Having run for maybe an hour, Nulla and Co. took a seat.
“Uhm… sorry for asking, but what’s your name?” Angela asked the shell.
“Mathew.”
Nulla checked the time and with several hours left to sunrise, made a campfire.
“So, here’s the plan. You two lead some branches of an organisation. Any suggestions?”
Angela turned in shock, and Mathew just sat there, reactionless.
“All right, fine. I got an idea. Three branches, one for collecting, one for processing, and one for completion of requests,” Nulla proposed
“Why not merge processing and collecting?” Mathew asked.
“Don’t wanna.”
“Then, who leads what? Wait, what’s the name?” Angela asked.
“Angela, you’re lead of completion. Mathew, processing. Wait, give me a minute,” Nulla answered, slipping away into the woods.
Angela looked with confusion, and Mathew pulled out a notepad and began to write. Angela slid over to look at what he was doing. All she saw though were questions, most of them one word.
Nulla returned soon, although with someone in tow.
“Here’s the head of Accepting, Athena.”
Angela looked into Athena’s eyes, trying to figure out their reason for being here.
“So, welcome to Hope Eternal, HE for short. This organization will be a secret, so I trust you’ll act with discretion.”
Seeing nods from everyone, Nulla sat Athena down and explained the details.
∅∅∅
When sunrise came, Nulla left them to their devices and headed back to Alreast. Getting right past the guards with his new ID, Nulla headed to the Adventures guild and began browsing the requests. “Hunt Goblins, Gather Healing Herbs, Get potions,” Nulla mumbled, seeing the bland quests. Nulla headed back to the Inn and laid in bed. Nulla struggled to think of something to do when a knock at the door broke him out of his trance. The hours had passed without notice, the sun going from barely risen to past noon.
“Here you go,” Mathew handed an envelope to Nulla, who greedily ripped it open.
“Request: Investigate the Mirabel Academy for any assassins
Requester: James Camitar. King of Camitar.
Request Type: Spying, Security
Difficulty: High”
“Perfect. And provided IDs!” Nulla investigated the two provided. One was for a student, another for a teacher.
“Athena mentioned she’ll be the student.”
“Hrm? But how will she continue to work as Accepting head?”
“She claims to have developed an ability to be in multiple places at once. She said she’s used it already to work in many places.”
“If she works everywhere, people might notice. Hopefully, she’ll get others soon.”
“She has found multiple talents as of delivery. She also asked me to inform you of the meeting point.”
∅∅∅
“Mirabel Academy! So, are you ready for this request!”
“Yes. Will you be the bait, or will I?”
“You connect with the royals, I’ll be a regular teacher. We’ll both be bait. Will a fish hook?!”
“You should at least appear calm. People will get suspicious.”
“Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.”
∅∅∅
“Welcome students. I am Nulla Murphey,” Nulla checked the subtle perception spell was doing its job, “And I’ll be both your homeroom and magic teacher for this year.”
The class immediately lost interest, likely due to not recognizing the family Nulla was supposedly from. The only interested parties were the Princess of Camitar and Athena. Nulla continued the lesson, talking about basic school rules and keeping an eye out for any suspicious figures.
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With the basic school explanation done, Nulla watched the students leave the room and walk to the auditorium for their assembly. Left alone, Nulla began to think, how would he meet up with Athena? Unlocking his [World Spanning Sight] for a minute, Nulla quickly grabbed some glass and metal. With a short period of effort, a magically imitated pair of phones was created. With the idea solidified, Nulla created a blueprint and stored it away in his backpack. Slipping his phone into his pocket, Nulla checked the time. Still an hour until the students are free.
Getting up, Nulla snuck over and into the dorms with invisibility magic. Dropping the phone and a note off on Athena’s desk, Nulla went back to his classroom. Sitting back in his chair, Nulla sat. And waited. And waited. And waited. And-
∅∅∅
It was the middle of the night when Nulla stopped waiting as Athena walked in.
“Were you waiting long?”
“Yes. Found out anything?”
“Nothing yet, but I have made friends with the princess.”
“What’s your combat skill?”
“Low.”
Nulla tossed over a token.
“Break it for a temporary power boost. Should help enough.”
“Got it. Good night.”
“Night.”
