:06tended to make you friends with the
9:03:07regulars as well. And Carl's group was
9:03:10odd enough to get a lot of interest from
9:03:11the early afternoon crowd.
9:03:14So, Carl, was it? What brings you to
9:03:17Drod? If you're transiting between
9:03:20ships, I am looking for a few more
9:03:22hands. Nobody minds an extra cleric or
9:03:25two on board, and it looks like your
9:03:27group can take care of themselves.
9:03:29One of the men, an aging demon with one
9:03:32missing eye that still radiated cursed
9:03:34damage, asked, "Nah, we were thinking of
9:03:37going inland and finding somewhere
9:03:39comfortable to relax for a season." Carl
9:03:42replied with a shrug. Not comfortable in
9:03:45the city. Can't say that I blame you,
9:03:48but I always end up here for the dungeon
9:03:50between voyages.
9:03:52You've got a good group for it with a
9:03:54mage and a berserker plus two healers.
9:03:57It might be a bit dull, but it's a
9:03:59decent living if you sell off the excess
9:04:01loot. A couple of extra gold coins for
9:04:04the month never goes wrong. The man
9:04:06beside him, a live violet skinned demon
9:04:09with four arms, chuckled and tilted his
9:04:11chin to the kitchen. Never goes wrong
9:04:15indeed. It goes here instead. Old Jared
9:04:19takes one run a month from here to the
9:04:21city of lard. And when he's back at the
9:04:23end of the week, he goes to the dungeon
9:04:24and then drinks away his pay, hoping
9:04:26that Beth will give him a bit of
9:04:28attention. The barmaid turned at the
9:04:31sound of her name, then realized that it
9:04:33was just mentioned in passing. The old
9:04:35sailor was old enough to be her
9:04:37grandfather, and contrary to popular
9:04:39belief, even a succubus has standards.
9:04:42The group around Carl started to tell
9:04:44tales of the dungeon, the city, the
9:04:46sailing routes off the coast, as Drad
9:04:49was both the capital of the nation and a
9:04:51major trading port thanks to the fertile
9:04:52farmlands inland of them. A few hours
9:04:55later, a whole team of guards came in
9:04:57and flopped down in seats, taking up
9:05:00half the room. They had to be regulars
9:05:02as the bartender started pouring before
9:05:05they had even finished adjusting
9:05:06themselves in their seats. But Carl
9:05:09noticed that he pulled from a different
9:05:10keg and whatever he was pouring them
9:05:12didn't smell nearly as good as the ale
9:05:14that Carl's team had been drinking. The
9:05:17sailors were drinking wine and taking
9:05:19shots of rum, but this new drink smelled
9:05:21almost rancid. The captain of the guard
9:05:24team pounded down an entire pint of the
9:05:26drink, then motioned for another. Having
9:05:29a rough day? Beth asked, gently rubbing
9:05:32against his shoulder, which immediately
9:05:34relaxed the angry guard, whose eyes went
9:05:36vague under the effects of whatever
9:05:38hypnotic suggestion she had hit him
9:05:40with. Now that was a useful skill for a
9:05:43waitress. The goal regiment is back from
9:05:46their mission. 10,000 strong with a
9:05:49dozen warships and no respect for the
9:05:51local guards. Can you believe that the
9:05:54city governor let them take over our
9:05:55posts?
9:05:57said that we weren't competent and now
9:05:59we're all being sent for additional
9:06:01training. The captain complained.
9:06:04He was an overlord, but most of his team
9:06:06were monarchs, so they weren't on the
9:06:08weak side for basic law enforcement.
9:06:11At least not based on the people Carl
9:06:13had seen in the city. But the new
9:06:16regiment must have earned themselves a
9:06:18lot of prestige.
9:06:19Carl listened to the guards complaining
9:06:21about their lives for a while, then
9:06:23realized they were a temporary force
9:06:25promoted from the army reserves to guard
9:06:27status. Not only were they being
9:06:30relieved of their posts, but they would
9:06:32return to reserve status and their pay
9:06:34would be cut back to what it was before
9:06:36being activated. They had a good reason
9:06:38to be bitter today. But Carl learned a
9:06:41valuable bit of information about the
9:06:43city as well. Drod had nearly 180,000
9:06:47people living in it, mostly various
9:06:49sorts of demons. Just like it was in
9:06:52Newubon, they freely mingled with
9:06:54various intelligent monster species, and
9:06:56magical beasts ran wild all over the
9:06:58wilderness areas. You would have to get
9:07:01away from the city to see much wildlife,
9:07:03as the farms were protective of their
9:07:05crops. However, it sounded like there
9:07:08were some incredibly dangerous beasts
9:07:10once you got too far from the major
9:07:12cities.
9:07:13Cara was excited to meet them. They also
9:07:16learned another fascinating fact. Drad,
9:07:20both the city and the nation, was the
9:07:22original Orish name for the region.
9:07:23Though it had been centuries since the
9:07:25coastal regions were under Orcish
9:07:27control, there were still large orc
9:07:29tribes inland and majority Orcs cities.
9:07:32But while Dro still held to a lot of
9:07:34whole traditions, it was definitely a
9:07:36demonic city these days. After a
9:07:39halfozen rounds, the guards were
9:07:41starting to get morose, and Carl could
9:07:43sense that they were looking for a
9:07:45reason to lash out. Fortunately, there
9:07:48were a few tables of sailors between him
9:07:50and the guards. If the ladies were right
9:07:53next to them, things might have gone
9:07:55downhill quickly. But Carl's luck was
9:07:58not with the guards today, and after a
9:08:00bit of an argument spilled out into the
9:08:01street, dozens of uniformed soldiers
9:08:03rushed in. Well, what do you know? Drunk
9:08:07and disorderly in public. Just what you
9:08:10would expect from a bunch of untrained
9:08:12reservists.
9:08:14The leader of the guard patrol began.
9:08:17Carl side and Tessa face bombed as she
9:08:19realized what was about to happen. The
9:08:22battle started out as an unarmed
9:08:24conflict between the guards and the
9:08:25soldiers. Then someone knocked over a
9:08:28freshly loaded table of drinks and the
9:08:30sailors were pulled in throwing punches
9:08:32indiscriminately.
9:08:34Beth appeared unconcerned by the chaos
9:08:36as she brought a tray of cheese and
9:08:38bread to Carl's table along with a fresh
9:08:40picture of ale. I'm going to be cleaning
9:08:43for hours, but at least we get to close
9:08:46early. She joked as Carl watched half
9:08:49the tables get destroyed in the melee.
9:08:52Lotus popped a cube of curiously blue
9:08:54cheese in her mouth. I can help you fix
9:08:57the tables. If there's one thing that a
9:09:00nature cleric is good at, it's fixing
9:09:02wooden tables. The barmaid laughed. I
9:09:06would appreciate it. We have a repair
9:09:08amulet with a mending spell on it for
9:09:10the tables. We have to repair furniture
9:09:13at least twice a week. Carl was out of
9:09:16his seat in a flash as a soldier came
9:09:18flying at their table. He set the man
9:09:21down on the floor and the soldier swung
9:09:23around, ready to continue the fight
9:09:25until he looked up and saw Carl's face.
9:09:28He instantly turned and grabbed one of
9:09:30the sailors who had been knocked out,
9:09:32which let him drag the man out of the
9:09:34tavern. Carl sat back down, and old
9:09:37Jared, the oneeyed sailor, laughed. "You
9:09:41should have seen his face. I think he
9:09:43might have wet himself when he realized
9:09:45he had run into you." The extremely
9:09:48drunk sailor laughed. "I'm not that
9:09:51scary. I'm not even an overlord."
