Jeff spent over an hour reading in the book. Learning a lot about the current situation of the war. In short, not been a lot of hope going around since the last heroes effectively retired. The dragons to the north were holding the line just fine but were not doing any more than holding their territories. The dwarves further south were in the best shape outside of the dragons because the mountains were natural fortifications. That is to say, they have had losses, but not as badly as humans. Everyone else however seemed to be holding on by a thread. One bad famine or major breach could mean the end of everything.
As Jeff was engrossed in his book, reading about how the elves have been fighting, he hears the bell over his door.
“ Come in.”
Expecting Xilna for some reason, he was a bit surprised to see Rachael dressed in a white robe.
“ You busy?”
Jeff turns back to the books and sighs.
“ Just some light reading. You want to talk on the couch.”
She blushes and nods as he bookmarks his page before sitting on one side as she took the other. It was well over a minute of awkward silence before Jeff realized she wanted him to open up first.
“ So, have you decided what you are going to do?”
She balls her hands together and looks down as she shakes her head.
“ No, it just seems...”
“ Yea, I know, but based on what I been reading... Things are bad... Not every man for themselves bad, but close. One bad turn and people are going to stop working together and start turtling up. Maybe the dragons and dwarves can hold out indefinitely, but I doubt it. Something needs to change, for the better, and soon... Otherwise,... we might have been better off remaining dead.”
“ Oh, that is bad. I mean, I do want to help... but...”
“Overwhelming...”
She only nods to this and Jeff closes his eyes.
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“ I think I will fight, but on my terms. I... I think I was going to join the military and try to get to be an officer. But I don’t remember. I do not remember much from my previous life. Except for tidbits or the final hours before... you know.”
“ My father is a doctor. A neurosurgeon I think. My mom was a business executive. I wanted to heal people like my dad, but my mom did not relent in my education about the family business either... I was already halfway through med school when my private car was...”
Jeff considered that and raised his hand for five cards to appear. On top was a skeleton with a gold border, while the rest were plain.
“ Oh, crap!”
Rachael looked over just in time to see Jeff rise from the couch and go to the middle rope. All she could make out from Jeff’s panic talk was something about a reclass potion. He then started pacing around the room for about a minute before the front door opened where the Duke and a dragonkin maid entered with about a dozen soldiers.
“ Good, you have not summoned any yet. Lady Rachael, I must ask you to stand behind my guards.”
Not understanding what exactly is going on, but left with no choice as she was forcefully raised from the couch and pulled behind the guard.
“ Right, Jeff was it? I understand you are a cardmancer. Please summon your weakest summon.”
Taking a moment to blink then nods, he took one of his plain border skeletons and it seemed to evaporate in a display of lights before a crystal bone-like skeleton appeared in the middle of the room. Xilna stepped forward with her hands on a longsword at the ready and relaxed.
“ Level one mana construct. The bones are the only thing dense enough to be visible. How it is so clear however is miraculous. Normally, they are tainted by some element.”
The Duke coughs into his hand to catch the attention of the room.
“ Master Jeff, I thank you for your caution. I shall personally see your records updated.”
He then snaps his fingers and gestures toward the door. Causing the soldiers to leave in a timely manor.
“ I just wish the necromancer we found earlier did not already kill three of your fellow champions.”
This comment caught both Jeff and Rachael by surprise.
“ What? Why? When?”
Jeff takes the chair at the table and sets it in front of the couch, As an offer for the Duke to sit and explain if they wanted to, and they did.
“ Xilna, my dear, will you get me some tea, you know what I like. I will not be long, however.”
Jeff returns to his seat and Rachael returns as well.
“ Right, we found a necromancer this morning, He basically rang the bell, asked to talk to another champion, and then proceeded to kill them then add them to his arsenal. Normally the maids check in on the champions, but unfortunately, because of all the shuffling. It was missed till the last victim invited the killer in after she ordered breakfast. Luckily, for her, in the context she was still alive, he decided to force himself on her first. When the maid delivered the meal... well... he was stopped.”
The Duke shifted slightly noticeably uncomfortable with how Rachael was reacting, to draw attention from that Jeff spoke up.
“ I was reading a recent history book. Is it as bad as the book says?”
The Duke looked slightly grateful before shaking his head.
“ Yes and no. It is bad, but we could fight for another hundred years before we were truly desperate. If that will be all?”
As if on queue, Xilna opens the door and the Duke stands and takes the teacup from her after he does and looks back toward the two.
“ If we were that desperate, we would have thrown you lot into the thick of it instead of giving you six months. Most of the books are there to pull at your patriotic heartstrings as well as be educational. Now if you excuse me, I must go. I hear there has been a fight over at blue ward. Damn muscleheads and their ego-measuring contests.”
After he left, Rachael and Jeff could not help but laugh out loud as the mana construct watched it all with observing eyes.