The rest of the day crawled by. Like, at glacial speeds, over glass. We had more exercises, a few drills they wanted us to practice, but mostly they were just killing time while all the other cadets went through the course. By the time the day ended I wanted to sleep so badly I almost burst into tears, but I had a training session with Camden and Celine, so I had to stay awake.

I burned another heal burst to repair the damage of the day and a second to energize me as best I could get, because I still had to grant today's wishes. I decided to just do all six for Camden and bank the extra, that way I would have a decent stockpile for when we actually got our territory.

Callie caught up with me as I was leaving, coming with me up to the manor for moral support (which is to say, to catch me if I passed out) and to my surprise, we were quickly joined by my sister.

"I'd have thought you'd avoid this like the plague." I said to Chelsea with a chuckle. "It's going to be insanely boring. Jessie is patching everyone up and then they're all going to sleep." I sighed in pure jealousy. "I'd give anything to go to sleep right now."

Even with the charge of heal burst I was so exhausted I felt like I was underwater. My sister just smiled though. "I came to get to know my brother, not just to have adventures. Which, by the way, I don't think I would categorize this as. So far this vacation is sucking pretty hard."

I shrugged. "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Should have asked around about all the nonsense we get into. This was bound to be somehow horifically annoying or possibly fatal." I softened the joke with a smile. "But really, I'm glad you came with us. I want to get to know you too. It's just so...weird, thinking about having a twin. There's so much we never got to learn about each other."

"There's so much I never got to learn at all." She said sadly. "I mean, even about myself and the things I can do. I've just been so...limited. I don't even know what happens if I use both my abilities at once. I've never been allowed to try."

Wincing, I shook my head. "Actually that one was probably a good idea. I've seen what that looks like. It explodes. Don't."

"Oh." She said in a let down sort of tone. "Ok. But still, my point stands. I've been pretty much kept in a box my whole life. I know a lot of random shit from books but not much else. Seems like you at least got to interact with other people. I want to learn all about you for sure, but I hope you can teach me to be a normal person too. The way you learned."

Callie snickered from the other side of me. At my glare she shrugged. "Sorry, honey, but calling you normal is a stretch. You were basically a shut in before we met. The only person you talked to was Benny." My feeling of dismay must have rolled through the bond, because she backpedaled. "Not that my childhood was any better. Running away at sixteen to live in an underground criminal dystopia is hardly the best way to hone your people skills."

Chelsea giggled at the interplay. "It's sweet how close you two are. I can't imagine knowing someone that well. My brother was lucky to find you."

"Yup." I agreed unashamedly. "Best thing that ever happened to me. Sadly, I think we have to cut the heart to heart short though. We're here." I pointed up at the manor, and at the door where Celine was waiting for us. We'd split up to get changed into our more formal clothes. Chelsea, having joined us on the walk, was still in her armor, but she wasn't taking lessons so it didn't matter.

Alister was standing beside Celine, and when we approached, he bowed formally. "Greetings, Lord and Ladies. Be welcome in the home of his grace, Baron Camden Toldert. Declare your allegiance."

I just looked at him, unsure what the hell he was talking about. Celine, smiling slightly, stepped past him to stand beside us, dropping into a low curtsy as she said primly. "Greetings, honored seneschal, from my liege Shane, of house Wyndham. Son of Elijah and slayer of Suvaya."

That wasn't what I expected her to say, but she knew what was what so I just let it go. As they both rose, she turned to me with a laugh. "For future reference, declaration of allegiance will include your house, as well as the house and provenance of your liege. Technically speaking, despite you being in attendance, declaring myself for you is a bit of a loophole, but you would normally declare yourself for Baron Tolbert, at least until you rank up."

I shrugged. "You guys didn't mention that to me. Isn't that what the lessons are supposed to be for?"

"I believe it was a test." Said my elven friend. "Though perhaps an ill timed one on Alister's part, given your current frazzled state."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The seneschal sniffed reproachfully. "Nonsense. Good manners are to be observed at all times. One is not granted dispensation for mere tiredness. Your response was...technically passable. You may enter. We've arranged a small repast while you speak with his grace on the content of his wishes."

Excited by the idea of food after working out most of the day, I followed him in, but was stopped by Celine. "Be careful when we go in." She said in a low voice. "Watch how I eat, and follow my lead. If Alister is already testing you, a meal isn't relief, it's a trial." She nodded to the others, who presumably could eat however the fuck they wanted, and then swept inside.

