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His Majesty's Immortal Academy
Book of Bindings [1.21] - The Lure of Explosions

Book of Bindings [1.21] - The Lure of Explosions

“But speaking of planning,” Curator Brightmeadow said, “Let’s talk about your Classes and Specializations, shall we?”

She moved the papers cluttering her desk to the side, making room for a book she drew out from a drawer. “Now, as I understand it,” she said, “you have yet to finalize your decision. Has anyone explained to you what goes into formulating a Class?”

“A bit, yeah.” Jordan answered. “It’s something about, ah, constitutionalizing a concept?”

“Constituting,” Kioko corrected quietly at his side, making Jordan wince at his Catella-like mistake.

The Curator just smiled kindly, a twinkle in her eye as she said, “Not to worry—you’ll get all this with time. But yes, a Class is what happens when one constitutes a concept into themselves. In other words, they begin to embody an idea itself. Do you know what’s required?”

“Ah, I know you have to have three specializations. Oh, and you need to have ten skills in each, and a certain amount of core attribute development?”

“Yes, very good Lady Freyhell.” She said, and Jordan lightly squirmed at the praise. Her tone didn’t sound patronizing, but it was a little off. Given how she wasn’t assuming he should know this all already, he had to guess she’d been informed of his conditions. She probably thinks she’s talking to a mental case, he moaned internally.

“Now, for Level One the concept of a Class will be very generalized. For instance, the most common Classes are based off of an Ability itself, and then rely on their other Specializations to support or flavor their approach.”

“So, what,” Jordan said, “I could form a class based off of my ritual specialization or something?”

“Indeed. If you did so, you would become a Ritualist. Common supporting Specializations for them would include Artistry, Crafting, or Enchanting if they wished to work within the civilian sectors of society. Or, if they wished for more militant approaches, they might focus on Abjuration, Athletics, or Construction.”

“Militant ritualists?” Jordan had to hold back a scoff. How was drawing diagrams militarily applicable?

“Quite so—it’s a well-respected path. Combat Ritualists are integral for setting up fortifications, entrenchment, or maintenance of military personnel and holdings. Mandalas are used for a wide variety of activities from Experience investment, medical aid and diagnostics, enhancement of magical arts, and so forth. It’s one of the most versatile support Abilities there are.”

“Oh… ah,” Jordan paused. “Fine, I guess I can understand it’s useful for people then, but I’m not sure if it’s what I want, you know? Can I maybe get rid of it and pick my own specialties?”

For the first time since he met her, the Curator frowned. “Well, I won’t stop you if you choose to do so, nor do I imagine will your parents. But I understand you’re under a time limit, yes?”

Jordan nodded.

“Then you need to be aware that as it is now, just acquiring and investing to a sufficient degree into two additional Specializations will test your limits. So while it is possible to remove an existing Specialization, doing so would damage all its associated Skills. Until you repaired them with an Experience point each, they’d been unusable to you. Furthermore, divesting yourself of a Specialization will inflict a permanent Disaffinity for that Ability from then on.”

Jordan sighed as he rubbed at his temples. Figures… “Okay, what can I do with ritualism as a supporting specialty then? No offense, but I just don’t want to be scrambling around drawing lines for the rest of my life.” He tried, and failed, to keep the displeasure out of his voice.

“I understand that you’re frustrated, Aureliana. I’m sure that we can find something you’re passionate about, and there are very few Classes that wouldn’t benefit from Rituals.” She smiled reassuringly. To his side, Jordan even noticed that Kioko had put her notebook away, clearly done tormenting him with tally-marks.

That or she filled the whole page and gave up, Jordan thought. Doesn’t matter either way, I know I can’t keep my damn face straight. I’ll have to just work on that later, too.

“Do you have anything that would fill a guardian role?” Jordan had meant to say tank, but it hadn’t translated as he wanted. But he was used to that by now.

“Hmm, so you’ve immediately picked one of the few roles that would go poorly with what you have, haven’t you?” She lightly teased. “I’m afraid not. Few guardians would benefit from having the Specialization themselves, though all of them would be grateful for a Ritualist in their party.”

Of course, Jordan sighed. I probably couldn’t do very well at it anyway with this Brat’s little body. Didn’t I have a damn Disaffinity with physical attributes too? He quickly brought up his Backgrounds Menu and verified that he did, and sighed again.

