Chapter 229

How Cassie Got Her Groove Back

“Yes, but I might need you to cover down on the Bloodline Course…” I admit.

Mallory just pauses and looks at me like she wants to argue, but then finally caves in. “Fine, but I expect results.”

“Yeah, of course,” I reply.

With that Mallory walks away, breaking through the protective layer of my bubble and hopefully going to fill in on my least favorite class to teach. Meanwhile, I cancel my Confidentiality, the same amazing perk that lets me hide from anyone who might be watching for up to three minutes a day.

I figured that anytime the boss wants to speak to me as the Thieves Guild Leader, and likely task me with a topic, I should take all measures to ensure it is kept a secret. Even from the audiences at home.

With knowledge that my personal task from the boss is completed, I pause before trying to do the impossible.

I have been tasked with likely the same task that all spy masters are tasked with upon taking up the position. Find and remove all foreign spies from the empire.

Simple right, point Cass in the right direction and boom, problem solved.

Fortunately, I did get out of teaching class tonight, while I work on a plan that has to be entirely unique, untraceable, and unexpected.

For now, I have all the time in the world to think about how to solve this problem, but all I have is a mental blank. Well, a mental blank and an afternoon to try to solve this problem as quickly as possible.

I am almost free to go about and do what I want, while I mentally let the idea of catching a traitor percolate in my mind. This is clearly not something I can accomplish in one night, as this has been a problem plaguing spy masters for centuries.

Then before Mallory leaves entirely to go and teach my Bloodline class for me, that’s when she stops, spins, and grabs a young female from the audience of people that have begun to arrive.

Placing her arm around the somewhat familiar girl’s back and shoulders, Mallory begins guiding the girl forward.

“I almost forgot. Dr. Spiritlight, this is Charlaine, Charlaine this is Dr. Spiritlight,” Mallory states, giving a formal introduction. At Mallory’s use of honorifics, I know this is going to be bad. Then she continues, proving my point. “Charlaine here has been appointed as your personal assistant, to help you with your day-to-day operations around here.”

At this, I can see Jhonny getting perturbed, but I make a quick calming gesture towards him.

“So this is my new handler?” I ask.

“Not a handler, but an assistant to help guide you as needed to get your daily tasks accomplished.” Mallory says, trying to ease the fact that Mallory is now trying to find a way to wrangle me and my more eccentric activities.

“Okay,” I state, realizing that I can’t really refute the boss. Nor can I say that I didn’t need the assistance.

“That’s it?” Mallory asks.

“I mean, hello there Assistant Charlaine.” I reply, turning to the new girl and giving her a floating courtesy.

“Uhh, hello Dr. Spiritlight, a pleasure to meet you, again.” Charlaine replies.

Pausing, I try to remember where I saw her, as apparently this is not the first time we have met. Then looking at her, well her aura, I realize that she was the person I was speaking to before I went and evolved.

“Oh I remember you now. You are the person I was speaking to before I evolved, a pleasure to meet you.” I reply.

Tremble.

She slightly trembles for a moment, maybe seeing my use and absorption of foreign energy that was toxic to this world and ended up causing parts of my blood and organs to be shed and simultaneously combust was traumatizing for her. That or maybe she is just racist against Colossal Pixies, either way there is a note of concern in her posture. Concern that she quickly overcomes and strides forward to ask her first question.

“Is there anything I can do to help with your day-to-day operations here?” Charlaine asks.

At first I am about to disregard her answer entirely, but then I pause and realize that there is something that she could help me with.

“Could you get me a desk, writing parchment, and ink?” I ask.

There is a pause as Charlaine first looks from me to Mallory and then back.

“I can, but isn’t the exact equipment in your office sufficient?” Charlaine asks, a note of confusion in her voice.

At that I pause, “wait, I have an office?”

Hearing my reply, Mallory just shakes her head and interjects, “see what I mean?”

Charlaine for her part just turns to stare at Mallory before nodding somewhat sheepishly.

“What?” I protest.

“You are both an officer in the guild and a faculty member of SVC. This means that you have not one but two offices.” Mallory replies.

“Two?” I ask, holding up two fingers to make sure I heard this correct.

“Yes, two. Though you do need to be available in at least one of them for a few hours a day. Or rather you should be at your school office for at least an hour a day to help students. Normally you are working in the courtyard or other area where you are visible and accessible to students, so this is not an issue. But it could be if we get audited.” Mallory notes.

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There is a slight pause as I wonder where she is getting this whole faculty must be accessible to the students thing. Then before I can ask, she continues speaking.

“Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get to my Bloodline Study class.” Mallory states coldly as she turns and begins to walk away.