Grumbling, I followed her inside, ignoring Chelsea and Callie snickering at my downcast expression. I was annoyed, I admit. I'd been wearing myself out all day and I was tired and hungry. I just wanted to eat a normal meal, not some fancy nonsense test dinner.

Camden was waiting for us in the dining room, the table overflowing with meat and pasta and several kinds of vegetable, some of which I didn't recognize. He grinned and waved me over as I arrived. "Solomon, or should I say Shane, I suppose? Come in, come sit down. Your guests are welcome as well."

Chelsea and Callie introduced themselves with real names, though Chelsea didn't mention being my sister. Anders wasn't as well known a name as Wyndham, since the Radiant Pope rarely went by his given name. In a huge universe it was unlikely someone would make the connection. They sat down, Callie in her nice dress and Chelsea in her armor, which was surprisingly clean despite a day of exhausting training. Purification flames have many uses.

"So." i said as we all sat down. "How do we do...this?" I gestured at the food. "And why, more accurately. This doesn't seem like the best timing. Alister's whole 'always be ready' motto aside, I'm exhausted and starving. If we could do the food portion of these lessons...not today, that would be great."

He just chuckled. "Sorry Shane, but it is a necessity. We're going to be attending a banquet this weekend, to try to get your names and faces out among the nobility before the big takeover. TECHNICALLY as an unlanded Baron I shouldn't be invited, but my name does come with some small perks, and anyone in the Empire would want a Tolbert at their party, distanced from the house as I may be."

I blinked. That was...efficient. I'd been expecting a long wait for our big introduction. "Guess we'll have to pick who will be staying behind to manage the territory." I said slowly. I didn't know who I would leave, or even if I was willing to do it. It was a hard decision. "For now, why don't you fill me in on the particulars of fancy eating, and we can get started on your wishes. Did Alister tell you I wanted to do six today?"

"Of course, that's fine." He said with a wave. "We put provisions in the contract for that. You said you'd done similar things in previous contractual arrangements?"

"Back on my home planet." I agreed. "So what will your wishes be. You going with stat gains to start? Or do you have other ideas." As we waited, Alister began pointing out forks, bowls, and various smaller utensils. The array of rules and affectations were dizzying, but with my Focus it wasn't tough to remember it all.

Camden took a bite, mulling it over. "I think I'm more interested in doing a bit of...territorial shifting." He grinned at me. "This area is well known to the locals, but if things were to change... well, that would make matters more complicated, especially if I knew about the changes and they didn't." Withdrawing a map, he started pointing out sections of it to me.

Despite my stats being more than enough to move some ground, the more of it that needed moving the more it cost. Even wishes couldn't just magically make a fifty mile tunnel underground on a C-rank planet without a trace. At least not my wishes and not all at once. After some trial and error, we managed to carve out about a mile of tunnel per wish, under the condition that no trace of the formation would be detectable.

He didn't set it up below the manor, choosing to make it in the middle of a contested area he pointed out on the map. Six miles of tunnel, following a very specific route he marked out for me. With my already exhausted body, the drain of the wishes hit me like a punch to the gut, but I got through it, then followed the ridiculous directions to eat my overly complicated meal.

By the time we finished it was about eight P.M and I could barely stand. The food and the crash from the wishing had mixed together into a roiling cauldron of exhaustion that had me ready to pass out. Callie and Chelsea helped prop me up as we said our goodbyes, making sure to take down the time we'd need to leave for the banquet and telling Camden who would be coming along.

Then they walked me back to the barracks, and I stumbled inside, staggering to my bed and slamming into my mattress without even taking off my clothes. Benny, who was bunked near me, saw me come in and helped me push my legs over the side of the bed so I wasn't hanging over the edge.

"You look wiped, man." He said tiredly. "I wanted to stay up to make sure you got back ok. Everything go alright with Camden?"

I groaned, pulling my mask off and dropping it on an endtable near the single twin bed. We had privacy curtains, though mine was open in the direction of Benny's bed and the same for his. I was glad it was taken care of, since I didn't want to sleep in a wooden mask. "Yeah, we have a banquet this weekend. Your girlfriend can tell the details, I need to sleep."

Chuckling my friend laid back in his own bed, closing his eyes. "I'm right there with you man. I'm exhausted myself. See you in the morning Shane."

"Night Benny." I muttered as my eyes forced themselves shut. The day was over, thank the gods, and tomorrow wouldn't be nearly as bad, since we'd be well rested. We had a few days of this until the weekend, where we'd have a whole day off before that banquet in the evening. I just hoped things didn't get any more complicated from here.