NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18 - Optimizing Your Isekai
And wait we did. For almost two hours.
We had to cancel our dinner plans with the Aspirations of Ascendancy and ran into another issue that we couldn't discuss.
[Incoming Message from Gabor Gogol: Quick update: looks like the funding for the team that got pulled was routed through the Purveyors of Platinum and they are refusing to give us any information. We think it was someone local and I have my suspicions but we're at a bit of dead end right now.]
"Well, that's great news," I said sarcastically with a sigh. "Let's discuss it when we're on the road?"
"Sure, sounds good," was all Tiesa said.
Finally, at one and half hours past when we arrived, Jasmina Zizek came into our conference room. She was wearing the third outfit I had seen her in that day, this one a bit more of a slinky dress of purples and dark blues that had enormous shoulderpads; it made her look like she was very confused about someone inviting her to a football game.
In a very officious and pompous voice, she called out loudly enough for the whole building to hear, "Selim Koval, His Esteemed Leadership, Guildmaster, Adventurers Guild, will deign to see you now. Do be quick and courteous."
Three simultaneous sighs emerged from our group. My little bond woke at the noise and was staring daggers – which was not too intimidating with his enormous eyes – at the woman and grumbling for interrupting his nap.
She led us into an office that would make even the least confident or aware man think the owner was compensating for a lot of things. The room was decorated in literal gemstones embedded in the desk and wooden shelving, making the ridiculous lobby look like a pauper's den.
"Yes, yes, thank you my lovely Jasmina. That dress suits you so perfectly. Why, the man who has the pleasure of taking it off you this night is ever so lucky." An unctuous voice came from the massive chair that was turned away from us. It was behind a desk that was laden with trophies and other bric-a-brac but looked like it was never used as an actual desk. I spotted the small hand mirror he was holding to watch us but couldn't get a good look at the man himself.
I went to sit as did Jasna; Jasmina let out a scandalized shriek. "You are in the Office of The Guildmaster. You do not dare to take a seat until he gives you leave! Such impudence! Should I show them away Your Leadership?"
I could hear the capitalizations on random words.
"No, no, my sweet and ever loyal Jasmina, it is okay. They are bumpkins who do not know better. Though at least one was not so foolish. Alas, you may leave us."
"Thank you Your Leadership," she said and bowed low for thirty seconds and left.
With a dramatic turn – or at least I guessed he wanted it to be dramatic – he spun the chair to face us.
Huh, was expecting something far different.
There was a rather plain if moderately handsome man of average height and reasonably athletic build sitting on a very cushy chair. His closely cropped goatee was deep black with bits of golden thread woven throughout. He had a massive scar under his right eye reaching from his ear to the other side of his nose. His gray eyes cycled between looking lifeless and full of malice.
His haircut was extremely similar to my own.
Really? This tool has this? I need to get it cut tomorrow.
"Yes, you are welcomed into my humble abode. Err, work abode that is. And isn't a man's office more important than even his home? Yes, the work truly defines us. Don't you agree?" He gave a simpering smile like there was no way it was possible to say anything but yes.
"Nope," Jasna said and flopped back down on the couch.
"Impertinent little… yes, yes. Well, let's get this over with. I am sure you have some pigs to wrestle or something."
Jasna turned to Tiesa. "There's pig wrestling here?"
Tiesa's tongue poked out of her teeth and Jasna gave a silent nod.
"Yes, well, get on with it," he said, waving his hand impatiently.
"Sorry Mr. Koval, but I am not sure what you want me to get on with," Tiesa said looking nonplussed.
"You will address me as Your Leadership The Guildmaster or simply Guildmaster. And there was some nonsense about a dungeon almost gaining sentience? And I know this fool isn't him but do we have a bag we could put on his head or something?" he finished, gesturing at me.
"Your Leadership, I believe the Aspirations of Ascendancy have already filed their report but I can walk you through—" I stopped as he held up his hand.
"If I wanted to speak with a Tier 1, I'd… well, I'd never want to do that. You, the slightly less rude one. Report."
[Incoming Message from Tiesa Gogol: I guess we go with the plan. You're okay not talking?]
I sent a message back quickly [Our goals are worth far more than caring about this] accidentally sending instead of deleting when I remembered they might have some kind of message interception. [Yes, proceed as discussed. This is important.]
