Eternal Dominion Book 3

Concessions

Bern Dean

Copyright © 2022 Bern L Dean

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

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Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Prelude

ED year 1 day 146.

Evening, September 3, 2266.

ED Year 1 Day 149

Evening, September 6, 2266.

Morning, September 7, 2266.

Morning, September 8, 2266.

ED Year 1, Day 161

Evening September 8, 2266

ED Year 1, Days 162-163.

Morning September 9, 2266.

ED Year 1, Day 164.

Evening September 9, 2266.

ED Year 1, Days 165-166

Morning September 10, 2266

ED Year 1, Days 167-168

Evening September 10, 2266

ED Year 1, Days 168-169.

Morning September 11 to Evening September 12, 2266, and ED Year 1, Days 170-173.

ED Year 1, Days 174-175.

Morning September 12 to Evening September 18, 2266, and ED Year 1, Days 176-193

Morning September 19, 2266

Preview

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Afterword

Prelude

Geitir joined the meeting that would be starting shortly to discuss the events that had transpired in the kingdom of Nium in the VRMMO game Eternal Dominion. The game had been live for the past month and a half and to record, this was the largest conflict to date. The forums were full of conflicting information and in the center of it all was a guild called FAE. They had come out of nowhere to claim the coveted first guild bonus that made their membership cap 50 percent larger. At first, Geitir hadn’t thought much about it as he and his guild never planned to go after it for fear of exactly what FAE was dealing with. Abysses End had launched a major offensive to force FAE into giving them their guild. What had surprised Geitir the most was how spectacularly it failed. Not only had Abysses End kicked out the main instigator, they had also forced the rest of the involved members to put out public apologies. To make matters worse, every player involved had been punished by the kingdom of Nium directly. Now his workshop was meeting up to discuss what their stance on everything would be. Geitir was the main one in contact with FAE’s guild leader Xeal and had benefited greatly from that relationship, but was it worth the ire of Abysses End.

“Good, it looks like we are all here. Now, let’s go over the situation,” opened Unknown 1.

“Yes, as of right now, it looks like Abysses End is in full damage control mode. It is likely they will go to ground in Nium to avoid any further damage. The question now is how will this affect their operations in other areas,” stated Unknown 2.

“Yes, while we haven’t seen a full draw back, I can tell that their operations around my team have become much more measured. It feels like they are worried about another major failure, so they are avoiding large risks they would have taken before,” reported Unknown 3.

“I’m seeing the same as well, although it is too soon to know if this is just a momentary pause while they reassess the situation, or a long-term shift like we expect in Nium,” added Unknown 4.

“I think we can all agree we need to watch and see how Abysses End responds over the coming months. However, right now we need to be careful on how we act. Several large workshops have already placed us as a friend to FAE. We need to decide if we will embrace, or distance, ourselves from FAE. Geitir, you have the most insight on FAE. What are your thoughts?” Unknown 1 asked.

“My thoughts are simple; we wouldn’t be where we are now without the info FAE has shared with us. Yes, they were each part of a transaction so we could play it off as business, or we can take the initiative to become a major ally to FAE.”

“Major allies, are you crazy?!” exclaimed Unknown 3. “That would be painting a target on our back to all the other major workshops who want the first guild bonus.”

“And what action could they take? Thanks to FAE we are the only ones in the cities right now. Sure, in a few days that will change, but right now we are way ahead of the curve and can easily avoid conflict until level 80, at which point FAE should be looking to expand to other countries. At that point we could easily reap a mighty harvest. Also, don’t forget we’re already in an agreement for resources and equipment with them,” countered Geitir.

“Both of you calm yourselves” ordered Unknown 2. “You both have good points. We need to decide which will take priority.”

“True, on the one hand we have a small workshop that none the less has given us great benefits. On the other hand, we have one of the most established workshops that has far reaching influence and deep pockets that has done nothing for us. Do we cut ties with the one to avoid the wrath of the other, or do we stand next to them and try to weather the storm?” Questioned Unknown 4.

“You all know where my vote lies” replied Geitir. “I say FAE will become an absolute powerhouse in the future and Abysses End will have to let them be.”

“It’s easy for you to say that, you’re in Nium. Abysses End has lost any ability to operate there until level 80 at least,” responded Unknown 3.

“Geitir, he has a point. The rest of us are spread out and if the other major guilds decide we’re a problem, it will be our end. We are already under immense pressure to share the info about the behemoth slayer title. Plus, it is only a matter of time before they realize about the spy network. We can’t keep adding reasons for them to target us.” Unknown 2 said worry evident in his voice.

“I know, but you all do realize that it is me who will pay the most if we turn our back on FAE.”

“You don’t think Xeal would understand your situation and let you out of the contract?” asked Unknown 3.

“Would you? The spy network is extremely valuable and will more than pay for itself over time. Heck, we have already seen a sharp rise in the amount of materials and gold our members are bringing in.”

“Still, what was your penalty for breaking the contract again?” Unknown 2 questioned.

“I will be barred from joining any guild in which our leader is a member and have to pay out 100,000,000 gold.”

“Why would you make an agreement like that!?” demanded Unknown 3.

“Our leader gave his word and I trust in it that much.”

“Still, it is basically saying to start over,” groaned Unknown 3.

“I can’t. It has a no restart until the debt is paid off clause in it, and the rumors on the forums are that some contracts are binding even after you make a new character.”

“Damn, that is a hard situation,” responded Unknown 3.

“Alright, I think I have an idea of the overall situation,” declared Unknown 1. “For now, we need to make preparations for either eventuality. Geitir, see if you can find a way to get Xeal to release you from the penalties in the contract. I’m not expecting him to do it for free, but he needs to understand the situation we are in and why it may not work out. The rest of you keep your eyes and ears open. We need to stay alert and ready for whatever happens next.”

ED year 1 day 146.

Xeal awoke in the inn. Today would be the day he would start his tier up challenge and reach level 40 once he completed it. The past 12 days in ED had been eventful as Xeal dealt with the various consequences of the war Abysses End had carried out against his guild, FAE. He had almost died of laughter at the public apology videos. He knew they were fake, but it was still very entertaining to watch. Both Casmir and Takeshi had been promoted to official vice guild leaders. Taya was jealous and wanted to know when she would get her promotion. The simple answer was once she reached gold ranked in tailoring. The hard answer was when that would be. His guild had only a few silver ranked smiths and they had only just reached that level. It took time, effort and materials to develop crafting players, so just like any other crafter, Taya had to realize she was a long-term investment. Like every other crafting player, it would take time to see results from her efforts. In reality, Background Inc. had started the renovations on the office building and residence he had purchased and were on schedule for a January 1st opening. For some reason the bank was pushing him to take a loan. Honestly, Xeal didn’t understand why. He had plenty of funds, but they kept saying that now was a crucial time for growth and if he didn’t expand now, he would regret it later. Xeal knew better of course. All needless debt would do was hurt him later down the line. Besides, in the next two months he would have another major windfall from the bet on this year’s world series.

Xeal made his way to a restaurant before he started his trial as Geitir had said he needed to meet with him as soon as possible. Xeal didn’t know what the situation was, but he knew it was serious from the message. When he arrived Geitir was already present and they made their way to one of the private rooms to talk.

“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice.”

“It’s fine. Really, your timing was good. Had you asked tomorrow it may have taken me a few days to meet with you.”

“Then I am in luck.”

“Yes, now what is it that is so urgent that you needed to speak with me so suddenly?”

“Well, you see, hmm how do I put this.”

“Beating around the bush won’t do any good. Sometimes blunt is best.”

“Very well, then. My workshop is concerned with being caught in the fallout from the recent events with your guild and FAE. While no decision has been made yet, they have asked me to see if any arrangement can be made to free me from the consequences of our deal should we decide to terminate it.”

“This is a major issue; may I ask what they are worried about?”

“They think that after what you just pulled off other major guilds are going to want to isolate you, and that may mean removing any friendly workshops before we can become a united front. You have to understand, while the major workshops deal with us due to our finances, we are still a new workshop. We have invested a large amount to set ourselves up for success and we don’t want to be the nail that gets hammered down.”

“I see. I understand your thinking, but there is one major flaw in it.”

“And that would be?”

“It’s already too late. Your real options are to be a cornered animal, or a doormat.”

“Explain.”

“Okay, let’s see; most major workshops should know that you have a relationship with us by now. However, most don’t care, and of those who do, they will land in two main camps. The first camp will want to make sure your workshop fails, to prevent you from helping my guild when we look to expand. The second will want to use you to get close to us and try to get secrets, or build a beneficial relationship. Now, if you back out of our relationship you will be basically showing the first group that you will let them have their way and the second will see you as untrustworthy. It is at this point you become a doormat as the major guilds will know that you will yield when pushed. Then they will push whenever it suits them. At first, they will test the waters to see how far they can go. It might just be an item you both come across one day, then it will be a hunting ground. While each of these will be only a small cut by itself, over time it will turn into thousands of small cuts that have crippled your workshop as a whole.”

“Indeed, that does make a fair bit of sense, but being a cornered animal is still not good.”

“True, but would you try to attack that animal, even if it was only a mouse?”

“Only if I had the right tools.”

“Exactly. You would lay a trap. A frontal assault carries risks to yourself. You may be bitten and catch a disease; you need to be careful on how you tackle the issue. While a successful trap may deal a larger blow in the moment, it takes more effort from the opponent and is harder to pull off. I would rather fall into traps here or there than deal with always bending to another’s will. Besides, no truly strong individual wants to be part of a workshop with no backbone.”

“I see, so you are saying we have a choice to fight and possibly survive, or die slowly from poison while we pay our poisoner for the service.”

“Exactly. I can understand your worries and if your workshop’s leader decides against a continued partnership, I will let you off the hook for the 100,000,000 gold if you join FAE and leave your current workshop.”

“That is nice of you. I just wish it was that easy. The problem would become the ramifications doing that would have on my real-world business relations with them.”

“I see, that could complicate things. Well, you could always just sell your businesses and retire into ED if worst came to worst. Still, that should be your last resort. Hopefully your guild will see the truth in what I have said and beat the odds.”

“I thank you for your thoughts. All I can do now is pass your words on to my leader. Hopefully for my sake nothing in our deal will change.”

With that Xeal and Geitir finished their discussion and parted ways. Xeal made his way to Dragon’s Heart city’s keep to undertake his tier four advancement challenge. Unlike when advancing to tier three, this was a far more straight forward test. This had confused many players at first, but as time went on, much like how it was harder to get levels 16 to 20, then 21 to 25, it made sense. The system wanted to make sure players were well suited for their chosen build before they reached tier three. Now that they had made it past that hurdle, it was time to gradually refine their skills. In ED a knight needed to earn their crest in layers. At tier four you would earn your first layer and become a fully recognized knight of the kingdom. The first layer was always a weapon, and to earn it you had to show your skill with said weapon. Xeal was a dual wielding sword build, as such he was going for a crossed sword crest. Within each crest layer there were various results to obtain. Some even offered long lasting benefits, the best of which could only be earned by a first time clear. Fail the test even once and you would lose access to it.

As Xeal entered the keep he made his way over to the knights practice yard. Inside the yard were several dolls the size of an adult human. Each looked like what an artist would use to model various poses, only with fully functioning digits. These would be his foes for this test. He would have to select his style and the doll would be equipped with the right weaponry. While it was straight forward, it was anything but easy. The doll would be a tier four foe and he would have to out duel it. While tier up quests varied from class to class, most players failed at least once before succeeding. The failure rate was around 75 percent. However, in tests where you had to face a foe who was a tier higher than yourself it jumped to 98 percent. This was true until foes a tier higher than oneself became common, as sparring with them was the best way to prepare. As a general rule the trailblazers always had it the hardest, but the system still rewarded them for their efforts. It would do this by awarding them quests that were only available to the first group of players to complete a certain class tier up quest. Each successive quest would yield less rewards until none were issued at all. For Xeal’s tier three he was sure it was the prince’s invitation. He was just unsure as to exactly what shape it would take. The only sure thing was it was going to be difficult and extremely rewarding if he was successful. Xeal made his way to the knight who was in charge of configuring the dolls for use to start his test.

“Good morning, Sir Knight. I would like to attempt my tier up test.”

“Good day to you my fellow knight. Please state your name and weapon of choice.”

“I am Sir Xeal Bluefire, my style is dual swords.”

“Sir Xeal Bluefire, I have been instructed to inform the viscount before you carry out your test. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but if you could please wait while I send a messenger to him.”

“Of course. Is there a better place to wait, or should I just stay here?”

“I will have one of the squires show you to a room to wait.”

“Thank you.”

With that Xeal was led to a simple room to await the reply from the viscount. It was unusual for any particular NPC to want to witness this test as unlike the first it was more of a test of skill than of worthiness. Still, Xeal didn’t find it odd as it was likely related to the quest he would earn by clearing this hurdle today. After a half hour he was summoned back to the practice field where Viscount Weawen now stood next to the knight Xeal had checked in with. Next to the viscount was a young man who looked to be in his late teens, and a lady who looked to be a few years older than the teen. Xeal made his way over and knelt down before the viscount.

“Viscount Weawen, it is an honor to be granted your presence today.”

“Greetings, Sir Xeal. Please arise. I would like you to meet my son Dilwyn and my lovely daughter Dyllis.”

“Greetings to you Lord Dilwyn and Lady Dyllis.”

“Greetings, Sir Xeal” Dilwyn responded. “My father and I have heard much about your skill. I look forward to witnessing it myself.”

“Brother, show some tact. You’re going to make Sir Xeal think you doubt his skills.”

“It’s fine, my lady. I do have confidence that I won’t embarrass myself today.”

“Oh, my, what confidence. You do know that very few can pass this test of skill on their first try, right Sir Xeal?” Dyllis asked.

“Yes, my lady, I do. Even so, while I will not say that my passing is assured, I will say that my performance will still be excellent for a first attempt.”

“Ha, he makes it seem like he will easily pass and then back pedals when you point out the obvious. I don’t see what there is to be so excited about.”

“Hush Dilwyn,” Viscount Weawen reprimanded. “Sir Xeal is an honorable knight. He has the attention of several prominent individuals.”

“It’s fine, Viscount Weawen. I thank you for your concern, but I do admit I did back pedal a bit there. For now, I believe my actions would be a better way to show my worth than my words.”

“Thank you, Sir Xeal. Now you should start your test. Don’t let us hold you up any further.”

“Yes, please do your best sir Xeal,” said Dyllis

“I thank you both for your encouragement. Now Sir Knight, may I begin my test?”

“Of course, Sir Xeal. If you will please follow me.”

With that Xeal made his way to an open area that had been prepared for his test. A single doll holding two swords awaited him inside. Its blank face gave off a horror movie feel. Xeal took a deep breath as the knight went over the details of the test.

“Today you will be facing a doll programmed at tier four specs. If at any point your life is in danger, the system will shut down and your test will end. To pass this test you must either defeat the doll, or last ten minutes locked in combat with it. The use of disposable items is prohibited and will result in an automatic failure. You may only use the selected weapon type and if you are disarmed it will be considered your loss. As you are using a dual sword style, if you lose one blade you will still be allowed to continue. If you have no questions you may enter and begin your test.”

“Thank you, Sir Knight, I am ready to attempt my test now.”

“Then may your skills be adequate.”

The area itself was simply marked with a white circle on the ground that was around 20 feet across. If he left this area the test would be terminated, and it would be his failure. By the same mark, if the doll was forced out it would be his victory. However, this would be a technical victory and always awarded less benefits than an outright victory. For this test anything less than an outright victory would be a disappointment for Xeal. He was after the absolute best benefits he could achieve. Anything less would only make every step that came after that much harder, like when you pass a class you need for another, only to realize you never acquired the skills you needed to pass the next one. Sometimes it would only be a minor inconvenience, other times it would be impossible to progress further without redoing the course. In ED, redoing anything would require a complete restart. You would have to start over as a level zero player. In his past life Xeal had known many players who realized after trying to reach tier seven and failing miserably, that they would never progress. At first most try to find ways to improve enough to overcome the issues, but very few did as their foundations were too weak. In the end, around 40 percent of all players in Xeal’s last life were on their second character. 95 percent of those were due to failing to reach adequate results from their tier up challenges. In this life not only had he made sure that everyone in the guild had access to a good idea of what they should be able to do before attempting their classes tier up challenge, he had also made it clear that anyone who failed to achieve a good result at tiers three and four should choose a new class and restart from level zero. Most players had thought that it was a bit excessive, but after he explained that it was to ensure no one wasted years playing a class they weren’t suited for, plus telling them that he would ensure all players would be able to receive their contribution points and their old items to help their new character grow, had calmed most of them down. In fact, they already had over 1,000 players who had started over after having poor results on their tier three challenges.

The moment that Xeal entered the white circle the test would start, no countdown or warning. This had caused its fair share of failures before it became public knowledge. Even the best player could be pushed out if they entered unprepared for the first strike. Even those who knew about it still didn’t always survive it. Many players treated it as the hardest part of the entire test. Right now, Xeal was looking at the position of the doll as it stood in the very center of the circle. As he walked it would shift slightly so that it would always be facing where he entered, that was unless you used the right technique. Xeal started to run around the circle at top speed and then jumped backward, followed by a sideways roll into the circle to start the match. This let him enter from the side and close the distance to the doll before it could launch its attack. Robbed of its opening move, the doll launched straight into its wild move set. Each doll had a different style depending on what weapons it wielded. For the dual sword style, it would use both swords to slash, alternating between them as it did so. It would also have more speed than strength and avoiding its strikes was extremely difficult. If it was a player, you would think that they only split their attribute points between dexterity, health and strength, in that order. This also meant that if you could keep up, blocking the strikes was relatively easy. Even if you took a few hits while doing so, they would lack power to most players, like the doll Xeal was focused on. His dexterity made it easier to keep up with the doll’s attacks. He also had more strength than the doll, so he could push it back if he tried to, but that wasn’t his goal. Right now, thanks to the elder dragon mark, his total stats were slightly higher than the doll’s, but he was still behind it slightly in dexterity. Additionally, thanks to the tier advantage, its reaction time was 25 percent faster than his own. Xeal knew he had to overcome these disadvantages with skill if he wanted to pass this test.