Constantine placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. “It’ll be alright Aury. Tell me though, what about being a guardian intrigued you?”

“Oh, ah.” Jordan paused. He’d just... always played melee characters in games. “I just thought it would be more my… style?” Jordan shrugged helplessly.

“Hmm… is it more the duty of protecting others or is it something about their approach that calls to you?” He asked.

“I’d guess it’s just that melee makes more sense. B-but I know that I have to probably be a spell caster.” He glanced at Kioko. They’d had a chance to talk about things back in the Celestial City, and he knew that’s where the Brat’s talents lay.

“Well, how about a compromise?” Constantine said with a smile.

“Ever the politician, dad?” Jordan joked. Mercia had used the same line on her husband a few days ago and it seemed too good for Jordan to pass on.

Constantine laughed and gave him a wink. “You know me too well, daughter.”

The Brat’s father squeezed Jordan tight into a side hug. It… hurt Jordan’s heart a little. He knew that he wasn’t really the man’s child, but it never made him want it any less. So he hugged him back.

“Right now,” Constantine said, “You’re limited in time and options, but that won’t always be the case. While you currently have three Specializations to choose, every even-Level gives you an additional one. So for now, go with something you like, and then later you can build that into something you love. Okay?”

Something I like, huh? Jordan mulled it over. While he wasn’t a fan of magic builds, there was one thing that kept speaking to him.

So, after coming to his decision, Jordan met his new father’s eyes and squeezed him closer. After a moment, he pulled away and looked back towards the Curator. Wiping a few errant drops from his eyes (the Brat’s body was still far too sensitive for Jordan’s likings) he nodded with surety.

“Alright, how do I cast a fireball?” Jordan asked.

His question seemed to take the woman aback, before she leaned closer with an almost dangerous smile. “How large would you like it to be?”

Jordan raised an eyebrow in surprise. Yup, I like her a lot, he decided. Leaning closer and matching her conspiratorial smile, he said, “I want the biggest fireball you got.”

The antlered woman smiled wide before breaking out in a light cackle. With a burst of motion she shot into the air, flying effortlessly as a sinuous reptilian tail whipped out behind her.

Her flight had a grace to it, like a swimming serpent as she grabbed book after book from her shelves. In a matter of moments that left a gust of wind from her speed, she settled back near the desk and plopped a pile of books down, tossing her previous book and papers unceremoniously towards the floor. They caught in the air, hovering like she did, before gently stacking onto the ground.

“Well Constantine,” The woman laughed as she levitated, “it looks like Sorcery runs true in your family after all.” She turned to look at Jordan. “Let’s get started teaching you about magic then, shall we?”

----------------------------------------

Jordan listened attentively as the Curator excitedly explained to him the mechanics of magic in Ænerith. Based on her explanations, it seemed magic was a catch-all term for the manipulation of Essence into an effect. Given that definition, he figured all skills should count as a type of magic.

However, when it came to the ‘practice’ of magical arts, most pointed to the occult skills and their associated ‘spell skills.’ The ten different magical abilities were in truth a categorical difference in the way someone approached Essence manipulation.

At first this mostly confused Jordan, but the Curator emphasized that the way to differentiate the occult abilities was by how they ‘drew,’ ‘shaped,’ and ‘cast’ their effects. While she went to length to explain the different types, it wasn’t until she provided concrete examples that Jordan began to catch on.

The first spell the Curator showed him came from an Invocation skill book. Intricate patterns of gold and silver lined the book, and on its front cover was a large embedded gem. When she gave it to him, the gem on the book glowed as his Chasm Device flickered to life, projecting a summary of the Book's contents.

[Elemental Bolt]

Source: Invocation       Type: Instant         Duration: Instant       Cost: 15 Ki

Prerequisite: None

Description: A good Invoker knows many ticks, but you've got to start somewhere! This Skill lets you Shape Invoked Essence into a bolt of energy to punish your foes. Remember: this Skill must be purchased for each variant Elemental Essence type you wish to cast. Be prepared for anything, Invokers!

Jordan raised an eyebrow at the distinct tone shift the Invocation skill's description had, as compared to his own. But the first skill Miss Brightmeadow showed him was the fire-version of the [Elemental Bolt] which was, unsurprisingly, referred to as Fire Bolt.

