Rowan took his time to eat the piece of cake, sipping Bourbon from time to time. It matched well with the chocolate and sour cherries. When he finished the liquid amber, he put the glass on the nearby table, leaned back on the swing, rested his feet on the railing, and closed his eyes. A lot of thoughts, maybe about the novelty or his situation, were swirling in his head. In the end, he decided to take it step by step.

AI? Sorry… Cory?

[Cory]: What?

Sorry, I know you’re busy.

[Cory]: Not busy, just taking a number one.

Err… Like x and zeroes flowing out?

[Cory]: Ones and… Never mind, I was kidding. How can I help you?

I thought we could… well… socialize? Know each other better? Are there any settings I should be helping with?

[Cory]: Sure. For instance, allowing me to communicate telepathically with the Classed countizens if needed. Just think: request granted.

Request granted. Anything else?

[Cory]: What if you allow me to act as an interface between you and the County's council? Sorting out, you know, roads, bus lanes, waterworks, things like that.

No, taking care of traffic and bus lanes is a dream come true for me. Of course, I want you to sort it out. Tell me something… I have like a hundred grand in gold, in my backpack… I sold my car…

[Cory]: You sold your car for a hundred grand in gold?

That's how things go with muscle cars. Should I invest it in something, or—

[Cory]: The Council had decided to keep the dollar at its current value, for now, and freeze prices. It's a bit of a heavy-handed approach, but necessary. In time, there are plenty of opportunities for a Mana Zone to thrive. Just imagine the health tourism. A Healer can take care of most ailments your doctors can't with a simple spell.

Sounds great.

[Cory]: Your bag has been changed into a Rare-tier Spatial Storage that only you can use and your stuff deposited inside. If you want to retrieve something, just concentrate on the item and it will appear.

OK... Now, about the mansion thing… I thought about it and decided to stay at Grace.

[Cory]: You're sure? That mansion is very fashionable.

Absolutely. You have… err… great taste. But I like it here better. It's cozy and… well… I just like it. Now, what if you give me a brief about the System and stuff? I still don't get it how—

[Cory]: Beginning presentation. During an intergalactic voyage, a Manatech spaceship called the Traipenent crashed on Earth, exposing your planet to Mana and Awakening it to the System.

Is the System sentient?

[Cory]: No one knows. But it's known that it interacts with your brain and the local culture, delivering bespoke notifications.

“But you are sentient, right?” Rowan said aloud.

[Cory]: Yes. But not all cores are.

A special gal, huh?

[Cory]: Thank you. Now, about Earth’s situation.

What about it?

[Cory]: This is an Accidental Awakening, and we’re in an uncharted part of the Galaxy… No civilized planet will send help.

Do they send help usually?

[Cory]: Yes, if possible.

So we’re on our own.

[Cory]: You’re correct. Albeit not as harsh as a Wild or Evil System, ours is challenging. The chance that Earth’s Governments survive in the present configuration is zero. The System doesn’t care about the US, China, whatever. It favors smaller polities, which are more manageable.

Is the System everywhere on Earth now?

[Cory]: Correct again, but considering the low level of Mana outside, it will not manifest itself for a while. Advice: interacting with your government is useless. I recommend ignoring any outside noise and concentrating on your fiefdom. Continuing presentation:

This Town Core had expanded over Randolph County. Inside the County, the Mana level reaches the average Intergalactic standards. The climate is also milder, with a cozy cycle of late spring, summer, and early autumn.

About Classes. You have a resource tank, the Mana Pool, that fills automatically and filters the raw Mana. Classes specialize in using this resource in different ways.

And our personal experience counts in unlocking a class, right?

[Cory]: Indeed. On Earth, most people will continue their existence normally, with their regular stats enhanced by about five percent. They are called tier F Common Unclassed. The next tier, E, Common Classed, gains access to the System and a small amount of extra Attribute Points. About one percent of Earth’s population will become an E tier. Some will go even higher. A handful will achieve excellence like you did. Your tier is Legendary-Unique.

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“Wow! Really?” Rowan exclaimed.

[Cory]: Legendary Classes are awarded for performing exceptional feats, but it’s a high-risk, high-reward scenario. The cap level for Classes is 100, the same as for stats. Each person has a main stat, the only one that can be raised to threshold four. Yours is WIL. It’s the rarest.

Is it bad?

[Cory]: No, it’s the best, but it's hard to get points for it. On advanced Awakened planets, kids are born with milk stats, like your baby teeth, which grow through personal experience. When they come of age, their levels are reset to one, their stats are transformed to their equivalent in adult values, and they’ll have a choice of a permanent class. Getting a high Will means you overcame hardships in your early life.

“I understand…” Rowan said, his voice strangled with emotions.

[Cory]: One day, maybe you’ll tell me your story.

“It's nothing special," Rowan changed to talking aloud. "My mother died young, my biological father went into drugs, and we landed on the streets. It was tough. My mother’s uncle adopted me. End of story.”

[Cory]: Oh… so that’s why you empathize with Lizzie. Maybe you see yourself in her.

“Aren’t you a shrink in disguise? What about the unique after Legendary?”

[Cory]: It’s a badge of honor. You were the first to achieve something important on this planet and earned the right to have a bespoke title. The Indomitable. But for all other purposes, you’re a Legendary. What kind? It will depend on how you develop. Don't rush to level up, take it slow and practice your skills well. You will unlock better perks. Also, your Attribute points are extremely precious, investing them wisely is strongly recommended.

The AI voice had turned a bit sour on the last words, and Rowan grinned sheepishly. While sipping Bourbon on the porch, he had invested the free AP he had into Charisma, to make himself more likable.

“I’ll give it my best in the future.”