Seeing her go I almost want to comment that as the leader of a guild she should outsource that, as her time is probably far too valuable to be spent wasting a Bloodline studies class. Then I realize her next solution for that, as she will once again just hoist the study back onto me, and I quickly keep my mouth shut.

As Mallory leaves and gets into one of the transportation blimps that have been brought here just for her, apparently.

This leaves just Jhonny, myself, and my new handler Charlaine.

I still don’t know what to make of Charlaine, though the fact that Mallory didn’t want her to know about my work as a Spy Master did seem odd. Though, that could just be good operational security on Mallory’s point.

There is an awkward tension as the three of us just stare at each other.

“Well, is there anything I can help you with?” Charlaine asks.

“Where exactly are my offices?” I ask, curious about this new perk of my job that I didn’t even know existed up until now.

“As for your guild office, it is at the headquarters building and the one directly to the left of Mallory’s office.”

“Pfft. Not going to that one. Who knows what tasks she would come up with if she saw me daily. Okay, and for the teacher office?”

“Yeah, you pretty much have your choice of any room from the College’s Faculty building. I’ve been told that once you choose one you can get a key to the room, though that might require time.” Charlaine continues.

“There is a Faculty building?” I press, still not knowing where this building is.

“Yes, it is the long building that is right next to your open lecture hall and has the word ‘Faculty’ outside it.”

Pausing for a moment, I try to mentally recall where that building is, then I ask. “Wait it is the creepy unoccupied building that no one goes to?”

“Yes, the reason no one goes to it, is because the one teacher assigned to SVC courses seems to avoid it like the plague. Though a certain adjunct Enchanting Professor has requested use of one of the rooms.” Charlaine replies.

At this, I know she is talking about the Arc Lich guy Rahul, a person who is decent enough at Enchanting, but gives off a creepy vibe. Not just because he is an Arc Lich, but because he seems to provide unnecessary sexual overtones to almost all interactions. That and his voice, definitely not the Rahul that I imagined. Also, there is the fact that this character is designed to mimic but not factually represent the Rahul of my dreams, the Rahul who used to make my toes curl by his exploits and magical prowess.

I also note that there was not a so subtle jab at me laced within Charlaine’s comments there. Realizing the slight dig, I realize one thing.

“You are going to be an amazingly efficient task master there aren’t you?” I ask.

“Well someone apparently has to do this, otherwise you end up going around causing all types of mayhem.” Charlaine states.

“What?”

“Also, it is my job. Please don’t be too mean, as it is either this or be kicked out to the war-torn country that I just managed to flee from.” Charlaine states, a note of pain and fear in her voice.

“Fine, I’ll go tomorrow.” I say, as mentally I am already replacing my Simulacrum in the Arcanarus Tower, not the book ones, but the one on my own QiMO powered ship. I can’t wait, just thinking about it gets me all tingly inside as I seriously want to know what I will find next. Now that I am taking what is likely a fast travel route.

“No, you told the Commander that you needed her to take over your class so you could work on the task she assigned you.” Charlaine states, as she clutches a clipboard to her chest.

On the Clipboard I can clearly read her notes.

Actions:

Keep Track of Dr. Spiritlight.

Report disappearances of Dr. Spiritlight.

Report instances where Dr. Spiritlight changes with a Simulacrum (this gets easier with time).

Then underneath all that was a handwritten portion that stated a new task.

Get Dr. Spiritlight to spend at least one hour focused solely on solving the problem provided by the Guild Leader.

There was an odd sort of tension in her body, as she no doubt thought that I would just run off like a wild animal never to be seen again. For a moment I had a mental image of one of those books from my childhood, the one where the kid had to spend all night chasing after the lost farm animals, only to miss dinner. Right now, Charlaine seemed to be exhibiting the exact emotions I would expect with that.

Seeing her, and not wanting to get on my task master’s bad side to start off our relationship, I sigh, as I realize that my dreams of being a pirate captain flying through the heavens will apparently not be tonight.

“Fine, I’ll go to the creepy Faculty Building.”

At that, Charlaine just nodded as some of the tension in her shoulders dropped. “Thank you. Don’t worry, I have been assured it isn’t haunted.”

Sigh.

“I know, that’s what probably makes the place so boring. At least if it had ghosts then the ghosts would have already begun adding ambient mana to the place, making it more inviting for me.” I say, then am about to leave, when I realize that I have not one but two people who are clearly assigned to follow me.

“Okay, I am going to Teleport over to the Faculty Building now. I will see you two when you get there.” I respond, speaking both to Charlaine and finally including Jhonny into this conversation.

“What? You are going to take us right?” Charlaine asks.

“No, I only have a Personal Teleport, besides the last thing you want is to be my excuse for why I got distracted and couldn’t keep focus for this task.” I reply.

“Wait, then how will we get there?” Charlaine asked, a note of annoyance seeping into her tone.