9:09:54Carl reminded the sailor. Does that
9:09:57really matter, though? He's an obsession
9:10:00demon, and the tigers are known for
9:10:02their strength. You could likely rip his
9:10:05arms off and hurl the rest out the door
9:10:07from here." The sailor was clearly on
9:10:09the verge of passing out from excessive
9:10:11drink, but Beth agreed, and even Ailia
9:10:14was doing the mental calculation on
9:10:16whether you could throw someone out the
9:10:17door from here with the roof beams and
9:10:19the pillar in the way. Beth smiled at
9:10:22Carl as she refilled his drink. Plus,
9:10:25you can teleport. To someone with normal
9:10:28eyesight, it really might look like he
9:10:30had teleported out of his chair. But
9:10:32Carl was actually just very fast. After
9:10:36a few minutes, the soldiers had dragged
9:10:38almost everyone out of the tavern,
9:10:40leaving only a few tables along the
9:10:41walls still drinking. The inkeeper
9:10:44sighed and put up a closed sign on the
9:10:46door, which was still miraculously
9:10:48intact. Then he brought out a pair of
9:10:51brooms and got to work cleaning up the
9:10:53mess with Beth starting at the other
9:10:54side so the rubble could be swept out
9:10:56the door in the middle. Lotus got up a
9:10:59bit drunk but fairly stable on her feet
9:11:02and began fixing the legs back to the
9:11:04tables. She wasn't trying too hard to
9:11:07match them to the right table. And if
9:11:09she got the wrong one, she would just
9:11:11regrow the leg until the table was
9:11:12steady. It was actually quite efficient,
9:11:15and she had the tables all back upright
9:11:17before the mess was even swept up off
9:11:19the floor. Then she started on the
9:11:22stools, fixing them as she did a very
9:11:24bohemian dance around the room, waving
9:11:26her hands like she was dancing to a song
9:11:28only she could hear. The bartender
9:11:31picked up one of the chairs and shook
9:11:32it, then nodded in satisfaction.
9:11:35If they're not up to standard, you can
9:11:37just fix them the normal way. Carl
9:11:40called from across the room. I'm more
9:11:43worried that she might have made them
9:11:44too durable. The chairs are supposed to
9:11:47break instead of the skull that they're
9:11:49smashed over. The inkeeper explained.
9:11:53Oilia winked at Carl. You know, this
9:11:56place isn't half bad. I'm regretting
9:11:59this choice less by the minute. Of
9:12:02course, the Berserker would approve of
9:12:03that plan. The only reason she didn't
9:12:06get involved was because she didn't know
9:12:08what it would take to get her back out
9:12:09of the Brig or county jail. Wherever it
9:12:12was that they took drunks after a fight
9:12:14in this city. Once the bar was cleaned
9:12:17and the rubble swept out the door, the
9:12:19inkeeper changed the sign back to open.
9:12:22It's still early. Might as well give
9:12:24them a few hours.
9:12:26Sorry, Beth. No going home early
9:12:29tonight. A few minutes after they
9:12:32reopened, a ridiculously buom woman with
9:12:34long, pointy ears and a tail just like
9:12:36Beth's with the same heart-shaped tip
9:12:38came running in excited about something.
9:12:41She grabbed the smaller woman and shook
9:12:43her while smiling. Is it true? You are
9:12:47the one who found a talisman for Ramona.
9:12:50I can hear her from my room. They didn't
9:12:53even close the windows and it's totally
9:12:55working. Beth gently freed herself from
9:12:58her excited friend's grasp.
9:13:01Yes, I found the spell, but it's a
9:13:03single use, not a long-term solution.
9:13:06Still, what sort of genius alchemist did
9:13:09you locate? Can we get more? Do they
9:13:12also do fertility charms? Lotus looked
9:13:15up. She did fertility charms. She did
9:13:20excellent fertility charms. Dana sighed.
9:13:24Why do I get the feeling that we're
9:13:25going to be getting into some sort of
9:13:27sketchy business venture? Carl shook his
9:13:30head. No, I think that we will skip this
9:13:33one at most. Maybe we will let Lotus do
9:13:36a few fertility charms. The two demons
9:13:40came over and Beth introduced her friend
9:13:42to them. Sir Carl, this is midwife Musa.
9:13:46She runs a clinic in the palace for
9:13:48demons of the royal clans who have
9:13:50issues with fertility. The older
9:13:52succubus made a hurt look. And again,
9:13:56she casually pretends she's not my
9:13:57daughter.
9:13:59But as a midwife, my job is to help
9:14:01brides with the little issues preventing
9:14:03an heir to the families from being born.
9:14:06I know how most species look at us, but
9:14:08in the name of medical science, I would
9:14:10appeal to your never mind. I have
9:14:13money." Tessa laughed, and Dana poked
9:14:16Carl in the side. The demon had gotten
9:14:19halfway through the sentence, then
9:14:21decided that Carl probably didn't have
9:14:23anything resembling a kind nature or a
9:14:25sense of empathy.
9:14:27Well, we do have a nature cleric with
9:14:29us, and she can do a fertility charm,
9:14:31but we're not going to be in the city
9:14:33forever. However, for the right price, I
9:14:36think that I can provide you with a
9:14:38magical item that will help. It won't be
9:14:40available until morning, though. The
9:14:43midwife nodded. I can wait. In fact, I
9:14:48will come back at breakfast if it will
9:14:49be ready by then. Carl nodded. I think
9:14:53that should be possible.
9:14:56Really, all he had to do was to carve a
9:14:58stone with the effect he wanted, then
9:14:59have Lotus cast blessed item and her
9:15:02fertility charm on it to give it the
9:15:04nature god's blessing. But for safety,
9:15:07he would make sure that you could only
9:15:08use the item on yourself. The potential
9:15:11for misuse was simply too high
9:15:13otherwise.
9:15:15Just then, Carl sensed that someone had
9:15:17attempted to enter their room. The spell
9:15:20warned him that someone was attempting
9:15:21to force the door, as it just gave him a
9:15:23hint of their presence.
9:15:25One moment. Someone is attempting to
9:15:27force their way into my room. I should
9:15:30go deal with that before we do anything
9:15:32else. Carl ran up the stairs with the
9:15:35inkeeper right behind him. Getting
9:15:37caught breaking into a traveling demon's
9:15:39hotel room was the sort of thing that
9:15:41got you disappeared. And there was a
9:15:43chance that this was one of his patrons.
9:15:46Carl stopped at the top of the stairs
9:15:47and resisted the urge to laugh at the
9:15:49sight that greeted him. One very drunk
9:15:52sailor was using both hands to carefully
9:15:54insert the key for room number nine into
9:15:56the door for room number six. Then he
9:15:59cussed, kicking the door and repeated
9:16:02the process when it didn't work. That
9:16:04was what had triggered Carl's spell. He
9:16:07must have put his shoulder into it at
9:16:09some point before he realized that it
9:16:11just wasn't working. The inkeeper rushed
9:16:14past Carl. Sir, is there an issue with
9:16:17the door? Here, let me check. Oh, see,
9:16:22that's the problem. You're holding it
9:16:24upside down. It's for room 9, and this
9:16:27is room six. Follow me just over here.
9:16:31And there we go. The inkeeper escorted
9:16:34the drunk to bed, and the man was
9:16:35snoring before the inkeeper had even
9:16:37closed the door. So, sorry about that,
9:16:41sir. It happens now and then. Carl waved
9:16:45his hand, dismissing the man's concern.
9:16:48It's fine. I thought it might be
9:16:51something serious as we've had a few
9:16:53incidents in the past. You know how it
9:16:56can be traveling with a whole group of
9:16:58lovely ladies. The inkeeper nodded in
9:17:01agreement.
9:17:02Yeah, that were bear has some gloss to
9:17:04her fur. I'd imagine that you'll have
9:17:07issues now and then with amorous
9:17:08suitors.
9:17:10Strangely, he was right. It always
9:17:13seemed to be someone going after Oilia
9:17:15that gave them relationship related
9:17:17issues.
9:17:18But with the problem solved, Carl
9:17:20quickly recreated the talisman and
9:17:22slapped it on the inside of the door to
9:17:24return to the tavern. False alarm, he
9:17:28informed the others as he returned to
9:17:30the main room, only to be grabbed by a
9:17:32desperate-l looking man in expensive
9:17:34clothes. In the most literal sense,
9:17:38there was actual gold woven into the
9:17:39cloth. So sorry, sir. Midwife Musa,
9:17:44you're needed back at the palace.