Xeal continued to exchange blows with the doll, while putting enough force in his blocks to interrupt the dolls rhythm while not pushing it back too much. At the same time, he would move left or right to make it react to his movements, all the while landing minor hits whenever possible. While he only had to survive the test for ten minutes if he wanted to pass, it would still not yield the best result. To yield the best result he needed to defeat the doll completely within three minutes of entering the circle. For any normal player this was impossibly hard. Most would be happy to simply reduce the dolls health by half before ten minutes passed. With all that said, players did have one major advantage in this fight; they had access to skills. In preparation for this test, Xeal had used his class skill points to learn the skills double downward slash and double upward slash. Together they formed what was known as a skill chain, allowing them to be used continually as they ended in the right stance to activate the other. Each activation cost ten SP, so a full round cost 20 SP. With over 1800 SP, Xeal could use this combo 90 times right now. The main issue is if countered, he would be wide open, and even blocking one of the two blades would leave him open and end the chain. Nevertheless, Xeal knew that it would be his only real way to end this match in under three minutes, and so he kept working to create an opening large enough to start the chain. Finally, a minute into the test, he had one and was able to execute the chain five times, dealing massive damage before the doll countered. The doll’s counter had pushed Xeal about a foot from the edge of the circle before he regained the upper hand and was able to push his way back to the center. This pattern repeated itself several more times over the following minute and a half. With 30 seconds left to go, Xeal had pushed the doll within ten percent of its health. One more chain and it would be over. At the same time, he was hurting as well. One more counter from the doll and he would be over as well. Without the boost he was getting from the elder dragon mark, he would have already lost using his current aggressive strategy. All he could do now was hope he finished the doll before he was disqualified for losing too much health. With 15 seconds to go, that opening showed itself and Xeal took it; one hit, two hits, three hits, four hits and the doll shut down just as it started its counterattack. Xeal had done it. He had managed to achieve the result he needed to ensure he had the best chance to repeat the same results on the next tier challenge.

(Congratulations on completing tier 4 class quest “Knighthood,” first crest layer attained, completion percent 102, awarding 1.2 of XP gained in arena 1,423,825 XP, level 40 reached, first player to pass the test in under 3 minutes, 10,000 renown, awarding 40 class skill points)

Xeal was ecstatic as he looked at the notification. He was officially a tier four player. Now he could finally begin recruiting around the whole of the kingdom of Nium. Meanwhile, most players were just starting to reach level 20 or 21. There were exceptions, but he would be shocked to find one like himself, as even those of his guild who were close to, or at level 39, would still need weeks before they were ready for their tier four tests. Some of their tests would take weeks to complete on top of that as not every class had such a straightforward challenge. While Xeal was thinking of these things, he received another notification.

(Caution, the elder dragon mark is ready to break its first seal. Please find a secluded location within the next two hours or the seal will break on its own.)

This notification threw Xeal for a loop as he hadn’t expected it. Questions, like why he needed to be in a secluded location, and what changes would this bring, were in the forefront of his thoughts. Regardless, he had to finish things up here before he could depart. He only hoped it wouldn’t take too long. Xeal could see the excited faces the viscount and Dyllis were making, while Dilwyn wore a far more complicated look. Before Xeal could fully form a plan, however, Viscount Weawen was already speaking to him.

“What a fine performance indeed. I can see now that the rumors of your skills are not to be dismissed. You simply must come with us to celebrate; I will prepare a feast for this occasion.”

“Father, what would others think of it if you were to do so for a simple knight with no strong ties to our family?” asked Dilwyn.

“Dilwyn, surely you jest,” responded Dyllis. “Sir Xeal is an outstanding knight with great achievements to his name. You know yourself that he and his order took care of a massive rebellion within father’s sphere of influence not long ago.”

“Sister, I do know about that instance. However, from where I stand, it seems more like they wished for his life and not to harm our lands. Simply put, it probably stemmed from a personal grudge, and in truth, he simply used his status to punish those who attacked him.”

“Enough, both of you. This is not the time, or place. Right now, we should hear Sir Xeal’s response.”

“Lord viscount honors me, truly. However, would it not be better for me to celebrate with my own force? The young lord does have some fair points as well. My actions did push my own self interests. However, even if it did serve my interests, not bringing my foe’s actions to the kingdom’s attention would have been the same as renouncing my oaths.”

“Well said, Sir Xeal. Father, even if he doesn’t wish to feast with us, we should at least invite him in for tea,” Said Dyllis

“Yes, yes. How about this, would Sir Xeal be opposed to joining my daughter and I for tea?”

Alarm bells were going off in Xeal’s head between the seething look on Dilwyn’s face and the persistence of the viscount for his daughter to be present. This whole set up was a worrisome development. In his past life, just as players could enter relationships with NPCs, there were also cases where nobles would try to snatch some of the more promising knight players. Dyllis was a beautiful young lady with long wavy blond hair held out of her face by a light red ribbon, captivating blue eyes and curves in all the right places that were covered by a soft pink dress. If this was his last life Xeal would have probably jumped at such a possibility, but in this life, it could be a major hindrance. Especially since he already had Gale and Aalin. They would be absolutely enraged if he accepted any kind of advances Dyllis put forth.

“I thank you for the invitation, Viscount Weawen. If possible, may I invite some of my guild’s vice leaders to join us as well? I am sure that we will be discussing some things that I would need to consult with them before I could make any firm decision.”

“Sir Xeal, you misunderstand,” Dyllis said. “Today is not about business, it’s only a casual meeting to get to know each other better.”

“If my lady says so, I must accept it to be the truth, and will accept the invitation. However, may I please have a bit of time to myself? I need to take care of a time sensitive matter.”

“Sir Xeal, how much time do you need?” asked Dyllis.

“While I am not exactly sure, it shouldn’t take that long. For now, I just need a private room where I can relax.”

“Sir Xeal, could it be that you are suffering from some backlashes from your performance just now?” Viscount Weawen worriedly asked.

“Viscount Weawen, it is indeed something like that, only it requires isolation to deal with.”

“Very well, I will have a knight show you to one of our guest rooms where you can take care of it. Once you are done, he will alert us, and we will enjoy some tea.”

“Excellent,” Dyllis smiled. “Don’t rush too much Sir Xeal, but I am most excited for our tea time.”

“Thank you, viscount and my lady, I promise to adequately complete my task and join you for tea in a timely manner.”

“Excellent. Dilwyn, Dyllis, let us return now and prepare for Sir Xeal’s arrival.”

With that the three left and a knight guided Xeal to a room within another courtyard of the keep. This courtyard was square in shape and around 300 feet across with beautiful gardens decorating the landscape. Along the walls were several doors, each leading to a guest room. The room in which Xeal found himself had a luxurious bed and desk, but on the whole was only a 14-foot by 14-foot room. Still, the stone wall and high windows made it a suitable place for what he needed to do next. Quickly he seated himself on the ground at a point where anyone looking in from the window would not be able to see and pulled up his menu. In it he found the elder dragon mark and selected to activate the first seal’s break. In the next moment Xeal could feel power surging from the mark. As it did so, Xeal could feel his entire body heat up as sweat began to form on his forehead. The sensation was accompanied by a bright light coming from the mark that found many ways out of Xeal’s gear, almost like it was alive, blinding him in the process. The whole event only lasted around ten seconds, but Xeal felt the differences as he read what the mark now did.

As Xeal read, several complex emotions came over him. The results were wonderful and troublesome all at once. For every level he gained he would get an additional 2 attribute points, but every level would take 50 percent more XP to reach. This would slow Xeal down significantly, but also make every level he gained a massive boost to his late game self when he reached a level cap. The other major issue was these points would always be put into his MP stat, one which he had no plans to ever develop. It seemed he would have to change that now, but still it was awkward; he had never used ED’s magic system. From what he knew of it in the late game it was extremely complicated and took a ton of skill to master. Of all the builds that hit major walls reaching tier seven, magic casters were the most common. All Xeal could do for now was ignore it until he had enough points for it to matter. If he died before then, it would just be a waste if he focused on it before then. After Xeal finished thinking about the implications, he also noticed that the mark itself seemed to be pulsing slightly with energy. It was very subtle, but if one focused on it you could easily feel it. Finally, Xeal decided to purchase some new class skills with his bonus points. He currently had 42 points available. Unfortunately, he needed 100 DEX to upgrade his dual wielding. So, he started to look through his options. Finally, he settled on a skill he had never seen before called elemental blades. It was a simple buff skill that sheathed his blade in elemental magic and used MP instead of SP. It seemed like the perfect skill for him to use with the stats he was getting for free each level. The best part was he could decide which element to use. Depending on the situation, he simply needed to say the element he wished to use. The skill took 20 points to learn, leaving him with 22 points, which he would save for now. He also looked into the effects of his crests first layer and found that he had received a two percent bonus to all damaged when dual wielding swords.

With that task complete, it was time to let the guard know he was done. It had only been around ten minutes since he entered the room, so he wasn’t in too much of a hurry and decided to reach out to his friends really quick. He let them know he had completed his test and that the viscount had invited him to tea. They congratulated him and wished him luck with whatever quest the viscount was going to send him off on. He could only laugh. If they knew what he did, Gale and Aalin would be less than excited about what was coming. Finally, after spending 20 minutes chatting with his friends, Xeal alerted the knight he was done and was ready. After which he led Xeal to a table in the garden where a maid stood waiting.

“Miss, please inform the viscount that Sir Xeal is ready for tea,” said the Knight.

The maid curtsied as she replied, “certainly.”

With that the maid made her way into the keep’s palace area to fetch the viscount and his daughter. Ten minutes later she returned with both in tow and a few more maids pushing carts following as well. Xeal bowed slightly, greeting the viscount and his daughter once more.

“Viscount Weawen, though it has only been a short while, it’s a pleasure to see you and lady Dyllis once more,” said Xeal.

“Sir Xeal, it’s good to see you as well. I’m glad your task was brief. Now let us enjoy some tea.”

With that the knight and all but one maid left after setting the table. The maid who stayed behind was different than the one who had been waiting for Xeal when he first arrived. She looked more refined and a bit older. She was carrying herself with more dignity and when she moved you could tell there was purpose in every action. If Xeal had to guess he would say she was much more than a simple maid; that, plus his knowledge from his past life made him sure. She was most likely the head maid as well as one of the viscount’s most trusted bodyguards, likely skilled in combat and stealth. What many players had not yet realized is the important NPCs were just as cautious as any noble who feared assassination could possibly be. The fact that she was the only maid present also made it clear she could be trusted to keep anything said there quiet. Xeal waited until the viscount and Dyllis were seated before joining them, taking the last remaining seat at the small round table. Xeal could tell that they had taken the time to switch out the table that was normally here for this much smaller and more intimate one, when he took in the size of the area they were seated in.

“Sir Xeal, you can relax. For now, let us drop the formalities and speak more casually. This is simply an opportunity for us to better acquaint ourselves with one another.”

“As you wish. May I ask if you have any particular topic in mind?”

“Certainly, what I really want to know is what your plans for your future might be?”

“Honestly speaking, my focus is on my guild and ensuring its prosperity. After that, adventuring and improving on my own skills would come next.”

“So, you have no interest in the matters of the kingdom then?”

“My lord, you misunderstand. For my guild to truly prosper a stable foundation is needed. For me that is this kingdom. It’s a large part of why my guild spends so much effort in routing out those who have caused harm to the kingdom.”

“So, you’re saying that if we dropped the rewards your guild would still carry out such actions?”

“Father, I thought we said that such matters wouldn’t be discussed here.”

“Oh, my apologies, it’s just that of all the different guilds that have been forming recently Sir Xeal’s truly stands out.”

“It’s fine, but no, I can’t guarantee they would still do so with such frequency, as they need to see the benefits of their efforts as well. While I can see the larger picture, many of them cannot and move according to what offers the most benefit. As I have put a major emphasis on such quests, offering an additional benefit from accepting them, they prioritize them. Were they to become less appealing than other tasks I’m sure they would naturally shift their focus accordingly.”

“Hmm, yes what you say is true. Now let’s shift to a lighter note. Dyllis, would you like to sing for our good knight here while we wait for the tea to be ready?”

“Oh father, I would love to, if Sir Xeal would like to hear, of course.”

“Certainly, I am sure your voice will match your beauty perfectly.”

Smiling, Dyllis stood up and after clearing her throat and a few vocal exercises, in a beautiful and enchanting soprano, she began singing. The song itself was done in what Xeal knew was one of the ancient languages the game utilized for various ruins and religious orders. If Xeal wished to understand the words he would need to see them written and take his time to translate them. Most players wouldn’t even start encountering such things before level 80. Xeal couldn’t help feeling slightly enchanted by this performance as it progressed. Her skills were exceptional. Xeal could even feel some mystical force mixed into the song and realized Dyllis was a bard. In ED, very few players chose to walk the path of the bard as they were inferior in both combat and stealth operations. However, Xeal knew just how useful they could be if invested in. When it came to buffing a party with wide reaching effects for an extended amount of time, bards were excellent. As he thought, he quickly realized that, considering her status, it made sense. As a lady of the court, she would not be a trained fighter and would have to rely on others to protect her, so aiding them with her songs, she could at least offer some assistance. As he was thinking, the song came to an end and Xeal noticed he was staring at her for a moment before he recovered and started to clap softly.

“Truly I have been graced with such a fine voice today. My lady’s skills are superb.”

“Yes, yes, my Dyllis has a truly heavenly voice, doesn’t she?”

“You’re too kind, Sir Xeal. I still have much to adjust before my skills are perfect. Still, I am quite pleased you enjoyed my song.”

“Nonsense, anyone would be overjoyed to hear you sing for them, isn’t that right Sir Xeal?”

“Father, please don’t put Sir Xeal on the spot like that. All it will do is force him to agree. If Sir Xeal wishes to praise me, I want him to do so on his own.”

“Apologies, yes I know. How about I take a short walk so Sir Xeal can say what he wants without my interference. It should still be a minute or two before the tea is ready.”

As the viscount said this, he looked over at the maid who was monitoring the small flame under the tea pot on the cart. She nodded to him and he got up and started walking away. Seemingly out of nowhere, another maid arrived next to him as he did so. Once he was just out of ear shot Xeal turned to Dyllis and smiled.

“You’re truly lucky to have a father who loves you so. As for your singing, he is not wrong. You truly have a beautiful voice. Anyone would be happy to hear you sing, so long as you’re on their side that is, lady bard.”

“Ah, so you noticed. Does it upset you?”

“No, it was a very calming effect, although I would enjoy a bit of warning next time. Especially once you enhance your skill. I’m sure one day you will have a voice that can even calm a raging beast, let alone a simple knight like myself.”

“Simple, surely you jest. How can you be seen as simple? While I know very little about you, even I have heard of some of your feats.”

“Oh, do tell. What is it that has been said about me? Maybe I can clear up any misunderstandings you have.”

“Hmm, is it true you passed the seventh wave of your tier three test after selecting the hardest challenge level?”

“Seventh, no I cleared the ninth, only keep that quiet as it may be for my own good that they are saying the seventh.”

“What!? Ninth? How, what!?”

Even the maid had looked over in surprise of this news while Dyllis seemed to be shocked silent.

“My lady, as you can tell from your reaction, life might become too hard for me if this information spread too far. Please keep it quiet from even your father as it was likely done by the crown prince’s order.”

Once more the maid looked over in surprise, clearly torn on whether to believe Xeal or risk passing this information to the viscount. Xeal wasn’t overly worried as, at worst, it would reach the viscount’s ears as he would be able to confirm with Baron Ulric that it was no simple boast.

“The prince? Why would the prince care?”

“That is something I am not to terribly sure of. All I know is that he was at my challenge and has taken an interest in me.”

Xeal could tell Dyllis became slightly glum from this bit of info. The reason for this was simple. She realized if it were true, Sir Xeal might be out of her reach after all. Still, she wouldn’t give up entirely. She still had a chance, even if it was true and if it succeeded, it would be even better than she hoped. However, she knew of at least one more major possible issue.

“Sir Xeal, I appreciate the trust in me you have shown in not only confirming some of the good, but expounding upon it as well. So, please forgive me for also asking about the bad. Is it true you are currently seeing two young ladies from your guild?”

“Ah, yes, it is true. I am blessed with two wonderful women who have gone out of their way for me. As for the details of our situation it is a bit complicated and this is not the right place to discuss such things. All I will say about this is it was them, not me, who chose to accept the current situation.”

“I thank Sir Xeal for being so straight forward with me, and if it is truly as you say, then I can’t blame you for it.”

“Thank you for understanding, my lady.”

At this point Xeal could hear the viscount approaching and turned to welcome him back. As he did so he noticed the maid who had escorted him slip off to the shadows once more.

“I hope your stroll was pleasant,” commented Xeal.

“Indeed, it was. It’s nice to slow down and enjoy life once in a while. Although, I must say, it has been getting harder ever since you adventurers decided to pour out into the world. I fear in a few years I will never have time for such breaks again.”

“Oh, father you worry too much.”

“No, your father is quite right. If not managed properly we have the potential to plunge the whole world into chaos. I dare say some of us are even working towards that for one reason or another.”

“Why would anyone want that?” asked Dyllis.

“To seize the opportunities that come with it,” replied Viscount Weawen.