In truth, it was what most considered a ‘fireball’ on Ænerith. Jordan begged to differ, given its distinct lack of explosive umph, but it was still one of the most basic examples of a magical shaping skill.

For example, it showed Jordan just how damn expensive spells were. The stupid thing cost 15 bloody Ki. He didn’t even have that much energy to spend!

It made more sense when she showed him the next skill book; one of the most common sources of an Invoker’s Essence.

[Soul-Inscription of Fire]

Source: Invocation       Type: Permanent       Duration: Permanent       Cost: N/A

Prerequisite: None

Description: Carve onto your Pattern the Invocation Rune of Fire. This Rune will permanently provide the Invoker with a source of Fire Essence to draw on. Be warned, however, with fire comes passion and fury! Excessive drawing can wear on even an experienced Invoker's mind.

The second skill was an example of an Essence drawing technique. While each occult ability had its own style, what defined Invokers was their ability to literally inscribe Essence generating runes into their Patterns. Focusing on those runes allowed them to draw the energy needed to cast their spells, which were apparently cheap when compared to other occult spell skills.

“Can, ah, other skills be powered that way though?” Jordan asked.

“Typically no,” The Curator answered. “Unless specific upgrades or Skills are developed, raw Essence gathered from the world or through draw techniques is incompatible. Though there are Skills for recovering Ki, very few of Occult Skills that do so are relevant at combat speeds.”

Jordan hemmed and hawed over what he felt was a largely arbitrary distinction, but after mulling it over he decided that it wasn’t much different than how AC and DC currents worked. Both were forms of electricity but devices had to run on only one unless they had the right converters. So maybe magic just worked the same way? The fact that spells could run on Ki or raw Essence but Skills could only run on Ki made his analogy troublesome, however.

The third skill book she showed him was an example of a casting skill. It was a supplemental power that altered or enhanced what the caster wanted to do.

[Long Range Invocation]

Source: Invocation       Type: Supplemental       Duration: Instant       Cost: 2 Ki

Prerequisite: None

Description: Cowards often break and run, and nothing is more frustrating than seeing your spell go astray because of a fleeing target. So, use this Skill instead! With it, you can reduce the Penalties from casting your Invocation Spells at Medium and Long ranges.

“Drawing Essence inward,” the Curator said, “a magical Class will then shape that Essence into the form of their choosing and cast it over the course of several seconds. In this case, an Invoker with the [Soul-Inscription of Fire] draws forth Fire Essence with their Invocation Ability, uses their [Elemental Bolt] to shape its form, and casts it. The casting Skill [Long Range Invocation] isn’t necessary in this case, but that’s not always true for other occult Abilities or spells. Invocation is known as one of the simplest magical arts for a reason.”

“Okay, that doesn’t seem too bad then.” Jordan said. “So how does sorcery differ? Can I see some of those skills?”

“In a moment. There are two other Skill books I’d like to show you first from Invocation.”

Jordan raised an eyebrow, but then took the book the Curator offered him. It wasn’t quite what he’d expected.

[Ki-Burning Consumption]

Source: Invocation       Type: Supplemental       Duration: Concentration   Cost: Scaling

Prerequisite: Three or more Invocation Runes

Description: Are you having trouble casting your Invocations fast enough? Not to worry! With this Skill, an Invoker can burn through their Ki reserves to speed up the process. This Skill has a scaling cost that starts at 3 Ki, and every tier past that grants an additional Bonus on the Shaping action (6 Ki, 10 Ki, 15 Ki, etc).

“Every occult Ability will have Skills like this as well.” The Curator said. “In theory this is a type of drawing technique, but it affects the drawing process itself.”

“So they all have, what, meta techniques?” Jordan wasn’t exactly an expert on the concept, but he’d played enough games with rpg elements to recognize what he saw.

“That’s a good way to put it, yes.” The Curator smiled as she clapped lightly. “But I have one more book I’d like to show you before we move on.”

[Temper the Flame]

Source: Invocation       Type: Instant          Duration: Concentration    Cost: 2 Ki

Prerequisite: Soul-Inscription of Fire

Description: There is a time for fury, and there is a time for calm. When the fire of your soul burns too bright, you can use this Skill to soothe that savage flame. Invokers can use this Skill to reduce the Penalties of their Soul-Inscription of Fire on their behavior.