“You could ask Jhonny here for a ride on his motorized bicycle,” I begin, then I make sure to add “also, I’d like to point out that he’s single.”

With that I turn to Jhonny who looks like I totally blindsided him. He is still on the motorized bicycle in question, but then just looks lost. That’s when I go and give him an overly large wink, before I Teleport away.

Poof.

I leave the area only see a confused looking Jhonny opening his arms wide as he begins trying to talk to Charlaine.

Seeing that those two are occupied, I begin working on Mallory’s task. My first true task as the official Thieves Guild Leader, namely rooting out all foreign spies.

This should be something that even grand master class spies will have a hard time accomplishing. So I know I can’t get too down on myself, but I also want to finish this task especially, considering it is the first one Mallory gave me. Well the first one she gave me where I wasn’t coerced into, or tricked into volunteering myself into doing something seemingly impossible. Though, I guess technically one could say I was tricked into this by the fact that I wanted us to be a city?

Poof.

Within two jumps I find the campus, and then I find the old musty looking Faculty Building.

Just looking at the layout, Charlaine was correct. There are only minimal signs of energy and they seem to be related to death energy and lingering traces of enchanting that have to be related to the office that Rahul has taken over for himself.

This of course leaves behind a total of 29 other gloomily furnished rooms that have no touch of life or inspiration to them. Not wanting to be close to Rahul, I choose one of the larger rooms on the second floor of the building that seems to face towards my training grounds and be able to overlook the peaceful place. Granted there is no window in this room, which makes it even better for me, as it cuts down on the number of entry and exit points. Well the number of entry and exit points that most people would be subject to.

Poof.

Just entering the room I feel the flow of air coming in as my pixie wings begin casting about and generating some energy that will remain here.

Pulling out a sheet of paper, I place it gently on my desk and then get my writing quill then nodding to myself I prepare to sit down in the nice overstuffed chair that looks like it should be more than comfortable.

For a second, I think about just sitting down and trying to force out an idea. But then as soon as I sit down, or try to sit down, I feel my body begin to twitch and spasm.

Yes, once again I am reminded of why I can’t be a writer, not enough patience.

It should come as no surprise that there are minor things that annoy me.

There is a typewriter, but even now I realize that I will need to make a Tier III gear infusion Typewriter that has parts that could withstand my magical aura.

Also, all I see is a slow painful expansion of energy going from me outwards. To describe how annoying this is, the best example I can come up with is imagine sitting in snow and watching it slowly melt around you, like that but in reverse.

That is of course until I remember my entirely new Discipline and decide to give it a test run in a safe controlled environment. At least that is what I am going to tell Charlaine afterwards.

Arcane Geomancy

The process is so odd, and yet so refreshingly normal that I can’t help feel the energy expand and flow from me.

POOF!

It’s like the ultimate of all Glitter Bomb erupts out from me and all my pores, filling up every crevice in this small office room.

Then just casting this spell, well not a spell. No, using this new discipline of energy, I feel a swell and surge. Then I am greeted by quite possibly the best message of the day. Yes, this includes my having completed seven quests all to get assigned a ridiculous new species.

New Skill Gained: Arcane Fusion Control has reached level 1. Arcane Fusion Control is a Strength, Dexterity X2, Endurance, Perception, Intelligence X2, and Willpower X3 skill.

Just feeling the effects of the New Skill taking root in my mind is a relief. I am about to rejoice in that I have a new skill to work on. Before I realize the joy that I can get this skill to 250. In fact, this will be the first of my skills that I got knowing that this would be my new permanent endpoint.

Of course, I wasn’t done here, as I had a lot more to do. At least, after I realized that my casting Arcane Geomancy didn’t outright destroy the room I was in, I felt a bit better. Especially after I saw the magic seep through the walls, connect to the wall joists and supports before ultimately getting soaked into the structure and seeming to reinforce the structure, rather than erode the base foundation. Glad I dodged that potential bullet, I am about to continue, when I look at the sheet of paper and realize that not only the paper but the Ink have changed.

Reaching over to touch the paper, I annoyedly grab the page, only to see that there is a clear transference of energy from the page to my hand.

Then just like that, an idea comes to my mind. One that might just work, then holding up the still seemingly permanently enchanted paper, I smile as I realize I might be able to come up with my own Discipline of Mana and Qi infusion. Best of all, with this I think I also have a way to the spy problem.

“MUWAHAHA!” I shout, putting my little pixie heart and soul into my evil laugh, as this time I am certain I will come up with my own breakthrough.

Then feeling fully motivated, I pull out a new sheet of paper and I begin to test my theory.

For a second, I pause, wondering if I should do this? Then after a second’s thought, I realized, what’s the worst that could happen?