"Guildmaster, as you so wisely requested, we were sent to investigate a Tier 1 dungeon that had killed two teams, including one you deemed adequate." Tiesa held a remarkably steady voice despite how much vitriol I know she wanted to add.
"We arrived at the dungeon with the team that will bring Adventurer Carver here to the peak of Tier 1, the Aspirations of Ascendancy." She paused as he held up both hands this time looking furious.
"That thing, that weakling! He is not an Adventurer, at least not while I am the Guildmaster. He is never to be referenced as such. This is an official inquiry. Not report. Inquiry." He looked like that was supposed to spook Tiesa but she shrugged and waited for him to signal her to continue.
"As I said, under the excellent direction of the Guildmaster, we arrived at night and waited until first light so the team would be well rested. The team entered at one bell past first light and—"
"Why would these sluggards and vagabonds wait that long? Every Adventurer worth their essence should be up before first light!"
"Yes Guildmaster, I will make sure to admonish them for their laziness," she said with no emotion. "As they entered, the dungeon was clearly changed from prior recordings and it sealed them off from the exit. It then proceeded to throw an exceptionally high number of enemies at them far in excess to anything a mid-Tier 1 or even a peak-Tier 1 dungeon should. I reviewed the recordings as submitted by all five members.
"After three rooms of exceptional difficulty, there were two very odd rooms with monsters that, according to the Aspirations of Ascendancy, were remarkably high in null essence concentration – even above any monsters to date – but were extremely easy to kill with fire. The team dispatched one large creature and then three smaller of the same variety in the boss room.
"As had been theorized in your excellent team's briefing packet Guildmaster, the dungeon had started to gain some degree of sentience. Just sealing the exit was enough to show that but it changed rooms around during the delve. At least that was the conclusion of the team members and I agree."
"You really listen to Tier 1s? Pathetic. They know nothing, have accomplished nothing." He swung his hand in a supposedly grandiose manner, knocking multiple things off his desk and freezing; he tried to act like he had meant to do exactly that.
"Understood Guildmaster. I reviewed the footage and came to the conclusion on my own." At his nod, she continued. "As per Your Leadership The Guildmaster's direction, the team decided to destroy the dungeon core."
"At least they did something right," he muttered.
"Yes, well this dungeon was apparently far smarter than we gave it credit for and it showed the Aspirations of Ascendancy a fake core and told them it hated them, giving them very weak items, even creating realistic fake core shards. Terry here received a potion belt that is empty," she said, gesturing to me.
Extremely smart delivery Tiesa, glad you're on my team. And glad we talked about that and I came up with that wording to get around any AAI-backed guarantee they might require. It is empty even if it wasn't… and using the team name means it excludes me but he won't care enough to notice the difference.
"At night, as Terry is more attuned to null essence given the experiments of Barry," Tiesa started and paused as Selim literally spit. "Yes, he's despicable. But as I said, given his affinity, Terry knew there was something strange about the area. He decided to investigate further and entered. The dungeon had hidden its entrance and he was trapped once he went inside.
"He subsequently delved the dungeon for a number of hours and it was supposedly a grueling time. When I discovered he was gone as I had late watch, I searched the area to find the entrance but it was blocked off from the outside similar to what it did on the previous delve. Before I was able to break in, Terry emerged with this dungeon core shard that I have authenticated, to the best of my ability, is real."
"When you say 'supposedly', why are you saying it like that? Are you again believing the word of some silly Tier 1?" he said, looking like the cat that caught the canary.
Fell into trap one.
"Unfortunately, as he is a new ad— delver," she corrected herself, "Terry here did not use his AAI for recording. Whether it was blocked, we'll never know."
"Really? You had discovered a sentient dungeon and didn't think it worth recording!?" the man exploded from his chair to point in my face.
Jasna warned me this was apparently a tactic he used to get people to fight back so he could punish them, especially extracting significant fines paid directly to him.
"Yes, I apologize Your Guildmaster—"
He gave an insolent noise of rage, returning to his desk. "Either Your Leadership The Guildmaster or Guildmaster, never Your Guildmaster!"
Trap two: show incompetence. Though I guess not recording was actual incompetence…
"Yes, sorry Guildmaster," I tried to sound contrite but really just wanted to laugh at the man. "Guildmaster, I have only been on planet for about ten days and this was my second real delve. Or I guess third." I added, again hamming it up.
