Dimitri sighed. “I get where you’re coming from. I really do, but your suspicions are misplaced. I’m here because Eden asked me to. That’s it. Being here is the best use of my talents. If it’s a choice between me being in the field or her, I’m always choosing her.”

“But I’ve watched you and seen you move. You’re remarkably strong.”

“I’m powerful, but she’s better.”

“I get that, but why have someone as powerful as you here?”

“The speech you were given at the introduction ceremony was true. What you’ve read in the isolation room is accurate. Assassins are still coming for those who have been reincarnated, and we need permanent presence here. People who can deal with them when that happens.”

“You’re here as a deterrent?”

“No, the label deterrent is wrong. It suggests my existence stops them from coming. Believe me, it doesn’t. Terror races don’t work like that, especially when they’re on a divine mission. No, my role is more basic. I’m here for pest control. So, tug on my ear if you require help. Do it multiple times if it’s super urgent. When we leave here, you need to set up the connection to me. Stage a fight or jump off the blanket fort when I’m around. Do something where I’ll have to comfort you. If that sounds too uncomfortable, hurt yourself and retreat to your pseudo system room, let the you without adult memories run the show for that bit. Set up the routine as soon as possible, so if you ever need to contact me it’ll look natural”.

“And there’s really nothing else I can do. Stick out my tongue or something?”

Dimitri shook his head:

“I have one that taps my knee, another hugs my leg and doesn’t let go. Then a girl who will pick her goddamn nose in front of me and wipe it on her tunic, then another that kisses my left cheek instead of right one, a boy who will throw a temper tantrum and injure someone, and, finally, someone who’s willing to break their left hand.”

“I could do that one.”

Dimitri stared him straight in the eye, a small smile on his lips:

“Two people injuring their hands on the same day might be a little suspicious.”

“I could break my foot instead, or do so to my nose by running into something.”

Dimitri shook his head:

“You don’t need to make this so hard. While you’re under nine, it’s something like the ear. Then you mature and you get different methods. I don’t see why the ear is problem. Your body is four years old. Hugging adults is normal, and it actually improves your disguise.”

“Fine. Consider it done. I’ll do it.” Tom said, deciding it was not worth arguing over it anymore.

“Good. And, Tom… this is for emergencies only. This is not I need a specific poison or better dagger type of contact. Those types of requests wait until these briefing sessions. The ear is for life-and-death issues only.”

“I got it. Is there anything else, or can I ask questions?”

“Ask away.”

“How do resources work?”

“I’ll do my best to get you whatever specific thing you need. But I probably can’t source a trait like I did for Corrine. I just don’t have the personal credits anymore.”

“Anything I want?”

Dimitri nodded.

“Is there a budget?”

“No. Not as such. I have resources I draw on to help. They’re limited, but if your need’s genuine, I can lean on adventurers as they come through. Nothing’s guaranteed, of course, and the title will stop me from using the fact you’re a hero of humanity to get you extra, so you’ll be getting standard treatment no matter how much I personally might want to aid you. I can’t give you any more than I do anyone else.”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Tom noted the other man’s tone. For a moment, he had sounded as close to a hero worship as Corrine had gotten when she had found out his status.

“And what you will receive won’t be for free and handed to you under the table. That’s too suspicious. Everything gets funnelled through the end-of-year tournaments.”

“Do I have to win?”

Dimitri laughed. “I’m sure Corrine covered this with you. No, you don’t have to win, and we usually don’t actually want you to. Standard procedure is to include a couple of better items and tell you to get third or fourth. If the objects are too valuable, then maybe we’ll ask you to win, but that situation is rare. Expensive items are only helpful to reincarnators in a few unique circumstances.”

“What stuffs had been asked for in the past? Oh, and how many reincarnators are there?”

“For the last decade, we’ve averaged three reincarnators per year. Exact number varies - yours has more, the one two years above you has less. As for what has been previously requested… well, some ask for nothing. Occasionally I get requests for skills and spells,” he frowned at that. “Those I turn down until one turns ten. I also get lots of begging to add rooms with specific training aids. I usually accommodate those. Someone wanted a chain sword once, and another one wanted to change their bloodline. It was a cheap bloodline, so I complied.”

“Why would you do that? Why would someone ever want that? With our extra thirty fate they have to be losing out on attributes, if it was a cheap bloodline like you suggested.”

“Yes, it wasn’t a great deal on a raw power basis, but they had their reasons around synergy.” Dimitri answered smoothly.

Intuitively, Tom understood what he meant. They clearly had titles and or traits that worked better with the different bloodline, and had leant into that strength. He guessed he would have done the same.

“You know about Corrine,” Dimitri continued. “As well as about her getting a trait to boost her into the Divine trial. Every three or four years I get one like that.” The other man shrugged. “It varies, to be honest. But whoever is in my role tries their hardest.”

Tom nodded. What he was saying made a lot of sense to him.

“Well, instead of what has been asked for previously, what would you recommend that I get?”

“It depends on your build. But, if we are talking in generalities, I think the best items to concentrate on are natural treasures to either boost your magic affinity or your body. Then spell and skill affinity stones for an ability you already have. Sometimes boosting a skill from level one to ten can be a good enhancer.”

“Like spear mastery.” Tom muttered to himself.

“Yes, something like that. It becomes a force multiplier when it comes to getting other related skills. And, I guess, the last type of items is instructional aids, like your ring.”

Tom glanced down at the band on his finger. It was very useful for managing his rage with Dampen Senses, as well as for training.

“I don’t know what she was thinking about when she chose to give you that. Maybe she suspected you were reincarnated because to anyone else that ring would have been useless. Your getting that was super lucky. The only thing I insist on is that you don’t get skills or spells until you’ve been here for a few years.”

“Only those, not traits?” he teased immediately.

“I recommend for traits to be delayed for a different reason. Traits are difficult to develop independently, especially ones that are only complimentary to your main build, but not directly related. My recommendation to delay taking them on is to ensure that anything you get is perfect for you long-term. Unlike spells and skills, which humanity doesn’t value, because, ultimately, we can buy them from the experience shop, traits have inherent value to us. They’re more than just a trade good. They are valuable, and, in most cases, why would you give them to a kid, even a reincarnator, when it can go to a current champion of humanity? If you boost Cam’s lightning power by ten percent, that’s a huge upgrade, or Eden’s archery by five per cent, or that of any of the heroes. Traits are hard to acquire because of that, and, more broadly, all the natives have their own powerhouses to promote.”

“Corrine got very lucky.”

The other man shook his head. “Yes and no. We don’t want any of our champions fighting anything more powerful than them. That trait was not one they would have benefitted from.”

“As an emergency measure, it’s pretty good.”

Dimitri laughed hollowly. “Yes, no. Our experience is that, if you give humans a shield, it just means they’ll push harder. They’ll climb ranks faster, but become far more likely to die. That talent was dangerous, and much better used going to Corrine to get her into the divine champion’s trial. As I’ve said, you can ask for traits, but you might not receive one.”

“I don’t want a trait.” Tom admitted. “I’d like to see what I can create myself, to see how far I’m capable of pushing my body and magic.”

“Good.”

“I do, however, want a couple of things. My first question is - can the isolation rooms be updated to include teleportation and precognition spell guides?”

Dimitri raised an eyebrow at that request:

“That is not what I was expecting.”

“It’s a part of where I want my long-term build to go, but, unlike most paths, these are not included in the isolation rooms.”

“My gut instinct is that we can’t do it, but let me check.”

The older man closed his eyes, and the animation left him as he retreated into his system room.

Tom stared at Dimitri and wondered what exactly was he doing there.