Chapter 96: Single Ladies Adopt Cats

It had been a month, and Nara and the team bade farewell to the astral space they had slaughtered—ahem, gathered their way through. It had been a strange month of meeting aliens and guerilla diplomacy, but Nara supposed she had been meeting aliens since the moment the materialized buck naked on the floor of a shed. A very fancy shed.

Zukai remained insufferable throughout, but he at least learned to shut up and keep his head down around silver and bronze rankers that had no time for his petty nobility bullshit. He was exposed as the destitute pauper-masquerading-as-prince that he was. The only bite he could muster was a glare in Nara’s direction. If he learned anything from this trip, he should have learnt how to read the room and shut up when nobody wanted to hear him speak.

“You should just beat him up yourself next time,” Eufemia said, perfectly willing to glare right back. (Eufemia glares back on principle, except when smiling is the more advantageous option.) “You won’t lose to him in a fight. Those silver rankers may even thank you for it.”

“Maybe the next time I get a chance,” Nara mused.

“Doesn’t have to be next time. I think you could pummel him right now and nobody would care.”

“That’s normally the case anyway.”

“Your loss. He looks like he’d be great stress relief. The perfect…” Eufemia searched for the right word.

“Punching bag?”

Eufemia snapped her fingers. “That sounds perfect! He’s the perfect punching bag.”

When a soul-deep shiver wracked through Zukai, Zukai distantly wondered if perhaps he should learn not to glare too.

Nara cast her gaze over the awesome expanse of trees, towering over them like obelisks to a forest titan. Stone, wood, crystal, and metal trees that grew in a strange harmony. The environment they fostered was home to monsters, flora, and fauna equally varied.

Dimensional crates, bags, and inventories were packed and filled, then lifted out of the dimensional space. Earthen walls shaped from magic were smoothed out with the same method, returning the earth to parity. For as destructive as they were, essence users were adept at repairing and restoration.

“All that’s left is to leave,” Aliyah said, gazing at the forest together with Nara, “The Gathering Society will send a surveyor every two to three months to determine if the astral space has recovered enough for another expedition. Then, the process will repeat.”

“If we’re still iron rank then, we may get another invitation,” Encio said, “And we should turn it down. We need harder battles to advance. These monsters don’t pose a challenge to us anymore.”

“It’s mighty lucrative though,” Nara said wistfully.

“You’re not poor.” Encio pointed out.

“A man born into wealth cannot understand the mindset of those born into the middle and lower classes.” Nara philosophized. “I’m still waiting for my medical expenses to financially ruin me.”

The other five on the team had already caught up to Encio, and they were all slowly pushing up through Iron 7. These iron rank monster had done little for him comparatively, although he had done some of his own splitting off from the group to work through his own weak areas. In particular, he practiced fighting monster hordes without mana regeneration support.

“So, bronze rank monsters then?”

“That or combat scenarios we find challenging,” Sen said, “Underwater combat, aerial combat, night combat, cave combat. There are many situations in which we can push ourselves with iron rank monsters.”

“Bronze rank monsters are just faster,” Encio said.

“Rank jumping will always be the hardest challenge there is,” Sen said, “That is no contest.” Sen swept his gaze across the team, “We can figure out our plan after a well-deserved rest.”

“Aliyah’s been itching to get back into those books and her notes of her,” John said, “I can practically feel her impatience.”

“Don’t remind me, I’m trying my best to be patient,” Aliyah sighed.

The team waited their turn, then crossed the astral space aperture back into main reality. The iron rankers were grouping with their group leaders and waiting as the cargo was moved to the cargo skimmers so they could begin the final leg of the journey to the boats.

“There’s a gold ranker there,” Encio said, pausing the group. He pointed to a woman that spoke with Tyrion, Zariel, Zelle, and Oswald Willard, who had traveled together with her for this meeting.

She was surprisingly muscular for an elf, a rarity for the lithe race. She looked compact compared to the bulky Tyrion, but almost anyone looked petit compared to a leonid. Nara distantly and hysterically wondered what a bulky leonid could possibly look like (Laius was a lithe leonid, so she already had an example of that.)

Her warm auburn hair was thick and wavy, like a lesbian pirate captain. Her eyes were sharp and challenging, orbs of deep sea blue that restrained the vast might of the ocean.

“Do you know her name?” Nara asked.

“Do you think I happen to know every gold ranker that happens to saunter onto the continent I’m standing on? I’m well informed, but not that well-informed.”

“Is that a no?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Do you think I have a chance with a gold ranker?” Aliyah mused.

They stared at her.

“If you don’t know her name, I’m going to ask her,” Aliyah said striding forward.

“Wait a damn moment!”

They restrained Aliyah, pushing her down to sit in a seat. She looked forlornly towards the gold ranker. Her eyes were wistful and misty, “I’m probably too young for her anyway.”

Sen lifted Caspian off his shoulders, setting down the red adolescent Simurgh on her lap. She ran her fingers through his fur, clearly a familiar motion.

“Why’d you do that?” Nara asked.

“He’s a distraction. They’re having an important conversation and it’s best that Aliyah doesn’t ruin her chance at a good first impression by trying to flirt with the gold ranker.”