9:17:47Oh, hello Beth. Sorry that I can't stay.
9:17:52My wife has gone into labor. The man
9:17:55announced, then dragged the older
9:17:56demoness out of the tavern. I like this
9:17:59place. It's lively. Oilia laughed. Will
9:18:04you really make an item for my mom? I
9:18:07know it's rude to ask someone to work
9:18:08the day they arrive in the city, but we
9:18:10could really use it. The king just had
9:18:13triplet sons and every single clan
9:18:15chief, demon noble, and monster lord is
9:18:18trying to create an eligible bride for
9:18:20them. It's tradition that the prince
9:18:22will pick a bride not more than 2 years
9:18:24younger than himself on his 14th
9:18:26birthday, and they will be married when
9:18:28she reaches 18.
9:18:30So, we currently have pandemonium in the
9:18:32maternity ward, Beth explained.
9:18:36Lotus raised her glass in a cheer for
9:18:37the demoness
9:18:39fluffy baby demons. The rather drunk
9:18:42nature cleric toasted, accompanied by
9:18:45old Jared at the table beside them. Carl
9:18:48sighed and relented. I will make your
9:18:50mother an item to help with her work. It
9:18:53will be ready in the morning, and I will
9:18:55explain how to use it. The inkeeper
9:18:58rolled his eyes as the barmaid did a
9:19:00little happy dance. Fortunately, Carl's
9:19:03team and one drunk sailor were the only
9:19:05ones in the tavern. It was starting to
9:19:07get dark, and the night crowd would be
9:19:09there soon to start drinking.
9:19:11But Carl had no intentions of still
9:19:14being downstairs when that happened. It
9:19:16didn't take much to get the half- drunk
9:19:18group up to the room where the talisman
9:19:20informed him that he was the first to
9:19:22enter the room. Rey was awake now and
9:19:25planning to keep vigil from within her
9:19:27space unless something interesting
9:19:28happened to be nearby. There were
9:19:31powerful things in this city, and she
9:19:33didn't want to steal their food before
9:19:34she knew what they liked best. It was
9:19:37common sense for a bloodbath spider to
9:19:39let the strongest take the things they
9:19:41wanted first. Unlike Carl, who could
9:19:44vaguely sense the power of the
9:19:45residents, she could clearly tell that
9:19:47there was at least one something
9:19:48stronger than a totem in this city.
9:19:51There were totems as well, and those
9:19:53were dangerous. But whatever that last
9:19:55thing was, it was bad news.
9:19:58She suspected that it was a demon, but
9:20:00her genetic memory didn't have a lot of
9:20:02information about them, and it didn't
9:20:04feel like any of the others they had met
9:20:05today. The city of Drad appeared to be a
9:20:08well- reggulated place, though. Once the
9:20:11sun went down, and the last of the
9:20:13drinking crowds went home around
9:20:15midnight, the city streets were silent
9:20:17with magical lamps on each corner,
9:20:19giving pedestrians a sense of safety.
9:20:22Many of the demons were nocturnal by
9:20:24nature, Ry noticed. Though they were
9:20:27primarily active during the day and the
9:20:29city slept at night, there were many
9:20:31glowing eyes that marked so many
9:20:33nocturnal predators. The other species
9:20:36in the city weren't all so lucky. Ry saw
9:20:39that many of the dragon kin struggled in
9:20:41the dark, as well as various lizard folk
9:20:43and ogre species. It looked somewhat
9:20:46similar to what she had seen in New, but
9:20:48the power level was much higher. She
9:20:51wasn't sure how to feel about that.
9:20:54She had just been getting comfortable in
9:20:56the Golden Dragon Nation, and now she
9:20:58was somewhere that the prey would be
9:20:59able to fight back again, and they even
9:21:01had dozens or hundreds of overlords just
9:21:03wandering around a city with boring
9:21:05jobs. On one hand, there were so many
9:21:08flavors of overlord blood. On the other,
9:21:11she liked stabbing prey, not being
9:21:14stabbed by prey. She had even seen one
9:21:17who was carrying a stack of flyers for
9:21:19his carriage making business. What sort
9:21:21of overlord sold primitive wagons? By
9:21:25morning, she understood.
9:21:27There was no fuel here. They didn't make
9:21:29it. So, there were no buses or cars.
9:21:34Because there were no buses, they had to
9:21:36use carriages and wagons for everything.
9:21:39But the majority of demons had
9:21:40functional wings, and there was nearly
9:21:42as much air traffic as ground traffic.
9:21:45That meant you had to watch for someone
9:21:47about to land on your head, but mostly
9:21:50people would land in the road with the
9:21:51wagons and then step to the sidewalk.
9:21:54She should get Carl to find a flying
9:21:56spell for her. It looked fun. Morning
9:22:00light woke the group and Ry updated Carl
9:22:02on the state of the city, as well as the
9:22:04fact that there were royal and monarch
9:22:06ranked people dressed like laborers
9:22:08going to jobs before dawn. If they were
9:22:11expecting special treatment for their
9:22:12power level here, they were going to be
9:22:14greatly disappointed.
9:22:16Making gifts for the important people
9:22:18might be their best option. In her
9:22:21estimation, if they started to develop a
9:22:23reputation for being valuable craftsmen
9:22:25and healers, they would have a level of
9:22:27worth to society and wouldn't be seen as
9:22:29dead beats or freeloaders.
9:22:31But she had seen people in armor headed
9:22:33for a temple building not long ago when
9:22:35she was observing from the roof of the
9:22:36inn. That should be the dungeon that
9:22:39they were told about. It was mostly
9:22:42royal and monarch ranked fighters going
9:22:44in so they could make a living just off
9:22:46the dungeon. Everyone headed down to
9:22:48breakfast, which was a thick stew served
9:22:50with fresh bread and fried eggs. It was
9:22:54pretty good, even Lotus had to admit.
9:22:57Not fancy fair, but definitely worth
9:22:59adding to their menu. Beth wasn't on
9:23:02duty for the morning, and there was a
9:23:03large Orcish woman working the front
9:23:05desk, but she seemed to know who Carl
9:23:08and the others were, so the inkeeper was
9:23:10organized enough to at least brief shift
9:23:13on their guests. After eating, they
9:23:16returned to the room to plan their day
9:23:17and to make the item that Beth's mother,
9:23:20the midwife, had requested.
9:23:22All right, I am going to inscribe this
9:23:24with runes for verility, fertility, and
9:23:27pleasure. You add a holy item blessing
9:23:30as I enchant the runes and we should
9:23:32have a nature dragon enchanted fertility
9:23:34treatment. Carl suggested to Lotus. The
9:23:38little priestess gave him an
9:23:39enthusiastic thumbs up as Carl began to
9:23:42carve the egg sized green stone. The
9:23:45process went much more smoothly than
9:23:47Carl had expected, as if the stone was
9:23:49willingly accepting the power instead of
9:23:51passively having the power forced on it.
9:23:54The finished product had violet glowing
9:23:56runes and the entire stone shimmerred
9:23:58with the green of nature magic. Lotus
9:24:01examined the stone. It looks good. I
9:24:05think we need to give it away to test
9:24:07it, though. Testing it ourselves would
9:24:10be unwise.
9:24:12That was an eloquent way of putting it.
9:24:15So Carl went down to the front counter
9:24:17to get directions.
9:24:19Miss, I am looking for Miss Beth or her
9:24:21mother Musa. They had requested an item
9:24:24to help with midwife Moose's work last
9:24:26evening and I have it completed. Carl
9:24:29explained. The Orish woman gave him a
9:24:32huge smile and Carl realized that the
9:24:35system had translated to Orish for her.