“Every magical art has its own strengths and drawbacks.” She said. “Among the many options you’ll find if you peruse these lists, will be what can only be called ‘mitigating’ Skills. These types of Skills are designed to help a practitioner cope with the drawbacks of their chosen artform.”

Jordan nodded. Given that the Invocation ability seemed to base itself off of permanent skills, it wasn’t surprising that they’d need to compensate for it somehow.

Setting the books down, the Curator reclined slightly as she sat in the air. “Now, part of the reason that I wished to use Invocation as an example is because it bears similarities to Oneiromancy. Plus, most hot-headed casters grab a few Skills in it eventually.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Jordan winced, wondering if she was calling him out on that or not. “I, ah, I’m not entirely sure if I actually want to pursue Oneiromancy though.” He confessed.

“Truly? But you have so many Skills in it, child, as well as a Greater Affinity.”

“Well…” Jordan trailed off, not really sure what to say.

“Lady Freyhell,” she said, “you don’t need to commit to it this moment, but it is something to consider. Oneiromancy pairs well with almost every other occult Ability and you’ve already developed enough Skills to form a specialization in it. A few more, and it will be fortified enough for your Class.”

Jordan groaned. “Sorry, I just don’t see how illusions and the like are going to help with magic or fighting.”

“Aside from giving enemies something other than yourself to target?” She laughed. “In truth it's possible, with the right Skills, to use the draw techniques of multiple casting styles simultaneously. Oneiromancy, for example, can be used to infuse your Spell Skills with unusual Essence types that are almost always compatible. In your case, you could learn to channel emotional Essence into your techniques.”

Jordan stared disbelievingly at her. “How would channeling an emotion into a fireball help?”

“For starters,” she said, sounding as though she was chiding a child, “channeling anger into your magic would make it more deadly. In addition, other emotions could inflict Status Ailments on your foes, such as fear to break their morale. When it comes to casting, there is more than simple Elemental Essence to consider.”

Floating around her desk, the Curator raised and opened a new book for Jordan to look at. The page she turned to showed an illustration of a man standing in the middle of a Mandala as energy swirled around him.

“Sorcery is oftentimes referred to as the most powerful occult Ability. It’s also equally known as the most difficult to perform, most stubborn to execute, and easiest to fail at.”

Jordan’s expression soured. Maybe I should just go with Invocation, he grumbled silently.

“The reason is that Sorcery draws on ambient world-Essence directly. It grabs from what’s nearby, shapes it into a spell, and casts an effect. No spells are larger in scope, grander in potency, or more versatile in execution. But to be an effective Sorceress, you would need to actively prepare yourself to have sources of Essence to draw on, or you’d be at the mercy of what you find in your environment. So while Sorcery is powerful in and of itself, it's also the weakest in that it has no inherent Essence generation.”

Jordan nodded reluctantly. His grandfather had used broken artifacts as a source for rituals, so it sounded like sorcery had the same limitations in that regard.

“As a result, there exist several Sorcery Skills that allow the caster to utilize other occult Skills to draw on. Being able to funnel emotional Essence into a Sorcerous Spell is a wonderful boon. In addition, the difficulty in casting Sorcery can be mitigated with Mandalas. All three Specializations could make you a potent Sorceress in the future.”

Jordan chewed it over, but a light tap on his shoulder drew his attention to his father.

“Something to consider as well,” Constantine said, “is that Oneiromancy can match well with Close Combat or Martial Arts.”

“Really?” Jordan squeaked.

Constantine chuckled. “The founder of House Freyhell was a practitioner of both Oneiromancy and Close Combat: A Mirage Blade. I wouldn’t take it too lightly.” Constantine smiled good naturedly.

A mirage blade? Huh, okay that doesn’t sound as bad, Jordan thought. “Will Sorcery be able to pair with any of the combat stuff though?”

Constantine hesitated thoughtfully before replying. “Sorcery is best served from a sheltered position. It’s powerful, but it's also one of the longest forms of spell casting. I wouldn’t say that a combat specialization would meld with Sorcery so much as it will give you options if you find yourself in a position that a normal Sorcerer would simply lose outright.”

Jordan nodded. If every strategy had its flaws, then having a combat ability would just give him more options. It was a shame it didn’t go perfectly, but he really did like the idea of big spells.