Turns out Sen was being a perfectly good wingman for his mentor and looking out for her romantic chances.

“She’s normally so restrained,” Nara said. “Strong ladies set her off?” Nara wondered if this constituted gold-digging. Power-digging?

“She’s welcome to try later. I have a feeling she will be here for a while longer.”

“Aw, that’s awfully supportive of you.” She looked down at Aliyah, cradling Caspian in her arms, who was soaking up the dedicated attention with round, puppy dog eyes, “In my world, single ladies adopt cats, but I guess that’s close enough.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

*****

“If it isn’t the odd fellow, Tyrion Snow. It’s been some time, hasn’t it?”

“Respectfully, Lady Zinnia Helianthae, I haven’t met you before.”

“No,” she laughed, all gleaming smile and sharp eyes. “You haven’t. Just call me Zinnia.”

She stuck her hand out, which Tyrion shook. She squeezed harder, her gold rank strength causing Tyrion to sweat a bit with nervousness. He hasn’t done anything wrong, but he wasn’t sure the woman wouldn’t pop his hand for the fun of it. Thankfully, she released him, and he was spared the temporary inconvenience.

“I’ve heard of you,” she said, offering her hand too to Zariel. “You’re the outer, Zariel-laat?”

“That I am,” Zariel said, also taking her hand to shake it. If he felt her squeezing his hand, he made no indication of it.

“I’ve been dispatched by the Continental Congress to facilitate matters between you and Sanshi, and eventually expanding operations to more Adventure Society branches around the world.”

“The society has interest in a partnership?”

“There’s no downsides for us, and you’re offering your cooperation at an awfully convenient time. You know what I mean, don’t you, mister Zariel-laat?”

“Just Zariel is fine, Lady Helianthae.”

“Zinnia to you too. I insist.” She smiled that same smile: vaguely threatening power but friendly all the same.

She was alluding to something they didn’t know about, so Tyrion and Zelle just kept quiet. The main participants of this first, casual meeting was Oswald, Zinnia, and Zariel.

Tyrion summarized the events within the astral space. Afterwards, he and Zelle were dismissed. They were silver rankers, but they were also just silver rankers: in the presence of gold rankers, they were bumped down the authority ladder. Oswald was considerably closer to gold rank himself, and Sanshi’s branch leader. They were extraneous to the conversation.

Instead, they approached Sen and his team.

“Lady Helianthae wants your team at the meeting.”

“Did she say why?” Encio asked.

Tyrion shook his head.

“Is she in a good mood?”

Mood and personality was, of course, a critical aspect of dealing with a gold ranker. Since essence users couldn’t read the aura of someone higher ranked than them, those that dealt with higher rankers on a regular basis became adept at reading physical cues—mood.

“That she is,” Tyrion confirmed. “They’re going to board the ship first. There’s a private meeting room onboard.”

“Alright, thanks.”

“Don’t mind it,” Tyrion causally waved, then shouted at the iron rankers to begin organizing into land skimmers. From there, they’d head to the boats. The expedition was finally returning home.

*****

Oswald, Zinnia, Zariel, and the team organized themselves around a meeting room within the large river boat. The room was meticulous and high-quality, suited for a meeting with a gold ranker.

“For those that are not aware, I am a member of the Continental Congress, Zinnia Helianthae. I’ve heard from Oswald Willard here that your team, out of all iron rank teams in Sanshi, are aware and involved with the threat of The Advent?”

“To say we are involved is inaccurate, lady Helianthae,” Sen said, acting as their party representative. Of the party’s two political leaders, Sen was the right choice for this conversation. “Two of our team members, John Aurelius and Eufemia Teresina, have performed investigative work on behalf of miss Erin Nisei. Another team member, Nara Edea, has provided information freely towards the effort through her familiar.”

“I’ve heard about that,” Zinnia said, sending a glace and Oswald, “From what I’ve heard of the management of the trial previously, I was not impressed.”

Oswald maintained a straight, steadfast face, “Adventurers need challenge. The trial is relatively safe.”

“Relatively safe,” Zinnia repeated unimpressed. “Information is a weapon, Willard; it is best we hone it. Providing opportunities to iron rankers to hone their weapon of knowledge is equally important to honing their physical prowess. It is a more pressing issue now than ever.”

Oswald folded his arms. He disagreed with her stance on the topic but said nothing. With the removal of Specter (now Sage), there was no returning to the status quo, even if he thought it produced better adventurers with less effort and less casualties.

“Are you aware of how much trouble brainless adventurers cause?” she questioned, sensing his discontent.

“No…”

She gauged Oswald. “It’s not an issue when we place the right person in the right position, but even a bit of sense is needed for effective violence. Personally, I would like to think first rather than swing first. Causes diplomatic issues. There’s a place to punching—I find it more satisfying with some accompanying thoughtful catharsis. Being in the right always feels good.” She clenched her fist and thrust a punch towards Willard’s general direction. She hadn’t thrown a serious punch, far from it. If she had vested a silver of her gold rank strength, she would have blown the table away. Still, Oswald hair ruffled in the force of the punch.