9:24:38He didn't know if it didn't do that for
9:24:40everyone or if it was just that his
9:24:42accent translated well, but Orc seemed
9:24:44to be fond of him. The barmaid is off
9:24:47until lunch, but I can draw you a map to
9:24:50her mother's work. You only need to go
9:24:53straight down this road until you get to
9:24:55the castle wall. Then go to the west
9:24:58side closest to Frostfire Gate or ask
9:25:00any of the guards to take you to her.
9:25:03They will all know who she is. She has
9:25:05been the midwife at the castle for most
9:25:07of a century. Carl thanked her, then
9:25:10went to check with the others. I think
9:25:12that we will wait here for the morning.
9:25:15The streets are packed with the morning
9:25:16rush, so we can check out the city after
9:25:19everyone is at work. Oilia suggested.
9:25:23All right, that works for me. Ry will
9:25:26wait here with you and I will be right
9:25:28back after I deliver the item. Carl
9:25:31agreed. Let's fly. Hawk suggested. It
9:25:36wouldn't be the strangest thing that
9:25:37they had seen this morning out the
9:25:39window. So, Carl went down the hall to
9:25:42the back patio where Hawk exited his
9:25:44space and Carl hopped on his back. It
9:25:47was a shame that he didn't have a
9:25:48harness like Thor to help him stay on,
9:25:51but Hawk just used a Ghostfire body
9:25:53barrier to hold him in place. The
9:25:56Ghostfire Thunderbird spread his wings
9:25:58and lazily circled up to 100 m in the
9:26:00air above the morning commuters, but
9:26:03closer to where longer distance flying
9:26:05traffic was. Most of it was winged demon
9:26:08species, but there were some manticor
9:26:10riders and a few messengers riding giant
9:26:12eagles. I like this place, too.
9:26:16I can fly around in the city without
9:26:18anyone freaking out. Hawk informed Carl
9:26:21as he scoured the castle for their
9:26:23target. There on the second floor
9:26:25balcony, west side of the castle, just
9:26:28like the orc lady said, Carl spotted the
9:26:31midwife at what was likely her office.
9:26:34Hawk circled and swooped down outside
9:26:36the castle gates a mere dozen meters
9:26:38from their target. He vanished into his
9:26:41space just before he reached the ground,
9:26:43letting Carl make a dramatic entrance in
9:26:45front of the guards. The man was
9:26:47suitably impressed.
9:26:49Of course, he thought that Hawk was a
9:26:51transport skill, but an epic grade and
9:26:54monarch rank one. Captain, I have a
9:26:57delivery for midwife Musa. It's urgent
9:27:00for her work. Carl informed the guard
9:27:03after noting that there was a lineup of
9:27:04workers waiting to get into the castle.
9:27:07The guard nodded, then motioned for
9:27:09someone to escort Carl. When they got to
9:27:12the balcony of the inner building where
9:27:14she worked, Carl gestured up. "Would it
9:27:17be too rude to just jump up?" he asked.
9:27:20"It's your head." The guard shrugged.
9:27:24"In that case, let's<unk> go knock on
9:27:26the door." The young soldier chuckled
9:27:29and led them down a corridor, then up a
9:27:31flight of steps to a door marked with
9:27:33the sign of a healer and a bassinet. He
9:27:36knocked politely and an exhausted young
9:27:38woman opened the door. This had better
9:27:41be important. We've been assisting labor
9:27:43for the last 14 hours. She whispered
9:27:46shouted at the guard who flinched away
9:27:48from her wrath. Maybe I should have
9:27:51jumped up and faced them alone. Carl
9:27:53whispered to which the guard smiled
9:27:55softly. "Midwife, I have a courier with
9:27:59an urgent delivery for your mistress,"
9:28:02he explained.
9:28:03then send him in and piss off. What are
9:28:06you still standing here for? The guard
9:28:09did just that, and Carl stepped inside,
9:28:12closing the door behind him. There was
9:28:14an old saying in the Golden Dragon
9:28:16Nation. Discretion is the better part of
9:28:19valor. Nowhere was that quite as clearly
9:28:22exemplified as the moment that the guard
9:28:24turned and ran from a woman a third his
9:28:26size and half his rank. Truly, he was a
9:28:30man of great wisdom. Musa was resting on
9:28:33a rocking chair, but her eyes lit up
9:28:35with bright pink light when she saw
9:28:36Carl. Did you have the thing my daughter
9:28:39mentioned? What do I owe you? Carl took
9:28:43out the stone. First, you should test it
9:28:46to make sure it works. I haven't
9:28:49actually made one like this before, but
9:28:51once you have verified it, we can
9:28:53negotiate.
9:28:55It was only after he finished talking
9:28:57that he realized everyone in the room
9:28:58was staring at the glowing green egg.
9:29:01What is that? Musa asked. A fertility
9:29:05stone. Put some mana in it and have the
9:29:09recipients use it on themselves. If it
9:29:11works properly, conception chances
9:29:14should be greatly increased.
9:29:16Musa looked confused.
9:29:18Why would we rely on them using it? I
9:29:21could just activate the stone and they
9:29:23would never know it existed. Carl shook
9:29:26his head. safety measure, so it's not
9:29:29used for nefarious purposes.
9:29:32You have to willingly use it on
9:29:33yourself." The assistant midwife smiled,
9:29:36and Musa gave him a motherly pat on the
9:29:38shoulder. "You know, you're all right
9:29:41for a cat." "All right, there are nobles
9:29:44waiting in the other room. Do we need
9:29:47both of them?" she asked. "And a private
9:29:51room." I uh forgot to put a timer on the
9:29:54effect. Carl agreed. That made Musa
9:29:59laugh out loud. Waking the new mother in
9:30:01the main room. Sorry about the lack of
9:30:04space. We've only got one delivery room.
9:30:06We usually go to the mother. But we had
9:30:09two emergencies last night which came to
9:30:11us. She explained.
9:30:14Carl shrugged. Don't worry about me. I'm
9:30:18not the exhausted one on a folding cot.
9:30:21Musa led him to another room where a
9:30:24dozen overdressed people were waiting
9:30:25for her attention. Carl realized that
9:30:28this was all the rooms there were and
9:30:30that might cause issues if the effect
9:30:32was too strong. "There are private rooms
9:30:35right beside us," she whispered, then
9:30:38turned a professional smile on the
9:30:39crowd. "Now I have obtained a rare royal
9:30:43rank fertility charm at great cost.
9:30:46Usage is limited, and both partners need
9:30:48to willingly use it on themselves."
9:30:51Who would like to try? The fee will be
9:30:54added to your tabs. Musa asked. As one,
9:30:58everyone surged from their seats, and
9:31:00they hadn't even seen the stone yet.
9:31:03They truly were desperate to get access
9:31:05to such powerful fertility magic, which
9:31:07was uncommon among the demon clans.
9:31:10After a few seconds, they adjusted their
9:31:13positions by some internal ranking, and
9:31:15Musa took out the stone. Both partners,
9:31:18please use the stone one after another.
9:31:20then go to a sitting room down the hall
9:31:22while it takes effect. I have been
9:31:25informed that it might have variable
9:31:26activation times," Musa explained.
9:31:30A few of the gathered demons and
9:31:32monsters flushed an embarrassment, but
9:31:34that was why they were here. The first
9:31:37pair, both 2 m tall, cold black demons
9:31:40with golden tattoos all over the visible
9:31:42parts of their bodies, activated the
9:31:44stone. The woman's eyes flashed bright
9:31:47green and she physically dragged the man
9:31:49out of the room. His feet weren't even
9:31:52on the floor. Well, I think that is a
9:31:54success.
9:31:56Next, Musa cheered. One after another,
9:32:00the pairs used the stone. The effect was
9:32:04the same every time. Their eyes glowed
9:32:06bright green with the nature magic, and
9:32:08they hurried out of the room. Well,
9:32:11except one pair who seemed intent to get
9:32:14started before they were even out of the
9:32:15room. Once they were chased out of the
9:32:18midwife's office, Musa smiled at the
9:32:20stone, then looked down the hallway in
9:32:22shock. "No way. It's that effective,"
9:32:27she asked. "What do you sense that I
9:32:30don't?" Carl asked. "Pregnancy.