Which also, when he thought of it, wasn’t… really like him. He didn’t like magic builds in general, yes, but he’d never liked explosions so much before, had he? With a start, he realized that whatever was drawing him towards it wasn’t entirely him. Is this another Brat instinct? He thought.

“Is something the matter Aury?” Constantine said.

Kicking himself internally at forgetting to school his expressions, again, Jordan said, “Er, no, I just… ah, I just realized that I’m a bit confused by how much I want to do… sorcery stuff.”

The Curator cleared her throat, drawing Jordan’s attention back to her before she spoke. “That could be due to your Sorcerous Talent; [Ungoverned Sorcerous Casting]. I didn’t speak about its drawbacks before because we weren’t sure what you wanted to pursue yet.”

Oh joy, something else playing with my emotions, Jordan glowered.

“The Talent most likely will leave you predisposed towards a more… unbridled approach to magic. In fact, the less effort you put into controlling the finesse of a casting the more power you’ll be able to draw at once.”

“Um…” Jordan just raised an eyebrow.

“Your fireballs will form faster and larger but be less on the mark, child.”

“And that’s going to impact how I approach things?”

“Only so much that it will likely leave you predisposed towards aggressive solutions. An explosion to solve all your problems fits that description fairly well, doesn’t it?” She smiled.

Jordan ground his teeth in frustration. He was getting tired of all these damn drawbacks that everything he had seemed to give him!

“Wait,” he said, “will there be any sorcery skills that would help me control this impulse?”

“In this case, no. Talents aren’t as easy to predictably counter, so you won’t find common solutions. That doesn’t mean,” she said quickly, cutting off Jordan's protest, “that there isn’t an option. In this case, you would best be served by either a Discipline Skill or an Oneiromancy Skill.”

“There’d be something to help control my behavior in those?”

“Most definitely. They could also aid you in identifying when something is influencing you.” She answered.

“Okay…” Jordan liked that plan almost better than anything else he’d heard so far.

“In addition, while you’re out looking into different Skill books, be sure to look for options to fulfill common strategies that will be expected of you.”

Jordan raised an eyebrow again in confusion, but Kioko nudged him from the side. “Don’t worry, I’ll run you through them when we hit the stacks.” She said. “I’ve also got the list of requirements for your Academy, so we’ll talk about what’ll work best for them.”

He nodded gratefully to his new Governess.

“Alright,” Curator Brightmeadow said, “before you go let me leave you with a few choice literatures on the theories behind the magical arts. There’s lots to study up on after all!” The woman laughed good naturedly as she flew off to collect a few more tomes.

And of course, by a ‘few’ more tomes, it meant Jordan left with as many new books as he had pillows back in his bedroom. Thankfully Kioko was able to store them in her storage ring, as Jordan still didn’t trust Nothring to behave.

----------------------------------------

As Jordan left Curator Brightmeadow’s office, his father pulled him into one of the alcoves to talk.

“How are you feeling Aury?” he asked.

“I’m doing okay, I guess. There’s, ah, a lot to learn though.”

Constantine chuckled. “That’s certainly true.” Kneeling down, he rubbed his hands against Jordan’s arms comfortingly. “I need to run into town to work for a while, so I’m going to leave you with your Governess. Is that alright?”

Jordan was taken aback by the man’s question, but that was a doting father he supposed. Overly anxious about leaving his daughter…

“Y-yeah, that’s fine. I’ll probably be here all day anyway.” Jordan gestured towards the endless series of books in the distance. He wasn’t even sure how to navigate a Dewey decimal system. Assuming this new world even operates off it.

“Well, one more thing then before I go. You know that the Academic Review Board will question your expenses, so I went ahead and set up an account for you to use. Try not to draw from any other sources, okay?”

Jordan nodded, and Constantine brought out his slate. Following his directions, they synced devices, and Constantine transferred a new feature to Jordan’s CSSM. Jordan then pulled up a new card.

“Er, is this a credit card?” Jordan said as he stared at his newest translucent display.

“That’s correct. Purchases you make will be placed against this account, and this will give you a budget to work with for the next six months. Be smart about this Aury, and if you need to ask for advice please do.”

“You’re not going to just buy everything for me?” Jordan joked.

Constantine shook his head. “Where possible we want to minimize how much the rest of us help you unless you ask us. Otherwise, it’ll be seen as us directing you rather than you making your own decisions. Even then, it’s up to you to walk your path.”

