“Ghost-21 to Mercy, over.” Ghostrider hailed me.
“I hear you…” Unable to hide the exhaustion in my voice, I mumbled the response.
“We are RTB,” Ghostrider said. “We wish you luck… And Goddess Actual has said we can be summoned again… We look forward to working with you - should you need us that is…”
“Thank you… For watching over me…” I said as I looked up to the night sky where I watched Ghostrider, an AC-130J, from the back of an open wagon.
It’d been over two hours since the end of the battle. They’d watched over me as reinforcements from the fortress arrived nearly an hour after the battle. During this, the adrenaline slowly wore off. By the time they’d arrived, Yang had to carry me down the ridge. Under Hembree’s direction, I’d been placed in the lead return wagon with him. Yang’s battery was mostly depleted, so he’d been instructed to sit in the center for weight reasons.
Only after we reached the fort did Ghostrider leave. Despite the ability to leave after the battle had been done, they had done so out of concern for everyone. Per their own words.
I was thankful.
The rest of the night was a blur to me. I only remember the beats. We were let into the fort. Processed by officers and administration. Then we were assigned temporary living quarters within the lower ward of the Fortress. Hembree had raised a fuss with me about where I would stay. It was quickly settled on his insistence of taking his officer room, and he’d sleep in the barracks.
They attempted to take me to the medical ward for my arm, but I profusely turned them away. Only upon Yang’s insistence did I have them look at my minor wounds. There were many of course. So much so that I was grateful afterward. A healer had come around to heal as many minor wounds as possible. Though the injury on my head was far beyond the healer’s capabilities from what I understood.
They would send for a better healer in the morning, and until then, I would have to deal with it naturally.
Morning came and I found myself staring at the wooden roof of the officer’s room. Despite what I’d assumed would be good lodging, it was just a narrow one-person room with a window. But it was enough room for a nice bed and a desk with a table for two. If anything, it offered privacy. And privacy was what I wanted as I sat up. My body burned and I could feel where my cybernetics met flesh.
“I’m fucked…” I groaned.
If I felt this, then that meant that my cyberware was bust. They’d need to be replaced. Or, at the very least, maintenance. Both would be impossible without a hospital. Or a ripper doc. I would prefer the former, but I would take the latter if that was available. Given what I’d seen earlier, science was not the mainstream. Magic was.
My memory was fuzzy but I remember being treated by a priest’s magic, not a doctor.
I sat up on the bed. I looked out the window where the faint outline of roofs could be seen through a thick snowstorm. Hembree had awoken me earlier. He’d brought a meager meal of cornbread, oatmeal, and water in a clay pitcher. He’d informed me that it was midday now - so that was lunch. He’d apparently tried to wake me for breakfast, but I was dead tired and wouldn’t wake up.
He had informed me that the Duchess Elodia Reverie had summoned me. I was to appear in the court once I was awake and dressed. The fed part was more Hembree’s desire to assist me as I’d been the key reason why they survived the night.
I didn’t want to go, that I was certain. But I didn’t have a choice. Looking at Yang, he was not in any sort of fighting condition. He had about four hours of battery life left. 2 if he needed to move, but maybe only 30 minutes if he had to fight like last night. With the storm, we couldn’t make due with the solar panel. That was not to add that Yang was battered to hell and his mantis blades were dull and broken. So much so that they didn’t even fit back into its forearms - they were jammed back just enough to allow Yang to use his hands.
I sent a message to A with a request for additional assistance.
Because it was her request that landed me.
I got a reply 15 minutes later, along with an escort. Thus I replied while I was wheeled away in a rough wooden wheelchair.
[A: I’ll help you, but any direct interference will…
A: Cause problems…
Me: Considering I’m in no condition to fight, I would appreciate less problems
Me: I would also like an explanation on how that would happen.
A: Interfering directly means my mana signature will be like a flare in the night.
A: Every deity, or powerful mana user, will know when and where I touch down.
A: It’s why I used a drop pod to deliver you equipment earlier.
Me: So they couldn’t detect you?
A: I’ve found that people don’t look up much.
A: Seeing a light in the distance is easy
A: But if you’re only focused on the ground,
A: You’re not looking up.
Me: I see, so that means other entities won’t detect what you’re doing.
A: Bingo. Most deities and mana users stretch their senses out horizontally. Very few vertically, and no one up to the atmosphere. At least, not above 4,000ft. ]
I was momentarily distracted as the soldiers slowly wheeled me down the stairs and out into the cold. Dozens of soldiers were just finished shoveling the fresh snow. The lower ward was a crescent moon shape that seemed to house many of the fortress’s functions such as barracks, smithy, and barracks for troops. I was wheeled across to a large opening where a drawbridge ramped me over into the upper ward.
It was less martial and much more luxurious. There were several nice houses with snowed-in yards. Many nicely dressed people cross to and fro between the houses and a place I assumed was the keep. A large stone construction sat opposite the bridge.