9:32:34I have motherhood specific foresight. I
9:32:38can sense the instant that someone gets
9:32:39pregnant within my range. I use it to
9:32:42prepare for customers in the castle.
9:32:45We're up to three couples already, but
9:32:47they are not ready to celebrate yet.
9:32:50That part is just my succubus senses,
9:32:52not a spell, she explained.
9:32:56The assistant giggled. I don't think you
9:32:59needed to tell him that. Half the doors
9:33:01aren't even closed to activate the
9:33:03soundproofing spells. That stone is far
9:33:06too effective.
9:33:08Carl shrugged. You wanted a stone to
9:33:11help with fertility, and that is what I
9:33:13made with the help of a royal rank high
9:33:15priestess of the green dragon. The
9:33:18midwife nodded happily, then handed a
9:33:20note to her assistant, who ran off
9:33:22somewhere in the castle. She will come
9:33:25back with the payment. This is worth
9:33:27more than I have on hand, and I will
9:33:29give you a bonus for the duchess who has
9:33:31been trying for a long time for her
9:33:33heir. the first couple. Carl asked. The
9:33:38midwife nodded and Carl sent a short
9:33:40prayer to the gods for the safety of her
9:33:42partner. How long does this last anyhow?
9:33:46Musa asked. It's a spell effect, so
9:33:50either about 4 hours or until they
9:33:52choose to deactivate it. Carl replied
9:33:55with a shrug. The halls were quiet now.
9:33:58Someone had closed the doors, but the
9:34:01assistant was flushed and sweating with
9:34:03exertion when she returned, followed by
9:34:05two guards and a man in a crown and a
9:34:07deep purple cloak. Musa dropped to her
9:34:10knees and bowed as the totem released
9:34:12his aura a little, letting Carl know who
9:34:14he was. Carl dipped to one knee and put
9:34:17his fist over his heart, the traditional
9:34:19salute to the king of the golden dragon
9:34:21nation.
9:34:22The demon gave him a curious look, but
9:34:24didn't say anything about the difference
9:34:26as he motioned for them to rise. I am
9:34:29told that you have obtained a fertility
9:34:31item. He spoke directly to Musa,
9:34:34skipping any sort of preamble.
9:34:36Yes, Lord Governor. It is royal rank and
9:34:40has already proven repeatedly effective.
9:34:43The pale demon side, the king is going
9:34:46to hate us for this. He's already
9:34:49annoyed at the uproar over the princes,
9:34:51and now half of his advisers will be
9:34:53either pregnant or new parents for the
9:34:55next 2 years. Musa smiled at him. But on
9:34:59the other hand, you won't have the
9:35:01cranky and stressed nobles who are
9:35:02struggling to conceive for the next few
9:35:04months. The city governor of Droid,
9:35:08that is fair, and neither is why I
9:35:11actually came here. Under no
9:35:13circumstances, not bribery, coercion, or
9:35:16extortion, should you allow my daughter
9:35:19access to that charm." Carl did his best
9:35:22not to laugh at the man's concern. But
9:35:24the totem ranked demon was deadly
9:35:26serious about that fact. The governor
9:35:29grumbled as he realized he was being
9:35:31secretly laughed at. "She's only been
9:35:34married 3 months. I'm too young to be a
9:35:37grandfather.
9:35:39I'm not even 40."
9:35:41The guards that had accompanied the
9:35:42assistant and the governor set a large
9:35:44chest down on the ground and Musa had
9:35:46gestured to it. I believe that should be
9:35:49sufficient payment for your work, Lord
9:35:51Run Master," the midwife explained. The
9:35:55guard opened the lid, showing that it
9:35:57was mostly full of silver and copper
9:35:59coins, but a scattering of rough magical
9:36:01gems and other items. "If my suspicions
9:36:05are right, this is your entire life
9:36:07savings,"
9:36:08Carl replied.
9:36:10The governor laughed at the look on his
9:36:12face and patted him on the shoulder. On
9:36:15the contrary, "It's yesterday's gate
9:36:17collections." "The midwife is an
9:36:20employee of the city government, so her
9:36:22expenses are covered by the city." Carl
9:36:25smiled. "Well, that does make me feel
9:36:28better about it." "All right, I agree
9:36:31with the price. Thank you for your
9:36:33patronage, and you are welcome to look
9:36:35for me in the future if you need my
9:36:37expertise again." The midwife nodded
9:36:40happily as Carl moved the chest to his
9:36:42inventory, but the look on the
9:36:43governor<unk>'s face said that he
9:36:44planned to do no such thing. Surely, he
9:36:48didn't think that Carl could only make
9:36:49fertility charms. Remy spoke up as Carl
9:36:53bowed and turned to leave. No, I have
9:36:56been researching since people started
9:36:58treating you strangely.
9:37:00Cat demons, which look a lot like you do
9:37:02now, have a reputation for making deals
9:37:04too good to refuse. deals that put you
9:37:07permanently in their debt or that takes
9:37:09something much more valuable than you
9:37:11thought you agreed to. For example, it
9:37:14wouldn't be uncommon for a Roshasa to
9:37:16have written the purchase agreement in a
9:37:17way that all the children born of the
9:37:19fertility stone belonged to them. She
9:37:22even brought up the pages in the
9:37:23compendium of demons to that she had
9:37:26acquired somewhere. You know, you can
9:37:28acquire more than priestesses from the
9:37:30library.
9:37:32Remy reminded Carl. But priestesses come
9:37:35preloaded with knowledge. Hawk noted.
9:37:39They smell better than books, too. Thor
9:37:42agreed. Cara nodded in agreement. They
9:37:46even tasted better. Books weren't even
9:37:49worth licking. Rey agreed with her
9:37:52sister. Humans definitely tasted better
9:37:54than books. Remy sighed in exasperation
9:37:58as her siblings failed to understand the
9:38:00basic appeal of gaining knowledge from
9:38:02books. But they had her and with her
9:38:05guidance their Carl could guide them all
9:38:07to new skills. Carl made his way out of
9:38:10the building towards the gate where the
9:38:12guards were doing their very best not to
9:38:14laugh. Sir, might I ask what exactly you
9:38:17delivered to the midwife? The guard
9:38:20captain asked quietly as Carl reached
9:38:22the exit. a royal rank fertility charm
9:38:25blessed by the green dragon god. Carl
9:38:28replied happily. Ah, I had hoped that it
9:38:31was finally the delivery of growth
9:38:33potions for premature children. They've
9:38:36been on back order for ages.
9:38:38Carl shook his head. Sorry, but I can
9:38:42inquire if you're desperate. However,
9:38:45premature children normally catch up to
9:38:48their peers once they're school-aged.
9:38:50They just need to endure until then.
9:38:53The guard nodded. Please do. You're at
9:38:57the laughing dragon, right? I remember
9:39:00that the guard said something about a
9:39:01werebear and a cat demon hanging out
9:39:03with a bunch of priestesses.
9:39:06Yeah, that was most likely us. I didn't
9:39:09know that we were so memorable. Carl
9:39:12replied, "No offense, but with so many
9:39:15soldiers just returned to town, I think
9:39:17they've made a note of every potentially
9:39:19single woman of marriageable age." Carl
9:39:22frowned. I will have to keep an eye on
9:39:25my friends then. It wouldn't do to have
9:39:28something happen. But tell me, as I'm
9:39:31new to the city, how likely is it that
9:39:33someone might try to push their weight
9:39:34around? The guard shook his head. The
9:39:38governor would bust their balls in
9:39:39public if they did, so it won't be the
9:39:42soldiers, though you can expect them to
9:39:43flirt constantly. You might have some
9:39:46trouble with the drunks, but that's true
9:39:48anywhere. Normally, we would be more
9:39:51afraid of the Lord, but with the triplet
9:39:53princes just born, he doesn't really
9:39:55leave home these days, and the governor
9:39:57is doing all his duties. Hulk was happy
9:40:00resting in his space, so Carl began to
9:40:02walk back across the city toward the
9:40:04inn. There were shops all along the main
9:40:07street that led to the laughing dragon.