Jordan grimaced, but nodded in understanding. As he was thinking about his options he flipped the projected card over and looked at the balance.

“Hey, what’s ‘1K GB’?” He asked.

Kioko choked and fell against a wall in shock. He looked at her in confusion, before meeting his new father’s gaze.

“It’s one thousand gold bars.” He said, waving a hand dismissively.

Jordan cocked his head in confusion, but then racked his brain to translate what that meant.

“So… a gold bar was, what, a thousand Crowns?” When Constantine nodded in assent, Jordan continued. “So it’s a thousand thousand gold pieces which is… wait, is this a fucking million gold!?” He squeaked.

“If the Church is going to judge you in proportion to your station, then it is only right that you be allowed to use that station. This is nothing more than you deserve.” He said matter of factly.

Jordan meanwhile was trying to imagine a million Crowns. He couldn’t.

“Wait…” Jordan said, wincing. “I can’t just go wild with this though, can I?”

Constantine nodded. “Everything you purchase to help yourself on the path to Immortality could be held against you.”

“So… what’s even the point of giving me this much if I can’t use it?” Jordan grumbled. This felt like a mean spirited prank, nearly as bad as shaving a man’s beard off.

“Not everything you’ll be doing over the next six months will relate to your goal of entering the Academy. You’re still a member of the Nobility, and have obligations to fulfill. This budget will also cover funding for whatever team you end up joining, and any projects you start in that time.”

“Projects?” Jordan asked. “Why would I give myself even more to do?”

“You have duties, Aury. Noblesse Oblige. And seeing to them while you pursue your goals will challenge you.”

Jordan blinked at the phrase ‘Noblesse Oblige,’ his translation talent telling him it meant something to the effect of ‘responsibilities of nobles to be generous to those in need.’ He bit back a rude retort, and instead said, “Yeah, it’ll be a challenge alright. How am I—”

“And,” Constantine interrupted, “every challenge you overcome on your Path is something the review board will consider.”

The way his new father was emphasizing his words made it clear to Jordan there was more going on. But looking at his father’s suddenly perfect face, he could tell the man had raised his guile. As such, Jordan didn’t bother using [Discern Intentions].

Why would he say this and also cover it up so I couldn’t see what he meant? Jordan thought about it, looking back and forth between his new card and Constantine. Eventually, something clicked in his mind. Wait, he said it already didn’t he? He doesn’t want to direct me—I need to come to my own damn decisions and conclusions.

“Um, thanks dad.” Jordan said weakly before giving Constantine a hug. Jordan wasn’t sure what he was going to do with a crazy budget that he’d get torn apart for using just yet, but he was convinced that his father clearly thought he’d find a way. He just hoped it wouldn’t take him too long to figure it out.

After that, Constantine departed, leaving Jordan and Kioko by themselves.

The cat-woman then turned to Jordan and asked him, “Well, which Skills do you want to look into first?”

That’s a good damn question, Jordan thought. Where the hell do I even start in this place?

“Do you have any suggestions?” He asked his Governess.

She nodded, clearly having been waiting for him to ask. Pulling out a slip of paper, she then sat down next to him on one of the plush seats. The alcoves were clearly designed to be luxurious spots for readers to enjoy an afternoon, and the quiet atmosphere seemed to urge them both to speak softer.

“In order to enter the Academy,” she said, “you’ll have to see to several requirements. You know about needing to reach Level One, however in addition to that you’ll have to show an aptitude to perform in a military capacity, be self-directing, and gain experience fighting not only Monsters but other People.”

Handing the paper over, Jordan grabbed it and read out loud. “A hundred Level-appropriate Monsters slain, solo or in a party. Is that a good amount or a bad amount?”

“In this case,” she replied, “as long as you’re in a party it should be a breeze. You’ll probably clear that requirement in your first month out Questing.”

Jordan nodded and read the next requirement. “A dozen meaningful duels fought, half within a party and half solo, of which one of each category must contain a victory. What’s it mean by meaningful?”

“Appropriately challenging. If you duel a farmer for no reason they’ll knock you pretty hard.”

“Er, got it.” Jordan said. “One Mass… combat? Wait, they expect me to be in a fucking war?”

