I Am A Table [LitRPG Isekai Progression Fantasy]

Lena peered inside the tiny compartment, then stuck two fingers in and pulled out a small, folded square. "Looks like it was accidentally left here," she said.

Accidentally? You think the furniture maker accidentally made a tiny locker inside a table's LEG too?!

"You wanna see what it says?" Lena asked as she unfolded the paper already.

"Not really," the customer said. Lena read the content out loud anyway.

"My Dearest Shifu,

I hope this letter finds you well, despite the… complications… that have arisen. I trust the new arrangements are proving satisfactory. The Secret Artifact Stealing from Respectable Magi project, as you requested, is complete. Its purpose, though perhaps obscure to others, serves a vital function in maintaining the balance you so carefully cultivate.

The recent disturbances have made me increasingly concerned. The whispers of the Voidweaver's return grow louder, and I fear the old wards are weakening. I have taken precautions, of course, securing the most sensitive of the artifacts in places only those with true understanding can access.

Remember our last conversation regarding the Celestial Compass? Its readings have become erratic. I believe the lunar cycle plays a far more significant role than we initially theorized. Keep a close watch on the Crimson Cabbage; it holds the key. If only the Lord of Darkness could stop his needless meddling. He was always meddling, either for the good or the bad of the realms he and his lackeys had (in his words) so carefully cultivated.

For now, I remain vigilant. The Watchers' Watch watches, and its secrets are safe with me.

With utmost respect and unwavering loyalty,

Your devoted apprentice,

K."

Then came the notification from the system.

[Second Key Information Gathered]

Wait. The Secret Artifact Stealing from Respectable Magi project? There's not a doubt Shifu was the one who stole from Anders! But the robed mage said he stole it though? Who's saying the truth? Or is the robed mage Shifu all along? Wait. Wait. Is the robed mage the sender of this letter?

Then the Watchers' Watch is mentioned too. Of course some shady, independent professional peering association is going to be involved in some thievery.

A beat of silence hung in the air after Lena finished reading. The customer looked bewilderingly apathetic.

Griesa stared at Lena for a second then said, "Is the letter finished?"

"Yes." Lena nodded.

"Good. Now please go outside so I can make adjustments to this table."

Yes. Now I only need her to notice the foreign markings and the last clue will easily be found.

"Oh, right. Of course," Lena said, already turning.

Her hand reached for the doorknob when Griesa's voice cut through the air. "Not so fast, young lady!"

Lena flinched.

Griesa continued, "You're not going anywhere until you clean that table. It's covered in grime and sugar."

Lena's shoulders slumped. Blorbo knew that particular slump. It was the same one she used when faced with chores she desperately wanted to avoid. With a sigh that was almost imperceptible to anyone but Blorbo, she reluctantly picked up a nearby rag. She began to wipe the table so slowly, as if each molecule of dust was being individually reasoned with.

[Debuff Partially Removed—2 AGI returned]

[Necessity unknown, since the user had not used AGI in a while]

Hey! That line is uncalled for. Nobody knows when I'll need to use my agility.

Of course the debuff was only partially removed. Lena just couldn't be bothered to wipe him clean.

With Lena finally (and begrudgingly) out of the way, Griesa's previous air of detached apathy vanished, replaced by a focused intensity. She took the small table from the customer, turning it over to examine the underside. She ran a gloved hand along the wood, then, from a satchel that seemed impossibly small given its apparent contents, she produced a bizarre device. It was (another) chaotic tangle of wires and blinking miniature gears, and attached to this central contraption were a series of interchangeable probes and appendages.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

She pressed this disc against various points on the table's surface and pressed her ears close to it, listening intently to the feedback through a pair of oversized headphones that the rat just strapped to her head.

What the hell is she doing?

The disc hummed against the wood, and Griesa would occasionally adjust a tiny dial on the central device, moving her lips silently as if deciphering a complex language. "Seems like all table legs are hollow… likely having compartments inside, but still solid and serviceable. Deceptively average. Clever, very clever," she muttered.

She continued her examination with other equally strange tools. A thin beam was projected across the surface for reasons Blorbo struggled to comprehend. She even used what looked like a miniature tuning fork, striking it and then holding it against different parts of the wood, listening to the way the vibrations traveled.

There wasn't a need to comprehend her methods, anyway. The foreign marking was on the surface. As long as she recognized it, he'd be good.

As Griesa continued her bizarre ballet of examination, Blorbo's hope began to curdle into a seething frustration. She glided her laser beam, her tuning fork, and her humming disc across every square inch of the table's surface. Every. Single. Square. Inch. Except one.

The marking.

She'd sweep the humming disc tantalizingly close to the foreign marking, the strange, almost glowing symbol that seemed to scream its presence to Blorbo. Her head would tilt, her brow would furrow, and then, just as Blorbo braced for the recognition, her hand would veer off, moving to an innocuous corner or a perfectly smooth edge.

No, why? It's there! It's right there!

Blorbo felt a profound, almost physical ache of exasperation. It was like watching someone search for a dropped coin, meticulously scanning every floorboard around the coin, but never, ever directly on it.

Then, with the humming disc still whirring, Griesa brought it back to the critical spot. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the disc crept closer to the foreign marking. Blorbo's internal monologue roared: One more inch! Just one more inch! You're almost there!

"All done!" Griesa announced.

Done?! What do you mean done?! Right when you're about to get there!

Something immediately showed up in front of Blorbo.

[Agility Check—Dodge The Object]

Reward: 1 AGI

Huh? What object?

Griesa yelled to the rat, "Kurix, catch!" The rat was already perching atop her hat, trying to catch her little disc.

But then, she accidentally flung her gadget backward, sending it directly… towards Blorbo.