“Exactly, where there is chaos, opportunities will always appear alongside the misfortune. A noble house disappearing opens the door for another to rise. One man’s loss becomes another man’s gains.”

“Dreadful, and you say that this will happen here?” asked Dyllis.

“My lady needn’t worry; my guild is based here-”

“But is that a good, or bad thing?” asked Viscount Weawen.

“Are you worried about my intentions, Viscount Weawen?”

“No, I truly believe your intentions are pure, and you have shown you have the might to maintain order, at least for now. My concern is the storms you will bring to our land as your enemies try and remove you from your throne.”

“Ah, yes that is a valid concern. Those who stand at the top are always envied by those below. Many will come to try and steal what I have built, this much is true.”

“Yes, how do you plan on handling this, or do you believe that you can repeat your last performance again?” Viscount Weawen inquired.

“Surely, you jest?” asked Dyllis.

“No, this is no exaggeration Dyllis. While it is still a long way off, even cities like this one will be attacked eventually by those who seek power. While the time is not yet right, this world’s last era has already ended and the next 50 to 100 years will be a truly terrible reality” replied Xeal.

“You have impressed me just now Sir Xeal. You really do know what this world is facing. Now, if I may, how long do you think before everything we know will end?” Questioned Viscount Weawen.

“In this you will be lucky. Nium’s prince is strong and when he assumes the throne he will not rest on his laurels. No, I feel he will solidify his standing and unite this continent. Once he does it should shield everyone from the worst of it. If I had to guess, I would say within ten years of his coronation stability will return to this land.”

“Interesting. Still, I’m sure many hardships will plague my land in the meantime. If your estimate is correct, I may yet survive to enjoy life once more.”

“How did we arrive on such a dark topic?” asked Dyllis. “Oh, the tea is ready. Come, sit father and forget these worries for a time. You as well, Sir Xeal. I for one feel very safe knowing that you will aid in our realm’s defense.”

“Dyllis, one must not make assumptions. Sir Xeal may be called to the front for all we know.”

“Father, I said no more of this dark talk Today is about enjoying our tea party and getting acquainted with Sir Xeal. If you insist on talking about such depressing topics further, I may just have Sir Xeal escort me to a private room in a restaurant, leaving you here with your worries, as I enjoy his company. Really, he is quite the individual.”

Xeal didn’t like where this was going, or the fact that while she had been berating her father she had leaned over and clung to him. It was such that it felt like she would pull him up and drag him away if given the opportunity. He thought that once he was clear he was already in a relationship she would lose a certain amount of interest. Instead, it felt like her resolve was only strengthened. While Xeal knew it wasn’t uncommon for nobles to have more than one wife in ED, it was usually only high-ranking ones. He had never known a player to be able to pull off such a feat while also being married into a noble house before. This was bad. He needed to find another path to refusing any marriage proposed by the viscount, or any other noble for that matter.

“Fine, your father will relent for now. Let us enjoy our tea.”

“Thank you, father. Now, Sir Xeal, tell us about yourself. What do you do for fun?”

With that the tea party continued for more than an hour with Xeal recounting some of his adventures and Dyllis praising him. Dyllis would also share tales and legends of the past. Several of these caught Xeal’s attention as they may have clues that could lead to quests in the future. The two talked while the viscount only occasionally interjected when prompted to. The whole while he was smiling like things were going very well. Finally, after several cups of tea, he brought up the topic which Xeal was hoping to avoid.

“Sir Xeal, if I may ask, would you be interested in courting my daughter?”

“Father, Sir Xeal is already in a relationship.”

“It is a simple question, and though he may be courting others, it doesn’t mean he can’t court you as well. The times that are approaching us require strength. Many will cling to those with it and with Sir Xeal’s skills, he will definitely be one that will rally many to him. Dyllis, do you not wish to court him?”

“Father, please, you know I do, but I don’t wish to force him into it.”

“My lady, it’s fine. Viscount Weawen, while I am truly flattered by the offer, this is not something I can just agree to. For both my sake, and your daughter’s, if I simply said yes, I would be inviting chaos from every direction. Other nobles would see me as a rising threat as she is too far above me in status. Those who I am currently courting would find me insincere. Finally, I would draw more jealousy from my fellow adventurers and I’m sure there are more than just these. Perhaps once things settle down a bit, if those who I am currently courting agree, and my status matches, such talks could take place.”

“Sir Xeal is quite aware of his situation. I must say I am impressed. I cannot find fault with your reasons and therefore will drop the issue as long as Sir Xeal gives his word that once these conditions are met, if my dear Dyllis is still available, he will accept the offer at that time.”

“You are most fair and understanding, Viscount Weawen, and yes, if those conditions are met, I will accept entering into a courtship with Lady Dyllis.”

“Father, am I to become an old maid as I wait for him?”

“Certainly not. I truly believe Sir Xeal will have solved each of those issues very soon. He has that much talent. Furthermore, if we don’t take such steps now, when he rises it will only become far more difficult to do so. My lovely daughter, this father of yours only wishes the best for you, as such, please have patience for a while.”

“Fine, but only if Sir Xeal promises to have tea with me once a week and share his adventures with me until then.”

“My lady is far too demanding. Even those I am currently courting only are able to spend alone time with me once every 18 days.”

“Fine, then you must come once every month and bring both of them with you when you do. I wish to know them as well. If I am to court you when the time comes, I must be able to coexist with them first.”

“I will speak to them about this offer, and as long as they agree, I will look forward to it as we build a friendship.”

“Very well, I expect an answer in the next three days and for you all to join me for tea within the week.”

“I shall tentatively look forward to it, my lady.”

“Thank you, Sir Xeal. I will anxiously await your reply.”

“Excellent. Now Dyllis, I think we have kept Sir Xeal long enough for one day. He must have many things he needs to see to. Let us walk him to the gates and then bid him farewell for today.”

With that Xeal departed from the keep with much to think about. He hadn’t expected the viscount to act so decisively, leaving Xeal little room to refuse him outright. Today was shaping up to be a long one as he still needed to make contact with the prince. With how his day was going he was worried about just what the prince would want when he arrived. So, he decided to delay himself slightly and meet up with Aalin and Gale to discuss the viscount’s move first. 20 minutes later the three of them were sitting in the same private room he had met with Geitir in earlier that day. Xeal went over the events of the teatime with them and once he was finished, both of them were laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Asked Xeal

“You, of course. Even the NPC’s want a piece of you,” laughed Gale.

“Yes, it really is quite funny, although a bit troublesome,” smiled Aalin.

“How, so?” Questioned Gale.

“Well, poor Alex here already has the two of us, both in here and in reality. So, he is worried about how we will feel about this. Additionally, he is probably worried that this won’t be the last time such an offer occurs.”

“Ah, I see. Our man is worried we would be jealous of a bunch of ones and zeroes who will never know him as we do.”

“Exactly, did we miss anything that concerns you?”

“Umm, not that I can think of, but you’re really okay with it?”

“Hmm, I can’t say I don’t have some issue with it,” replied Aalin. “But given that it would largely be a political thing, so long as it didn’t interfere with our relationship, I could be persuaded in this instance to allow a bit of infidelity.”

“Yah, it’s not that big of an issue with us. However, what is Amser going to say?”

“Oh, there is that, hmm, I think the two of us will need to talk with her for Alex before he agrees to it.”

“True, although, I don’t think she will have too much of an issue with it since the system is pushing Alex into it.”

“Both of you are really fine with this? If I do enter into a relationship with any noble there will be no turning back.”

“What do you mean? Can’t you just say it isn’t working out?” Asked Gale.

“No, I highly doubt that. Courtship is likely little more than a formality. So long as nothing is drastically wrong, I will be expected to marry within a year and to have an heir within five.”

“Wait, you can get an NPC pregnant in this game!?” Gale exclaimed.

“I can get you pregnant if we want to in this game. Look in your menu under safety measures and you should see one labeled birth control.”

“Holy crap, it is there. Umm, why would this be included?” Gale worriedly asked.

“Sam, I don’t know for sure, but it may have to do with the fact that ED has the potential to completely overtake people’s lives, “Xeal replied. “Also, there are sure to be players who can’t have children in real life but have always wanted to. In both cases ED will fulfill their wishes. I mean you’ve seen the NPCs of this world. Are you saying they can’t replicate a realistic child?”

“No, but still, you would think they would warn players, or something,” Gale said.

“That’s why the protection is on by default. What I think Alex is trying to say is that ED is meant to be able to completely replace reality. I do remember reading an article about how the creators wanted to give those with the hardest lives a better tomorrow in every way.”

“Nicole is completely right. ED was developed for, and tested by, mainly those with major disabilities or with terminal illnesses. Sam, as much as we are enjoying ourselves, for them this is nothing short of a miracle.”

“Still, it doesn’t make sense. What purpose does, having a child serve in ED?” Gale asked.

“Everything doesn’t have to serve a purpose, but in the case of a player marrying a noble, it would be inheritance and building ties with other nobles.”

“Still, how could a player raise a child and still play ED?” Gale questioned. “I mean, I’ve even thought about what having one in real life would do to our play time.”

“You’re still thinking about ED from an adventurer’s point of view. It is much different for a lifestyle player. Still, it’s not something we should worry about for now. My time with Dyllis will be a tea party once a month with both of you. After I get back from the capital, we will work out the details of when and how.”

With that the three of them enjoyed a nice lunch before Xeal made his way to the capital. Xeal found it surprising how open the three of them were at this point as both girls almost shamelessly flirted with him the whole time. He felt truly blessed. Never had he thought an arrangement like this could actually work so well. However, even with their approval he was hesitant to accept more courtship offers in the future as he knew many women didn’t appreciate men who had NPC wives. If for one reason, or another, things didn’t work out, having an NPC wife could keep him from being able to form a lasting relationship outside ED in the future. With these thoughts in his mind, Xeal made his way to the teleportation gate to the capital. As he arrived, he was instantly greeted by a system message.

(Congratulations on being the first player to reach any capital in all of ED, awarding 10,000 gold and 100,000 renowned.)

Xeal was happy to see this boost, especially the gold as it would assist him greatly in his endeavors to establish himself in the capital, Nium city. Xeal quickly made his way to the palace gates where several guards stood watch. While he did so, he was smiling about how much he was going to make once he finished mapping this city. Of course, he would be omitting anything inside the palace, as sharing that could be considered a crime. Still, with the sheer size of the capital, even going all out it would take him around a week in ED to have it ready. Once he arrived at the palace gate, he approached one of the guards first, showing the crest he had just obtained, of a pair of exquisite swords crossed in an X. Once the guard recognized him as a knight of the kingdom, he then showed him the seal the prince had given him and explained he was requested to come here. After which, another guard left to go confirm it while Xeal waited in a small room by the gate. As he looked around, he could only smile. The capital was like a whole new world compared to the rest of the kingdom. All of the guards at the palace were over level 200, with a few reaching level 279, just a step away from the final tier. It was NPCs like these that kept nefarious players at bay for years before they finally launched assaults to overthrow whole kingdoms. Those days had been full of chaos in Xeal’s last life as seemingly stable kingdoms fell into ruin seemingly overnight. Only the kingdoms who had managed to integrate players into their defensive forces were able to weather this storm. Of the 100 countries in ED at the start of the game, less the 20 had been still standing when Xeal had gone to sleep for the last time in his prior life. Nium had been one of those and now he had to ensure it was again.

While Xeal had been lost in his thoughts, the guard who was sent off to confirm the summons returned. Shortly thereafter Xeal found himself being led down beautiful hallways as the guard guided him to meet with the prince. As they turned a corner, they found their path blocked by a young woman around the age of 18. Upon seeing, her Xeal’s guard instantly kneeled. Seeing this, Xeal followed suit, not quite sure who this girl was. She was dressed in a purple dress with her long dark hair combed behind her head, that was held in place by a small tiara. Her beautiful face wore a pleasant smile as she looked at Xeal with her entrancing green eyes, before turning to the guard and speaking.

“So, who has my elder brother deemed so important as to cut our talks short?”

Instantly Xeal realized who she was, Princess Enye Vidfamne, the king’s youngest daughter from his first wife. She had always been a prominent figure in the goings on of the capital in Xeal’s last life but very few players ever had the chance to meet with her. This had caused many to wonder just what kind of person she was as she seemed to drive many events but kept to herself. Some had thought she was just stuck up and didn’t think the common folk were worthy to gaze upon her. However, the most popular theory was that she feared assassination, so she kept herself hidden to reduce the risks. Xeal’s brain was working overdrive as he tried to understand why such a person would reveal herself like this.

“Well, speak, or are you mute?”

“Apologies princess, I was just struck in awe by your appearance, and the fact that you have graced one such as myself with your words. I am Sir Xeal Bluefire, a simple knight of the kingdom. As to why his excellency Crown Prince Victor Vidfamne has summoned me, I too look forward to knowing this.”

“Hmm, ah I’ve heard about you and your little battle the other week. From what I hear you performed most admirably, Sir Xeal.”

“Thank you for your kind words your grace.”

“Hmm, do me a favor and tell my brother Victor that I don’t appreciate being left out of the fun when you see him.”

“I will pass him your message, but can I at least know your grace’s name?”

“Oh, silly me, you’re not from the capital so my name alludes you. It’s Enye. Make sure you tell him his little sister Enye wants in on the fun.”

“It will be done your highness.”

“Good, then I’ll be on my way for now.”

Once her footsteps became distant the guard escorting Xeal turned to him with a pained expression. It looked as if he was pitying Xeal for what was about to happen. This look made Xeal shudder at what he was about to get in the middle of when he passed her message along. A sinking feeling hit Xeal hard as he and the guard resumed their walk to a room at the end of the hallway that the guard knocked on.

“My lord, Sir Xeal is here as you requested.”

“Let him in.”

After the prince’s reply came from the other side the guard opened the door and Xeal stepped in. The room he just entered was the definition of high class. The furniture was all top quality and along the walls were beautiful paintings of everything from landscapes to portraits. In the center of the room Prince Victor sat at a table smiling at Xeal as he bowed to him. Behind him stood a butler waiting to serve when called upon.

“Well, I must say I’m impressed. I had thought it would still be a few months before any of the new adventurers made it here. Heck, it was just a few weeks ago when I last scouted a new knight. You really do stand out. Now, please stand and come join me, Sir Xeal.”

With that Xeal made his way to the table and took the chair on Prince Victor’s right that the butler had pulled out for him. Once seated he turned to the prince ready to speak but was stopped by the prince.

“Now, I know you must be wondering what this prince wants from you and why I had you come all this way. Rest assured it is nothing bad, but before that I’m sure my little sister stopped you on your way here. Please tell me just what she did or said to you.”

“Thank you. Her highness simply asked who I was, and once she learned that, asked that I pass you a message.”

“And that message would be?”

“Your little sister Enye wants in on the fun, your highness.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes, your highness. She seemed to not be happy, like she was supposed to be the one spending time with you right now.”

“Oh, she was. Ha, she wants in. Okay, time to have a little fun.”

With that the prince motioned to the butler before whispering something into his ear. The butler then bowed and left the room leaving just Xeal and the prince.

“So, let’s get to the main reason I asked you here today. As I’m sure you know, recently many adventurers like yourself have rushed to nations around the world. While we don’t mind most of you as you perform a service every time you kill a monster, some of you do cause us concern. Your growth rates are incredibly fast, and the day will come when a guild such as yours may hold more power than the kingdom. So, to counter this I have been looking for promising leaders such as yourself to bring under the kingdom to some extent. Now, I know none of you will just give up your autonomy without some benefits, so tell me Sir Xeal, what would it take to bring your guild under the kingdom?”

“Your highness is very astute. However, to give up our autonomy is to kill us. That isn’t to say there aren’t ways to ensure cooperation and loyalty to the kingdom’s commands.”

“Oh, and what is it you have in mind?”

“For myself, your highness needn’t worry as my goals require the kingdom’s prosperity. It’s why I willingly became a noble. When the time comes, simply provide an incentive for my guild and we will answer the call.”

“If your goal requires the kingdom’s prosperity, then why do you need an incentive to act?”

“I don’t. When your highness calls, I will answer. Many of those who follow me don’t see the bigger picture and without a proper reward many will refuse to act.”

“I see, and do tell, what would be enough of a reward?”

“That depends on the situation your highness, but for my guild, raw materials would be sufficient once our crafters mature as that would allow me to use guild coins as rewards, and the materials to craft gear for the exchange. Other guilds would likely want finished products more.”

“Interesting, you really don’t seem to be overly greedy. Now tell me what is your goal that requires the kingdom to prosper.”

“My goal is the prosperity of my guild and a safe place to develop in, your highness. As shown in the conflict last week, my status as a noble allows me to use the kingdom to end such attacks quickly. For that reason, I have no issue tying myself to the kingdom in any defensive actions as, if the kingdom were to fall, my guild would fall with it.”

“What about offensive actions?”

“Those are quite troublesome for us your highness, as it can put us at odds with another country, limiting our ability to expand and perform operations within said borders. As such we could only agree to such terms if the benefits outweighed the costs. Put simply, any such action would have to guaranty the fall of the other kingdom.”

“Interesting, what would you say if I told you I wish to unite the whole of the continent under the kingdom?”

“Your highness would receive the full backing of my guild in every aspect of the operation, so long as I believe the plan is sound.”

“Excellent. I must say your words are very reassuring. Now you mentioned your guild is developing crafters. Tell me, just what size of operation are you looking to build?”

“Hmm, for now around 5,000 smiths and 5,000 other crafters would be my hope in the short term. Ten or so years from now I would hope to have around 1,000,000 crafters, your highness.”

At this the prince paused for a moment, looking at Xeal like he had misspoken.

“1,000,000 crafters. Surely your guild could never have such need?”

