Chapter 128

Teacher For Hire

The time had finally come. While I was running around like a mad woman, setting up a training area that could serve as a training site for a total of two hundred students, my Simulacrums were just leisurely reading.

The sad part is, aside from their contributions, I had not gained much in the way of experience myself. I found the old elven library where I read dozens of books, but since I don’t have any quests related to reading outside of Mage Guild halls and Unique Faerie libraries, I don’t gain anything other than immense enjoyment from my readings.

Still, I can’t really complain, as their contributions have helped me gain two levels.

Experience Gained from reading:

14,380 / 7,190 / 7,190

Ding.

Level up.

Your level in Akashic Qi Master has increased to level 103.

Your level in Ethereal Healer has increased to level 206.

I also finally gained some new and interesting skills from the reading. Well maybe just new skills to focus on.

Skill Gained: Astrological Prediction has reached level 1. Skill Astrological Prediction is a Perception, and Intelligence based skill.

Skill Gained: Faerie Lore has reached level 1. Skill Faerie Lore is an Intelligence based skill.

Skill Gained: Grim Dark Lore has reached level 1. Skill Grim Dark Lore is an Intelligence based skill.

The first one I am fairly certain came from the Mage’s Guild library. While the other two came from the grand library on the two hundredth floor. After hearing about the Grim Dark, I realized that was the next part of my journey into the Aracnarus Spirit Tower.

Just thinking about the Grim Dark sent shivers of excitement down my spine. I know the name itself should be disconcerting, but the contents of them were very interesting, as they were apparently the boogeymen of the spirit realm, but that was just the surface. Hearing about them, I almost wanted to switch places with SS, or Second Simulacrum right then and there and go exploring the upper levels of the great tree Yggdraspirit, but of course I am stuck here. Which is fine, as I feel I can finally create a true cure for the Blight, if I stay here.

Of course, I can’t work on any of those projects as right now I am fulfilling my own promise of training the one hundred rear guard who initially volunteered to stay back with me. Regardless of the fact that they essentially didn’t see any action until the battle for survival was over. Even then, they mostly focused on herding the cleansed animals to different cleansed fields to help them integrate into life once more, the cleansed beasts, not the guild members.

I am sitting in the middle of my training grounds. The set up is simple, on the north side of the hill are a hundred places arranged with giant stones indicating a numerical seat. The seats are arranged from one to fifty on the northeast side, and fifty-one to one hundred on the northwest side. Then a slight incline to see me, this was done to help students in the back see, as I am so short that people in the back would have a hard time seeing me on flat ground.

Then the pattern continues with an additional one hundred places on the south side, once again going from one to fifty on the southwest side, and fifty-one to one hundred on the southeast side.

Over the course of the week, I had taken to planting and growing the native elven grass in the fields and around each stone marker. The idea was that the grass was naturally able to absorb and hold ambient mana better than any plant I had ever seen, and I was thinking we could use the students as a natural battery for powering different operations. Sort of like the Matrix, all except with plants being the ultimate super weapon at the end. This couldn’t go wrong, at least I hoped it couldn’t.

My idea for this set up was simple, have it so I could teach up to one hundred qi cultivators at one time while also teaching up to one hundred mage students at the same time. As I had mistakenly thought that there would be no way more than two hundred people would want to be taught by me at one time. Then when people were done and the want to learn was over, I would have an open hill to exercise on and to call my own.

Honestly, the idea was perfect. Go, create a grand open area where I would “teach” up to two hundred students, and then be able to convert the outer edges and remaining areas into crafting places, or places to work on my various Enchanting skills. Foolproof plan, simple even.

I even had plans to eventually get rid of some of the less used places and grow more plants or items. That was the plan at least, and as we all know a plan is a list of things that are bound to fail.

Though while I was busy getting the training environment itself ready, I was not the only one who was rushing around trying to get things done.

***

“So how does it feel?” Penelope asks, a look of excitement on her face as she sees me trying on what feels like silk pajamas.

I am honestly at a loss for words at this point, as I feel like I am wrapped in a cloud that caresses my skin at every spot.