"Well which is it boy? Second or third? Can't count?"
"I guess second and third. The first time through the dungeon was my second real delve and the second time through the dungeon was my third. Wait, is that right?" I was worried I was acting a bit too dumb but he seemed to eat it up. "So I simply forgot to try to record. I apologize."
[Incoming message from Tiesa Gogol: Good job telling the whole truth, even if it is embarrassing.]
Potential third trap if anyone was actually monitoring communication.
"Yes, yes, that makes sense. I don't think any of you, however many there are, with that body can actually put together a cogent thought. Barry focused on other features. Or so I've heard!" he added quickly.
I looked at him quizzically as if I didn't understand he called me dumb.
Selim gestured to Tiesa to continue but she stood ramrod straight. Seemingly realizing he hadn't asked a question, he looked momentarily embarrassed before returning to haughty. "Well, why did you, someone with an advanced Tier, not realize the shard they brought back the first time was fake?"
"Yes, that was a major oversight on my side. I have brought it for study as it actually does appear to be real on a simple examination. Apparently the dungeon was not just mildly sentient but was actually quite clever. Given there are no records of anything similar I've heard of, I didn't think to question if it was actually a real shard." She shrugged.
Trap four: actually point to our mistakes and mix them in with the other carefully worded twists.
"Yes, were you actively on the Guild roles, I would censure you. As is, we are giving the official rewards to the Guild for finding and subsequently destroying a sentient dungeon, to be used at my discretion."
While frustrating, it was still something we expected. Greed and ego were a rather substantial part of his personality after all so of course he'd pilfer the money. At least they couldn't do anything about trying to charge me for my bond.
Still stings to get so much taken away. That was going to be almost 100 gold for the discovery and destruction each so 40 gold to me.
"And you said you verified this shard and the destruction of the core?"
"I wasn't there so I can't verify beyond my capabilities but it matches the descriptions, supposed readings, etc. of a destroyed core shard. I saw the disappearance of the dungeon before my eyes. I can say with every confidence that, as far as I am aware, it is destroyed."
That was the tricky part. I think she suspects something but not sure yet. But everything she said is perfectly true.
"Well, based on the debrief from this Tier 1 team that went with you, I have brought my own expert to authenticate." He clapped his hand grandiosely but it was obvious he had just sent an AAI message.
An extremely hunched over old man in sparkling green robes and a tiny pink hat perched on the back of his head – as it would fall off the top – opened the door and, without saying a word, went over and grabbed the jagged shard, cutting his hand.
"Well, that's test one," he said, laughing. He proceeded to poke, prod, lick, sniff, rub against, and any number of other ways to interact with the shard. Finally, he cast a spell, his hands glowing a very faint white as he moved them up and down the now-floating shard.
"I can tell this came from a dungeon destroyed in the last five days, it was a green and null essence affinity, and I can feel something odd residually. If I didn't know better, I would think it was thought or memories," he said chuckling to himself and dripping blood and saliva from the shard all over the various animal skin rugs. "Was this a sentient dungeon?" he asked as if it were the world's best joke.
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When no one reacted, he turned to Selim. "Really? Is it really— ah, okay, you're right, I'll leave. Toodles."
Shocked toodles was translated. Pretty clear he got another AAI message to leave.
"We're done here," was all Selim said. I looked to Tiesa and Jasna who were similarly not sure what to do.
"That means leave you cretins!" Jasmina bellowed from the hallway.
"Per the agreement with Velez, I can use your scanner crystal," I said to the woman as we exited.
"Like we'd let you use the crystal here. You can go to a branch office near any of the gates. Now, you have <45 seconds> to leave the building before I charge you with trespassing."
By silent agreement without even looking at each other, we took our time and leisurely walked out, making sure to stay well past 45 seconds.
Sometimes, it's the little things.
***
"I invited our friends to join," Jasna said as we were settling in to a table at a large pub.
"Jazzy, did you think you should ask us before doing that?" Tiesa asked.
"No, because I like them and you like them. So two against one even if Terry didn't want them to come." The look she gave Tiesa was that of an exasperated adult explaining something to a petulant toddler.
"That's great Jasna, I'm glad you think I'd enjoy meeting your friends," I cut in, heading off the argument. "What are their names, how do you know them?"