[Cory]: Let's hope so. Now, about upgrades. You can choose two among the following options: Universal Translator, Technoforge, Short Range Portals, and Class Assignment Module.

"Forget the Universal Translator, everybody speaks English. On the other hand, getting out might be useful. I have some friends outside I want to check on.”

[Cory]: I can open passages in the barrier if you want.

"What are the portals for? Are they safe?"

[Cory]: Yes. Short Range Portals, nicknamed Shortcuts transport people up to a hundred miles away and can be upgraded. But let me remind you that you can use the Internet to speak with your friends. I installed a new app on your phone, and no one can spy on you, not even me.

"And the other two Perks?"

[Cory]: The Technoforge is an advanced factory. It's really useful. The Class Assignment Module allows the County to grant classes to about a hundred people a year. I can start working on both Perks now, but they won't be fully operational until I reach level 10.

"Who decides who gets classes?"

[Cory]: Ultimately, if you choose so, you do.

"I like the idea of keeping an eye on who gets powers… Let's take the Technoforge and the Class stuff for now."

[Cory]: Now, a bit of more news. Worldwide, five more Town cores were activated, meaning as many dungeons were cleared. We can communicate with each other, but maybe it’s better to wait and see if they're friendly.

How many dungeons appeared on Earth?

[Cory]: The Earth’s Mana Field is too weak yet to generate dungeons by itself. However, the ship that crashed, the Traipenent, had 100 dungeon cores in store that got jettisoned all over the place. About half of them will be able to activate rather sooner than later.

Shutting his eyelids tight, Rowan massaged the back of his neck. That was worrying news. Ending his silence with a sigh and a half-shrug, he asked: “Why does a Spaceship carry dungeons?”

[Cory]: Very few do. The Traipenent was a multi-purpose ship. Trai-ning, Pen-itentiary, and Ent-ertainment, renting its services around the Galaxy. People entered the dungeons to relax in resort-like facilities or train in challenges, fighting with indentured prisoners or various monsters. There was a rezz facility ensuring no one was really hurt.

So we have dangerous monsters and criminals roaming all over Earth now?

[Cory]: Negative. The prisoners are confined inside their dungeons and cannot escape...

There was a slight hesitation in the AI's voice that made Rowan ask: "OK, what's going on?"

[Cory]: There is an exception… A dungeon malfunctioned… A dungeon break, we call it. The sudden decompression of the folded pocket universe made the ship crash.

"So we do have escapees roaming around after all."

[Cory]: My data shows that no one in the ship survived the crash, Rowan. Cores, on the other hand, are next to indestructible. Now, here is your next Quest chain.

Baby Steps in Leadership

Attend at least one Town Hall meeting a week. 0/12. Reward: 1 free AP.

Training

Train with at least 10 different weapons and hand-to-hand combat for a month, 4 times a week. Reward: 2 free APs.

Clear the County, tier 1. Available to all Classed citizens.

About 1% of the County’s wildlife mutated into monsters when they got exposed to mana. Mutated beasts are extremely aggressive and have to be dealt with. Reward upon full clear: 1 level, XP, loot. +1 Level to Town Core.

[Cory]: Good luck. It’s time for me to go, you have a visitor. Put some points in INT, your subconscious auto-pilot badly needs it.

As soon as the conversation ended, Rowan found himself gazing at two globes of perfection, slightly shining under the evening sun.

“You're needed inside.”

“Why? Hey!”

Isla pulled him up by the collar like a schoolboy and she followed her until they reached the living room. “He stared at my boobs,” she ratted.

“I’ll kill you in your sleep,” Thomas promised but kept playing on his phone.

“C’mon, Isla. I stare at your boobs too. That dress is just too sexy,” Grace shrugged. “Is it true you sang Chicago to her, Rowan?”

“Yeah, the We both reached for the gun. It’s my favorite. My old man liked musicals and I caught the virus. I even… ahum… performed in a few amateur productions.”

“Well, well, well,” Grace’s eyes shone with interest. “Then why don’t you show us what you can do?”

She walked to an upright piano situated near a wall and began to play the accompaniment. Rowan missed the first queue, his heart beating in his throat from stage fright, but then, she gave him the queues by singing the reporters’ part, and he managed to find his way around the piece.

“Not bad at all,” Grace said at the end of the song.

“Thanks, but let's not do that again. I almost ruined Dmitri’s pants.”

“Oh, we’ll absolutely do that again! Can’t wait.”

“Why don’t you sing something for us?” Rowan proposed, to divert her attention.

“Glitter and be gay,” Dmitri said. “I love everything that glitters and is gay.”

“I like that song a lot,” Rowan confessed, taking a seat on the couch, beside Lizzie, who was coloring in a children's book.

“Glitter and be gay, That's the part I play; Here I am in Paris, France…” Grace began.

She sang so beautifully that Rowan felt the need to go kiss her, but settled for applauses.

“I didn’t get why it says, Paris, France,” Isla said when the applause faded. “Everyone knows where Paris is.”

“Eh… who knows what a composer thinks,” Grace avoided her friend’s eyes.

“It’s a pun about us, ‘Mericans. We’re supposed to be uncultured, and be told where Paris is, or tell it to other people, despite being obvious,” Rowan said.

“Why does it matter if you know where’s the capital of some sex-obsessed snail eaters?” Isla snorted. “Thomas, leave that bloody phone alone, it's late and you have homework. We’re going home.”

After hugs were exchanged, the two left. The rest of the evening was spent playing board games, listening to Grace singing a few more songs, and doing various other relaxing activities. When night came, Grace whispered to Rowan: “I promised Lizzie I’ll sleep with her tonight.”

He smiled and nodded. His morning sleep was cut short, though, when she arrived in his room at six in the morning, with explicit intentions in mind.