My eyes moved between the two Random Character Checkers as the contents rolled through. One had appeared upon my request, while the other was a fortunate addition.

Lucky me.

[ Random Character Check in progress for Saga Duex. ]

Below the blue rolling screens sat the VVIP being inspected, the only person in this room surrounded by curved walls that doubled as aquariums filled with colorful fish swimming harmoniously as one unit. The ambient light from the tanks cast a surreal, shimmering glow around her.

If I had to guess, she was about forty years old, and everything from her attire to the expression on her face suggested she was either royalty or held some position of significant importance. The surname 'Duex' was the biggest hint regarding her identity, indicating a connection to the Duex Bank, which minted every coin in circulation. I even had a couple of coins in my pocket with her surname on them.

At the very least, she must be incredibly wealthy.

Saga was dressed spectacularly in a golden silk pantsuit, matching the literal gold highlights in her platinum-blonde hair and golden eyes. The suit was tailored, and the golden accents in her hair and eyes caught the light, making them sparkle with an almost ethereal quality.

And, of course, she's yet another Awakened. Little surprise there.

My eyes moved back up toward the two Random Character Checkers as they rolled to an end.

[ Saga Duex has the Skill of Clairvoyance of the Coin, Level 72. ]

[ Her connection to every coin printed with her surname allows her to sense and track wherever those coins may go, regardless of region, realm, or dimension, in a multi-dimensional map. This skill grants her a profound understanding of economic flows and movements, making her aware of significant financial transactions and wealth transfers. ]

I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut. The revelation hit me hard, and the few Duex coins in my pocket suddenly felt like lead weights. Their presence was no longer insignificant but a glaring reminder of Saga Duex's reach and power. Every hair on my body stood on end as I realized how exposed I and everyone I cared about was if each Duex coin worked as a beacon that could betray one's every move.

My eyes flickered to the other Random Character Checker's insights.

[ Saga Duex is @#%€ years old, born on the first moon of Year #& of the Flinx Calendar. ]

Well, fuck.

I didn't know which revelation was more concerning. The tracking skill alone meant that she was aware of every transaction in existence with her coins.

How much of my activities has she tracked already with that? Can she see exactly who holds her coins? Or does the ability work like a large drawing board in her mind, with only the movements identifiable?

Then there was the question regarding her lengthy time alive in this world.

I had met several Awakened, and had come across two individuals that were quite ancient: Professor Whistle and the dragon, Azgralos. However, I had yet to come across someone who was both an Ancient and an Awakened. Even the original Chase Daylan was born a few years before me and thus only experienced the current loop, even if it was a hefty number of loops.

Just how many loops has this woman lived through over the centuries?

I winced as a second thought followed.

And just how insane might she be?

I only had Chase Daylan to compare to, which was unsettling as is.

Then, another even more concerning thought appeared.

If she's lived so long, what other troublesome abilities and skills might she have in her arsenal?

I sighed.

Damn it. I'd managed to attract the attention of a rather troublesome individual.

"If you're thinking that you attracted the attention of a rather troublesome entity, that would be absolutely correct." Saga smiled at me.

My eyes widened.

Did she read my mind?

"No, I'm not reading your mind—you are not much of a card player, are you? Your every thought is easily readable through your expressions alone. You ought to work on that." She motioned toward the other sage green armchair beside her. "Now, sit. We don't have much time."

I plopped down across from her with a small marble rouble table between us, wondering what she wanted from me exactly. As expected, no cards were in sight; the card game was a ruse.

"Why did you want to meet with me?" I asked.

"Oh, Luca Frey, please brush away that worrisome expression off your face," Saga said, pouring a glass of water for us both. "I'm not the troublesome entity. Quite the opposite. I'm here to offer you a rather lucrative business proposition."

I frowned.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Business proposition? What sort of business?" I picked up my glass and took a sip of water.

Saga Duex produced and placed a stack of gold Duex coins on the marble table.

"It's a great favor I'll be doing you, really." She smiled brightly. "The terms of our business agreement are simple: I'll grant you ten gold Duex coins for every Duex coin you release outside our realm—the value of the released Duex coin matters not."

"By outside our realm, what do you mean exactly?" I asked slowly, but I had my suspicions based on her unusual skill of Clairvoyance of the Coin.

"Outside this Game realm," Saga replied, pulling out a long silver pipe. "I want Duex coins to circulate beyond here and in other realms."

With a quick tap of her fingers, lavender smoke began to flow out of her pipe. The scent reminded me of the stuff that Professor Whistle smoked—perhaps they even knew one another, being as ancient as they were, both born during the Flinx Era.

"And why do you think I can help you with that?" I asked, noting that she was well aware of the loop currently taking place and that it was a 'Game.'

Although I had a slew of questions, I purposefully kept my own questions broad and avoided revealing anything myself. I had already made the mistake of revealing information with the questions I posed to Chase Daylan, and while the repercussions were negligible with him, that was unlikely to be the case with Saga Duex.

Even now, the pressure of sitting across from her was practically palpable.

"Don't be coy." She blew out a stream of purple smoke and smiled toward me. "You've moved two Duex coins outside this realm already in the last loop, but I suspect that was by mere accident. However, accidents can be replicated. And I'm happy to provide a lucrative payment in exchange."