"Lora and Bruno Zepa. They're a couple and have been on delving teams with Tee-Tee and me. I'm still technically on a team with Bruno but it's been a while. Also, don't accept their invite. Hi, over here!" she called out waving before I could ask what she meant.
Two people dressed in matching outfits of the Zalano style of very strange and sharp angles, buttons placed like from an AI art generator, approached and pulled back the hoods on their half capes. I would have guessed brother and sister over husband and wife as both had green-tinted sandy blonde hair and sharp blue eyes that scanned him before lighting up at Tiesa and the approaching Jasna. Both were tall and lithe though Lora looked to have a fair bit of muscle in the arms and torso.
They look like models. Ugh, hope this is better than that date…
Jasna brought them over to the table and got everyone situated.
"So, I hear you are causing quite the amount of trouble. Surprised you only got two pairs of underwear today. We didn't get a chance to pass in the same circles as Cornelius but we still hear people talk about him with bated breath," Bruno said the second his butt hit the bench.
"Wow, just going right into it I see, nice to meet you too," I said with a laugh. "Yeah, that's been a whole not-fun thing that already got me kicked out of Zalano. While it might open a few bedroom doors for me, it's shut many of the doors I actually care about." I was a little taken aback by the forward comment before hello but Tiesa and Jasna seemed to like them so I tried to roll with it.
"Oh, don't mind my husband, he always loves to try to put people on the backfoot. Especially those 'Mama Tiesa' is watching over. Yes my lovely friend, I can tell you want to protect him like a mama bear. It's cute though I don't think it's necessary, he seems like he can handle himself." Lora held up a hand and summoned the server and ordered twice as much food as five people needed and three times as many drinks. "On us of course."
"How has your delving been going?" Jasna asked.
"Eh, Tier 5 rifts are boring when you're at the peak and there are so few here in the Kingdom. I've heard they are more abundant in The MM and quite so in the kingdoms across the sea. And I know I try not to stare at ladies' chests but… did you have some work that was extremely poorly performed?" Lora winked at Jasna who reached her hand down the front of her blouse and produced a groggy and grumpy glider.
"YOU GOT A BOND AND DIDN'T TELL ME!?" Lora was equal parts excited and incensed.
"It's his," Jasna said simply and started to experimentally feed some of the spicy wings she ordered to the glutton. He made a face of discomfort and then begged for more after every bite.
"Yeah, hatched today. Not the sharpest crayon in the box if you know what I mean," I said with a fond look. I could feel the massive swings in excitement, longing, contentment, and then discomfort from his food exploration.
"Ooh, what's his name? I bet it's exotic and erotic, right?" Lora asked, giving me a coquettish wink.
"Dear, not before we've had our meal. Fill up first then flirt." Bruno didn't seem to mind at all the strange behavior of his wife.
"Actually, I think I am ready to ask him. I have an old superstition about naming pets. I haphazardly picked the names of my first two hamsters and they both lasted less than a month. Then, I spent some time with my third one, Marissa, asking her to help me pick her name and she lived for three years. I don't want to get into the cat we adopted but the family didn't listen before picking one at random…"
"Wait, can animals on your planet talk?" Jasna asked, excitement sparking in her eyes.
"Not speech like we think but I don't think people give them enough credit. Here, give the little sodus to me."
"He did not poop in my hand," Jasna said.
"He meant give the sugar glider to him," Lora said fondly.
With an indignant screech at being taken away from his food source, I looked into his eyes and sent warm feelings down our metaphysical link. He quieted down as I tried to communicate that he'd get far more food soon but this was important.
"Feel free to throw out suggestions and I'll see how he reacts. We have an instinctive link so I'll know," I said.
First, we tried a number of food names like Apple, Taco, Peach, Tostada, Lemon, Muffin, Biscuit, Pancake, Waffles, Nugget, and so on – even though some of the words translated strangely per everyone at the table – but all I got was the feeling that he wanted to try all the foods, not be named after one. We tried some flying related puns but they didn't go over well with the little fussy monster or my dinner companions. Sugper-Man was especially hated.