∅∅∅
The next morning came, and nothing really happened. Nulla taught, and the students either ignored him or paid genuine attention. When the class ended and the break took its place, the students divided themselves into three factions. The princess was the center of one, an arrogant student led the second, and the third was just a vague collection of those who wanted nothing to do with politics.
The arrogant one had the biggest group by far, likely from the actual leader leading, promises of removing “those ugly commoners”, and actual involvement in politics. Those nobles sure love their politics.
The day rushed by, and nothing else happened. And so did the week. And weeks. And weeks.
∅∅∅
“As of today, I’ve found the assassin. It’s Richard. He’s been hired by Michael.”
“Michael leads the pro-noble faction, right?”
“Yes.”
“Call them tomorrow then. What’s the status of HE’s outposts?”
“1 per major city, and some minor cities have gotten one as well.”
“Current funds?”
“Lots.”
“Perfect. Time to make Exceptional Help,” Nulla smiled, hands rubbing together, before noticing Athena's confused expression. “It’ll be the front of HE. Then it’ll develop into its own powerful organization, capable of making a random child into a hero in weeks, or destroying a country.” With Athena’s understanding nod, Nulla drew up the plans, pulled out product blueprints like the phone, and handed it to Athena. In a moment, it was transported to another her, and the plan was in motion.
∅∅∅
“Ah, fair Athena, what have you called my fair self for?” Michael called out, with Richard following behind. The Moonlight roof was flat and open, the only real structure being the doorway up.
“What a beautiful night it is. The three moons shining down at us it quite nice. The pleasing cool wind, and the huntable targets willing walking to me. What a wonderful night it is,” Athena smiled, and the door behind them.
“Whatever do you mean?” Michaels's smile retained but was noticeably faltering.
“You hired Richard here for the Assassination of Princess Veronica, and was planning to pin the blame on “the commoners”. You’d take this, and use it as justification for your total enslavement of Alreasts commoners. Your plan was oh so well planned, and untraceable.”
Michael and Richard looked at each other, and after a nod, drew their weapons. Michael held his wand parallel to himself, while Richard held his sword vertically, with a gentle angle towards Athena.
“Who do you work for?” Michael yelled across the silent roof. Silent? Michael focused his mana in his eyes and soon enough saw the silencing barrier across the roof.
“HE.”
Leaving no quarter, Athena manifested her mana blade and slashed at the still-distracted Michael. Richard wasn’t going to let his walking paycheck die that easily, so he stepped in and parried the strike.
“YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU,” Michael shouted. “You dare to try harming me?!”
“Yes. I may be head of Accepting, but I’m still an operative of HE. Such weak counters will only leave you dead.”
“Now hold on, we don’t want to kill them. That’ll just make them martyrs, leaving them will the same justification as killing the princess. No, we need to leave them alive, and with evidence of their plans.”
Athena shook, turning while blushing towards Nulla, who simply tilted his head in response.
“You… you commoner filth acting as a teacher. So you’re a disgusting spy. Hehehe. You’re both fools. Athena, had you taken by generous offer I gave you earlier, you wouldn’t die here tonight.”
Nulla’s eyes widened, a smile forming on his lips.
“I have here,” Michael continued, pulling out a shining gem, “the seal beast of the Null realm.”
“The Null realm?”
“Yes, the realm ruled by the Null god. These beasts are of great power, and with my great talent I shall make this one obey me.”
Athena began a spell, but Nulla stopped her. Instead, they watched as the gem began to glow, and slowly get brighter. In a minute, its shine was like a star, and a crack began to form. In moments, its cracks spread throughout the entire gem and it shattered into dust, and a roar tore throughout the roof. A large wolf appeared, with such power radiating from it that Athena, Michael, and Richard all collapsed.
Nulla tilted his head again, and asked, “Weren’t you going to tame it?”
Michael couldn’t respond. Nor Richard, nor Athena. They had all passed out. The wolf had stopped radiating its power, taking to instead bowing at Nulla's feet.
“Well, that was boring. Wolf… no Fenrir, will you work for EH as a guard?”
With an affirmative nod, Nulla turned back to the passed-out students. Nulla called an operative and while waiting, wiped their memory of the details of who they were. After entrusting Richard and Michael over to them, while sneaking Athena into her room himself, Nulla went to bed.