“Your right, your highness, with 1,000,000 crafters we could supply the needs of many large guilds quite easily.”

“Then why so many?”

“Your highness, we need that many to make a profit by selling our goods to others. Now, before you concern yourself with who we sell to, let me relieve your concerns. On this continent we will only sell within your kingdom’s borders and we will prioritize our allies. Beyond this continent we will be supplying a bit more freely, hopefully with great results.”

“Still, so many items hitting the market, won’t our crafters be put out of business?”

“Your highness, these crafters will appear whether or not I develop them, the key difference being who they work for. As for how it will affect the local craftsmen, our operations overseas should help to offset these issues for ourselves while compounding it for others.”

“Forget it. As I think about it, with the number of new adventures the markets shouldn’t be overly affected.”

Just as Xeal was about to respond to this the door to the room opened and princess Enye came strolling in followed by the butler the prince had sent out earlier. Seeing this Xeal almost stood to bow before remembering the prince held the highest standing and doing so at this point would be disrespectful. Instead, the princess did a slight curtsy before speaking.

“Dear brother, you called?”

“Yes sister, it seems you feel you’re being left out of something fun?”

“Am I not? You brought a new face into the palace, forcing me out to meet with him, without so much as telling me why. If your reasons for doing so aren’t fun, then what are they?”

“Oh, hmm fun, yes I do have some fun planned. Dear Enye, Sir Xeal here, what impression do you have of him?”

“Hmm, he certainly has potential and leads a growing force. At the rate he is going it won’t be long before he holds more power than most earls. As for his personality, while I have yet to get a chance to really understand it, from the brief interaction I have had so far, he seems to be aware of his surroundings and has excellent bearing.”

“So, you have a favorable impression then?”

“I would say with what I know, yes.”

“So, you would be fine if I set things in motion for you to marry him then?”

Xeal looked at the prince with a look of shock as he desperately tried to think his way out of this situation. He was already dealing with the viscount’s daughter, the last thing he wanted was to be dealing with a princess as well.

“Hmm, no, regardless of his potential, his status is too low right now.”

Xeal wanted to jump for joy as this statement was said.

“Oh, come now. Sit. Let us get better acquainted with Sir Xeal together. I am sure, like myself, you will quickly find that he is far more interesting than either of us could imagine. Also, I didn’t say I planned on beginning the courtship today. No, today I simply brought him here to get to know him and offer him a quest.”

“If brother insists, I suppose getting to know someone who could possibly become my future husband isn’t something I should ignore.”

Xeal could see his escape route slowly being closed off. He needed to find a way to evade this fate, and fast.

“What are your thoughts on this, Sir Xeal?” Questioned Prince Victor with a smile.

“Your highness is surely jesting. I am but a lowly knight How could I qualify to be joined with one such as her highness Enye?”

“That is for Prince Victor to figure out. All you need to do is fulfill his request and be raised in nobility,” responded Princess Enye matter-of-factly.

“Still, I am already in a relationship, your highnesses.”

“Your current relationships shouldn’t be any issue, as long as you haven’t married. It will just mean my sister will have to deal with you keeping a few mistresses.”

“Yes, so long as you gain enough status, having a few dozen women falling for you is unavoidable. As for my husband having mistresses, they must be carefully selected and if they fail to meet my standards, I’ll simply have them chased off by the guards.”

“Your highnesses, can we please drop this subject? I have already had to avoid Viscount Weawen’s pursuit in this matter. I will simply say what I said to him, I will not marry too much above myself. Furthermore, I will proceed with the consent of those who I am already in a relationship with. Without these conditions being met I would quickly turn into a very unhappy puppet for my wife.”

“You’re saying you don’t wish to be wed to me?” A hint of intrigue could be seen in Enye’s eyes.

“It’s nothing about you, your highness. I simply know myself and feel it would be a bad situation for myself.”

“Brother, I have taken quite a liking to Sir Xeal here. Are you truly planning on helping him build enough status to be a worthy match for me?”

“Indeed, I am, although me suggesting him as your groom was a bit of a joke, it really wouldn’t be impossible.”

“Good, now, Sir Xeal, did the viscount’s daughter just let you go, or did you make some form of compromise?”

“We made a compromise. While I won’t be courting her, I will have tea with her once a month, bringing those I am already in a relationship with along.”

“Wait, you’re in a relationship with multiple women and you were concerned about already being in a relationship being an issue?” Inquired Victor in surprise.

“Brother, let me handle this. Sir Xeal, when is your first tea date?”

“The date hasn’t been set, but it should be in the next week, your highness.”

“Very good and how many women are you currently involved with?”

“Two, your highness.”

Xeal could only answer Princess Enye at this point as she had a very stern look on her face as she asked each of these questions. Meanwhile, Prince Victor was doing his best to keep a neutral look on his face and Xeal couldn’t tell if he was trying not to laugh, or not look shocked by what was happening. All Xeal wanted to do was dissolve into smoke and escape the room and forget any of this happened.

“Hmm, and what exactly is your connection with those two, and how do they see each other?”

“Sister, give the poor man a chance, it’s not like he is actively trying to seduce you.”

“I said hush, you’re the one giving me this opportunity. Don’t blame me for doing a little homework to see if I want to seize it.”

“Wait, you’re seriously thinking about pursuing this matter?” Asked Victor in disbelief.

“Of course I am, now that brother has presented me with such an opportunity to escape this cage. Even if he was only doing so in jest I intend to see if this arrangement would be suitable for me.”

Xeal no longer needed to debate what the prince’s reaction was as he now wore a look of utter shock while the princess looked smug. It lasted only a few moments as the prince quickly smiled before doubling down.

“Alright then, it’s decided. Once Sir Xeal becomes Earl Xeal he will start courting you. Sir Xeal, you are forbidden to marry before Princess Enye.”

“How many times do I need to tell you to hush. I will handle this brother, or are you trying to get sir Xeal to defect on us?” Chided Enye.

Xeal was desperate for any help. This situation was beyond his control. His only hope was the butler. However, when he looked to the butler, he quickly discovered that he was staring off into space looking towards a corner. Clearly, he wanted nothing to do with this situation, leaving Xeal with no shred of hope.

“Now, Sir Xeal, please tell me how the two ladies and you are connected,” inquired Enye.

“Your highness, they are both founding members and vice leaders of my guild. We have known each other for over seven years. Furthermore, they are the ones who proposed our current arrangement, against my protests, much like your highness is doing now, and Lady Dyllis did earlier.”

“Very interesting. You are so dependable that women willingly share you rather than lose you?”

“I dare not presume anything your highness. I only accept that I am grateful to them and truly have feelings for both of them. If not for them pushing for this situation and accepting my priority remaining on the development of my guild, I would have pushed both of them away for everyone’s good.”

“Do you see yourself marrying one of them?”

“It is too soon to know.”

“Excellent, brother, I think I am going to spend some time in Dragon’s Heart city. I really must get to know Lady Dyllis much better.”

“You can’t be serious sister.”

“Oh, but I am. I may even spend a few days or a month there for the foreseeable future. Is that a problem brother?”

“Fine, do as you like; just ensure you keep your guards with you at all times.”

“Well then, it’s settled. Sir Xeal, would a week from today work for you?”

“Three days from now would probably work better your highness.”

“Very well, please inform Lady Dyllis that I will be calling on her shortly.”

“I’ll head there straight after I leave here your highness.”

Victor had a look of pity in his eyes as he looked at Xeal, while Enye looked very satisfied. Xeal couldn’t make heads or tails of this situation. Was Princess Enye just looking to have some fun by calling out her brother’s joke? Could she really be serious about marrying him? None of this made any sense to Xeal. In his past life he had never heard of any player marrying a prince, or princess, without literally taking the throne by force first. Xeal’s thoughts drifted to things like, this had to be part of some kind of crazy joke quest that the system was forcing on him. Why couldn’t he just develop his guild in peace? Was every noble he came across going to throw their daughters at him now?

“Alright, now that that’s all settled, we can move onto the real reason I have brought you here today. I have a quest that I need you to undertake,” stated Victor. “By the time you complete all portions of it you really will be an earl. That is if you can accomplish it, though with your potential it shouldn’t be impossible to do it over the next ten years.”

“Brother, are you intending to turn me into an old maid?”

“Nonsense, you’re only 18. It won’t be too late to marry and start a family at 28. That is if you have rebuffed all others who would court you.”

“You’re despicable. How can you treat not only your own sister like this, but a man who is one of the rising powers in our kingdom, as such? You should know that tying him to us is crucial. The sooner, and more secure, the better!”

“Yes, I do, but if it is not properly earned, his elevated status would only bring the other nobles to our doorsteps in anger. I am not yet king, and while father has left finding you a match to me, I can’t just carelessly act. Letting you become an old maid would be better than pairing you with someone the other nobles would look down on. Even once he is an earl it will still cause friction. Now know your place, sister!”

Victor and Enye appeared to have completely forgotten that Xeal was even present. Both of them were staring daggers at the other. Seeing this, Xeal cleared his throat to get their attention, before speaking.

“Your highnesses, please calm down. You needn’t worry about all of this today.”

“Oh, are you saying you want to side with my brother and let me become an old maid?”

“I said no such thing your highness.”

“Ha ha. Well, this has certainly been fun, wouldn’t you say so sister?”

“Stop trying to avoid this situation brother.”

“Who is avoiding anything here. I just wish to explain the quest.”

“Oh, Victor, you and I both know you’re going to assign him something he couldn’t possibly complete. Why not just ask him to contribute 100,000,000 gold to become an earl?”

“Please, your highnesses. Princess Enye, thank you for your defense of me, but please at least let your brother explain his quest to me. After he does, let me judge if it is truly beyond my capabilities. Now, Prince Victor, if you please.”

“Thank you, Sir Xeal. So, the quest is one which will have multiple parts to it and as you complete each, you will raise among the nobility. Now, Enye is not wrong to say there are easier ways to become an earl, but if you are to marry into the royal family you must be beyond reproach. Especially as you are to be the founder of your house. You have no background or allies in court yet. The fact that you are currently involved with two commoners already only makes it harder. Hence why I said no marriage before my sister here who seems to have set her heart on you for some strange reason.”

“Strange reason. Ha, you’re funny. I think any young noble lady who doesn’t see his potential, or does, but fails to reach out for him, would be strange.”

“As I was saying, you need to build your foundations. Now the good news is with these quests you will be killing two birds with one stone. Each of them will have rewards that will help your guild grow and completing them will earn you the court’s respect.”

Prince Victor then delved into the 12-part quest that he had for Xeal, each one more challenging than the last. From what Xeal knew about the various descriptions of each task, normal players would need to reach around level 230 to complete the final one. Still, Xeal was smiling brightly at all of these, as while long and difficult, he could still see himself completing them eventually.

“I must say, these quests are rather intense your highness and I will have to improve drastically if I am to have any chance of succeeding. In fact, I think I could complete the first one before I reach level 60. Still, it will be at least a few years before I could complete them all. Also, some of them seem like they would invite further troubles along the way.”

“Exactly, completing these quests is meaningless,” said Enye. “With Sir Xeal’s qualities I’m sure he could forge many alliances in the court much faster than undertaking these quests.”

“Sir Xeal, how many brides do you want?”

“As few as possible after the first your highness.”

“Then ignore my sister. By the time you forge enough alliances in the court you would have 20 wives, each of which would be trying to influence you for the benefit of their faction.”

“Brother, you jest.”

“I do no such thing. Father is aging. Soon he will pass the throne to myself as long as I don’t screw up. The nobles know this and will look for anyway into my inner circle before that happens. All it will take is for the fact that I called Sir Xeal here today and many will look into our relationship. Once they determine that he is indeed important to me, they will attempt to lure him in regardless of who has already done so. Even if they can only glean bits of information, they would quickly find a niece within their household to match him with. Just look at Viscount Weawen and how he has already pushed his daughter towards Sir Xeal. Although, this one actually works in Sir Xeal’s favor as now those viscounts and below wouldn’t dare push anyone other than their own daughters. Do you wish Sir Xeal to test my thoughts? Didn’t you say any young noble lady who interacted with him would be a fool not to reach out for him?”

“Hmph, very good brother. However, I want one guarantee. Once Sir Xeal is a viscount, I will be allowed to court him alongside Lady Dyllis.”

“Very well, so long as Sir Xeal agrees.”

“I’ll agree to these terms for now your highness, but I want it put out that I don’t wish for any more noble ladies to seek me out for a courtship.”

“No, you will be courted by more noble ladies, it is unavoidable,” stated Enye. “With what I expect you to achieve in the future it would be strange for at least few more not to come along and stick. A ban on lords pushing ladies of their house on you will be put out. However, I expect a few more to latch on as time goes on.”

“Sister, what has gotten into you?”

“Nothing.”

“Very well, your highnesses, I will accept only those who I have a genuine connection with and who accept marriage with me as them leaving their families’ prestige and influence.”

“You wish them to become commoners for you?” asked Victor.

“No, he wishes them to lead one life, not half of two. In fact, if I thought you would allow it, I might do the same for him if he turns out to be the right one.”

With that everything was settled and Xeal made his way back to Dragon’s Heart city to set the date with Dyllis and update everyone on the events of this wild day. Needless to say, everyone had varying opinions on the matter, from the look of horror on Ignis’s face, to Clara and Amet laughing hysterically. Gale and Aalin wore strained smiles, Casmir looked confused, while Takeshi just nodded like it was nothing and Taya looked at Xeal like he might eat her. Gale and Aalin had only just finished explaining the situation with Lady Dyllis to Amser when this news dropped.

“How does this keep happening to you?” demanded Amser.

“Yeah, what are you?” echoed Casmir.

“Look, I think I made a mistake when I chose to become a noble. That plus my quick progression has put me in other’s sights. So now I have to figure out how to deal with this while not turning the kingdom against our guild.”

“Wait, how does this threaten our guild?” Taya asked.

“It’s simple,” explained Amser. “He has entered into the world of court politics. Now even if he wants to turn down marrying the princess, he has to be extremely cautious. Even if he wants to marry her, other nobles who want their sons to marry her will want to act against us. Not to mention the sons themselves stirring the pot at the same time.”

“Why do you look like you’re enjoying this?” Questioned Xeal.

“Oh, I just think it’s going to be fun to watch karma hit you hard. You decided you wanted to date two women at the same time, now the system is saying how about 20. It’s going to be funny when you have no time to do anything but spend time with your wives when you log in,” Amser gloatingly answered.

“Won’t that cause major issues for the guild?” Ignis worriedly asked.

“Yep, but by then we should all be past level 200 thanks to how difficult those quests are. So, we should be able to handle it,” Amser replied.

“No, I won’t be tied down like that. Right now, thanks to the quest, I have time, and so long as Princess Enye doesn’t marry, I’m safe. I just have to make sure to drag things out as much as possible.”

“No, you need to go as fast as possible,” Aalin said.

“Wait, why?” Gale asked.

“The sooner he marries Princess Enye, the less noble ladies he will become entangled with.”

“How so?” Gale asked.

“Right now, he is simply a candidate to marry Princess Enye. That means he is still approachable. Once he officially starts to court her, it will become difficult for women to approach him with romantic intentions. If he becomes her husband, then even the boldest wouldn’t dare approach him unless their status was at least equal to the princess’s. Xeal is the most vulnerable to these women right now.”

“So, what is he supposed to do?” Inquired Ignis.

“That’s for me to worry about. Other than Gale and Aalin, this information is just a courtesy for the rest of you. My love life is something I myself have to sort out.”

“Love life? They’re just NPCs. What does love have to do with it?” A puzzled Casmir asked.

“Casmir, how many NPCs have you interacted with regularly?”

“None really. I just get my quests and go about them.”

“Who here has actually taken the time to get to know an NPC?”

There was an awkward silence that lasted for several seconds before a quiet voice broke it.

“I have,” replied Taya.

“What are your thoughts on them. Are they any less complex than you or me?”

“No, if you didn’t know they were NPCs by the marker above their head you would think they were people just like us.”

“Thank you. I want all of you to spend some time to get to know an NPC, you may find it interesting. Some of you may even receive special quests from doing so.”

“What does that have to do with loving an NPC? They’re still just ones and zeros,” declared an exasperated Casmir.

“I think what Xeal-san is getting at is that a relationship with them can’t be treated with any less care than one with Gale-san and Aalin-san,” replied Takeshi. “If he marries an NPC it will have lasting effects, ones which have lasting ramifications.”

“Exactly. If any of you ever get into a relationship with an NPC it will require just as much care as one in real life. Make sure this gets put out to all of our members. Not the part about me dating the princess, but treating the NPCs the same as real people in every aspect.”

Xeal could feel a real headache brewing as he was trying to figure out his best path forward for himself and the guild. The system had thrown him one hell of a curveball with everything that had happened today. Not only did he have the two noble ladies to deal with, but he would need more time to level up now. Add that Eternal Valhalla might be getting cold feet about cooperating with him due to fear of Abysses End and this session was too much. Hopefully he could just log in and enjoy the next session before teatime came in the following one. Either way, he was looking forward to getting a good rest in.

“Alright everyone,” said Clara. “I think we have had enough fun picking on Xeal. We should call it good for now. I’m sure he will inform us of anything that could have effects on the guild that come from this.”

“Yah, like nobles trying to marry any of you to get to him,” added Amet.

The whole room went quiet with Amet’s comment and Xeal finally had something he could smile at. Amet may have been joking, but he may have just hit the nail on the head on how Xeal could deflect some of the nobles’ advances. Ignis had a troubled look on his face at this and even Casmir looked worried as he thought about it. With this comment the meeting came to an end and everyone went back to their individual tasks.

Evening, September 3, 2266.