[A: So if I drop things down to you, the likely hood of someone powerful going to intercept it is almost 0. Unless they see it.
A: Then again, that’s where your shop in the system comes into play.
Me: How does that work?
A: Monsters and mana beasts have mana cores that can be converted into points for your store. Now here’s the party trick.
A: Purchasing items through the shop will summon things via the mana stored in your system. The points. So to a deity or a mana user, it would look like you’re using normal magic. Maybe strong magic.
A: But not godly magic.
Me: So if you directly interfered, it would pull a lot of unwanted attention. It would make the situation worst, and do the opposite of what we all want.
A: Correcto~
Me: But if I were to shore up points, I could summon things and it would avoid that outcome. Thus, I would fly under the radar.
A: So long as you don’t bring down like summon a plane or anything in front of the natives - ye
Me: So I’m on my own right now.
A: The fastest assistance I can offer is to appear, but that would bring everyone’s attention in the region. Or any deity watching the region.
A: A longer, but just as bad outcome is bringing down a package with what you need. I’m sure you get why that’s bad.
Me: It would set everyone off.
A: Correcto again~
Me: Then what are my options?
A: The first two are still options.]
We entered the keep.
Inside was a large hall with tables and lines on both sides of me. The servants, the finely dressed people, were clearing them and moving them aside. At the end of the hall was an elegantly dressed white female in a bright green dress with ornate gold designs across her chest. She stared at me with one eyebrow raised. She appeared proper and carried her demeanor like the groomed elites from my world.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Not in the ones who tried to appear that way. No, there was no slack in her posture. She looked down the bridge of her nose slightly, but not too high to appear pompous. But enough to know she was indeed looking down on you. Like someone who’d been groomed to power and social functions since they were young.
“I bring you Lady Mercy, My Lady.” The soldier said before he left me in the middle of the room, about 10 feet before the dais.
[A: Look, if you can get the mana stones from all the little shits you killed last night, you’ll be good.
A: But if you can’t, you’ll need to get away from that castle before I can drop you any support.
Me: I understand
A: If things go south for you, just let me know. Depending on what or who causes a problem I might need to drop in personally - or an envoy.]
“Lady Mercy,” The Duchess began. “We have no records of a Mercy Chew. None in the Adventurer records, the Mercenary records, or the merchant records. Before we can get to the subject of the last night - we must clarify your identity first.”
“I am none of those,” I said. “And my name is Mercy Xu. My last name is spelled with only X and u. It means brilliant raising sun in Chinese. My ancestral homeland.”
“I have never heard of this Chinese,” She said.
“Chinese is the language, China is the land,” I said. “But I’m not from China. My father is. I am a free city in Northern California.”
“I see…” She nodded with narrowed eyes. “Yet more places I have not heard of. If you may forgive my ignorance, could you enlighten me as to where these places lay?”
“Somewhere in pieces, I’d assume.” I shrugged lightly.
While I did mention a few places, I didn’t exactly want to outright say I wasn’t from this world. I hoped she’d infer.
“You assume?” She said as she leaned forward.
I nodded. “Before I left, the war had just broken out. Its probably razed to the ground now given how the Corpo wars went last time.”
“Core-po wars?” She asked, now more interested.
“Corporations are private entities, like merchants but with millions or billions in revenue,” I said. “They run the lands where I am from. They’re normally at war all the time but in small skirmishes or shadow tactics. But the Corpo wars in history was a full-out war that left billions dead. Many cities were wiped off the face of the world.”
“I have never heard of such warfare, so I’m less inclined to believe you.” Her eye narrowed again. The people at her table nodded to her words.
“Well, it’s quite fortunate that it doesn’t have anything to do with the matter at hand,” I said.
She took a moment while one of the men stood up and yelled “Insolence!”
I didn’t look away from her.
“You’re right in that, but the matter of your identity –” She started, but I cut her off.
“Has nothing to do with the matter at hand,” I said. I refused to humor her anymore. I was being polite before, but I moved away from that.
[A: I’m standing by.
A: I won’t anyone bully my people
A: … Can I consider you one of my people?
Me: Yes. I tried to repay you but you didn’t leave me out to dry.
A: Then you’ll be a Priestess!
Me: Let’s talk about my role later, okay?
A: Certainly~ ]
Her nostrils flared. “It most certainly has to do with the matter of fact, Lady Xu. You are an unknown person in my re–”
I cut her off again. “And this ‘unknown’ person mitigated a dungeon break - for free on your side’s end.”
She glared openly now. “Free?”
I nodded. “I was repaying a favor to my Goddess. She… Got me out of a situation earlier that morning and asked me to help escort the refugees here. It was free for everyone but me. As you can see.”
I held up my right arm. The wires had been tied away and it’d been bandaged. “Well, aside from the fact I will be taking the cores from the goblins.”