“Hey now, don’t worry. You can take part in a war, but your father asked me to advise against that. It could get… political if you joined another Kingdom as a mercenary, even if it was just for one battle.”

“Then how am I supposed to fight a bloody war!?”

“Hey, keep your voice down.” She chided, and Jordan blushed. “The easiest way to deal with this would be to join a Dungeon subjugation force. There's usually one every month or so, and if we’re willing to travel across the UKK you’d have your pick.”

“Ah, dungeon subjugation force? Don’t tell me they send entire armies into dungeons or whatever.”

Kioko laughed. “Oh Devas, no. That would just be silly. No, without getting too technical with the way Dungeons operate, let’s just say that in order to keep all Dungeons functional there are certain Dungeons that are encouraged to mass produce Monsters. After a while, those Monsters come pouring out and a subjugation force is dispatched to deal with it. It’s a common occurrence and it's a great source of Experience for low Levels like you.”

Jordan stared at his Governess in shock. She was making it sound like it was just some sort of… recurring event perhaps? He mentally kicked himself again. Even if this world wasn’t the same as the game, it had a lot in common. Of course events would happen, and he’d probably be celebrating a pseudo-Christmas when he was dealing with his stupid review at the end of the year.

After grumbling quietly, Jordan then read the next requirement on the list. “Aspirants must clear, solo or as a group, an appropriately ranked dungeon. So, ah, what rank would that be for me and how hard is this one?”

“For you, it would be a Rank F, which is usually just called a Monster’s den. It’ll be a single floor space, with maybe a few traps and spread out Monsters. Loot won’t be great in a place like that, as few dens are bound. They're just too weak to bother with.”

“Bound? What’s that mean?”

“We’d probably have to get into a lot of history to properly explain that, so just know that’s how Dungeons are controlled, and it’s also why you’re holding onto more wealth than most cities see in a year.”

Jordan raised an eyebrow. “Come again on that last part?”

“Oh, fuck me of course, sorry, sorry it’s easy to forget you don’t remember.” The cat-woman waved apologetically. “So you know that Talent you have, the ah, [Spirit of the Pact]?”

Jordan nodded.

“Well the first Freyhell created it. While the High King was clearing the Dungeons during the Second Incursion, it was Amaranthus who Bound them. It was the first time such a technique was used and it was massively more effective then the old methods. The first attempts at Dungeon binding had to have Contracts that were a dozens of meters long, and all of them eventually fell apart because it's impossible to anticipate every possible occurrence.”

“And what, the High King paid him a lot for it then?”

“Aha… yeah, no actually. You do know you’re a Demonkin, right? You’re kind is infamous for deal making. Freyhell Amaranthus requested a 5% cut of all Dungeon profits that he Bound.”

“Oh, hey that’s not bad. And that really paid this well?” Jordan said, flashing his projected card up again.

Kioko stared disbelievingly at him for a moment. Her incredulity lasted so long that Jordan began to squirm. “W-what?” He eventually said.

“Aureliana, your family has a 5% tax on every Bound Dungeon in the known world. Every single one. For a thousand fucking years. The entire economy of every Nation is based on Dungeons. You realize that, right?”

Every nation’s economy is… Jordan’s eyes widened and Kioko laughed at his sudden realization. Fuck me dead, the damn Freyhells own 5% of every national GDP of the goddamned world. A million gold was no less than I deserve? The damn Brat’s family is probably this world’s equivalent to Billionaires. This amount's not even a fucking drop in a bucket!

“Fucking hell…” Jordan choked on his curses. Kioko just patted him on his back until he remembered that breathing was a requirement for most life forms, and he managed to compose himself. “No wonder the other Nobility want our family brought down a peg. That’s… a lot of money.”

Kioko nodded sagely. “Now you’re getting it. Just remember not to let it go to your head, okay?”

Jordan gave her a skeptical look. No wonder Constantine didn’t think buying her a dozen small businesses was a big deal. “Lets… let’s just look for some skill books.”

With that, the two of them left the alcove and began to explore. They didn’t get far before Jordan found something interesting.

“What’s wrong?” Kioko asked him. Jordan had stopped in front of a large metallic door. A label on top of it described it as a summoning chamber.

“Do... you know what this is about?” He asked.

“A summoning chamber? Well, I’d guess it's probably for the local Conjurers to have a place to train their Familiars. This Library is pretty famous for all of its amenities. Why’d you stop in front of it though?”

