Project Seraphina [LitRPG, Magitech, GL]
2.57 Preparations

Lindsey leads Chloe and me over to a small hill secluded from the rest of the training grounds by a thin line of trees. The handful of others training their Skills out on the field can still see us just fine, and we’re near enough to the guildhall that no monsters try to intrude upon us. But it is a fair bit quieter, providing at least the illusion of privacy, if not the truth of it.

Chloe sits down in the grassy glade, patting the ground just beside her. I take my cue, sitting next to her and wrapping my right wing around her body as she takes my hand into her lap.

“Your wings seem a lot more flexible now,” Lindsey says. “They seemed to be mostly cosmetic before, but now you’re moving around with them as though they’re a part of your body. One of your new Skills, I have to assume?”

“[Cybernetic Body],” I say. “Same is true of my left arm, and anything else I build into my body.” Technically, the [Wings of Icarus] are merely equipment, not cybernetics, but the System seems not to care. And since the System’s bullshit is working in my favor for a rare change, I don’t press the issue further.

She furrows her brows. “As you say. In any case, I trust you are both aware that the final showdown with the Order of the Wilds is fast approaching?”

I nod. “I was suspecting that was happening soon enough.”

“Do we know where their headquarters is?” Chloe asks. “Or are we going to have to wait until they make another move?”

“We’re rapidly narrowing down the possible locations,” Lindsey says. “Stefan and his team have been working each day to rally the people and coordinate intelligence efforts between civilians and the military and police personnel in and around the city.”

Of course the pigs are involved. Hopefully they don’t manage to screw this up too.

“I know you are… averse to authority,” Lindsey says. “But I will ask you to set that aside for this operation. We need as many hands on deck as possible to maximize the probability of success and minimize the number of casualties.”

I sigh and look down. I hate every bit of this. Hate that I’ve already had to put my life on the line to save some good-for-nothing cocksuckers called ‘politicians’, and now I’ve got to work side by side with the goddess-damned pigs. But, all I can really do is smile, nod, grit my teeth, and extract as many concessions as I can get.

“By the way,” Chloe says, “while we’re on the topic of authority. What happened with all the folks down at the capitol?”

“I know Sera wants to avoid any involvement with them, and I doubt you’re particularly interested in liaising with our elected leaders.”

Chloe shakes her head, acknowledging her disinterest.

“Obviously, someone needs to take credit and/or responsibility for everything that happened yesterday, so I’ve accepted it on behalf of the Red Pack Adventurer Company.”

“And what will that mean for us going forward?” I ask. “I can’t imagine anything good.”

“You really don’t like the government, do you?” Lindsey asks.

“I lived in a real shitty neighborhood where drugs and gangs were rampant,” I respond. “The politicians always talk a big game about their damned ‘War on Drugs’, but they never really did anything. Just introduced the police as another group we had to fear.”

“I see. I won’t press that further. And, I know it means little, especially coming from me, but I’m sorry that you had to go through all that.”

“Thanks, and, it wasn’t all bad. My parents did what they could to give me as good of a life as I could. And Chloe and her family were like a second family to me. Just for that, it’s enough.” I wrap my wing a little tighter around her for emphasis.

“To answer your question, I don’t suspect much is going to change for either of you. There might be a couple of people stopping by for photo opportunities, maybe Stefan and I have to suffer through an awards ceremony or two, and the organization gets some additional funding from the state.”

“We’re still not getting paid, are we?” I ask.

“Actually, you two will be getting a fairly substantial stipend. It took a lot of wrangling about, thanks to the whole ‘System Integration’ thing and the rather ad hoc nature of your conscription. Then the higher-ups needed to figure out exactly what rank you two should be considered, and from then, how much additional hazard pay and combat pay you were due. Oh, and Sera is due additional benefits for disability thanks to the loss of her left arm while in combat.”

I chuckle. Disability, she says, as though I’m not substantially better enabled since the antoid invasion months ago. But I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth either.

“Let me guess,” I say. “It comes out to ‘exactly the amount that the University is charging us for all the resources we used in building my arm’, so we’ll get nothing for ourselves after all.”

Lindsey gives me a look. “What makes you say that?”

“It just seems like the easiest way that this supposedly amazing turn of fortune comes around and bites us in the ass. I know better than to insult Murphy.”

“Anyway,” Lindsey continues, not dignifying my retort with a response. “There were so many advances made in the field of Ethertech during your two month stint that the university and the Department of Defense are cost-sharing all the expenses incurred. And it seems like there’s a ton of additional grant requests coming in from all the students and faculty you worked with, so… I know you said you didn’t want Ethertech to be monopolized by the military, so I think you’ll be happy to know that a lot of the preliminary research is going to be conducted by them and a couple of other universities. I won’t speak to the military applications, but at least the patents and knowledge will be kept in civilian hands.”