Oswald grimaced.

“If I may interrupt,” John said, adopting a polite tone he used for those he figured to be upper management. “Why hasn’t the authorities of this world told the populace the threat of The Advent? The Messengers are a well-known threat.”

Zinnia leaned back, relaxing back into her chair with the confidence of a captain of her ship. Even though this ship wasn’t her ship. “For one, The Advent is a new threat we don’t know much about. We have no idea for how long they’ve sabotaged the development of knowledge in this world or influenced the structure and development of our societies. We just don’t know much about them. What Nara’s familiar provided was some of the most detailed information we’ve learned of The Advent. The second reason is we have a general idea of what their move will be if they are exposed.”

“Their next move?”

“From what you know of The Advent, John, what do you think they will do if they are exposed?”

John paused for a moment, the gears of his detective thinking machine churning. “I suppose they’ll move onto the next phase of their plan. They’ll start proselytizing the people of this world. They’ll start subtle, a person in the right position, working from small civilian based groups. They might show off some of their technology or magic, pretending to be a normal person that was given it for free. They may even actually give it away for free. Once that idea of a better life has taken hold, they might start spreading a name for it. It may not be ‘The Advent’, it will probably be something else.”

“That’s what we expect of them John. For now, the status quo is preferable to the alternative.”

“You need to play catch-up with information and countermeasures,” John guessed. “The Council would rather delay then set off the next phase before you’re prepared,”

“Cooperation with the outers additionally poses a potential alternative,” Zinnia said, gesturing with her thumb to Zariel. “If we can spread magical improvements at least on a similar level to what The Advent will use to sway the populace, it may blunt the effect, or kill it entirely.”

“There may always be betrayers,” Zariel said. “But most have their reservations if there is even a comparable alternative, even if it is lesser.”

“Or less commitment,” Nara added. “Between the option that needs you to join a cult or church, getting something a little worse for free will have more people chose that option. Happens a lot in my world. People will settle for the easier option. No offense to churches.” She quickly clarified. “They’re very different on my world.”

“So, on top of what Zariel proposes, we’d like to extended a deeper cooperation. We would like your researchers to work in tandem with our researchers. In exchange, you’re welcome to utilize the full resources of our world. Have all your essence users register as adventurers or otherwise. Of course, those you want to keep secret may continue to do so.”

“As a measure of trust?”

“To blatantly clear, no. We have little ability to prevent your infiltration without dedicating significant time and resources on a level that would be suspicious and advantageous to our true enemies. As long as your presence is benign, it is tolerated. Offering your knowledge to us for nothing in turn is shameless, even for us.” Zinnia’s smirk was friendly. “If you’re willing to share the information of your operatives, we’re willing to share what we have. Of the messengers, your long enemy, and of our magic.”

“You’re aiming to reverse-engineer whatever they produce. Er, reverse-artifice.”

Aliyah leaned over to Nara and whispered in her ear, “Nara, we have the concept of engineering.”

“Oh, my bad. That was probably patronizing,” she whispered back.

“That is the idea,” Zinnia said, unsurprisingly able to hear them. “The council plans on investing significantly more resources into local artificers. What’s used by common folk is low rank or normal rank objects. It’s a level that needs a mastery of the basics, not high skill.”

The Adventure Society not only functioned as the intermediary between essence users and the civilian populace, but also an authority organization with policy decisions. Adventurers sold materials to the Adventure Society, which the Adventure Society in turn sells to crafters or auctions. Selling to the Adventure Society was quicker and more convenient than selling to crafters, so most adventurers did (unless they had personal connections to a crafter), especially since they were willing to purchase everything (a policy decision, as it also allowed them to collect dangerous material regardless of its origin). For essence or other equipment put up through auction, the Adventure Society took their small auctioning fee.

In a rough breakdown, part of the revenue generated was used to pay functionaries and officials, another part to pay for contracts as needed, and the final part to invest in projects. The Adventure Society was part public service, part private company, and part political authority.

“This is great and all,” Eufemia said, “but why did you call us here? We’re not necessary for these negotiations.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Zinnia said. “While we have the testimonials of Sage recorded, we’d like to keep her around for the time being for any additional questions.”

“Sage and I can do that,” Nara confirmed.

“Moreover, the continental congress would like to request the aid of those of Innovation’s Retreat.”

“Amara and the others?”

“They are high level craftsmen. Their aid will be important in the coming age,” Zinnia said with a glint in her eye, “Besides Redell Gainer, you are the best contact we have with them. Their compound is notoriously hard to reach.”

“It’s hard to reach? Where is it anyway?”

“You don’t know?” Zinnia said with surprise.

“Uh, nope.”

“It’s located on the northern coast of the Badlands.”

“The Badlands?”

“It’s well known for its gold and diamond rank ambient magic.”

“Oh. Gold and diamond rank monsters. That is very reclusive.”

“Reclusive to the extreme. We can’t get over there without a portal, and not many of those with a portal have gone there, especially not those of Sanshi. There aren’t many gold rankers here to begin with.”

“I can pass on a message, no guarantee they’ll help.”

“That’s enough.”