“I…” Jordan wasn’t entirely sure. For some reason, he felt drawn to it. Like there was…

Like he should just foolishly walk in. Something about this place seemed to tug on his emotions, but it was subtle. A gentle calling that he’d only recognized because of his growing paranoia that something was wrong with his emotions. Which, he felt, he was entirely justified in after the whole Spider-God fate-manipulation and kidnapping scheme.

“I just feel like there's something going on in this room and that I should go in.” He admitted.

“Oh? Well I can see about getting us access. Actually…” She trailed off as she checked a plaque set next to the door. “It looks like there's an exhibition going on today. Probably two Summoners dueling. It could be educational—do you want to go in?”

Jordan was certain now as he stared at the door something was tugging at him to go in. Some inexplicable force was playing on his emotions and he had only one response he was willing to give it.

“Fuck no. I want nothing to do with whatever fuck is going on in there, and all those fucks are welcome to whatever the fuck happens. Fuck this shit!” Jordan turned on his kitten heels, flipped double birds to the door, and walked away with a very confused Kioko trailing behind.

After that brief distraction, the two of them ventured into the Archives proper, but it didn't take long before they were hopelessly lost. Eventually, Jordan had to be dragged downstairs by Kioko to ask one of the receptionists for help when he’d stubbornly insisted on navigating on his own.

With the aid of the Centauress from earlier, they tried again. While Jordan was pleasantly surprised to find the library sported magical levitating platforms for the four-legged woman (elevators in his mind), he quickly found himself frustrated once more. It appeared that the greatest advantage to the library was also one of its major drawbacks as well.

There were just too many damn books!

Skills of all types could be found, but there were no concrete lists of skills. He’d raged at that inconvenience until he had it pointed out to him that the reason why was as simple as he thought stupid. Every given skill could have any number of variations, based on the local culture, one person’s hard (or dumb) work, or differences in efficiency and secondary effects. As a side effect, what skills were needed to be purchased and in what order you built your trees in could vary considerably.

For example: did he want to learn [Power Attack], [Hundred-Man Blow], [Hammer of Righteousness], or [Descending Weight of Crushing Depths]? Because each one was the same damn skill! All they did was increase the raw damage of an attack based on a scaling amount of Ki expenditure.

Flavor and how the skill ‘looked’ were all that seemed to change. Though in the case of the [Descending Weight of Crushing Depths], it cost an extra Ki and required a source of water Essence in the user. There was no explanation as to why.

When Jordan demanded to know more, all he could be told was that the Brightmeadow Archives were a repository for the entire region. Skills across hundreds of family lines and guilds had collected over centuries, far too many of which had lost the lore behind their creation or use. As much as he wanted to turn the place inside out, he was forced to consider once more an awful truth.

If he’d just had access to a damn wiki there was no doubt in his mind that this place was filled with hidden treasure troves!

After all, in their exploration they'd found a section that not even the receptionist had seen before, proving once again that far too many places in this new world utilized the 'bigger on the inside' magical effect. And to say he could've spent a lifetime exploring the library was an understatement in his mind. So much so, in fact, he was seriously considering picking up a Lore skill related to the Archives just to have some advantage in searching it.

Still, with assurances that whatever he ended up not needing he could return for full credit (judgement free from the review board), he took Kioko's suggestion and picked up a number of more ‘standard’ books. Most of them related to common strategies and general improvement, but he did get a few sorcerous and oneiromancy options—at the cheapest tier. He'd just have to make sure not to read too much of the skill books accidentally, as once used the magic in their construction faded.

It's too many damn choices, Jordan thought. But eventually, time passed and his frantic searching came to an end. Tired beyond reason, he accepted Kioko's advice that it was time to go. While they were on their way out, however, Jordan stopped to overhear a few people chattering.

It seemed an accident had occurred just a few hours prior and rumors about it were circulating like wildfire. Apparently, a summoned Familiar had broken free during an exhibition and rampaged through the nearby audience. While no one was permanently injured, it had caused quite the stir before it was contained.

Fucking knew it, he thought smugly. He had no idea why he'd felt a connection to that damn summoning chamber, but he was glad that it wasn't enough to force his actions. He was not going to be so easily tricked into that kind of crap again! Though... a part of him wondered how much experience he might have missed out on.

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