Alex pulled off his VR helmet and stretched as he made his way out of bed. Once downstairs his mother greeted him holding a letter in her hand that was addressed to him. Ever since she had started playing ED she would log in from when Anna left for school, to when Anna got home and when she would normally be asleep. She was still well under level 20, but seemed to have been enjoying her time by discovering all the delicacies she could eat, even making a few basic recipes up on her own through her knowledge of cooking. His father had far less time he could devote to ED, only being able to log in when he would normally be asleep. Meanwhile Anna was getting frustrated as she wanted to skip school and spend all her time playing ED. She had even tried to get Alex to hire her and convince Mom and Dad that she didn’t need to finish high school last week. Alex refused of course as he didn’t want to cause that kind of friction. Right now, she was sitting at the table working diligently to complete her homework so she could get an extra hour or so of time in. As Alex looked at the letter his mom had just handed him, he couldn’t help but frown as it was from Abysses End.

Dear Alex Bell,

Greetings. I do hope this letter finds you in good spirits and good health. Firstly, I would like to apologize on behalf of Abysses End. Recently you have been wronged by some of our members who acted rashly. Needless to say, all those involved have been disciplined by us with the main instigator being expelled from our workshop. If possible, I would like to meet you in person to convey my sincerest apologies for their actions. As such I have arranged to be in your area on the fifth through the eighth of September in hopes that you would be willing to take some time to talk with me. If you find this agreeable, please contact me at any time to set up a meeting. I truly hope that your new workshop FAE and Abysses End can put the past behind us and move towards becoming friends. I look forward to your reply and you can reach me at XXXXXXX@XXXX.com.

Sincerely,

Nantan Presswell

Senior Affairs Liaison

Abysses End Gaming Inc.

Alex could only smile bitterly at this letter. He knew that refusing to meet with them would violate the etiquette of the industry. While he could get away with it as he and FAE were seen as outsiders with no significant backing who wouldn’t be aware of such things yet, he knew doing so would just make it harder to integrate with other workshops in the future when looking to form cooperative agreements. Getting an invitation to exclusive events was the main reason Alex felt it was imperative to build relations with other workshops as soon as possible. The only issue was it was Abysses End who was reaching out to him. By the fact that they had his address he could be sure that they had done their homework on him. If he were to fail to reply they would simply show up in person and act like their letter must have been lost in the mail. They were likely hoping for this as it would give them a chance to meet his family as well, giving them more avenues to try and infiltrate his inner circle with. Alex’s only option was to agree to a meeting at a neutral venue and do his best to politely refuse any offers they made.

As Alex thought over his situation, a smile crept onto his face as he thought of a way to use this to his advantage without building a relationship with Abysses End. He told his mother he was going out for dinner tonight and called Sam and Nicole, telling both of them he would be over in 30 minutes. He also told them to put on some makeup and a nice dress as he was taking them out to a restaurant. They seemed a bit annoyed at the short notice but still happily agreed to go with him. Once he was dressed, he made his way over to pick them up, smiling the whole time. When he knocked on the door, he was greeted by Amanda who informed him Sam and Nicole were still getting ready and he should wait in the living room. Checking the time Alex became a bit nervous as the reservation he was able to book at the last minute was in 30 minutes. He knew that if they were more than five minutes late they would lose their table, and it was a 20-minute drive. He felt a bit helpless as he knew that if he were to rush them it would only backfire on him. Luckily, five minutes after he arrived, both Sam and Nicole stood in front of him looking absolutely beautiful. Sam was in a lovely green dress that had been modified from her senior prom dress that complimented her wavy red hair, while Nicole wore a blue dress that Alex had never seen before, with her dark hair pulled back and flowing down her back. Both of them had delicate smiles on their faces and it was then that Alex realized this would be their first date outside of ED. This thought made him feel slightly guilty as he had an ulterior motive for tonight’s activities. He would have to make sure he did his best to make up for this and vowed to ensure they both had a wonderful night.

“You both look absolutely amazing.”

“Why thank you,” smiled Sam. “Now what do you have planned for tonight?”

“Sam, isn’t dinner enough?”

“No, no, Sam is completely right to expect more than just dinner tonight. After all, it is kind of our first date.”

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Sam.

“You let me worry about that. For now, we just need to hurry and not lose our table.”

With that the three of them left and made their way towards the restaurant as Alex desperately tried to come up with a plan for after. On the way there, Sam had taken the front seat and was happily chatting away about this or that with Nicole who was behind her. Alex couldn’t help but smile at this as it was clear she was dropping hints at things that would be fun to do after dinner. He knew he had been seen through and the smile on Sam’s face made it all the more evident. Still, her not calling him out made him happy as she seemed to be quite happy. He had accepted taking time away from ED to spend more time with them. They finally made it to the restaurant at 4:58 PM, just a few minutes prior to their reservation. The hostess greeted them, and after confirming their reservation, led them to the table Alex had requested. The table itself was and oval and was surrounded by a booth that seated around seven or eight and made it perfect for snuggling. In addition to its design, it was placed in the back area of the restaurant and was an independent room, giving it a fair bit of privacy. This room was normally used for meetings and cost extra to reserve, but any walk-in who was lucky enough could still grab it. Even on a Monday night Alex knew this place would be full by 5:10 PM. The only reason he could even get a reservation was because of the extra credits it took to secure this room. Once seated Alex found himself between Sam and Nicole, both of them smiling as they made their drink orders. Once it was just them, Alex let out a sigh before revealing what had prompted this date.

“So, I have to make a confession. I have an ulterior motive behind tonight’s date.”

“Oh, do tell,” Sam said while smiling brightly. “I won’t even hold it against you as I already know you will be putting all your efforts in tonight to make up for it.”

“Sam, stop it. Regardless of the reason, a date is a date. We should just enjoy it as best we can.”

“Oh, I am enjoying it thoroughly, can’t you see that? Anyways, please go on. What made you pick a Monday night for our first date?”

Alex could only smile as he knew Mondays were the worst night for dates as many of the best places for them would close early. Still, he was sure his quickly made plan would be nice for this group date. As he thought over such things, he pulled out the letter Abysses End had sent him and handed it to Nicole to read, who then handed it to Sam. Both of them had on complicated expressions as the lighthearted mood from a minute ago was replaced with a heavy one. Alex actually smiled at this as it told him that both of these girls knew how serious this letter was, saving him from having to emphasize it to them.

“You really know how to kill a mood.,” grumbled Sam.

“Sorry, but don’t worry, I already have a plan, and tonight’s dinner is kind of a dry run for it.”

“How so?” Sam asked.

“I am going to reserve this same room on the sixth and the three of us are going to meet with him.”

“What about Amanda, Fred and Dan?” Nicole asked.

“No, it will just be the three of us, but don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to them before as well.”

“Okay so what’s your plan?” Sam inquired.

“It’s quite simple. Abysses End will never truly be friendly towards us, but will be more than happy to put on a show. They will make it look like they have our best interests at heart, perhaps even try to invest in us, all the while looking for any opportunity to swallow us whole. To counter these actions, we need to make them think they have a viable route when in reality it is a trap.”

“Okay, and what is the trap?” Sam asked.

“We are,” Nicole replied.

“Hold on, what?”

“Alex is planning to use us to make Abysses End think he is a shameless philanderer. They will then think either that we are just two gold diggers, or that they could easily work another woman into our circle. So, they will try to either turn one of us into their agent or try to insert one of their own.”

“Exactly, and either way, we let them think it is working. Although I hope they just try to turn one or both of you into a spy, the other is more likely as it would have less unknowns for them to deal with and should yield better results in the long run. Who knows, they may even do both and try to attack from several angles at once.”

“So, what your saying is that Nicole and I have to act like we only want you for your money and when Abysses End offers us more, to smile and take it?”

“And that if they push another girl towards you, we have to just sit back and let it happen?” added Nicole.

“Nope, that’s the beauty of it all, I have to play the part while you two get to play defense.”

“Wait, what?” a confused Sam asked.

“If they try to insert another woman the two of you just need to make sure an opening doesn’t appear for them to get me alone. Especially if they go the route I think they will of trying to get an underage girl to blackmail me. If they try to buy you off, show hesitation and indecision. Make them think that they can wear you down over time. We only need to keep this act going until we move to Colorado, as once we do that we will transform from a pitiful existence that they can crush, into one that even they have to pay attention to in their eyes.”

“But won’t this make them think it’s not working?” Nicole asked.

“Not immediately. If they think they have a chance and we can keep them focused on it for four months, we win. If they attempt to attack from another angle, we may be caught unaware when the time comes.”

“What makes moving to Colorado the winning move?” Sam asked.

“It’s not. However, it will make it harder for them to target us.”

“How so? Aren’t you putting together an actual HQ there?”

“Yes, but they won’t be able to find where I live and oh, say, bribe someone to cause an internet outage.”

“Wait, what?”

“You really think they would do that?” Nicole questioned.

“I don’t think, I know they would, and they wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.”

“Wait, why won’t they be able to find us and do that in Colorado?” Sam asked.

“Simple, we will have a backup to our backup there, and while I can’t go into detail yet, we should have a certain amount of security as well.”

“Wait, you are looking at gated communities for us to live in?” Sam inquired. “Isn’t that really expensive? Not to mention how stuck up our neighbors might be.”

“Sam, that’s not nice. Just because they live in a gated community doesn’t make them stuck up,” chided Nicole.

“Stop, don’t worry about it. Regardless of who our neighbors are we will be fine. Now, let’s stop all this talking about the plan to deal with Abysses End and enjoy our date,” stated Alex.

The three of them sat and enjoyed a wonderful dinner, openly flirting the rest of the time. After dessert, Alex paid the bill and the three of them left together. The restaurant was located within a larger outdoor shopping area and not too far away was a jewelry store that focused on the upscale clients, and next to it was a formal dress store. Smiling, Alex looked at the pair before leading them towards a pair of stores.

“Now, I need to ask, do you want to buy a set of jewelry to match a dress, or a dress to match a set of jewelry?”

“What?” asked Nicole looking confused.

“Jewelry, then dress. Come on, let’s go,” Sam said excitedly.

“Hold on. Wait one moment. Are you okay Nicole?” Alex inquired.

“Yes, it’s just, both of these places are way to upscale. I feel like all they will do is be annoyed by us even entering.”

“Ah, well they may at first but let me worry about that. Wait here for a moment.”

With that Alex walked into the dress shop while Sam and Nicole exchanged confused looks. When Alex returned, he was followed by a woman who looked to be one of the store’s attendants. She looked to be in her mid to late thirties and wore a white blouse, black skirt, and half inch black high heels. Her auburn hair was pulled back with a hair band and her name plate read Clair. Sam and Nicole looked confused and were wondering what Alex was doing.

“Sam, Nicole this is Clair and she will be assisting us tonight, both in advising us when picking out jewelry and your dresses.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all and I hope to be of assistance to both of you young ladies.”

“Alex, what did you do?” questioned Sam.

“Nothing, I just asked for help and put down a deposit.”

“What kind of deposit?” Sam asked looking dubious.

“The nonrefundable kind. Don’t worry, the two of you will more then cover it when you buy your dresses. Now, let’s go and look at the jewelry. Oh, and no diamonds. They are just a scam.”

“Wait, what?” Sam asked, perplexed.

“I’ll explain later, but you should be looking for something with a bit more of your personality in it. If you find something that you think is perfect, but it has diamonds, we can discuss it then.”

“The young man is going to make my job hard. Diamonds are usually one of the most versatile gems when pairing it with an outfit,” sighed Clair.

“Still, they really are just artificially manipulated to seem rare, and once purchased, lose almost all value.”

With that the four of them entered the jewelry store and were greeted by another woman in her mid to late thirties. She was dressed in a black dress that went just past the knees, wore the same style heels as Clair with a set of diamond earrings and a gold neckless on. Her long black hair was pulled back like Clair’s as well and she wore a nametag reading Ashly. At first when she noticed Alex, Sam and Nicole she had on an annoyed look, but once she noticed Clair, traded it for a confused look. This was understandable. If one looked at the three of them, while they were certainly dressed up, none had anything of real value on. Even the dresses Sam and Nicole wore were cheap in her eyes, but she knew Clair and surely this woman wouldn’t be here unless they had already spent a fair bit in her store.

“Good evening, my name is Ashly and I will be assisting you tonight. May I ask what you are looking for tonight?”

“Yes, the two ladies here need to pick out some jewelry sets for an upcoming event,” replied Alex. “I have asked Clair here to help advise them to ensure they can be complemented by a dress from her store. We would like to avoid diamonds if possible.”

“Very well, may I know what price range we are looking at for these pieces?”

Alex stepped forward and quietly said something so that only Ashly could hear him. The next moment Ashly was looking at him like she must have misheard him, but quickly recovered. Suddenly she seemed to be smiling brilliantly as if she was having the best day of her life.

“Now if the young ladies would please follow me, the young man has made it clear he would like to be surprised by your selections.”

Alex relaxed in a chair as Nicole and Sam were guided back to a corner of the shop by Ashly. 30 minutes later both of them came back with worried smiles on their faces. At this time Ashly called him over holding two boxes next to the store’s kiosk. When Alex saw the bill of 80,000 credits he couldn’t help smiling as Ashly looked like the cat who ate the canary. When Alex pulled out his card and paid, he could see Clair looking shocked and excited at what would come next. Ashly looked a bit startled as well, like she couldn’t believe he was really able to afford something like this. Sam and Nicole looked slightly surprised as well but didn’t show any major reactions.

“Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to serving you in the future when needed. Please take my card and feel free to call any time you have a specific need and I will do everything I can to assist. Also please feel free to bring either of those two sets in for a free and complimentary cleaning at any time.”

“Certainly, and thank you for assisting them. I’ll be sure to let you know the next time we need your assistance.”

After they left the jewelry store and headed into the dress shop a similar scene played out, with the final bill being 10,000 credits and a promise that both dresses would be tailored and ready for pick up by the following night. Both Sam and Nicole wore looks of disbelief as the realization that they had just shopped at a pair of stores that they wouldn’t have even dared window shop at two months ago.

“It’s like we have suddenly become princesses,” Sam said dreamily.

“I know. It never really hit me just how different our life was till now,” Nicole sighed contently.

“What are you two talking about? This is nothing compared to what is coming.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Sam inquired.

“Multiple things. One, this night is not over. Two, in a few years, if things keep progressing smoothly, you two will feel like true queens. Unfortunately, for us to get there we have to navigate several troublesome challenges. Still, with the two of you next to me I think the road ahead will be wonderful.”

Nicole and Sam both blushed slightly before looking at each other and nodding.

“Alex, we have a question,” Nicole stated.

“I’m all ears. What do you want to know?”

“Where do you see this going in a few years if we are all still together like this?”

“That is a difficult question to answer. Obviously I would want to marry both of you, but unless we move to somewhere like Indonesia where polygamy is legal, we can’t legally. So really how we work that out would depend on the two of you. Beyond that what other aspects are you worried about.”

“Sex,” said Sam.

“Meaning?”

“What I think she wants to say is… um,” said a bashful Nicole.

“What I want to know is what kind of fantasies you have in your head and what you really expect of us.”

Nicole was bright red as Sam bluntly asked Alex this, though she too was showing signs of embarrassment. Alex really had to think for a moment before turning and honestly answering her.

“I would be lying if I didn’t fantasize about having both of you at the same time, but I will never push for that. No, my expectations are for us to discover each other’s likes and dislikes. I can only hope that I will be able to satisfy both of your needs.”

“What if I only ever wanted you in ED?” asked Sam.

“Then I don’t think we would work out long term. ED is fun and a great place to explore certain fantasies. However, I want to be able to hold any woman I love in my arms as we share everything we have with each other. While I wouldn’t say we have reached that point yet, I would be lying if I said I didn’t see us there sometime soon.”

“Good, I will look forward to it.”

As she said this, she pulled on Alex’s arm turning him towards her and pulled him in to a deep kiss. This kiss lasted several seconds before Sam released him and smiled at him.

“You better not take too long; I don’t know how long a can hold myself back,” declared Sam. “If I didn’t care about Nicole as much as I cared about myself, I don’t think I could hold myself back tonight.”

“Sam!” Nicole exclaimed.

“What, I didn’t do anything bad.”

“Honestly, don’t pressure him, or me. When we feel the time is right it will happen. I know your time with him in ED has you wanting even more, but control yourself.”

Alex could only put on a troubled grin at these words as he helplessly watched.

“You could always break the ice in ED,” said Sam.

“No, Nicole has made it clear she wants our first time to be real and I agree. If it wasn’t for your specific situation, I would have wanted our first time to be the same way. Now let’s drop this topic and continue our date.”

“Oh, there is still more?” asked Sam. “Do tell, where are we going now?”

“We are going golfing.”

“Golfing?” Sam asked with a puzzled expression.

“Mini golf to be exact.”

“Really? Dressed like this?” Sam asked.

“Yep.”

Alex was all smiles as both Nicole and Sam looked slightly troubled. Nevertheless, they made their way to play mini golf, and after getting over the awkwardness of playing it in their fancy attire, they had a blast. Alex won, but Nicole came in a close second, whereas Sam was just hopeless at it. After a round of golf they spent 30 minutes in the bumper cars, laughing the whole time as they targeted each other. Finally, around 9:00 PM when the mini golf place closed, they made their way home, all three of them smiling with Nicole taking the front seat this time around. Once home Xeal created a new email address using a VPN and replied to Nantan Presswell setting up a dinner meeting on the sixth at 5:00 PM.