When we moved onto regular names for the area as suggested by the others, Andrei, Ruslan, Maksim, Arthur, Nazar, Nemanja, Miroslav, Darko, Florin, Valentin, Milan, Ruslan two more times (by Lora), Bruno (also by a giggling Lora), Ferdinand, Radomir, Boris, Elton, Arben, Viktor, Ibrahim, Zoran, Mustafa – all were given as options and the little beast sulkily rejected all of them. I gave him a bit of food and he was less fussy but equally as dismissive.
"I was thinking Raymond or Ray for short. Do you like that? You seem to want to punch things and there were two famous boxers named Sugar Ray – Robinson and Leonard – on Earth. Plus, Sugar Ray sang Fly, a song I always loved, and, well, you know, you are supposed to fly. Or at least glide. What do you think?"
He gave a screech that everyone else interpreted as happy and thought it was settled which led to many toasts; unfortunately, it was actually an admonishment.
"What, it's not like I'm just going to call you Steve or something," I said grumpily.
He screamed with delight and even got up and did a little dance.
Seriously? Here is my sentient punching sugar glider, Steve. I guess it doesn't really matter that much. If he's happy, I'm happy.
We toasted the little terror and due to the excitement he was causing – apparently some people had messaged friends to come check him out too – the pub brought him a giant pile of food on the house which, once he checked it was okay with me, he literally dove into and started eating.
Getting back to our actual conversation, Bruno asked about my language skills.
"Well, as you can tell, I'm still using my native language though I am turning off other people's translations more often. Tiesa and Jasna have been helpful, though Gabor and a few others think it's very funny to make me say extremely inappropriate things or for others to say them at me as part of my practice."
"Yup, that's my husband," Tiesa said with a mix of exasperation and fondness.
"Is there any reason you didn't get the module to translate from your thoughts out loud?" Bruno asked and Lora gave him a reassuring rub on the back.
"Because it was ungodly expensive. I think it was 125 gold with zero guarantee it would work. I was only supposed to start with 30 gold but a weird set of circumstances set me up with a bit more. I don't know how much I'd have to work but I can't pull together that kind of money any time soon." I realized I had been talking a bit loudly about money – and not insignificant sums – and blamed it on the drink.
Isekonsultant Tip to Thriving #10: Don't boast about wealth while holding an extremely rare delve reward and getting literal mounds of food while sitting with clearly wealthy people, especially as a Tier 1.
Should I ask for an escort to the bathroom?
Turns out, it wasn't needed though there was someone who grabbed at my butt before running off. I wasn't sure if it was a miss of my coin pouch or not.
Which coin pouch? No, BAD BRAIN!
Having sobered up very slightly, I came back. "So, why were you asking about language software? Seems like an interesting if esoteric topic."
"I've got a buddy who heard about you and wanted to try to put a translation program together that is more universal. Well, it's the kid of a buddy so he's about 13 but he wants to do it since A Dragon Speaking Naturally costs a hoard." Bruno let out a good-natured laugh.
I guess dragon myths transcend universes.
"And I am guessing he needs startup capital or something?" I asked warily.
"What? It's software and he's not looking to actually sell it. Kid just wants to mess around. Free to make on his AAI or his tablet. He just wants you to test it. Says it's way harder with non-native languages to this continent, at least according to the people he interviewed who left the A Dragon Speaking Naturally team."
"Sure, send him my way, sounds interesting," I said.
I'll have to have someone look over it so I'm not installing something brain melting but this could help. I still want to learn the language and I'm not too terrible after just a few days. I hope.
"So, we are heading out. Any of you want to come back to ours? Tee-Tee, I am guessing you're a no. Jasna? Terry?" Lora asked.
"No, I'm good, but thanks for asking," Jasna said cheerfully, showing a bit of a flush from all the alcohol. She had drunk two times more than any of the rest of us and was having a grand old time chatting to and feeding Steve as he luxuriated in the attention.
"For what, like a night cap?" I asked.
"For sex. They are asking if you want to go back and have sex with them. You are so naïve sometimes. It's annoying. And sometimes charming. Unlike you, you're always charming aren't you?" Jasna's attention wandered back to Steve as she started fixing his onesie.
"Uh, no thank you but… thanks for offering?" I said.
"Yup, any time. You have our contact info. For that or for anything else." Bruno shot me a wink. "So nice meeting you Terry – yes and you Steve – and we need to get the band back together when we get a Tier 6 slot. Now give us some hugs you two," he said to Jasna and Tiesa who obliged. Steve didn't shriek which I thought was an improvement. Unfortunately, it was because he was slumped over fast asleep with some food hanging out of his mouth.