“Thanks. That’s a weight off my shoulders.” I can’t stop the military from using the technology, but at least others will have access to it to defend themselves if the military or the cops decide to turn it on innocent civilians.

“And you don’t need to worry about the deal you had with Nicholas; your final report and your arm’s blueprint are sufficient for that.”

I smile. Another weight off my shoulders.

“As for the actual compensation, it’s going to come out to about a hundred and thirty thousand dollars.”

Hot damn! I thought I was excited about seeing a couple thousand dollars at the end of a summer of work, after factoring in the cost of gas, insurance, work clothes, meals, and other incidentals. A good fifty to eighty times that? I know of millionaires and multimillionaires, but that’s more money that I can really even conceptualize. I guess Chloe and I might need to get our own place… Wait, what am I saying? My jaw drops, and I quickly cover it. Whew, at least I didn’t actually say it out loud.

“Sorry. It’s just a lot more money than I’ve ever had before.”

“Well, you’re an adult now, and simply living is expensive. In any case, segueing back to our original topic of discussion, I suspect that we’ll be commencing our final assault the day after tomorrow. Sera, I know you won’t be super enthusiastic about this next bit, but I’d like you and Chloe to stay here until then.”

“Dungeon run after?”

“I’m sure that can be arranged. Now, one last topic, relating to the immediately previous one. I managed to take some of that additional funding and get you a little present of sorts.”

She pulls out a small sack and tosses it to me. It jingles a bit, and… Oof, it’s quite a bit heavier than expected. I open it up and my eyes widen and my jaw drops as I gaze inside. Gemstones. A whole sack filled with gemstones. I don’t know what all of them are, but I can see, among others, amethyst, opals, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, a diamond or three, some common quartz crystals, a topaz, and…

“Where did you get all these?”

“One of the folks we saved in the attack yesterday was a jeweler. He gave me quite a substantial discount for saving his life.”

I’m not quite sure I’m fully buying Lindsey’s story. It seems a little too convenient. Part of me is concerned that she helped herself to a little five-finger discount or used some pseudo-governmental bullshit excuse to commandeer his wares. I don’t like the idea, but I also have no proof that there actually is anything shady going on here. Instead of prying and making a big deal about it, I decide it’s best just to accept the crafting materials— and I know full well that’s what they are— in the spirit they are being given.

“Thanks, Lindsey. I’ll use them well.”

She smiles. “If that’s all, I will take my leave.” She bows slightly and then sprints off, leaving a gust of wind and a swirl of leaves and grass in her wake.

“I can’t believe you can actually see her move like that,” Chloe says. “My eyes can’t keep up even with [Ethersight].”

“It’s not quite that I can see her move. It’s more that my [Angelic Insight] helps me calculate how she’s moving and how best to respond, even though I’m slower than she is, and by a significant margin.”

Chloe shakes her head and leans into me. “Still, that’s incredible.”

“I’m sure you’re pretty close to Level 32 yourself. Maybe after the cultists?”

“Just hit 30 yesterday. So yeah, one or two more battles ought to do it.”

“Do you want to stay out here for a while longer? Or head inside while I start crafting?”

“Wait,” Chloe says. “I want you to promise me something.”

“Anything, Chloe. Just name it.”

“When all of this is over and done, when the cultists are defeated and we get some peace and quiet, I want you to take me flying. Preferably at night, over a clear, starry sky.”

“Yeah.” I nod. It does sound really romantic. Besides, how many people can say that their girlfriend can fly? Not to mention that it’ll probably involve her wrapped very tightly around me.

I stand up, offering my hand to help Chloe up as well. “Before we head inside, I’m curious if you’ve heard or seen anything interesting on social media.”

“Not a whole lot. I can say that there aren’t many people getting any levels close to thirty. Plenty of people are reaching level ten, and a fair few are making it to fifteen, but only a couple of videos are showcasing levels close to twenty.”

“Makes sense. I doubt there’s that many people who are out here, constantly fighting for their lives, day in and day out.” And of those, I bet most are spending more time fighting and keeping their strength hidden, and less time on social media bragging about their strength like a jackass screaming ‘Free Experience, ripe for the taking!’

“In terms of city life, pretty much the same as here. Some people are taking up adventuring and the path of the warrior. Some are trying their best to pretend the System didn’t happen, living their lives just as before. Plenty of people are turning to religion to try to make sense of everything. On top of System worship, there’s more than one doomsday cult that’s popped up. Most of them seem pretty local, but yeah, the Order of the Wilds isn’t unique. Other, more traditional religions are seeing a resurgence as well.”

I squeeze Chloe’s hand. “Let’s head inside. There’s a lot of work to be done.”