“I,” I begin, but am at a loss for words. “I love it.”

I truly did, as the item itself was the best I had ever received while in game.

Soul Bind Item: Midnight Hunter’s Doctorial Uniform: Official uniform worn by those noted as Doctors within the Midnight Hunter’s Guild. As long as owner remains within the Midnight Hunters guild they can wear and use this item. Binds upon equip. Slots Required: Feet, Legs, Knees, Chest, Shoulders, Arms. Stats: +10% Mana Capacity, +15% Movement Speed, +15% Silent Movement, +8% Energy Hiding, +2% Energy Efficiency.

The item was so good that I almost wanted to weep, as I realized this was made for me personally, as it allowed me to still use my Mage guild SWAG, my Adventurer’s Pendant, my Apothecary gloves, my Vice-Thieves’ Guild Mask, and even my Mechanical EGGs.

As was expected of Guild Gear, it was designed to bind on equip.

“Sorry I was only able to get ten percent bonuses per slot, well ten percent minus the slot for being soul bound, but that is the limits of my abilities at the moment.” Penelope said, as if she didn’t hear or apparently didn’t believe me when I said this was an amazing piece of gear.

Just like that, I went from being barely able to clothe myself to being fully kitted out with amazing gear in a second, yes it used up all my slots, but I have been so lost with not wanting to get hit by penalties from being Broke for so long that it unfortunately has become a habit for me at this point. Now with this, I can rest assured as the item I have is not only amazing, but regardless of how much damage I put it through, I will always be able to repair it with a bit of my own mana.

“Sorry, this is amazing. Soft as a cloud, amazing abilities. I like the fact that you went with percentage boosts as those will mean more going on.” I state.

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“Yes, I figured that to be the case. Especially given that your Attributes are some of the highest in the guild.” Penelope stated.

At that I paused.

“What?”

“Oh don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. But a few of your Attributes are clearly above the typical high mark of a thousand points.” Penelope noted.

“A thousand?” I asked.

“Yes, generally it is assumed that once you get to a thousand points in any Attribute you are considered one of the elites.” Penelope noted.

With that, I paused, and then did what I think anyone else would do. I checked my stats covertly the same way one might give themselves a quick sniff when people say they stink.

Physical

Base

Bonus

Social

Base

Bonus

Mental

Base

Bonus

Strength

79

225

Personality

94

310

Perception

157

896

Dexterity

119

520

Sociability

91

314

Intelligence

159

1042

Endurance

111

286

Attractiveness

77

848

Willpower

148

1422

After the statement it was clear that I was in fact over the one-thousand-point threshold in all of my Mental Attributes, and almost there in Dexterity and Appearance. My Willpower had just crossed the fifteen-hundred-point threshold, which was also impressive.

I was clearly under leveled for the area we were in, but I did note that it was getting easier to hold my own. My high Attributes and my relentless focus on skills which have a two to one ratio for Attributes likely only continued to compound the perception that I was well over a thousand-point threshold for many of my Attributes.

“Oh.” Was all I could say in rebuttal to the information. I had evolved my classes, going for only rare classes that I then improved upon through relentless chain quests, that and the low level that I managed to make the noted changes at made it so I naturally would have higher Attributes, but I never thought of myself as an elite.

“More like mid-tier expert.” Mallory stated, seemingly coming from out of nowhere and chiming in and as usual helping me to keep a level head.

“A thousand is just mid-tier?” Penelope asked.

“Yes, that should be the baseline average for all your attributes for the mid-tier levels.” Mallory continued.

“What are those?” Gwen asked, as she now seemed to be Mallory’s shadow. I have noticed a few things here and there between those two, Mallory and my daughter. While I might normally say something, I have opted not to make note of anything, preferring to keep a neutral Switzerland type approach to this. Yes, I know things are happening around me, but until it comes in my immediate vicinity, I don’t want to act upon what I know.