9:40:09So, Carl stopped and grabbed some snacks
9:40:11to taste test. And then, a jeweler
9:40:13operating a small street stall caught
9:40:15his attention. "What is that?" door.
9:40:18Carl asked as he examined the oddly
9:40:20colored items. It's mana jade. All of
9:40:24these pieces are carved from a single
9:40:25slice of stone. The shopkeeper explained
9:40:29proudly. It was beautiful, but not
9:40:32magical.
9:40:33However, Carl suspected that it could
9:40:35be. If his goal was to reach totem rank
9:40:38as quickly as possible, it would take
9:40:40money and effort. The dungeon in the
9:40:43city should help on the effort side of
9:40:45things, but making runic jewelry and
9:40:47items should make up the necessary funds
9:40:49to get the rest of what he needed. How
9:40:51much do you want for the four bracelets?
9:40:54Carl asked. All four of them. The pale
9:40:58violet demoness asked in shock. Perhaps
9:41:01they were more expensive than Carl
9:41:03expected. Two gold coins each. Or maybe
9:41:07this was a less affluent area than he
9:41:09thought. How about a bulk discount?
9:41:13Seven and five silver for all four. The
9:41:16shopkeeper nodded happily, and Carl
9:41:19quickly moved the items to Remy's space
9:41:21so the Naga queen could inspect them.
9:41:24The mana jade was a vibrant green with
9:41:26violet streaks and looked good against
9:41:28her scales. If it really did take as
9:41:31much mana as Carl hoped, she would make
9:41:33him buy more of this stuff to upgrade.
9:41:36Carl found a few more interesting shops
9:41:38on his way back and made a note to bring
9:41:40the others down the street soon. Back at
9:41:43the inn, things were quiet. Everyone was
9:41:46just catching up on sleep and discreetly
9:41:48listening to gossip on the street
9:41:49through the open window. You could learn
9:41:52a lot about a city by how the people
9:41:54behaved in public. And while there had
9:41:56been trouble last night in the tavern,
9:41:57the daytime crowd was cheerful and more
9:42:00concerned with shipping delays with a
9:42:01holiday coming up. As they understood
9:42:04it, there was a mythic rank or higher
9:42:06lord person in town, and he had declared
9:42:08his wife's birthday a city holiday. It
9:42:11sounded a lot like White Day at home
9:42:13when the girls would gift chocolate to
9:42:15their crush and gather the courage to
9:42:17maybe ask him out. But the gossip had
9:42:20given them a good idea of the power
9:42:21structure of the city where a handful of
9:42:23totem rank leaders working under the
9:42:25governor controlled the districts while
9:42:27the lord was actually the leader of the
9:42:29nation and a form of royalty as his sons
9:42:31were referred to as princes but not in
9:42:34relation to their power level. But much
9:42:36more shockingly that seemed to be a
9:42:38normal thing all over the nation to have
9:42:41at least a few totems in every major
9:42:43city and most towns. That final
9:42:46bottleneck was where most people here
9:42:47were getting stuck. And while there were
9:42:49many overlords, there were relatively
9:42:51few totems.
9:42:53Unfortunately, all the talk was about
9:42:55the upcoming Matriarch's Day parties,
9:42:57and nobody mentioned anything about
9:42:59events outside the city, except that
9:43:01some of the deliveries were late. Once
9:43:03he was finally back in his room, Carl
9:43:06sat down at the small table and took out
9:43:08the four bracelets he had purchased from
9:43:10the market. "Oh, did you get us all
9:43:12gifts?" Dana asked. Carl smiled. If the
9:43:18runic inscription works as well as I
9:43:20hope, not only did I get you gifts, I
9:43:22might have found a good way to make
9:43:23money here. Did you all learn anything
9:43:26today? I see that you have the window
9:43:29open. We learned a bit about the city
9:43:31and that there is a holiday upcoming,
9:43:33but nothing too extreme. How did the
9:43:36delivery go? Dana replied. Carl laughed
9:43:40at the memory. very well. The city
9:43:44government paid us well for the charm,
9:43:46and they've already started using it.
9:43:49The only condition was that we should
9:43:50refuse if ever the governor's daughter
9:43:52comes to request a similar service. With
9:43:55that explanation, Carl began to plan out
9:43:57the carvings for the first of the
9:43:59bracelets.
9:44:00Skill, power, and mana regeneration
9:44:02would stack up quite well. But Remy had
9:44:05a better idea. She had found a set of
9:44:08descriptions that could be translated to
9:44:10runes that should allow the item to
9:44:12store mana as well as helping to
9:44:13regenerate it. That was an interesting
9:44:16concept and it would put a lot of
9:44:18reliance upon the actual item as the
9:44:20runes themselves did not store the mana.
9:44:23However, according to the description in
9:44:24the inscription tome that the blue
9:44:26dragon acolytes had provided, an item
9:44:28should be able to store 2 seconds worth
9:44:30of its maximum mana flow without
9:44:32affecting the function of other spells
9:44:34put on the item. That was for
9:44:36inscription, which was similar, but not
9:44:38the same as rune crafting. It should be
9:44:41a good enough baseline for his next
9:44:43attempt. And even if he misjudged, he
9:44:45could either stop early or simply
9:44:47replace the item. They weren't that
9:44:49expensive.
9:44:51The basic inscriptions wouldn't take
9:44:53long for Carl to do, and he didn't want
9:44:55to overdo it when the primary purpose of
9:44:57the bracelet had now become a reserve
9:44:59mana storage device.
9:45:01It might only be enough to cast eight or
9:45:0310 spells at moderate output or fewer
9:45:06than three full output spells. But the
9:45:08bracelet would refill itself and given
9:45:11time it would provide more free energy.
9:45:14Carl finished the runes on the inside of
9:45:16the bracelet and then began to upgrade
9:45:18them. From common to royal, the process
9:45:21went smoothly. But as soon as the runes
9:45:24changed to the rich amethyst of royal
9:45:25rank, Carl felt the matching streaks in
9:45:28the stone begin to leech mana,
9:45:29saturating the bracelet. If he pushed
9:45:32harder, it would almost certainly
9:45:34explode. But with the enchantment at
9:45:37royal rank and the mana storage runes
9:45:39included, the bracelet contained a
9:45:41significant amount of power in addition
9:45:43to the skill power and mana regeneration
9:45:45effects.
9:45:47Dana, try that on and let me know what
9:45:49you think. Carl handed the bracelet
9:45:52over, confident in its worthiness, then
9:45:54began to make another one. The final
9:45:57three bracelets were finished in a
9:45:58matter of minutes, all at royal rank,
9:46:01and the ladies now all had matching
9:46:03accessories.
9:46:04Lotus was smiling like she had just won
9:46:06the lottery. This is enough stored mana
9:46:09to cast a resurrection spell. If I keep
9:46:12this in reserve for the worst case
9:46:14scenario, I will always have enough mana
9:46:16available to bring a fallen comrade
9:46:18back, she explained. Tessa nodded in
9:46:22agreement. This would be enough mana to
9:46:25put up holy weapon and holy armor spells
9:46:27on an entire 500 soldier regiment. Truly
9:46:31fantastic.
9:46:32Dana nodded in agreement with the
9:46:34assessment of the power, but she had
9:46:36another idea. We should get more of
9:46:39these or possibly rings made of the same
9:46:42material. You could make enough for us
9:46:44to get all the resources we need to keep
9:46:46pushing for the monarch rank that way or
9:46:49enough to buy them for Remy to grow more
9:46:51and make us what we need. I know that
9:46:54it's cheating in a way, but if we can
9:46:57combine strengthening potions and some
9:46:59trips to the dungeon, we might be able
9:47:01to reach this place's power standard,
9:47:04she explained.
9:47:06Carl nodded. First, we will need to see
9:47:09what magical items are going for here.