The same man from before spoke up again. “Nonsense! You are not an adventurer nor did you harvest the bodies within the four-hour period. By the laws of Kingdom, you forfeited your–”
I glared at the man. “I took many losses, of which I will recoup from those cores. Should you feel entitled to take those cores due to my poor state last night, I should recoup them directly from the Duchess. Should you be inclined to follow with this.”
“And should we not?” The Duchess asked in a threatening tone.
“Then what happened to the ridge will happen to this castle,” I said with a sweet smile. “I am one of her favorites. Thus, this slight against me is a slight against her. “
[A: I don’t remember this.
Me: If I recall correctly, I am your only one.
A: Tsk. fine.]
“So, tell me, priestess or apostle, which deity do worship.” She asked.
[A: All-Mother, Mother of the World Tree, The First, or simply, the Hearth Mother.]
“The First,” I said.
“Excuse me?” She asked, taken aback by that. Even the others at the table looked perplexed.
“The First Goddess,” I said. “The All-Mother. She who mothered the World Tree. The one who gave breathed life into this world and all that walks it.”
There was murmuring among the soldiers and people around us now.
“That… Is an ancient religion…” The Duchess looked at a loss. “One that the Wild people follow, or the peasants….”
She stayed quiet for a moment before sighing. “I am not versed in war nor religion. That is my husband’s expertise. Given that, I will be appeased with this information. Onto the subject of last night’s incident. I wish for your to brief me on the events.”
“No,” I said with my expression hardening. “I believe you’ve had enough of your people brief you on last night’s events. I am neither your people nor your subject. Please do with what you already have.”
Her lips twitched and the people around her looked like they wanted to speak up for the Duchess. However, whatever it was, they kept silent this time.
“Insolence is punishable by a week’s jailing.” She said in a cold voice.
“I'm sure you heard how that ridge looked once we left,” I said. “My Goddess has already promised retribution should anyone here attempt to do anything to me I wish not to happen.”
[A: Damn right, stick it to them!]
That caused everyone but the Duchess to go pale.
“Threatening nobility is —” She was quickly cut off by the man closest to her when he cleared his throat loudly.
“My liege…” He said and leaned to speak in her ear.
That was when she slightly paled before she too cleared her throat. It took her a few moments to regain her composure. I looked to not care. Since I wanted this to end already.
“Viscount Byron has reminded me that the horde you spoke of was handled neatly,” She said. “There were casualties but I hear it was unavoidable given the sheer amount of monsters. Given that, we already have harvested the monsters last night. They are still in the lower ward awaiting processing from the Adventurer’s guild. Since it is still in the castle, you may take it.”
“And your silence,” I said.
“Excuse… Me?” She said, her face truly pale now.
“My involvement in this incident is not to be reported,” I stated. “The incident was salvaged by the swift actions of the Fort. The cores were taken to be held in your treasury or vault - whatever you guys use. It will not be mentioned again. In reality, I will take the cores as my compensation. Not because you are generous, but because it belonged to me, to begin with.”
“Handing over the cores is generous too –” She started but I cut her off.
“Tell yourself whatever you want after I leave,” I said. “Where I’m from, backend deals are common. But they’re very open. Tell the Kingdom or your husband whatever you want. So long as it does implicate me, involve me, or mention my existence in any matter. Well, you can tell your husband, but no one else.”
“I am a Duchess!” She squeaked, her face still pale. “I demand some respect be given.”
“And I only demand my cores,” I said pointedly. “So, the only person whose ego is being trampled is the person who refused to give what I nearly died for on that ridge. I am not a vassal, one of your people, or your subjects. It was a Dungeon Break. This speaks to me that your side failed in your duties. Then I, someone unrelated to everything, cleaned it up while doing a favor to another unrelated party.”
Her face turned slightly red, but she finally kept her mouth shut.
We ended the situation there as she dismissed me.
I wanted to make a snarky comment about leaving on my own terms. I didn’t. My desire to GTFO was far greater than my desire to proverbially smash her face in. What I didn’t want to admit was that, despite how I acted, I had quite the ego. I was considered the Princess of Pacifica. My father delivered arms to every entity on earth. We were dealers of death in essence.
While I previously had ignored this fact previously, I had come to terms with a lot of things our family did.
I understand that her ego was bruised.
So was mine
The only difference was she was the antagonizer. Had she not said what she said, kept the situation peaceful - we wouldn’t have had that kind of exchange. I was more than willing to get it over with and grit my teeth through it. It wasn’t like I didn’t do it before during dinner parties and functions.
30 minutes later, I was outside the barracks with the steward. He informed the sergeant that I was to take possession of the mana cores. Said cores that were about to get cleaned by stable boys.
“Lady Mercy does not require the stones to be clean, so return to the stables.” He said with a sly grin as he turned to the soldiers. “Men, you may rest for the day. Lady Mercy does not require an escort for these stones.”
His sly smile disappeared when the stones glowed before disappearing after I touched the pile. I smiled at him. I then asked the soldier to escort me back to the room I was in before. My ego felt renewed after that little mischief.