After all they are both consenting adults, and Gwen was both more than old enough to have grandchildren of her own on the outside, and now she is having Mallory’s own granddaughter, apparently. Yeah, for whatever reason, when it comes to children that are not your biological kin, there is a bit of an incubation period. This incubation period is something done for the merging of two powerful bloodlines, as apparently there was a bit of an old wives’ tale about how being around the progenitor of a bloodline would improve the chances of gaining the highest possible version of that bloodline. Thus, why Gwen is now visiting me and Mallory both daily.

I would have called the entire process hogwash, except for the fact that I can see the child, a child that will now be both Mallory’s real life and in game grandchild, and my in-game grandchild. I can even see the status counter on the different bloodlines present on the baby, but only when I focus with my third eye.

Name: Unborn Child

Race: Half Esoteric Arcanist Elf, Half Valkyrie

Status: Healthy, well cared for.

Incubation time: 64 of 280 Days.

Valhalla bloodline Potency 50% (Legendary)

Esoteric Arcanist Elf Potency 50% (Legendary)

Yes, apparently Mallory’s race is officially a Valkyrie. Meaning males would have to gain the race of the male. Kind of odd, especially as these mechanics are outside of my control. Yes, it was odd not being able to manipulate the genomes of a baby, but then again maybe that is a good thing that I can’t. Instead, like a Tomagotchi, or whatever where you had to interact with the baby to make it grow. In this case, we had to interact with the mother to ensure the baby gained our Legacy, a really odd function if you ask me, but it did ensure that as a progenitor I did have a say in the outcome of a child.

Thus, Gwen would now be part of my instructional class, if only to get a daily dose of me. Then she would spend the evening, where she would get more than a daily dose of Mallory. Again, not quite certain how I should feel about that.

“Oh, you are inspecting, how is she?” Gwen asks, apparently realizing that my third eye is open.

“She is Healthy.” I state, noting the most important part.

“And the Legacies?” Mallory asks.

“Sitting directly at 50% for both legacies and at a Legendary rating for both.” I admit.

At that Mallory visibly relaxes, as she is clearly invested in this child.

Mentally, since I can scan everything for over ten kilometers in all directions, I naturally take notice of my training field. All to see that it is wide open and vacant of people.

Even the immediate surrounding courtyard is empty. That was part of my approach, there would be a middle and an outer courtyard as well that people could eventually expand to. Or what was most likely I could use them as places to work on various skills.

While, I hadn’t expected to use the middle or outer courtyard, I was a bit saddened at the fact that not even the one hundred guards I had offered to train were present. In fact, there are so few people that the next nearest group of people seems to be right outside of here, though that is to be expected as we are currently in the main guild office building.

I assume this is some type of pay day or ration increase or something as there are hundreds of people right outside of here. I knew Mallory and her fun bucks would cause problems eventually, though I would gladly have turned in all of my Midnight Hunters fun money for this robe, so I can’t really complain.

“So, are you ready to meet your new students?” Mallory finally asks, coming over to me and fussing over my outfit in the way only an over proud parent could do. She pulls my uniform, getting rid of an apparent wrinkle, and then just beams at me.

“Well, from what I can tell, it looks like I am lucky that I went ahead and tried to lure over Penelope here.” I state, realizing that with her I effectively had a hundred percent more students than I normally would have.

“What? What do you mean?” Penelope asks, looking completely confused.

“You are part of my class, right?” I ask, suddenly flustered at the fact that it looks like even Penelope wants out.

“Of course, though, I was the one who was lucky you took interest in me. Apparently, there is a lengthy waiting list to get into your class.” Penelope states.

“There is?” I ask, once again searching my training area and realizing that it is nearly an acre of space. An acre of uninhabited space. Even the guards are missing… wait.

“Wait, are they somewhere else?” I ask.

HAHAHA.

“Oh look, she was so frightened that no one wanted to be in her class that she nearly panicked.” Mallory said, laughing.

“What?” Was all I could so eloquently come up with, before I was half dragged half carried out of the dressing room area and to the guildhall exit, curse this small body.

“There she is!”

“Oh, pick me, pick me!”

With that dozens of voices cried out from the crowd of what had to be close to a thousand guild representatives.

