I sat across from High Cleric Maximilian as he read over my report. This time it was just the two of us meeting. The death of a High Apostate and Bastet herself was more than enough to be recalled once again.

He set the report down with a sigh. “Impressive, very impressive Assassin Mittens,” he said.

“Thank you, High Cleric Maximilian,” I responded politely. He tapped his digits on his desk while staring at me. I stared right back, not that afraid.

“Her death will set the snakes back by a lot. It isn’t easy for the Apostates to move back and forth between continents. They have a wide latitude, and the High Apostates even more so.” I nodded at this. He wrote something down on a piece of paper and pushed it over.

“That is what you will get paid at one percent,” my eyes went wide at the number. Half a billion credits. “It isn’t much, but the fact is that High Apostate Bastet was a grave existential threat.”

“Thank you,” I replied, since there wasn’t anything else I could say. I could argue for a bit more, but even a hundred million more wouldn’t be worth the hassle as odd as that sounded. In my mind it was better to have a good working relationship with the Covenant Church for now, at least until I could break free without worrying about their retaliation.

Even then, my father was trapped in their orbit. I had some ideas about getting him out, like that Team feature Mes had mentioned. But it wasn’t simple or something I dared poke around with, until I felt confident discussing the issue with Mousethief.

For now, I was just going to suck it up and not say anything or make waves beyond completing very hard missions. “One thing I don’t understand is how you tracked them in the snow after Bastet escaped off that mountain top?”

“Intuition. That owl was flying straight for where they were headed after picking up Baster, while it was a risk, I felt it worth it to end her once and for all,” I explained and High Cleric Maximilian nodded at that.

“That is the kind of thinking that is impossible to teach. We can train creatures to be killers. We can train them to not give into fear, but outside the box thinking is very hard. That more than anything is what has impressed me the most about you Mittens.”

“Thank you, Maximilian. It helps when you enjoy your job like I do,” I made my tone more friendly and used his first name like he had said I could before. He smiled a bit at that.

“I wish every creature in this organization was like you Mittens, it would make my job more enjoyable as well. Her death will silence any complaints about you from the island. I am sorry I forced that mission on you, but it was the lightest slap I could give and also a test of your character,” he told me.

“Making sure I don’t give into the blood rage,” I replied, and he nodded.

“It happens. More often than I would like to admit. It is a huge loss on our end. Losing promising creature to madness, but you seem quite balanced,” he pointed out.

“Just Focus and determination to be the best and never get in that kind of situation again. So why the recall back here?” I asked.

“To confirm this report, since it will make waves inside the Council of High Clerics. A dead High Apostate is a rare thing and Bastet has ruined many plans and has made a nuisance of herself. You will have made many friends that will speak up for you,” he explained to me.

“And make you look good by extension. Also, my father was instrumental in helping me win,” I replied.

“That may be true, but you are stronger than him, if my guess isn’t wrong. He is either letting you lead for you to get experience as his daughter, or you are capable enough that is doesn’t mind letting you take the lead. If it was the first option, then he would not be so effusive in his report about what happened. And I know he did it himself since your father has terrible writing.” We both chuckled at that.

“Thank you. Is that it?” I asked, ready to get this conversation over with.

“Actually no. There are two options. The first is to let you keep doing missions out of the open list. There would be no change, except I would give you much more latitude. You have proven you can handle a wide range of missions, even complicated diplomatic missions fairly well. “

“And the second option?” I asked.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“The second option is helping resolve an issue along with Paladin Amberheart. This is classified at the highest of levels. I normally wouldn’t even ask it of someone with so few years of experience, but you keep going from success to success.”

“Anything you can tell me about it first?” I asked.

“This doesn’t leave my office,” Maximilian said.

“Of course,” I replied.

“That includes your father and technician. We need to get a spy out of the Southern Continent. They are high placed. They have forwarded that they have critical information about the snakes, but require we extract them. This goes beyond me to the wider Covenant Church, which is why a Paladin has been assigned to this mission and the Organization’s support has been requested.”

“I wouldn’t be in charge?” I asked, since that was a major concern I had in a mission as risky as this was.

“I won’t lie to you Mittens, no. This is a high a risk mission that is highly time sensitive. Paladin Amberheart would have operational authority. Your job would be to represent the Organization in a good light,” Maximilian explained.

“And the payment?” I asked.