ED Year 1 Day 149

Xeal had spent all of his free time after the date completing his map of the capital, but still only had a quarter of it mapped. Most capital cities were like this in ED. As such, even after many years players would still buy maps most of the time when they visited one. Unlike his last map that he sold for only 50 credits, or one silver, this map would cost far more and even his guild members would need to spend guild coins to get it. Right now, each silver was still worth around 40 credits and if his past experience held true, it would hover around this point until the end of the year. This map would be sold at 10 silver, or 300 credits. This was done with the obvious intention of earning credits over gold. However, Xeal knew that while this map would sell well, it would take a bit as most players were still a way’s off from reaching level 40 and reaching a capital city. With these thoughts Xeal steeled himself for what was about to take place. He had just over an hour before it was time. Reluctantly, he made his way over to the teleportation gate to return to Dragon’s Heart city for his teatime with Lady Dyllis and Princess Enye.

When he exited the gate both Gale and Aalin were there waiting for him. Both of them had on a complicated look. At first neither seemed to have an issue with Xeal having a political marriage. That had changed slightly after the guild meeting about the developments leading to this teatime in which Xeal had made it clear that he did not see the NPCs in ED as any less complex than real people. Worse was after he said that both had done a little investigating and quickly realized that his thoughts weren’t baseless. With all of these revelations coming in quick succession, neither girl knew quite how to feel, act, or what to expect from the upcoming teatime. If Xeal hadn’t made it clear that the worst move they could make was not showing up, both would have escaped already. The three of them made their way to the Keep, arriving with 15 minutes to spare. The guard quickly greeted them and guided them to the same court Xeal had had tea with the viscount and Lady Dyllis last time. The small table that had been there last time had been replaced with a round one that looked like it could seat six comfortably, but currently only had five chairs around it. A few minutes later the sound of a cart being pushed could be heard and when Xeal looked over he could see Princess Enye and Lady Dyllis walking over followed by a cart and a few maids. Lady Dyllis walked slightly behind the princess displaying the difference in status between the two of them. When the pair noticed Xeal they both smiled, but Lady Dyllis’s smile looked slightly pained, like she had swallowed something unpleasant. Xeal couldn’t help chuckling to himself as he imagined what the princess had put her through over the past few days.

“Good day Princess Enye and Lady Dyllis. Both of you look lovely today.”

“Ah Sir Xeal, it is wonderful to see you once more; I take it these two are your beloveds? Please introduce them,” replied Enye.

“Yes, this is Aalin and Gale, two of my guild’s vice leaders as well as the ones who currently hold my heart.”

“My, well we shall have to convince them to share a bit of your heart with us in due time, but for now let us enjoy some tea. Lady Dyllis, as you are the host, I will leave this to you.”

“Certainly, shall we take our seats while we wait for the tea to be ready?”

With that Princess Enye took her seat followed by Lady Dyllis who sat to her right. Next Xeal took the seat across from the pair with Aalin and Gale taking the seats next to him with Gale being next to the princess and Aalin next to Lady Dyllis. After which Lady Dyllis called over the maids and instructed them to begin brewing the tea before returning her attention to those at the table.

“Lady Dyllis, I must say that I’ve quite enjoyed these past few days and I must thank you for your hospitality, praised Enye. “I know I have asked quite a lot over the past few days after failing to give you ample notice of my arrival.”

“Nonsense Princess Enye, you simply wished to spend time with Sir Xeal to get to know him better. I understand your situation completely and put none of this blame on you and am more than happy to host you at any time.”

“Thank you, Lady Dyllis. Now, Gale was it?”

“Yes, your highness.”

“Wait.,” Xeal interjected.

“Yes, Sir Xeal?” Enye invited.

Xeal knew the pair had just hinted at how he had caused some issues by having this teatime so soon instead of giving the viscount’s household time to prepare for the princess’s arrival. Still, even though he knew this was his fault and he knew the pair wasn’t overly upset, he felt a bit awkward about it. However, there was one thing he needed to lay down in stone now or it would only become harder once time passed.

“Please excuse me for saying so, but I wish for those sitting at this table to see each other as equals, at least when at this table. So, if possible, can we drop all titles and court etiquette related to the different standing of those of us here, your highness?”

“Hmm, I do like the thought behind this, but are you ready to accept the responsibility that comes with this request?”

“Are you ready to accept the cost of not accepting this request, your highness?”

“I beg your pardon, what cost are you speaking of?”

“Your goal here is to get to know me and those who I hold dear better in order to assess our compatibility. If we all have to worry about etiquette it will just hinder things from developing and instead build rifts between everyone. If I am going to have multiple wives, each must consider the others as their equals in private even if in public they have different status. For now, I only ask that we observe this mentality at teatime and other gatherings that serve only to better our relationship. As for the responsibilities you speak of, I assume it means I would be surrendering any right to refuse courting you in the future. If so, then whether or not I accept it, there is nothing I can do at this point unless I flee from this country and forsake my guild in the process. So, your highness, please understand and accept this wish of mine.”

“It seems I have underestimated your resolve in this matter. Very well Xeal, for the duration of our teatimes and during other private moments all those at this table are to only be themselves.”

“Thank you Enye.”

“Oh, I do quite like this. Now Gale, please tell me about yourself.”

Things progressed relatively smoothly as Gale went into her background, followed by Aalin, before Lady Dyllis and Princess Enye shared their backgrounds as well. Before long they each had tea and some cakes in front of them and were speaking about the current affairs in the kingdom. Finally, after everyone had become more comfortable, Lady Dyllis asked the question Xeal had known was coming.

“So, Aalin, Gale, just how did you two come to be together with Xeal?”

“Um, well it, kind of just happened,” replied Aalin.

“What she really means is we both liked him and were sending out hints that he seemed to miss completely. That was until someone pushed the wrong buttons and next thing I knew, I had lost my self-restraint and was kissing him. Then a bit more drama and Aalin here did the same and we were in a kind of awkward situation. After we made everything clear to Xeal he accepted our feelings but didn’t want to hurt either of us. So, he tried to turn us both down.”

“But we had made an agreement beforehand with each other that if he accepted our feelings, we weren’t going to let him go that easily,” Aalin added. “So, we kind of didn’t give him a chance to say no and made him promise to at least give the arrangement a chance before turning us down.”

“Yep, and now I don’t think he has any intention of letting either of us go unless we really want him out of our life. Not that we would let him go if he tried to escape.”

“My word, you certainly have a habit of women trying to capture you don’t you Xeal,” giggled Enye.

“It would appear so. I best try and avoid all women from now on otherwise who knows what kind of predator I might attract next.”

“Oh my, is that how you see us?” asked Dyllis.

“No, each of you seem to at least be mostly pure hearted maidens with a few ulterior motives mixed in. The ones I am speaking of would be along the lines of a woman who relishes in trapping an up and comer like myself before they reach their prime.”

“You’re truly wise to realize this danger already, though with my status it will be hard for one of them to make a move on you,” replied Enye.

“Enye, you’re correct to think that. However, I’m sure there are a few of the more dangerous ones that will only be more enticed due to your involvement. Wouldn’t you agree Dyllis?” questioned Xeal.

“Sadly, Xeal is right. I won’t deny that my father pushed me to take a look at Xeal with similar hopes as these predators. Furthermore, he has only become more ecstatic since you have taken an interest in him as well, Enye. If his reaction is anything to judge off of, those who want to target Xeal will only be further enticed by your involvement. They just have to make their moves with a bit more caution now.”

Frowning, Aalin said “So, it is just as I feared.”

“How so? Please share what you see coming,” said Enye.

“It’s simple. Right now Xeal is seen as a rising star who may be paired with you Enye when his status is appropriate. However, for now the crown can’t assert that others can’t court him without making your relationship official. If they did so at this point it would provoke the nobles who would wish to see you marry their heir. In fact, many of these nobles will be the ones who push their daughters towards Xeal the hardest in an attempt to block you from officially courting him. Therefore it is important that he complete the quest assigned to him as quickly as possible unless he wants to be inundated by ladies of the court.”

“My word, I don’t think we have a table or area that would be big enough for the number of women that will be seeking Xeal,” stated Dyllis.

“It will be hardest on you Dyllis,” advised Aalin.

“How so?”

“How do you think these ladies will try to meet Xeal?”

“You don’t mean?”

“I do. They will try and have you and your father introduce them to him, especially those whose status is higher than your own. At times you may not even be able to refuse regardless of how much you may want to.”

“My word, have I really caused such a mess simply by showing some interest in Xeal?” queried Enye.

“You most certainly have. However, you can make a simple move to mitigate it somewhat,” Aalin replied.

“And what move would that be?”

“You can simply make it clear to all that after looking a little deeper you judged Xeal as not worth your time.”

“No, I would be a fool to let this opportunity slip away.”

“This is the second time you have emphasized that this is an opportunity for you. Last time you spoke of a cage. Just what exactly is it that you are hoping for?” inquired Xeal.

“Why should I explain it to you?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because honesty is important to me and without me knowing about your motivations, I’ll always have my doubts about you.”

“And who’s to say you won’t doubt me either way?”

“No one, but at least trust can be built if you explain it.”

“He’s right you know; it’s why I didn’t hide my father’s motivations,” added Dyllis.

“Fine, but Dyllis, send your maids away. What I am about to speak of can’t leave this table.”

“Very well.”

With that all of the maids left, leaving the five of them completely alone.

“Good. If you must know a certain individual has been putting pressure on my father to marry me to his son. Normally a simple refusal of this wouldn’t cause any issues, but this individual has far too much influence within the court.”

“Isn’t this kind of thing normal? Why is it such an issue?” asked Gale.

“Because the suiter is absolute scum,” Xeal said grimly.

“Exactly. I would sooner renounce my heritage and marry a commoner than suffer through marrying that pile of filth. My father deflected by handing the matter over to my brother saying that the alliance formed from my union needs to be for his benefit as the next king. However, that has only delayed the inevitable. Unless a better suiter is found all I can do is wait for my doom.”

“I see, now I see why you are pinning your hopes on Xeal. Still why not simply run away?” Aalin asked.

“Ha, easy for you to say. No, even if I was willing to accept the personal consequences of doing so, I can’t do that to my family. If I were to run, even if I died it would still be justification for the court to turn against the king. Even those who would understand why I made such a choice would likely stand by as a new royal family was created.”

“That’s horrible. Xeal, you’re not just going to ignore this right?” Gale demanded.

“Regardless of my opinion or actions it will be hard to change the outcome.”

“What do you mean?” asked Gale.

“Only Prince Victor can overcome Enye’s fate. He has to find a suitable alternative that the court will accept. Right now, I am just a good delay tactic. He can say that I have shown true promise to distract others while he looks for another suitable match.”

“Oh, how I wish it was that simple. No, short of marrying me off to another kingdom no members of the court would dare oppose this family.”

“This does make things harder. However, while it won’t be as affective, there is still something you can do. Simply take Dyllis back to the capital with you to serve as a lady-in-waiting for you,” proposed Aalin.

“This, I dare not,” responded Dyllis.

“No, it is an excellent idea. As another possible suiter for Xeal it would make sense. While it would certainly increase others desires to attach themselves to Xeal, it would remove the easiest avenue to access him,” Enye concluded.

“Right.,” added Aalin. “It is a bit of a double-edged sword, but it will cut off avenues for others to approach him. Then all he needs to do is avoid other nobles while he completes your brother’s quests. Once he starts actively courting you it will only become harder for others to corner him.”

“Yes, but won’t they become more desperate and frantic when that happens?” Dyllis asked worriedly.

“An enemy who becomes sloppy is easy to deal with,” said Xeal. “That said, we will still need to watch out for the truly decisive ones.”

“Yes, there will truly be some troublesome individuals who go above and beyond along the way,” Enye confirmed. “What I don’t quite understand is why you want to avoid as many as possible Xeal?”

“That’s easy. One wife would be enough for me, two is already pushing it. Now it looks like I will have four whether I want to or not. Every additional wife adds more responsibilities and in turn takes away from my ability to adventure and build my guild.”

“Why must a guild leader continue to adventure once they stabilize their guilds position?” inquired Enye.

“If a guild leader stagnates, their guild stagnates. Only by constantly sharpening myself can I ensure my guild members do the same. What would happen if your brother simply rested on his laurels when he became king?”

“He would not be king for long, but he would only have to ride out in battle, not delve into the unknown.”

“Such is the difference between ruling a kingdom versus leading a guild,” declared Xeal.

“Still, I worry this strategy will lead to you being tied to only the most troublesome families,” counselled Enye.

“I would sooner be tied to a few troublesome families than every decent family in the court,” countered Xeal. “Even if on an individual level they are harder to deal with, it will still be easier to deal with than a large group of simple families.”

“Then it looks like we have a plan, just don’t blame me when it backfires on you,” warned Enye.

With that they ended the conversation and called the maids back over to enjoy the rest of their teatime. By the time it ended several hours had passed, and once Xeal was able to escape once more, he returned to mapping the capital. He still needed at least a few more days before he could complete the map and return to adventuring.

Evening, September 6, 2266.

Alex stood in front of the girls’ apartment dressed in the new suit he had bought the night after his date with Sam and Nicole. The last few days had been spent completely on finishing the map of the capital and getting ready for tonight. In his last life his 18-year-old self would have felt ridiculous dressed like this, but now it felt natural to him. He just hoped Nicole and Sam could take to this kind of attire with ease. If not, he didn’t know how his plan would play out. As the door opened Amanda stood there with a smug grin on her face. Like the other two she had logged out early to get ready for the night, only she was just aiding the other two with their hair and makeup.

“Man, did I pick the wrong guy. If I had known that you would get them those things, I might have tried to nab you myself. Oh, well, no reason to cry over spilt milk. I’ll just have to make Fred hate you for this.”

“Please don’t joke like that, and I’m sure when Fred can, he will get you similar things. It’s just some jewelry and a dress.”

“Right, and the Eiffel Tower is just some metal in the middle of a city. Don’t try and play smart with me. I know a good thing when I see it.”

“Green is not a good color for you.”

“Hey! Ah, whatever. Just come in. They are both ready.”

When Alex walked in, he couldn’t help but swallow when he saw Sam and Nicole. They were absolutely stunning. If he wasn’t careful, he would become lost in the sight. Nicole was dressed in a beautiful emerald green dress with a stunning deep blue sapphire neckless and earing set on. Her normally straight dark hair had loose wavy curls in it that flowed into the dress. The dress itself perfectly accented all of her best features. Even in his last life he had never seen her look so good. Sam, in contrast, had on a blue dress that matched the color of Nicole’s earrings almost perfectly and her emerald neckless and earrings matched Nicole’s dress. Her beautiful red hair was done up in an elaborate bun and like Nicole, her dress looked like it was perfect for making even a blind man notice the physical assets she carried. Alex was happy he had waited to see this until now as to fully enjoy the full effect of this scene.

“Well, are you going to say anything?” Amanda teased.

“Just wow, you two look absolutely amazing.”

“Is that all you have to say?” prodded Amanda.

“Amanda, stop giving him a hard time. I know you can see his reactions, just like us,” reprimanded Nicole.

“Yah, it looks like his brain might be rebooting right now, give him a minute will you,” Sam giggled.

Amanda just stuck out her tongue at the pair of them as she folded her arms. Both could tell she was really miffed to be the only one not wearing a gorgeous outfit. They really couldn’t blame her too much as they had both been practically dancing with nervous excitement after they got their dresses. The last few days must have been hard on her being left out while Sam and Nicole felt like princesses.

“I’m sorry, it seems like I lost myself a bit there. As I said, you both look absolutely amazing. I couldn’t be luckier to have both of you. Amanda, I apologize. I am sure this has made you feel left out. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you to deal with this the last few days.”

“It’s fine, although I think I will move back home next week. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying living here, but with us moving at the end of the year I want to spend some more time with my family.”

“Wait, we didn’t mean to drive you away. Please stay,” Sam implored.

“Sam, don’t worry. I’m not leaving because I don’t want to live with you two, it’s just, well…”

Amanda was blushing slightly as she looked between Alex, Nicole and Sam. In the next moment everyone’s faces became red as they struggled to get their breathing right.

“Look, I will spend tonight with my family. We can talk more about this tomorrow. Right now, you all have an important meeting to get to. Good luck, and I hope everything goes well.”

Before anyone could regain their senses, Amanda had made her escape, leaving the three of them there staring dumbly at each other. Suddenly Alex felt like it might be nice to forget about the dinner and stay here to unwrap these two lovely presents right now. However, after he took a deep breath to calm himself, he looked back at Sam and Nicole and smiled.

“Well, we should probably get going so we’re not late,” Alex said.

It took a moment for the two to realize that Alex had spoken and another moment to process it.

“Yes, we should go,” Sam agreed.

“Yes, let’s hurry. We don’t want to be late,” added Nicole.

Both girls had clearly not missed Amanda’s intentions by leaving them the apartment for the night. Both had let their minds wander to what could happen tonight. Sam had a slightly guilty look on her face as she knew her thoughts would not happen tonight while Nicole just looked extremely nervous. Alex could tell where things were headed and decided it would be best to pour some cold water on this quickly.

“Don’t let your minds go there. Tonight is not the right time for that. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that we would regret it over time. When the time comes it will be a special moment focused on you individually. Doing those things tonight would be insulting to what that step means for us.”

With Alex’s words, both Sam and Nicole calmed down and regained their composure before leaving for the restaurant. On the ride over the three of them went over the plan once more. By the time they arrived they felt confident in being able to carry it out. For the first time Alex made use of the valet parking. He almost laughed at the look on the attendant’s face when he noticed Sam and Nicole. Right now, Alex was the focus of many different looks as he walked with a beauty on each arm. Several men were reminded in various ways who they were with as they stared a bit to long for the ladies accompanying them to approve. Once they arrived at the host, who was one of the few men to actually maintain his bearing, they checked in and were guided to the private table once more. Now it was time to wait for Nantan Presswell to arrive. They didn’t have to wait for long as a few minutes later the host returned with a man with tan skin, dark eyes and black hair. He looked to be around 40 to 50 years old, and while not overly muscular, definitely was in shape. As he noticed Nicole and Sam a smile swept across his face for an instant before his neutral expression returned, but Alex still caught it. Next, he looked at Alex and extended a hand to him.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

Alex accepted the hand, leaning over the table slightly as he sat with Nicole on his right and Sam on his left.