I intertwined my fingers and sat back in my sage green armchair. I gazed past her at a pair of orange and white, almost circular fish swimming in the aquarium behind her. They had swam away from the pack and went as a pair instead.

I knew what she was referencing. Two boxes placed in the Game store contained a copper Duex coin mixed with the merchandise. They must have fallen in by mistake at some point, and I thought nothing much of it. With the amount of merchandise I was moving, such minor errors were expected.

Or rather, seemingly minor errors.

I took in a deep air intake as I evaluated her so-called proposition.

This woman wants to map out the outside realm—or perhaps realms—in which the Players live or play. But why? To what end?

She was the exact opposite of me; I wanted nothing to do with the Players and where they came from, aside from learning from their successes and failures, while she clearly wanted intel.

And she's peddling it as a favor? To me?

I eyed the measly ten gold Duex coins on the table, which would ultimately serve as trackers for my activities.

"One hundred gold Duex coins," I replied, gazing into her golden eyes.

However, money was money. And even if these coins tracked my every movement, I could do little in the war without the most commonly accepted currency across the two continents.

"That's a bit much, don't you think? Ten gold Duex coins are—"

"One hundred and ten," I cut her off, crossing my arms.

"You're going up? That's not quite how these—"

"One hundred and twenty."

I felt my heart rate increase, but I gazed directly into her eyes and held firm. I was playing with fire—I was negotiating with the most powerful Awakened, and oldest person I'd ever met, who could probably wipe me out or make my life impossible in a myriad of different ways. However, I had a feeling that I had something quite uniquely valuable in my possession. She could have, after all, made my life difficult much earlier. However, instead, she met with me like so.

Saga Duex squinted at me as she took her time to inhale and puff out the violet smoke.

"Money doesn't grow on trees, you know," she ultimately said.

"You're Saga Duex. You're affiliated with the Duex Bank—I'm quite certain if anyone can make money grow on trees, that'd be you," I retorted.

"Oh?" A large smile appeared across Saga's genuinely surprised face, and she sat up straighter in her armchair. "I have this terrible habit that developed across the years of forgetting to introduce myself to others, but you knew who I was? Even though it's our first time meeting? Fascinating."

I knew I had just revealed something significant. Any information regarding the operators behind Duex Bank was unknown. They were secretive to the point that no one even considered who might be in charge of the main currency in circulation. Duex coins simply existed.

Yet, I revealed I knew who she was, as I felt it could work in my favor—she now can't underestimate me as she had before.

"Well, I suppose wars always require a hefty investment after all," Saga Duex replied and tipped her pipe over a small plate, ridding it of a small clump of ash. "We have a deal. One hundred and twenty Duex coins for every Duex coin sent out into the other realms. I’ll arrange payment as soon as a Duex coin leaves our realm. Don’t worry; I’ll know."

No kidding. Scary woman.

"Would you care to invest in the war effort itself?" I asked, pushing the envelope on this opportunity further. "Your contribution will help end this Game."

Saga Duex coughed into her pipe as laughter rang out of her like chimes.

"Luca Frey, why in the world would I want the Game to end?" Her golden eyes twinkled at me with tears welling up in them, which she brushed aside.

Ah, damn it. She is insane, after all.

"Besides," she continued. "While I have no qualms about financing both sides of the war to make the most profit under normal circumstances, I must express that for the balance of the scales, I cannot help you beyond our small business arrangement."

I felt a drop in my stomach at her choice of words.

"Are you on Kobar's side then?" I asked.

"I'm on my own side—where I see the most profit to be garnered," Saga replied. "That said, for the proper balance of the scales, especially for the sake of our business arrangement as we advance, you must start keeping a low profile. I was quite serious about you having attracted the attention of a troublesome entity."

"Who?" I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"I think you know who as well—Kobar Empire's mastermind and the one behind the eventual expansion of that fallen empire. But don't bother asking me more about their identity." Saga waved her hand dismissively. "The scales must be maintained, just as I have no plans of reporting to them about your unprecedented control over the Game's mechanics either."

At least there's that silver lining.

"How did I attract their attention?" I asked instead. I already figured out how I managed to attract Saga's attention by the disappearing Duex coins, but that was evidently not the case with my Kobar opponent.

"Grandov's death." She let out a cloud of purple smoke as she spoke. "You should have ended the Round then and there instead of prolonging things. It attracted unnecessary attention that something wasn't quite right. Luckily for you, his death wasn't entirely confirmed, and the Round soon ended before any attention was directed onto you specifically. Still, nevertheless, I recommend restarting the Game the moment Grandov dies."

I refrained from furrowing my brows as my mind raced at the slew of new information.

That's the same advice that Chase told me before he went off and killed me. Don't tell me…. No. It can't be.…

My temples throbbed painfully.

Was Grandov the original Summoned Player? That's the only explanation for such advice. But he can't be anymore. I'm the only Player… Aren't I?

I rubbed my aching temples as I watched one of the orange and white fish rip apart its partner. A blob of red mist appeared floating in the water, and the victor returned to the flock.

I'll need to ask the System about this later. Regardless of whether Grandov was or is still a Player, and if it was the same Grandov I knew before, I'll need to modify my strategy.