"Did you or did you not kill this man's pig?" Daz asked coldly towards one of the two men he was looking down upon while he practised his Ember of Majesty. "No more arguing. Confess and let us be done with this."

"Well... technically, yes, but so what?" the man protested a bit unwillingly. "It's only a pig! It's not like we're short on food. The system has an infinite supply, doesn't it? The guy's got, what, like, 30 pigs! So what if I killed one to help develop a skill?"

Daz shook his head. "New Earth is trying to be self-sufficient. The system came in a flash and can leave just as quickly. This is common rhetoric. There is even evidence to suggest that this is not the first time Earth has been tested by it. To have ignored such basic public knowledge for selfish gains, I, King Daz of New Earth, sentence you, Archibald McEwan to 2-months of community service helping our farms, during which, you will be relocated to Fort Home Penitentiary."

Majesty gushed forth from Daz's very being as he spoke softly but was heard loudly, "I trust you don't need an escort, do you? It would be embarrassing if I couldn't trust one of my citizens to find the prison on their own. Do keep in mind that escape is impossible regardless of how talented you think you are."

"I... I understand." Bitterness was on the man's face in spades but he knew he had lost.

Lying was impossible so he'd tried to win the moral argument only to find the ground he stood on was beyond unstable.

Of course, thoughts of fleeing flashed through his head but he was also being subtly affected by Daz's Reformer racial trait and he actually found himself wanting to go to prison and make amends ever so slightly.

The city guard was powerful and this hearing would be made public immediately after it was over. He had already fulfilled his semester goal and he'd heard that prison brutality wasn't even a thing to fear in Fort Home Penitentiary.

Perhaps doing 2-months of community service and getting to know the locals a bit more would help him, or so he hoped.

The second man took off his hat and held it to his chest in thanks. "Your Majesty, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."

Daz nodded lightly. "It is the law, you need not thank me for enforcing it. As compensation for this, you'll be provided with a guard to help protect your farm animals in the future. This guard will be funded by the kingdom for 4-months. If you wish to retain them, you will have to do so out of your own pocket."

"I-I am unworthy, Your Majesty!" he bowed deeply and almost cried as he said, "Truly, thank you for caring as much as you do."

Both guests then left the courtroom and Crosius approached Daz's throne. "Your Majesty, that is all for today in regards to disputes, suggestions and hearings."

Daz frowned. "There were too many. Send out a notice that we're looking to hire personnel for a legal team that will handle all of the issues serious enough to be above the keep advisors but not serious enough to require my personal input. Only accept Lawful Good people and they must also have at least 1 information-based skill, preferably some form of Identification."

"And their wages for this, Your Majesty?" Crosius inquired.

"An above-average salary of whatever currency Master Merit and Lyle will create as well a room in the keep, meaning they get the newly upgraded 15,000 merit points per day," Daz answered.

Nodding, Crosius said, "I'll have the word out by tomorrow morning."

"Great." Daz stopped wiggling the crystal shovel above his throne and immediately left for the bank.

Not too long ago he had spent some merit points to relocate the building to the central district of Fort Home.

Slowly but surely more and more people were moving out of Fort Skip and relocating to Fort Home at the bottom of the hill. They were now coming to treat Fort Skip as a sort of royal district in the city. This was, of course, a calculated move by Daz and Lyle.

It gave him more authority and honestly made everyone's lives easier having the service-type buildings nearer to where the main populace lived. Needless to mention that Daz enjoyed the peace it brought when he felt like walking around what was once his place of work and was now the heart of his kingdom.

Before long, Daz found himself standing in front of the blue-skinned and 4-armed employee of the Midechhe Travelling Bank. "How can I help you today, Sir Archreaper?" he asked with a perfect smile.

Glancing around at the strange and wondrous clients who, like him, had their faces shrouded by a black mist of sorts, Daz replied, "I'm here to see Manager Relox. It's regarding the five merit star loan he granted me."

"Ah, I see. Unfortunately, Mr Relox is stuck in a very important meeting right now. Perhaps I could handle your loan for you?" the employee asked.

Daz shook his head. "I need to speak to him as well. I can wait."

"Well... of course. I'll make sure he's aware of your intent to meet him, Sir Archreaper," the blue-skinned man said respectfully. "Would you follow me to a waiting room?"

Daz nodded. Not long later he had been left in a large chamber filled with sofas, televisions, computers, and a myriad of alien technology and games. There was also a bar which he chose to sit at.

"How can I help you, Sir?" a floating bearded head asked from behind the counter.

"Give me some alcohol. Something that will affect my level of Constitution and also something slightly tangy. I could use a bit of a kick," Daz answered. "It's been a boring afternoon."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

The head eyed his body a bit then nodded. Four hands floating up from behind the bar and began grabbing bottles, ice and various amounts of spices.

A fellow customer sat next to Daz chuckled. "First time in a galactically-sanctioned bar?"

Daz eyed the person cautiously. Their figure looked humanoid and they were dressed well enough, however, he couldn't see the person's face nor make out their true voice over the bank's interference.

He answered, "Of course it is. You know as well as I do that I'm a host, not a player. Your information gathering skills would have told you that if the system didn't already."

"Snappy one, aren't we? Haha. I like you, kid. Shame I can't tell you my name," the man said wistfully as he took a swig of his own drink. "Bank'll just bleep me."

"I don't care," Daz answered plainly.

There would trillions upon trillions upon trillions of players out there. What amount of significance could one curious player have? He just wanted to have a drink in peace while he waited for Big Bo.