“It’s no problem. I appreciate the opportunity for us each to have a clearer understanding of the other.”

“Your words bring me some relief as I was worried my guild had offended you beyond repair with the actions of those fools. Now, who are these lovely young ladies here?”

“This is Nicole and Sam; both are vice leaders in my guild.”

“It’s a pleasure,” flattered Nantan.

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” replied Nicole.

“Yes, I am sure this discussion will be fruitful,” added Sam.

“Indeed. Now before all of that, let’s get started on our order-” started Nantan.

“It’s on me tonight. Feel free to get whatever you like on the menu.”

Alex cut Nantan off before he could claim the check and gain the initiative for the night. Nantan’s face showed a flash of annoyance that disappeared even faster than his smile at Sam and Nicole, but Alex still caught it. Alex simply smiled politely as he waited for Nantan’s response.

“Very well. Since the guild leader has offered, I will naturally accept.”

“Thank you, I couldn’t let you pay after you traveled all this way just to meet with me.”

As Alex said this, he wrapped his arms around Sam’s and Nicole’s waists and pulled them closer to him. Once more Nantan smiled and this time he didn’t hide it. Instead, turned it into a mask for his reply to Alex.

“You really are something. If that is how you feel don’t blame me for not being polite with my order. I know you’re underage but I hear they have some very nice wine here, so please forgive me for not including you.”

“It’s fine, I can afford a bottle or two of wine. Here comes the waiter. Let’s order.”

With that the four of them gave the waiter their drink orders and Alex ordered some hors d'oeuvres. As they waited, they kept the conversation superficial as both wanted to wait and get a better read on their opponent before striking. Both Nantan and Alex could tell the other was not to be disregarded, but the more he probed the more Nantan felt he had the opening he needed. By the time the drinks arrived everyone was ready to order their other courses for this meal. Finally, Nantan decided to get serious and see how big of an opening Alex really had.

“Sam and Nicole, right?”

“Yes, how can we help you?” replied Sam.

“Oh, it is nothing. I just thought I should compliment you both as you two look so lovely.”

“Why thank you, but flattery won’t get you too far.” As she said the last word Nicole winked slightly and gave Nantan a smile.

“Flattery, no, I only am speaking the truth that I see before me. Alex is indeed a lucky man. Two beauties to hold. You truly are the envy of other men, but I must ask how you all met?”

“Oh, well, Nicole and I have been friends since middle school, and we met Alex around the same time.”

“Oh, so the three of you have been together like this for several years. I must say that is quite impressive.”

“Nantan, this topic is not appropriate to talk too much on, but if you must know this relationship is only a recent development,” informed Alex.

Nantan was ecstatic to hear this. If the three had been like this for several years it would indeed be difficult. However, if the relationship was still shallow, he could approach it from several different angles. After all, what young man didn’t love to have beautiful women look their way. Just looking at the scene before him he could see Alex’s judgment was lacking in this area. With a few pushes Abysses End should be able to work a few spies into Alex’s life and fan the flames of his vice. Now it was just a matter of determining the most effective method to use. Both Sam and Nicole looked young and dumb enough to be manipulated without too much trouble, but doing so could end up tipping Abysses End’s hand. No, it would be best to find another girl who already had some kind of relation to him and try to insert her. The problem with this is Nicole and Sam may become like a wall and block his move. So, first he needed to cause some issues between the three of them, but Nantan wasn’t sure as to how to do so.

“Of course. I apologize. I must admit that my curiosity got the better of me. Now on to the main topic for tonight. As a representative of Abysses End, I have been instructed to give you a full apology for the actions of our members. Furthermore, we hope that you can put the past behind you and enter into a mutually beneficial agreement.”

“Oh, and just what kind of agreement are we talking about?” inquired Alex.

“That depends on the young guild leader. Obviously we would love for you to merge into Abysses End and enter into the fast track to become one of our executives. However, from the reports I have seen, you’re not interested in that kind of arrangement. Additionally, setting you up to be a subordinate guild would be laughable as you will surely overshadow us in time. That is why we believe an economic partnership and advisory position, sealed with a share swap, would be best. What are your thoughts?”

“What level of share swap are you talking about?”

“One percent of Abysses End for five percent of FAE is what we found to be doable from our viewpoint.”

“Do you really view my workshop as worth 20 percent of yours?”

“No, but we feel with its potential, this would be a fair offer.”

“Sam, what do you think the value of our workshop is compared to Abysses End?”

“I don’t know. You know numbers aren’t my thing, but they certainly have a lot more members and have a longer history then us.”

“Nicole?”

“It’s like Sam says, with all of that extra weight holding them down they would be lucky to be worth a tenth of what we will be in five years. Furthermore, unlike them we have essentially already locked up our home country in ED, while the only notable accomplishment for Abysses End widely known to the public is the failures who failed to cripple us in spectacular fashion. So, if I had to evaluate each based on everything right now from an investor’s standpoint, I would say we are a promising start up and they are a declining giant. While they may be more secure for the time being, we have the potential to return far more over time. That said, at this exact moment they are offering an over evaluation of us with their offer.”

Nantan wanted to rip Nicole a new one. She all but said that accepting this offer would be a loss for them in the long run. What’s more is she actually had sound arguments to back her statement up, even if she admitted the offer was fair at the end. Still, it would all depend on what Alex’s thoughts on the matter were.

“Hmm, it certainly sounds as if your offer is fair, however, I don’t quite see how it would benefit my guild. Please enlighten me just how this partnership would work.”

Nantan was relieved Alex hadn’t just thrown out his initial offer, now he just needed to sell it.

“Certainly. The greatest benefits we would bring would be our connections and stability. Once we come to terms, we could help FAE in networking with other major players in the virtual gaming world. This will make building extended networks across ED much easier to accomplish, speeding up your guild’s development immensely. As for stability, we can offer financial assistance to ensure that FAE can develop securely without running into major issues related to a lack of credits. With these two issues solved it will be simple for FAE to grow into a true powerhouse in the next decade. What are your thoughts on these points?”

“Hmm, interesting, you bring up some good points. What do you think Nicole?”

“Really he just offered to tie us down with debt while he builds us up just to end up owning us in the end. Only a fool would think financial assistance would come without some form of security. Abysses End will likely ask us to offer shares of our workshop either as collateral, or simply buy them above market price, smiling as they quickly steal ownership from you and force a merger in a few years. Besides, we aren’t in need of credits and building our own connections may be hard, but they will definitely be stronger.”

“I don’t know, it could save us some time and who knows, we may need some credits down the road. As long as we don’t get to far in debt, we should be fine,” countered Sam.

Nantan wanted to kiss Sam at this point. Nicole had been ripping his proposal to shreds. Now, thanks to Sam, instead of him playing defense he could simply build Sam up and hope Alex took the bait.

“I must say, you have two smart ladies with you. Both of their views have merits, though I must say Sam’s is more along the lines of my thinking. Don’t get me wrong, we would love to buy your workshop right now, but realistically that isn’t an option. However, if we can secure a fair number of shares in FAE as you grow and develop it, we can ensure that we profit heavily from it. Now it all depends on what your thoughts on this matter are.”

Alex was having a hard time keeping his poker face going while he worked with Nicole and Sam to string him along. However, it was well worth it. He now had Nantan right where he wanted him. If he could bring it home and finish strong, he should be able to buy himself at least a month or two before Abysses End made another aggressive pass at him. He really needed to let Sam and Nicole know how much he appreciated them for playing their roles so perfectly. Just as Alex was about to answer, the waiter returned with their main courses.

“I would like to think for a bit. How about we enjoy our meals before we finish this conversation.”

“Very well, the food does look good after all.”

With this they enjoyed some lighter conversation topics as they ate. Nantan couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy over the fact that Alex avoided responding. He was worried that he would think too much and not agree, but if he pushed here he could end up chasing Alex away. While he was worrying on how to get Alex to give his response while ensuring it was positive for Abysses End, Alex blindsided him.

“So, what happened to those four who attacked us?”

“Yah, how did your workshop handle those pieces of trash?” inquired Sam. “They were absolutely vile and didn’t even know the beginning of how to respect others.”

“They were punished of course.”

“But how?” asked Nicole.

“I’m sorry, but that is an internal matter. It would be inappropriate to share it with you beyond their public apologies.”

“I only noticed three apologies,” probed Nicole. Where was the last one? I believe we are missing the ring leader’s statement. What was his name again? Oh, yah, Tenbris. Why haven’t we seen a public apology from him yet?”

“About that, he is no longer part of Abysses End.”

“Did he leave of his own free will or was he expelled?” requested Alex.

“Again, I cannot comment on the details. I’m sorry but how we handle these matters are private. Disclosing anything more would violate our confidentiality agreements.”

“If we accepted your offer, could we know then?” inquired Sam.

“Hmm, possibly, over time, but not likely as you would have to be privileged to our internal personnel files. Please drop this topic as I don’t have anything more to add on this subject.”

“Nantan, I’m sorry, but this is very important to me, as if we are to be working together in the future, I need to know if the higher ups in Abysses End are harboring ill feelings towards me,” Alex stated firmly. “Otherwise I won’t be able to feel confident that every action taken would have our best interest at heart. I’m sure you can understand how some of your members might resent us for tarnishing your workshop’s name. It wouldn’t be too farfetched to find that even some of your major backers would love to undermine us. Clearly you and Abysses End don’t expect us to be able to work together without building trust between us first.”

Nantan’s face went dark. He had hit a road block and knew that nothing he did or said tonight could succeed. However, what Alex said was true. Only a complete fool would trust in this situation so he couldn’t get angry. In fact, he knew if FAE trusted Abysses End it would only lead to Abysses End absorbing them over time. The only paths forward were to build trust over time or infiltrate through non direct means. Either way would take time and an enormous effort, but leadership was clear. Abysses End’s number one priority was the first guild bonus currently held by FAE. They didn’t care what it took to secure it and were willing to throw all available resources at this goal so long as progress was made. Now Nantan just needed to figure out how to proceed.

“I can see that you are no fool and that I have acted slightly too presumptuous here tonight. I believe I should take a step back as asking you to respond to the earlier offer would only serve to put you in an awkward situation. Instead, I think we should begin by simply showing each other good will and slowly growing our trust in one another. Hopefully, over time, you will be able to see the sincerity behind our actions.”

“Certainly, it is as you say. I appreciate your understanding. Now what do you have in mind?”

“For now, I am still in town for a few more days. Are there any opportunities for me to spend some more time with you?”

“I’m sorry but for now even tonight was hard to arrange due to the loss of time in ED. Every moment is precious. Ask Sam and Nicole about it as it has put major constraints on our ability to spend time together.”

“It’s true,” agreed Sam. “We have to settle for a date in ED once every 18 days by its time. If he didn’t promise that things would settle down in a few years I don’t know if I could accept it. Even so, it makes me worry whether or not I can withstand it for that long.”

“Sam, that’s a bit more than you should say. Look, I won’t say it’s easy, but Alex is truly treating us right and we knew what we were getting into before we did.”

“Surely you must take part in some kind of activity during your mandatory log out times?”

“True, we do exercise every morning from 4:30 to 5:15. Would you be interested in a run in the morning?” Alex proposed.

“Certainly, I think it would be an excellent chance to grow our relationship. I must say that you surprise me. Most ED players neglect physical fitness, but you are exercising every morning.”

“It’s not just him,” said Sam. “All of our local leadership does as well. In fact, it is required for leadership to do so.”

“Outstanding. What led you to establish such a policy?”

“I’m sorry but that is confidential. Wouldn’t want to give away any of FAE’s secrets now would we,” Alex said smirkingly.

Nicole laughed. “He, he, oh Alex, you know how to push buttons. Nantan it is simple. We don’t want health issues caused from neglecting to care for our bodies to become an issue.”

“I see, that is a valid concern. Large workshops like Abysses End are well acquainted with such issues. Many small workshops miss this pitfall and collapse due to it as their leadership becomes incapacitated for an extended time.”

“Very good, I guess we will see you in the morning then. Now let’s enjoy some dessert,” said Alex.

With that the four of them enjoyed the rest of the dinner without anything more of consequence being brought up. Afterwards, Alex dropped Sam and Nicole off at their apartment, and after walking them in, he returned somewhat reluctantly to his home to log back in and begin the prep work for the first quest that Prince Victor had put before him.

Morning, September 7, 2266.

Alex awoke from another day in ED smiling. He had successfully found a few leads that might help him complete the first quest. Additionally, while the reward for the quest was unknown, if the information he had gathered was right it would be substantial. This did as much to excite him as make him wary. He kept coming back to one thing and that was how such a quest could land in the hands of a tier four player. The only thing that made sense was it was a scalable quest, and as long as he could reach the area, he could complete it. He started to wonder if all 12 quests would be that way and if he could complete them early due to this loophole. Still, he was sure some of the quests would take him to high level areas, and if his lead was right, he would need to reach a level 60 area for his quest.

Putting that aside for the more pressing issue at hand, Alex needed to get ready for this morning’s run. What had started as just him, before growing into him, Sam, Nicole, Dan, Fred and Amanda, had grown even further. Now it included Anna, her two friends Jessica and Lauren, and his mom and dad. In addition, his running group had inspired others in the neighborhood who were playing ED to start running as well. Now it wasn’t unusual to see two or three groups like his as they ran. With the addition of Nantan, his group would have 12 members today and from the sounds of it that would last at least through tomorrow. When Alex made his way downstairs, he found Jessica and Lauren already there with Anna at the table, meaning they had spent the night once again. This was a regular occurrence at this point, with them being over like this, two or three times a week.

“Morning Anna, Jessica, Lauren. Have Mom and Dad been down yet?”

“Nope, but I heard them moving so they will probably join us today.”

“Okay, so how are all of you doing keeping up with school while trying to find time to play?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” groaned Jessica. “I feel like I’m missing out on so much when I’m at school. I want to do what you are doing and just play ED full time and make it my career.”

“Jessica, you know that is easier said than done,” expressed Lauren.

“Yah, but if Alex would bring us on it would be simple.”

“We have been over this already. My loving brother thinks it’s important that we graduate high school, so he won’t even bring me on full time and I’m already committed to his guild so, drop it.”

Alex could only shake his head as the three made another pass at getting him to take the bait and make them an offer. Scenes like this happened every three or four days at this point and Alex knew better than to address them. However, he did need to give them some warning about Nantan, but he wanted to wait for his mom and dad first. Finally, a few minutes later, they joined everyone in the kitchen and Alex asked for everyone’s attention.

“Everyone, I need to inform you that today we will have a guest joining us for our run. All you really need to know is he is from a gaming workshop who is trying to form friendly relations with mine. However, I don’t know if I trust him or his workshop, so please don’t assume that he is a friend, but also don’t offend him unnecessarily.”

“What workshop is he from?” inquired Jessica.

“I would rather not say and ask that you not ask him unless he brings it up first.”

“Why?”

“Simple. It may be for the best right now to avoid any rumors going around in case other workshops see these actions as a threat. If other workshops think that we are looking to form a lasting alliance they may become motivated to do the same with each other.”

“Is it really that big of a deal? Workshops collaborate all the time,” pressed Jessica.

“Just drop it, I’m sure Alex has his reasons,” stated Lauren.

“You’re no fun. Where is your curiosity?”

“Under house arrest,” replied Lauren. “Now let’s get outside. Everyone else should be getting here soon.”

A few minutes after they all went outside, Dan, Fred, Amanda, Nicole and Sam had all arrived, and then Nantan showed up. As Nantan surveyed this group his eyes spotted Jessica and Lauren and he felt like he might have an avenue of approach. Everyone else in this group Abysses End had already built a profile for and he knew that other than turning Sam, or Nicole, he could only make minor gains. However, these two girls were unknowns and might be a good tool for him to use, depending on their personalities. First though he needed to play the part and meet everyone officially.

“Good morning, everyone. I must thank Alex for allowing me to join you all this morning. I am Nantan Presswell and I’m here from Abysses End to explore whether or not we can build a friendly relationship with FAE. I truly feel that cooperation for mutual benefit is always the best path forward and hope to secure such a relationship with all of you here today. I look forward to getting to know each of you and hope that you will accept my good will. Thank you.”

“Are you really from Abysses End?” Jessica inquired.

“Yes.”

“Wow, your workshop is one of the top ones in all of North America, but didn’t Abysses End and FAE have a major conflict recently?”

“Sadly yes, a few of our members took it upon themselves to act and caused a bit of an uproar. Now I have been sent to help repair the damage that they caused by their actions.”

“Let’s not get to much into all of that right now,” interrupted Alex. “We have a run to do right now.”

“Of course. As I don’t know the route, I think I will just follow along. Is there anyone who would be willing to run with me to make sure I don’t get lost?”

“I’ll stick with you, though I’m a bit on the slow side, so I may hold you back,” said Jessica.

Alex didn’t know how to react to Jessica jumping at Nantan’s offer, but her eagerness worried him. He knew she was the type who was looking for easy money in life and hadn’t realized the true meaning of work yet. Even playing ED required one to spend hours of time on tasks that weren’t exactly fun for a player in order to earn a living. Whether it was spending hours perfecting your craft through mind numbing repetition or countless practice match after practice match to hone your combat abilities. In his last life, of the 15 billion people who played ED, only around 53 million, or about 0.35 percent of all players, made a decent living through ED. It was not something that anyone who put forth a bit of effort could accomplish; true skill and some luck was needed. This information helped Alex to know that the likelihood of four paid members of Abysses End truly acting without at least some approval from their bosses was unlikely. Perhaps it would be best to simply let Jessica become Abysses End’s pawn and use that fact to his advantage. With that thought he just waited to see how it would play out.