“A billion credits if they spy is brought back alive. They have critical information on the snake’s movements and plans. It is absolutely imperative that we get this information no matter what. It concerns the snakes’ mobilization in response to our own. Death would be better than failure,” Maximilian explained to me.

That was huge. Key information on the snakes’ preparation would be critical going into the future. “How would this work exactly? We go racing into the Southern Continent? Can a Paladin even be discrete?” I asked.

“The extraction plan would involve you going in. The Paladin knows the details and is keeping them close to his chest. Paladin Amberheart is in charge of intelligence against the snakes. I take it you accept?”

That was a tricky question. I didn’t like to be forced to do anything, but in this case, it would benefit me as well. There was a high chance of killing powerful creatures and getting a lot of EXP. Unless there an actual snake, I felt I could handle almost any other creature or group of creatures if it wasn’t a crazy amount.

“And my father?” I asked and High Cleric Maximilian shook his head.

“He has earned his vacation and retirement with this victory,” he replied.

“What, after all the headache from before?” I asked in surprise.

“Mittens, success is rewarded. While you didn’t fail on that island, you didn’t succeed either regardless of the circumstances. Killing Bastet is a massive success. Incredibly massive. We valued her death at a hundred billion credits. That is the same level as young snakes,” the High Cleric answered.

“And if I fail, this is reversed?” I asked with my eyes narrowed and he shook his head.

“No. We won’t go back on something like this. Your father was quite adamant, he can’t keep up with you. He will teach here instead like Gary. Keep him active, but also a much slower pace.”

“Really, settle down?” I asked surprised, my father hadn’t told me about this. It seemed to be a reoccurring theme. “After all that work to go out with me?”

“He was worried. Since you seemed to be pushing yourself too hard too fast. But now he feels outclassed. He has a hard time putting it into words, but you are welcome to speak to him,” Maximilian explained to me. My father was already making jokes about being old. I could tell that run through the forest had exhausted him.

He had put up a good front, but it was clear that my father was slowing down, while I was only getting stronger. Tom Cat had years of experience and knew his limits as good as any other creature. My limits were defined by numbers, but fighting the way we did, I tried not to obsess over every little increase. Knowing my limits as a part of me, was much better than trying to turn that to a number.

My reaction speed, my movement, and everything else. Tom Cat was the same way. That was a big part of stretching, knowing how far your body could be pushed. That last fight had been him going all out and then some. I might have been able to win without my father, but it would have been much harder and a lot more dangerous.

But he saw me triumph where he had failed countless times. There were probably a lot of mixed-up emotions, which is why I wasn’t having this conversation with him. He would say he was proud of me, but worried.

“I accept,” I told Maximilian and he nodded at that with a slight smile.

“Thank you, Mittens. I won’t ask you to go on a suicide mission, but this is important, very important,” he told me.

“I understand, I will do my best,” I replied, and he nodded at that.

“And that is why you are getting this. Your ability to think outside the box in unusual situations to see things through. Come, let’s go meet Paladin Amberheart,” Maximilian told me.

“He came all the way here?” I asked.

“The timing worked out,” the High Cleric got up. “Come, let’s go meet with him. While he hesitant about your age, killing High Apostate Bastet was enough to get him to agree to work with you.” I followed High Cleric Maximilian as we made our way to the conference room I had been in before after the volcano.

The badger sitting there was in simple cloth clothes, in dark gray and the symbol of the sun and sword on the chest. There was no armor. He was looking through various folders laid out in front of him. Paladin Amberheart stood up when we entered.

“High Cleric Maximilian,” he greeted the mouse.

“Paladin Amberheart, this is Assassin Mittens. You wanted to speak with her, my part here is done,” the High Cleric gave a nod and promptly left, shutting the door behind me.

“Please, sit,” the Paladin said and gestured at the seat to his right. I went over and took a seat. “Sorry to drag you into this mess, but I need help, how much did Maximilian tell you?” he asked me.

“Just the outline. Getting a spy out from the southern continent, to learn about the snakes’ mobilization plans as both sides build up for a war,” I replied.

“Only the high level view. That is good, nothing can leak. This is it, if you want to turn back now, you need to say something.”

“I understand the risks,” I replied. He gave me a long look for over ten seconds before finally nodding.

“Very well, let me walk you through the challenges of this mission and why I need help.”