We headed back to our inn and sent off a few messages to Gabor and the Aspirations of Ascendancy. After going to my room I updated my to-do list, attempting to keep to my new format of only top six goals and failing miserably.
***
I woke with a start as someone was pounding on my door. I sent an AAI message to Jasna and Tiesa.
Or tried to.
The only thing I had were three temporary communication connection request acceptances with everything else unavailable.
Oh sodus, not again.
"Open up! By decree of the Mayor of Pitola, the High Council, and the Adventurers Guild, you are to come with us!" The door suddenly burst inwards and three people in full plate sporting swords and shields tried to enter my room.
While it was a nice inn, said room wasn't that big.
How should I play this? I don't have the backing here to go high noble… information gathering and playing innocent sounds reasonable.
"Hello, uh, officers?" I began. "Can you let me know what I've done or your plans?"
Of the two who fully fit into the room, one went to backhand me but the woman, who looked to be leading the squad, grabbed his hand. "He's a Tier 1 moron. That might have killed him. Sir, you need to come with us, get dressed and get your things. If you try anything funny, at best we will maim you." She said the threat so matter-of-factly, it was jarring.
Oh, come on, 'don't be obnoxious or we'll cut off an arm'. Man, I'm hungover this morning and really don't want to deal with this…
"And is there anything I did to warrant such treatment?"
"Jebbie if I know. I'm here to enforce not anything more," she said with a yawn. "Now get moving, it's too early and I might still be able to get back to bed."
I quickly got dressed and stuffed a fussy Steve down the front of my shirt, storing my armor and weapons in my ring while trying to make it look like they were going into my bag in case they confiscated the bag.
No idea if they bought that.
Near the top of the stairs, the guy who tried to take a swing at me – who I dubbed Moron 1 – suddenly turned around, pushed me up against a door and clapped chains on my wrists behind my back while his friend, Moron 2, pointed a sword at me and nicking my collarbone, causing Steve to emerge from my shirt throwing his tiny fists around.
The woman just turned around and rolled her eyes. "Do something like that again without approval and it will be two weeks docked pay. Just get him moving."
As we entered the first floor of the inn, the proprietor was bouncing back and forth between furious and frightful. "What about my door?!" she finally asked.
"Eh, charge it to this idiot," Moron 1 said, then tried to trip me as we walked by a table. Luckily my training with Risto and Jasna made it simple to keep my balance but it caused him to shove me again.
"There's two days pay and a day in the stocks. If I honestly can't control you, I'll probably just have to kill you. He's under my care so if anything happens, it's on me. Feel free to test me. You, up here with me." Moron 1 looked stunned at the woman's words and she pulled me up to walk alongside her.
We exited the inn to Selim Koval waiting outside with a few other well-dressed people. The sun was barely cresting over the horizon behind them. When they saw me chained up, multiple people turned on Selim.
"We agreed to exile, what the hell is this Selim?" an older woman seemingly still in her pajamas – including a sleeping cap – asked. "This is a spectacle and the entire point was to get him out of here before he causes trouble. And he's bleeding? You, explain yourself!" she bellowed at me.
The woman stepped in front. "Hello, I am Vice Captain Radmila Norkus of the Pitola guard. These two morons were forced upon me by the Adventurers Guild. They repeatedly threatened and physically harassed our… guest, I guess? If you are upset, 100% of the blame is on Koval."
Holy shit, she just metaphorically slapped him across the face. Am I a fan or not? Hard to say but love the game.
"You boy, aren't you man enough to speak for yourself?" a well-dressed man in probably his 30s looked at me disdainfully.
I stepped forward with my hands behind my back. "I am not sure what my offense could be other than existing. I did not ask to be brought—"
"What's he saying? Doesn't he have an AAI? Send out a connection request you idiot!" the same man spat.
I shrugged and the woman stepped forward. "Apparently, these two initiated an AAI blocker of some kind, against regulations and without approval or instruction." I quickly glanced back and Moron 1 looked like he was going to attack at least one of Norkus or me while Moron 2 was trying his best to look like a gargoyle, completely frozen but with a look of terror on his face.