“Silence!” Mallory shouted; her voice infused with a bit of Spiritual power. Not enough power to hurt, but enough power that everyone around could feel their soul slightly vibrate within them.

There was a moment of absolute calm, where I almost swore that I had gone deaf due to the sound of the scream. Even though I was not in the direct blast radius of her shout.

“As promised, the Doctor will begin her first round of students. Those hundred who she volunteered a sport for during our Guild’s settlement quest, please step forward. You all have been guaranteed a spot, so long as you all wish to learn qi, and have the required ten thousand guild dollars.” Mallory stated.

“Ten thousand? Who can afford that?” I hissed out, wondering if Mallory was trying to cut these people down to the highest contributors.

“Anyone who participated in the Guild’s A Land of Your Own, quest for one.” Penelope noted.

“What?” I asked.

“Yeah, everyone got fifteen thousand for joining and staying the whole way through.” Gwen said.

“Wait, why didn’t I get paid?” I asked.

“You did, just most of your resources went towards paying for your new training ground.” Mallory said, speaking from behind her as some of her attendants were taking the guild funds from everyone else.

“Wait, I built the training facility.” I said.

“Yes, and you were paid for your service.” Mallory noted.

“How much?”

“A thousand guild dollars an hour.” Mallory noted.

I pause, “so how much have I earned exactly?” I asked feeling like there was a catch here.

“We paid you for the complete time worked. From start to finish we have you working an hour and a half. Thus, fifteen hundred guild dollars.”

“What? Am I being punished for being efficient?” I asked, realizing that the so-called druids on staff couldn’t work as hard or as fast as I do.

“No, your pay is quite extraordinary. In fact, you are listed as one of the guild’s premier experts.” Mallory notes.

“But I only got paid for an hour and a half?” I state.

“Because you only worked an hour and a half.” Mallory noted.

“But, that is. You know what, how much am I going to get from teaching?” I asked, trying to move on as this was clearly going to be a circular argument.

“A thousand guild dollars an hour.” Mallory notes, as if she is speaking to a slow child.

I guess I should have seen that one coming. “So after today, I will see eight thousand dollars go to my account?”

“If you work eight hours, then you will see that much money go to your account, yes.” Mallory states.

At that, I sigh. “My account?”

“Yes, we did front the cost of the building materials used, along with the guards to help maintain order, and of course your uniform. You do want Penelope to get paid after all?” Mallory states.

And just like that, I realize why Mallory was able to run the second most powerful guild in the world, while not having a headquarters of her own.

“Well are you going to earn money, or are you going to sit here and let it gather interest?” Mallory asked.

“Interest? I didn’t take out a loan.” I state.

“No, you didn’t and all your needs will be met, you can even get more, so long as you contribute.”

I stare hard at Mallory.

Then finally, I see the signs. The twitching of the left eye, the forced flat smirk.

“You are messing with me? Today, of all days?” I ask.

Then like that Gwen, Penelope, and Mallory all start cackling loudly.

“You were all in on it?” I ask, turning my head to make sure I stare at my own daughter in disbelief.

“Oh come on.” Mallory says, moving forward and embracing me in a hug that forces me to turn my head to the side before I start to suffocate against her bosom. “You have been so stressed out, working yourself into overdrive. You need to take a break, particularly before this.”

“You have, and you have been so anxious that you likely didn’t notice it.” Penelope says, placing a calming hand on my shoulder.

“You can tell?” I ask.

“Your skin glows with the state of your mana. Yes, we could tell that you were anxious, at least that is what we got after noting the color changing index from Gwen.” Mallory states, once again showing how my own daughter betrayed me in this.

“Fine, but you are literally embarrassing me in front of my students.” I state, reaching out towards the throng of people still clamoring to fill out the first two hundred spots.

“Oh, this is for their own benefit.” Mallory stated.

“For them?” I ask.

“Yes, we want to remind them that you are human and fragile.”

“So they will pity me?” I ask.

“No, so they will be able to hopefully not think of you as a complete monster bent on breaking them.” Mallory states.

“What? Me? A Monster?”