9:47:12The jewelry itself was cheap, so I don't
9:47:14know what the upgraded ones will go for.
9:47:17After all, there is a royal rank dungeon
9:47:19here in town, so there should be a
9:47:21steady supply of royal rank items
9:47:23available for sale. Not long after, they
9:47:26went down for lunch, intending to check
9:47:29out the shops down the main street that
9:47:30Carl had noticed. But first, Carl needed
9:47:34to get some information.
9:47:36Inkeeper, do you know where we might
9:47:38find some royal rank accessories?
9:47:41He asked. The inkeeper frowned. Good
9:47:45luck with that. There are a few shops
9:47:47near the dungeon that resell them, but
9:47:49most of the ones that come out of the
9:47:51dungeon get sold to exporters.
9:47:53They ship them all over the country and
9:47:56south to lard. Besides, the dungeon has
9:47:59only been open a year, and accessories
9:48:01are a one in a thousand drop. Hardly one
9:48:04in five gets a weapon, but armor pieces
9:48:06and potions are fairly easy to come by
9:48:09in the shopping district. Carl nodded.
9:48:12Thanks. That changes our shopping plans
9:48:16for certain. But we're going for lunch.
9:48:18Is there anywhere you recommend? Perhaps
9:48:21somewhere with cake. If you go east to
9:48:24the river, down through the Fool's Walk
9:48:26district, there are all sorts of fancy
9:48:28cafes and shops. The boardwalk runs most
9:48:32of the way to the wall from the port.
9:48:34It's impossible to not find somewhere
9:48:36with good food. Not that your food is
9:48:39bad, Carl added, making the inkeeper
9:48:42laugh. No offense taken. My food has
9:48:46always been more popular with guards and
9:48:48sailors than young ladies with a sweet
9:48:50tooth. It was only a few minutes walk
9:48:53from the hotel to the river, and Carl
9:48:55easily led the group to the boardwalk.
9:48:58There, the crowds of the city began to
9:49:00thin, replaced with couples casually
9:49:02walking and joggers exercising on the
9:49:04open wooden walkway.
9:49:06Now, where do we start looking for
9:49:08lunch? There were stalls with sweets and
9:49:11street foods every few meters down the
9:49:13boardwalk, restaurants and cafes in
9:49:15behind them, and a number of more
9:49:17specialized shops spread among them.
9:49:20Lotus quickly pointed to a spot further
9:49:22up the walk where Carl could see the
9:49:24picture of a twintailed Nikcomoma on the
9:49:26sign next to a slice of cake on a tray.
9:49:29Did we just find a cat cafe on another
9:49:31continent? Dana asked as they followed
9:49:34the nature priestess to the shop.
9:49:37Possibly,
9:49:38Tessa agreed. But the shop was not what
9:49:41they expected at all. It was the Nikoma
9:49:44bakery, but there were no cats roaming
9:49:46the dining room. Instead, it was a maid
9:49:50cafe stocked with catgirl employees.
9:49:53Bonus.
9:49:54Carl laughed as he realized the baker
9:49:57was actually an ascended rank Nikcomoma
9:49:59using a humanoid transformation skill.
9:50:02But the food smelled delicious and Lotus
9:50:04was a sucker for the sales pitch. She
9:50:07had been ushered into a table so fast
9:50:09that the staff hadn't even realized she
9:50:11was part of a group. Tessa sideighed.
9:50:15It's like being back in school. Every
9:50:17new thing gets her sidetracked.
9:50:20The hostess welcomed them into the
9:50:22restaurant where Lotus was already
9:50:23beginning to order for everyone. A
9:50:26different flavor for each so that she
9:50:28could steal a taste and sample them all.
9:50:31The staff slid an extra table together
9:50:33with the one Lotus was at to make room
9:50:35and started to bring out cakes,
9:50:37corissons, puffs, and other treats along
9:50:39with various flavored coffees. Now Carl
9:50:43knew why the cleric had been in a hurry.
9:50:46If she hadn't ordered first, Tessa would
9:50:48have never let her have caffeine. But
9:50:50she wouldn't humiliate her friend by
9:50:52taking her drink away once Lotus had
9:50:54started. "Are you new in town?" "We
9:50:58welcome all lovers of sweets to our
9:51:00shop." The fluffyeared server in a
9:51:02frilly made outfit asked. Lotus nodded
9:51:06happily. "Yeah, we're on an adventure.
9:51:09They sent us to a random city to start
9:51:11over, and here we are." The maid looked
9:51:15confused for a moment. Then realization
9:51:17hit her. Wait, you were exiled from your
9:51:20home island, weren't you? That's wild.
9:51:24You're so cute. Who would have thought
9:51:26that you were that sort of badass?
9:51:28Lotus smiled at the compliment, not
9:51:30realizing that the woman thought they
9:51:32were criminals from another one of the
9:51:33Dragon Isles.
9:51:35Technically, Carl was exiled and we all
9:51:38chose to go with him on an adventure,
9:51:41but they said we can come back when he
9:51:42reaches totem rank, so it's not like
9:51:44it's permanent. Lotus happily explained,
9:51:48then winced as Tessa thumped her on the
9:51:50head. The short one misunderstood your
9:51:52words. I think we weren't exiled as
9:51:56criminals, but for political reasons,
9:51:59Tessa explained.
9:52:01Oh, so it's like that. Well, welcome to
9:52:04Drad. We have some of the best baked
9:52:07goods in the city, and you've only seen
9:52:09half the menu. The server replied
9:52:12quickly, but the Nikoma baking in the
9:52:14back laughed quietly to itself, but just
9:52:17loud enough for Carl's sensitive hearing
9:52:19and the catgirl standing by the kitchen
9:52:21to pick up. With an aura like his, the
9:52:24definition of crime might be somewhat
9:52:26different from usual. Treat his friends
9:52:28well, that man is dangerous.
9:52:31One match cha latte later, Lotus was
9:52:34wired and ready to explore the city.
9:52:37Fortunately, there was a whole boardwalk
9:52:39full of interesting things to see, and
9:52:41then Carl would lead them through the
9:52:43shopping streets to get more of the Mana
9:52:44Jade jewelry. They certainly wouldn't be
9:52:47short on sweets for a while, as Lotus
9:52:49had brought them to a dozen different
9:52:51street food stalls, and the proceeds had
9:52:53been saved in the lady's inventory for
9:52:55later. With the exception of a caramel
9:52:58apple, which Lotus was now using as a
9:53:00halfeaten conductor's wand for their
9:53:02adventure on the boardwalk, the
9:53:04boardwalk ended a 100 meters from the
9:53:06outlet to the ocean with a heavy
9:53:08industrial section of warehouses and one
9:53:10large bridge between them and the docks
9:53:12that lined the base side of the city.
9:53:14"Where next?" Lotus asked, now that they
9:53:18had seen a lot of the things she had
9:53:19hoped to explore today, to the shopping
9:53:22district.
9:53:24Rey was interested in the fashions and
9:53:25needs models. Then I want to get more of
9:53:28the bracelets and rings like the ones I
9:53:30bought yesterday. After that, we can
9:53:33return to the inn or find a spot for
9:53:35dinner. We did do quite a bit of
9:53:38walking, so I'm sure we will be hungry
9:53:40again soon. Carl offered. Those were
9:53:44magic words, and Ry appeared from her
9:53:46space to lead the way. The money-making
9:53:49schemes could wait. There were new ways
9:53:52to decorate her team waiting. She was
9:53:54more demanding and less flighty than
9:53:56Lotus as a leader, and Ry deafly guided
9:53:59them through the streets to the start of
9:54:00the shopping road by the castle. Rey
9:54:03even did her best tour guide impression
9:54:05using Remy's information for the others.
9:54:08And here we are, the castle. The city
9:54:12governor as well as the Lord, as people
9:54:14here call the leader of the nation, both
9:54:17live here. The Lord has new triplets at
9:54:20home and is on paternity leave, so he's
9:54:22not visible today. But the governor is
9:54:25standing on the upper balcony outside
9:54:26the working offices right now. If you
9:54:29can see that from here, she explained.