"What's the meaning of this? That isn't allowed without a specific order. Koval, what games are you playing!" The old woman made a cane appear from nowhere and rapped him on the shins.
A well-dressed and tired looking woman probably in her 40s arrived and started pushing her way to the front. There were murmurs until each person saw her and shut up.
This is about to either get much better or much worse. Go for the winning smile.
She looked up and rolled her eyes. "Yes, not interested in a romp you Cornelius clone. That said, I am also not interested in a spectacle. Look around you fools," she hissed and I was surprised a few of them didn't run at the terror on their faces. "We have collected an audience, exactly what we wanted to avoid. Get him out of the city whole and happy. I want food for him waiting at his carriage by the time he arrives and I want it all done now. He's a damn official guest from another city you imbeciles."
She waved her hand and half the people ran off.
"Norkus, get him out of the damn chains this instant."
The Vice Captain went to Moron 1 and got the keys, releasing my hands.
"Now see here, madam Mayor, this is a joint operation and you don't have the authority to do that," Selim said, trying to maintain an air of dignity. Jasmina snapped his cloak out behind him.
"Koval, I was sent no less than seven messages, two through our anonymous citizen reporting system, about this. You will come and issue a formal apology to the entire Council. You asked for permission and you jebbie'd it up."
He went to reply and she panned her gaze back to him, fire in her eyes.
She turned to me and I saw anger burning in those eyes that sent a shock of fear through me to my cores; I wondered if she used a skill on me. "Carver, get the hell out of my town. And tell Illeva she owes me some of her produce. I'd like five <40 pound> (18kg) sacks of potatoes. And be safe. Once this has blown over, I'll reach out. Now give him his damn AAI access back and Norkus, escort him to the gate. Get moving people!" She spun on her heel without waiting.
Koval was staring daggers, rotating between me and the two other men. When he looked at me, there was another flash of something, almost like a pang of regret.
I'm confused, bruised, and unamused. 9.7/10, stuck the landing Terry.
Vice Captain Norkus just sighed and began escorting me out of town. "I like your bond, he's cute," was the only thing she said.
I sent out two AAI messages to Jasna and Tiesa as I was quickly tossed on a horseless carriage with the fully armored and moderately affable woman and we rode off into the sunrise.
End of day 9 notes (from previous night):
Current Wealth: Hard to determine…
Key Goals, Short Term:
Name bond – completed
Find out who tried to assassinate me – or at least make progress – contingent on Gabor?
Get scanned (both me and Steve) while in Pitola
Get registered with the Adventurers Guild since in town
Make decision on Affinity Alteration Amaryllis – sell or what?
Continue to make progress through Tier 1
Training, training, training – shouldn't have taken half the big hits I did or would have in the delves
Get more healing potions
Continue to avoid shackles – see what dungeon delve and discoveries can mean for Katarina partnership
Continue to solidify partnership with Aspirations of Ascendancy
…Fix my hair
Key Goals, Medium to Long Term:
Get a new weapon – need a heavier head for better control and longer shaft, a standard morningstar isn't cutting it; enchantments too – commission?
Start looking through jobs from Adventurers Guild postings
Build out financial services plan – keep in touch with Sprouting Jade Financial and Trade
Figure out what to do with the sentient dungeon – work with Jasna to find a place to deploy?
Cultivate better contacts: political, financial, and otherwise
Other Goals:
Rename "Tips to Thriving" – too dorky
Continue to advance with the language
Get back to Ratmir to give readings and recalibrate allocation bracelets
Talk with Marko (and Dahlia?) – patch over the relationship?
Physical fitness improvements – need to up stamina, not just fighting capabilities
Build deeper relationships in Velez – Nikolaj? Councilors?
Get in contact with people in Zalano – Alena, Axe, Liene, Stannis, Miklos
Find a girlfriend/partner. Whatever they call them here.
Start to design a new sigil or house insignia?
Mental Health Check-In:
Not feeling great about lying to Tiesa but couldn't destroy an innocent intelligent creature
Prepare for inevitable of killing someone? Too soon?
Starting to feel a little too at home here, almost like this is where I was meant to be – analyze if that's good or bad
A little too okay with the fact people tried to assassinate me and I only want to hunt them down – being willing to stick my neck out enough to make it a target is a net positive IMO
Am I Steve's parent or guardian? How do I feel about that?