"Haha, true. I won't bother you anymore. See you another time, King of New Earth," the man chuckled.

Daz spun his head around to look back at the man and he said, "How do yo- Where did he go?"

The man was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he was never there to begin with. Daz narrowed his eyes in suspicion. 'I don't know much about space and what the players know about Earth but I know that only extremely powerful players have the right to obtain detailed information of the planet and her inhabitants. Was that maybe Altros? He's also a human according to my research... No, that would be too big of a coincidence...'

The next moment his drink had been prepared. Much like Sandy's smoking narcotics, it packed a punch that Daz very much so enjoyed.

As he sipped away on the fiery beverage he reflected on the encounter with the strange player and at the same time trained his Ember of Love while imagining happy days spent with Rose and Madison.

A few hours later, the four-armed blue-skinned employee returned. "Mr Relox has time to see you now, Sir Archreaper."

Daz nodded. He was a little bit tipsy and he felt warm and fluffy after utilising his Ember of Love on himself but he was still firm of mind. "Thanks. Lead the way, if you wouldn't mind."

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

Daz's eyebrow twitched as he contained the quip rising up his throat.

Why was he feeling this way? Big Bo was in a full set of pyjamas and was lying down on a bed the size of a flatbed truck. The room they were in was full of dolls and dollhouses while the carpet was salmon pink and the wallpaper depicted castles and unicorns.

"Good to see you, Daz. I'm too tired for games so there's no need for me to go out of my way to suppress your internal energy ability. Yay for me," the big red gorilla said as he leaned up and took off his reading glasses. He placed the oversized book in his palm onto his lap and he then gave Daz his full attention.

"... Weren't you just in a meeting?" Daz asked, still trying his best to not comment on the surroundings or the situation.

"Oh, yes, about 30-minutes ago. Horrendous things, meetings. Still, they are necessary even if they tire me more than F&W's high-quality sleeping pills," Big Bo answered with a short laugh. "You're here about the loan, yes? I assume you've more than enough merit stars to pay it back, so if that's what you want, consider it done."

"Yes and no. I also wanted to talk to you about something," Daz answered as two system messages popped up in front of his eyes.

The total balance of the host's [Midechhe Travelling Bank] account is now: 25 [-5] Merit stars.

Congratulations! The host has successfully fulfilled the terms of the [Loan]-based contract between the player [Botund Relox] and the host [Daz].

Big Bo shook his head. "Why the system allowed this kind of one-sided deal is beyond me. It should have just forced me to give you the money seeing as how you've quintupled it effortlessly."

"I wouldn't dwell on it. I don't think anyone understands the system much," Daz commented.

"Well, there are a few people I know who likely understand it better than me at least. The gods probably know it well too, though in a different regard," Big Bo smiled as he reached into nothing and pulled out a massive banana.

Peeling and instantly popping the fruit in his mouth in one go, he asked, "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Blocking access to the system," Daz said seriously.

All traces of amusement left Big Bo's face. "A rather dangerous topic to discuss in front of the system, that is."

Daz raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Seems about as common as chickens as far as Earth is concerned. I've experienced it-" Daz felt a lump in his throat upon wanting to say 'three times'. Realising that the issue was him intending to include his encounter with whatever was residing in Lyle, he instead said, "... two times. Both within the last few months."

"Well, Earth is a bit... special. Not too special, mind you. There are plenty of planets and such gatherings of intelligent life untouched by the system that are... monitored. Hmm..." Big Bo scratched his fuzzy chin and added, "I really do like you Daz, you've got cold fire in you and it's inspiring... What can I tell you without annoying our mutual omnipresent friend..."

"Why it's possible and why the Truthians seem to be able to use it as a weapon while also utilising features from the system would be great," Daz expressed.

A second banana found itself being devoured by Big Bo's plump gorilla lips before he replied, "You've encountered Embers. You know not everything falls under the system's rule. You're smart so figure out the rest from those clues. I really can't tell you more in regards to that, as for the Truthians, however... Hmm... will you let me get away with saying this, I wonder?"

Big Bo hesitated for a few minutes before shrugging and saying, "Ah, to hell with it. You're the horse I'm backing, Daz, so the least I can do is give you a saddle and a good old kick on the rump. One word. Aren."

Immediately a wry look came across the overgrown ape's face. "Haha, knew it. Look at all of these restrictions. Investigate that word, Daz. It'll maybe help you."

"... And what about El Dorado?" the reaper further inquired.

"Greedy little shit, aren't you? No. You can figure that one out on your own. I could sell you some information about it though if you're willing to pay," Big Bo suggested with a cheeky grin and a wink.

'If it can help me repair the Muisca temples, then perhaps paying for it would be a wise choice so long as doing as such doesn't interfere with my vision of needing trillions of merit points,' Daz decided internally. "Name the price."

"1 Solar Credit," Big Bo answered as his grin widened. "That or allow me to give loans to your citizens on my terms."

Daz stood up and walked away. "Thanks for your time."

"The offer still stands. It will stand even after you become a player," Big Bo said without any worry or jesting in his tone.

Daz nodded softly. "Thanks."

Once he was gone, Big Bo put his reading glasses back on and opened his novel - a wonderful piece on how best to cook specially bred oil-based humans. "Poor boy. Not even the gods know what that father of his is scheming, the ignorant and pompous fools."

He laughed a little before muttering, "I can't believe he made a deal with that group. How he got in contact with them is one thing, what he willingly agreed to do is another. You'll come to rely on me, Daz. Everyone with potential under my thumb always does sooner or later."