9:54:32A few passers by turned to look and
9:54:35realized that yes, they could faintly
9:54:37see him in his official robes taking a
9:54:39smoke break on the balcony. As a totem,
9:54:42he didn't really fear surprise
9:54:44assassinations.
9:54:46Anyone below his rank did so much less
9:54:48damage to him that their efforts would
9:54:50be in vain. Ry turned the corner onto
9:54:53the shopping street and led them into a
9:54:54custom dress maker before being picked
9:54:56up by the shoulders and brought back to
9:54:58the door by Oilia.
9:55:00Understand this much. I'm not wearing a
9:55:03dress around all day without a good
9:55:05reason. The berserker insisted her black
9:55:08eyes intently on Ray's face, searching
9:55:11for a sign of understanding.
9:55:13Not even a nice skirt.
9:55:16It's easy to move in. You can wear armor
9:55:18under it, and it's extra armor if I make
9:55:20it. Ray bargained. It was a trick
9:55:24question. Normal armor usually already
9:55:27had a hanging loin cloth or long shirt
9:55:29that fit like a skirt to protect the
9:55:30hips. If Oilia tried to reject the idea,
9:55:34Ry could use her current armor against
9:55:36her. After seeing the excitement of Ry
9:55:39and the dress maker, Carl stopped at the
9:55:41door.
9:55:42Why don't I go take care of the work
9:55:44part of the day and you ladies can try
9:55:46on dresses in peace? He suggested.
9:55:50Oh, good idea. We can make it a surprise
9:55:53for you later. Rey agreed. Tessa waved
9:55:57him off and pulled Oilia further into
9:55:59the store, which had everything from
9:56:01traveling cloaks to evening gowns on
9:56:02display in multiple colors, all of which
9:56:05were exquisitly made. As he walked away,
9:56:09he heard the dress maker gasp as Ray
9:56:11slapped a few gems on the counter and
9:56:13insisted that she closed the shop until
9:56:14they were done. She didn't want her work
9:56:17interrupted.
9:56:19Carl headed straight for the stall that
9:56:20had the mana jade accessories and found
9:56:23that today the stock was even better.
9:56:25The green and purple jade accessories
9:56:27had been joined by a bunch of white jade
9:56:30rings with red streaks. If Carl's guess
9:56:33was right, those should accept monarch
9:56:35rank runes. The purple ones had flooded
9:56:38with power when they reached royal rank,
9:56:40and these ones perfectly matched monarch
9:56:42rank runes.
9:56:44Sir, welcome back. Did your lady friend
9:56:47like the gift? The demon girl at the
9:56:50stand asked.
9:56:52Indeed, she did. But I am back here for
9:56:54business reasons this time. You see, I
9:56:58am a runsmith.
9:57:00Carl was about to continue, but the
9:57:02demon gasped and surged to her feet.
9:57:05Sir, please follow me into the house."
9:57:08She insisted, already starting to fold
9:57:10the sides of her stall down. Carl
9:57:13shrugged and let her finish the work,
9:57:15then activate a charm to lock the stand
9:57:17with an on back soon sign. Carl followed
9:57:22her up the stairs to a tiny apartment
9:57:24over the shop behind her stall. Only
9:57:26once they were inside, and she had cast
9:57:28a silent spell over the room, did she
9:57:31speak again. Is it true you're a
9:57:34runsmith, a real one? She demanded.
9:57:38Carl nodded. I would show you the
9:57:40results of the other accessories, but
9:57:42the ladies are shopping for dresses. The
9:57:45shopkeeper took out one of the white and
9:57:47red rings from a box on the table, and
9:57:49Carl saw that she was making them
9:57:51herself with chips of stone and dust
9:57:53everywhere in the one room space. Carl
9:57:56extended a claw from his bestial form
9:57:59and looked her over. The shopkeeper was
9:58:01a warrior class, so he made a warrior
9:58:04type rune, feline agility, and titanic
9:58:07strength. Then he slowly upgraded the
9:58:10runes until they turned red to match the
9:58:12veins in the ring. The same feeling of
9:58:15saturation where the runes tried to
9:58:17merge with the stone happened when it
9:58:19hit monarch rank. Carl stopped then and
9:58:22handed the ring over to the artist. See,
9:58:26if you put it on, it will bond, and you
9:58:28can use your system interface to examine
9:58:30the stats. He explained,
9:58:33she looked panicked at those words. Let
9:58:36it bond to me. Are you insane? This
9:58:40thing is worth more than my home. Carl
9:58:43was about to point out that her home was
9:58:45likely the spare bedroom of the other
9:58:46unit on this floor at one point before
9:58:48it was given a stairwell to the balcony.
9:58:51Instead, she cast a spell on the ring
9:58:54and information appeared over it in
9:58:56Carl's system interface.
9:58:58Nimble ring of titanic strength monarch
9:59:00rank increases strength by 43% of base.
9:59:05Increases agility by 14% of base.
9:59:08C. Fancy, but not too fancy as it's a
9:59:12ring. I would like to purchase most of
9:59:15your stock, the parts that are made of
9:59:17both of the white and the green mana
9:59:19jade varieties.
9:59:20Carl reminded her. The jeweler was
9:59:23silent, crying happy tears as she stared
9:59:26at the ring. You really can do it. I
9:59:30will sell you my whole stock. But I want
9:59:32another two. No, another three of these
9:59:36items made for me to sell, she insisted.
9:59:40It was literally only four linked
9:59:42characters to do the upgrade under a
9:59:44minute of work for each ring. You have a
9:59:47deal. Pick the items and the
9:59:49enchantments.
9:59:51I will make you what I can. She quickly
9:59:54picked up three more rings, then put one
9:59:56down and took out a green and violet
9:59:58bracelet. Please make these two rings
10:00:01identical to the first one. Then for the
10:00:03bracelet, can you do more? It's bigger,
10:00:06so there is more room, she suggested.
10:00:10Carl looked at her name plate with the
10:00:12system. name Loros.
10:00:15Obsession sculpting.
10:00:18Class warrior. That was new. He had
10:00:22never seen a line for obsessions or
10:00:24personality traits appear before.
10:00:26Perhaps it was a demon thing. Or maybe
10:00:29she was really obsessed with sculpting
10:00:31jewelry. "Is the bracelet for you?" he
10:00:35asked, and her ivory white skin flushed
10:00:37a little, not just on her face, but her
10:00:40whole upper body. Loros nodded happily.
10:00:44Yes, with the ring and bracelet
10:00:47together, I will be able to get respect
10:00:49from the customers.
10:00:50You see, looking poor makes your work
10:00:53look poor. But with this, I can not only
10:00:57sell a lot of my carvings, but I can
10:00:59refer them to you for the extra work.
10:01:01Carl smiled. I don't know how long I
10:01:04will be in town, but perhaps we can work
10:01:07out a deal. Being a shopkeeper isn't in
10:01:10my nature, but if you can refer me to a
10:01:12shop that will sell them on consignment
10:01:14or buy them for resale, I will give you
10:01:16a cut of each sale." Her eyes flashed
10:01:19bright red, and she nodded rapidly. "I
10:01:23know just the spot." "The Lord's wife
10:01:25owns a jewelry shop backed by his money.
10:01:29If you sell to them, nobody will
10:01:31question the authenticity.
10:01:33Plus, they can afford to buy more than
10:01:35one at a time."
10:01:37Carl quickly inscribed the runes on the
10:01:39other two rings for Loros and then
10:01:41smiled as he realized that he could have
10:01:43a little fun with the bracelet, which
10:01:44was designed to have room for a custom
10:01:46name on the outside. For the young
10:01:49lady/happy
10:01:50birthday, Carl wrote on the outside,
10:01:52then added the runes for increased skill
10:01:54power and sharpness to the inside. That
10:01:57would make it effortless for her to
10:01:59carve even the most difficult of
10:02:00materials, increasing her work speed and
10:02:03thereby her profits in the future.

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