“I don’t know, will it just be the two of us or do you have a running partner as well?”

“Oh, um normally I run with Anna and Lauren and we are usually near Amanda, Sam and Nicole.”

“In that case I will move between each of these groups for the run but will stay with you for the most part since you offered.”

With that everyone started to run. Alex, Dan and Fred hung back a bit more the usual as Sam, Nicole and Amanda ran a bit behind Anna’s group instead of slightly in front like they would normally do. Alex’s mom and dad just ran as usual and were the furthest back and it wasn’t long before they were 100 feet behind the rest. Nantan spent the first bit getting to know everyone and understanding the relations between each. He was surprised to learn that Jessica and Lauren weren’t members of FAE or any other major powers in ED. As he thought about it though, it made sense as they weren’t in the report. The more he learned the more Nantan felt that Jessica and Lauren could become the perfect tool for his needs. Especially as both of them were minors still. With a little push he could bring major problems to FAE and Alex. The issue was ensuring these problems were to the benefit of Abysses End and not just to the harm of FAE. As the run progressed, Nantan made sure to move between each different group to interact with them as to not raise Alex’s suspicion as Nantan could tell he was hanging back and taking it easy on this run, and Nicole was always keeping a close eye on him. That was another issue. While he felt Sam was usable, Nicole seemed hell bent on blocking him. Then there was Amanda who seemed to be determined to hold a grudge against Abysses End for how Tenbris had treated her. Even after expelling that idiot his actions were still haunting the workshop. Nantan wished he could have stopped the expulsion and forced him through several public humiliating experiences before eventually expelling him. At least then Nantan could have used that to pacify some of FAE’s anger. Instead, he now had to find a way to do so on his own.

30 minutes after the run had started, they had returned to Alex’s parents’ house and Nantan was once more surprised. He hadn’t expected to see after a short rest everyone to start to do other exercises as well. Pushups, sit-ups, jumping jacks and several other exercises were being performed all around as each individual did whichever they preferred, each pushing themselves. Even Alex’s mom and dad joined in before Alex called them all over to do some cool down stretches. As he thought about it Nantan realized that, while it had been unorganized, that everyone had done some light stretches before this run as well. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was really organized by an 18-year-old boy. Had his parents perhaps made this suggestion? Either way it was another thing Nantan had to consider when he judged how to proceed with his plans. Perhaps he should extend his time in the area and continue to observe things for a while.

“Alright, everyone should head out to shower and eat before it’s time to log back in,” stated Alex.

“Excuse me, will you be doing another run tomorrow?”

“Yes, why?”

“Oh, I was just hoping you would be fine with me joining you again as I quite enjoyed todays run.”

“I don’t see why not. You’re welcome to join us any time, unless I determine your intentions are hostile.”

“Wonderful, then I will see you all tomorrow.”

“That’s awesome, see you tomorrow!” gushed Jessica excitedly.

“Oh, before I forget here are copies of my business card. If anyone needs anything that I can help with, feel free to contact me.”

“Thank you, I’m sure this will come in handy in the future,” smiled Jessica.

With that everyone went their separate ways to get ready for the day. Alex’s mom took Jessica and Lauren home. Alex couldn’t help but be relieved by this as on days where she didn’t it could become a real log jam to get a shower in. Still, Alex was a bit worried at how interested Jessica was in Nantan and in turn Abysses End, and how they might try and use her.

Nantan was smiling as he reviewed the report he just sent off to his supervisor. It laid out clearly everything that had transpired and included the full audio that he had secretly recorded. Now all that was left was to have the meeting that was scheduled to start shortly to discuss how to proceed. He went ahead and entered the conference line and waited for the others to join. A few minutes later all four of those invited had joined.

“Nantan, good work,” praised Unknown 1. “From your report and the audio, it seems we really did underestimate our opponent. Now let’s discuss how to proceed.”

“Yes, we have invited Atius to join us today as he has some experience dealing with FAE,” reported Unknown 2. “Now Nantan, your report mentions we may be able to use the girl named Sam, or another named Jessica, but you think both only have a small chance of success. Why do you feel that way from the audio both seem promising?”

“Of course, both would be great if there were no external factors. With Sam she would have to go behind Nicole’s back to become a full agent for us. So, at most I feel using her to gain incidental intel through conversation would be best. Next, while Jessica would be easy to use, Alex is likely already on guard against her as she was too friendly with me. To use her effectively will take bold action, but I feel she is worth a minimal investment. If she could work her way in to the odd relationship Alex has with Sam and Nicole, she could cause issues with FAE’s whole operations. The chances of this actually happening are very small as the main reason Sam and Nicole can deal with the current arrangement is due to a long friendship. However, Jessica could still be useful by finding any cracks in that friendship and trying to turn them into major issues. Additionally, with Jessica still being a minor she could try and find a way to put Alex in a compromising situation to use as leverage.”

“Blackmail, hmm, while I do like it, we need to be careful and take precautions,” advised Atius. “Alex has already made a fool of us. If he can expose this and turn it around on us, we may have no face left in the gaming world.”

“Indeed, all Alex would need to do is capture the audio like you just did and it would be over,” agreed Unknown 2. “Still, we shouldn’t discount this method completely as he would have to be extremely paranoid to have a recording device on him at all times.”

“Of course, this is why I listed it as our primary option if we wanted to complete our goal as fast as possible,” replied Nantan. “It is the high-risk, high rewards option. Sadly, I didn’t find any low-risk options that could quickly achieve our goals.”

“What are your thoughts on this Atius?” inquired Unknown 1.

“Hmm, well we aren’t in too much of a hurry. The main issue is the longer we wait the stronger FAE’s foundations will be. It would already take a full-blown war between Nium and another country to shake their foundations in ED. By the time we could even be a contributing factor to that outcome years will have likely passed already. So even if we take a year to secure it through our means outside ED, it would still likely be faster than taking if by force in game. However, we need to be careful. If we push the wrong button, I could see Alex selling it to another major workshop out of spite.”

“Interesting, then there seems to only be two ways forward,” responded Unknown 1. “We can either try and trap him and put him into a situation to where if he doesn’t hand it over to us his life will be ruined, or slowly convince him to join us of his own accord. Am I missing anything?”

“It may be presumptuous for me to say so, but there is always another way.,” suggested Nantan. “In my mind I believe the overload option is there as well. If we can make it so he has too many things to deal with he may become overwhelmed and start making decisions he would have never made before, all in an attempt to lessen his burden. This would be a plan that we could pursue in full once the average player reaches level 80 and travel between countries becomes easier.”

“Interesting, continue, how do you see this playing out?” asked Unknown 1.

“Yes, at first, we simply use this time to lay the groundwork, by finding several women to situate in this area. We need to do this through a subsidiary, so no one knows we are the driving force behind it, not even the women. Next, we simply pay them to play ED with the goal of joining FAE, meeting Alex/Xeal, and seducing him in game and out. This will take at least a few months to set up, but if we can identify 20 or so women it may be hard for him to go anywhere without one of them making a move. Next, we make sure once players reach level 80 several of our allies seek out Xeal in ED to establish formal relations. Each will need to send their guild leaders, and each will need to be firm that they will only work with Xeal directly. If we can get 20 or so guilds to each meet with Xeal and draw out the process as long as possible we could freeze his progress in leveling for months. Then it’s just adding some small issues in whenever we can do so behind the scenes and keep it up. Eventually, he will become so overwhelmed that he will thank us for taking over his guild and letting him join us.”

“I must say you really do live up to your reputation. Is there anything else you need from us to execute this plan?” inquired Unknown 1.

“For now, all I need is to continue to make visits out here regularly, and when I do, bring some of our other members with me.”

“Who do you have in mind?” asked Unknown 2.

“No one in particular, but they should be from our younger members who show promise. If nothing else, they may gain much from observing how Alex carries himself and his drive. If we are lucky, it may even ignite a fire within them as they strive to not be left behind.”

“If I may, that idea also has some issues as it may shatter some of their resolve,” warned Atius.

“How so?” asked Unknown 2.

“Many of our younger members feel they are special and will have great achievements in ED. I myself was one such individual. Alex, or Xeal, is a harsh reality check. My experience with him was nothing but humbling and has caused me to reexamine my own confidence. Not everyone can handle such a harsh reality.”

“Nantan?” questioned Unknown 2.

“It is as Atius says; however, it can also be said doing so could save us a lot of time and effort. We have over 10,000 new recruits who show promise, but if history is anything to judge from, under 500 will pan out. I say we use Alex like a refining fire to weed out those who are not worth our time or effort and save some resources.”

“You can’t really want to send 10,000 people to meet him, can you?” asked Atius incredulously.

“The goal is overload, isn’t it? From where I stand this is simply killing two birds with one stone.”

“You’re insane. I actually feel bad for him now. A year from now he won’t even have the time to enjoy the fact that he has two women,” chuckled Atius.

“Ha ha ha… very good, you really know how to be ruthless,” laughed Unknown 1. “Now all we have to do is sit back and enjoy the show. We will kill him with kindness. Who cares if we lose a few members along the way? How do you plan on sending our members to meet him?”

“I’m glad you like it. At first, we should only send two to four. Any more would likely be met with resistance by him. We should send them for a few weeks and rotate them out. If no issues occur as time passes, we should be able to increase the number without issue. A year from now we might even be able to send 20 to 30 at a time with little issue.”

“Very well see to it. I will leave this to you, but make sure to keep us in the loop. Atius you are to work under Nantan from now on. Don’t disappoint us again,” warned Unknown 1. “You show great promise and if you can succeed, we will reinstate your prior standing.”

Morning, September 8, 2266.

Nantan once more joined Alex and his friends for their morning run. Once more Jessica seemed ecstatic to see him and Alex seemed a bit put off. This irked him slightly as if this little girl could disguise her dreams of grandeur slightly, she would be infinitely more useful. Now, however, he had to find a way to ensure she didn’t turn into a liability when the younger generation of Abysses End visited. The last thing Nantan needed was for her to try and latch onto one of them in front of Alex. The problem was how was he supposed to tell her anything without arousing suspicion. Luckily an opportunity arrived just as they finished the run. Nantan, who didn’t feel the need to push himself further, abstained from the extra exercise at the end, was standing alone off to the side. When Jessica came over to talk to him more, he just smiled.

“So today is your last day in town, right?”

“Yes, but don’t worry, I plan on coming back every so often.”

“Really, that’s wonderful. I was worried this would be the last time I would see you or others from Abysses End.”

“Let me guess, you’re hoping that you might be able to join us.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say no but I know Abysses End has a strict 18 and up rule from what I read online.”

“We do, but that’s only for official members who are paid. We will pick up a few 16 and 17-year-olds that show promise. Once they turn 18, they are looked at like any other official member. Often times they perform much better due to the extra time.”

“Really, that’s awesome, but I don’t think I have the skills Abysses End would be interested in.”

“We look at more than just skills in games. Sometimes connections are enough, but now is not the time to go into that. Give me a call before you go to school today. I’ll wait for your call and we can talk more then.”

“Okay, I will do that, thanks!”

Nantan was happy. Now he just needed to get Alex to agree to let him start sending the younger members to meet him. If everything went well, this trip would let him establish a wonderful foot hold. Unfortunately, Alex was against sending more members of Abysses End to meet him and Nantan was only able to get him to agree to letting four members visit with himself one week every month. This was much fewer than he had hoped for. He had thought it would be easy, but it seemed Alex already was aware of the value his time held. If this held true for meeting with other guilds in ED, Nantan’s whole plan might take a lot more effort and time than he liked. When Nantan left that morning, he had agreed to return on the eighth of October with four younger members of Abysses End with him. Alex looked a bit troubled but agreed to a five-week rotation through December for a trial period, with November 12th and December 17th being the start of the other two visits. It was less then Nantan wanted but he felt that he could make it work with his other plans.

ED Year 1, Day 161

Xeal awoke at midnight in ED and stretched. He finally had some time to himself and was going to use it to its fullest. His leveling pace had slowed, and he was only at level 42 right now, but that was still far better than any others. Even his friends who were at level 39 still weren’t ready to complete their tier 4 tests. None of them had attempted it yet and were still working to master the skills Xeal had told them were crucial, as a first time clear was more important than quickly completing it in the long run. He could only shake his head as he thought about how they had probably leveled too quickly and their foundations were suffering due to it. If it had been any other guild, each of them would have likely already completed the test after one or two failures. Even with his warning they were getting impatient. Xeal was finding it a daily task to make sure they didn’t rush things. Like his friends, the rest of his guild was working on reaching level 39, then bettering their skill in the game

Xeal’s plan was to spend time grinding in the area around the Vault of Ucnuc for the next 50 days in ED. It would be long and tedious but thanks to the planned dates and tea time, he would be able to recharge regularly. In fact, he had a date with Gale at the end of this session. With his goals set Xeal made his way to the Ethereal Bog to start his grind. Xeal spent the next 16 hours in game killing undead. He was pleased with his progress as he reached level 43 from his efforts. With that out of the way Xeal used a return scroll to get ready for his date.

Once Xeal had taken care of the basic upkeep his equipment needed, he made his way to the market where Gale was waiting. Her dark red hair was down and styled to her right side in a wave. When her blue eyes found Xeal her face lit up with a wonderful smile. One of Xeal’s favorite things was seeing the smiles he brought to his girls’ faces when they had his attention. He was looking forward to when they both reached level 40 so he could take them to new cities for their dates as Dragon’s Heart was becoming slightly stale.

“You look wonderful.”

“Thank you, although I feel like I’m cheating. ED makes it simple to pull off almost any style.”

With that the pair set out on their date, enjoying a few of the challenge games before having a nice meal and finally, like all of Gale’s dates, they made their way to the inn. Once inside Gale stopped Xeal before he could start undressing.

“Alex, I think we should talk first.”

“Sure, what’s up, Sam?”

“It’s about you and Nicole. I think you need to be a bit more aggressive with her. She is waiting for you to sweep her off her feet in reality and I can tell she is starting to worry you are too busy here to do so.”

“I see, thank you. I have been focusing on everything FAE needs to succeed a bit much lately. The whole Abysses End thing has me really distracted.”

“Exactly, now here is what is going to happen tomorrow night, that is Sunday the ninth if you have lost track of time, you are going to do it. I’ll get Amanda out of the apartment and I will stay at my parents’ house. You are going to pack a night bag and make Nicole’s dreams come true.”

“I’m so lucky.”

“Oh, and why’s that?”

“My girlfriends are more concerned with the other’s happiness than they are with their own.”

“Wrong, I am very selfish. Once you have given Nicole her dream night, I expect my own.”

“Nope, you will have to wait a while. I’m thinking that I will let Nicole enjoy having me exclusively in real life for at least a week or so.”

“Hey, that’s not fair. I get it that I had you in here for over ten weeks, but that’s been really spaced out. I really want to get you to move in with us and just switch between beds each night.”

“Sam, you don’t understand what you are asking for. Before I do that, we need to make our arrangement known to all of our families. My mom has been kind by not telling yours or Nicole’s parents. The moment I move in with you two that kindness will end. In fact, I think we need to take care of that tonight. If I am going to take that step it is best that it comes from the horse’s mouth. How do you think your parents will take it?”

“Umm, not good, but they won’t do much more then give us a stern lecture before conceding that we are adults and affirming that they still love me. It’s Nicole’s parents that are going to try and kill you. I don’t know if Nicole can handle that.”

“I think she needs to. It won’t be pretty but we’ll be there with her to comfort her after. Besides, I have a simple play that should cause them some pause in their judgment.”

“I hope you’re right for all of our sakes. Now, before the mood is completely lost, let’s do what we came here for.”

Xeal didn’t need any more of an invitation as he started to kiss Gale passionately before they brought their bodies together.

Evening September 8, 2266

Alex made his way downstairs after logging out of ED, meeting his mother in the kitchen as she had started working to get dinner together.

“Mom, Dad, I won’t be home for dinner the next two nights, and depending on what happens, I might not be here for a few days.”

“What is going on son?” Mr. Bell inquired.

“I feel like it’s time that Sam, Nicole and I informed their parents about our situation.”

“Oh, umm-” stuttered Mr. Bell

“Good, maybe they will be able to knock some sense into their daughters!” Mrs. Bell said firmly.

“Honey, I thought we went over this. All we will accomplish by being aggressive is driving our son out of here. Now son, if I remember correctly, Nicole isn’t exactly on good terms with her parents right now. How are you going to handle them?”

“With brutal honesty. I have no plan on trying to appease them. My only goal will be to ensure Nicole leaves there with her head held high. Even so, I expect her to need my shoulder after it’s done as I’m sure it won’t be easy on her emotionally.”

“Sigh, when did you become so dependable Alex?” asked Mrs. Bell. “I assume you plan to get physical soon and that’s why you are doing this.”

“Mom, I really don’t want to get into that with you.”

“I know Alex, just promise me you will be careful. I don’t want any little Alex’s running around any time soon.”

“Mom, I get it. Don’t worry, none of us are ready for that yet.”

“Good, just know even though I don’t approve of your relationship, it means a lot to me that you are being up front with their parents. Just promise me you’re not going to move in with them yet.”

“Sorry, I can’t make a promise like that on my own anymore. I’ll tell you what, I’ll have Sam and Nicole over for dinner every Saturday after this week even if I move out. At least as long as we still live in the area.”

“What about their parents, they work as well?” Mr. Bell inquired.

“Sam’s can have Sundays. I don’t think Nicole’s parents will be wanting us anywhere near them after tonight.”

Just then Alex got a text letting him know Nicole and Sam were outside waiting for him.

“Well, the girls are here, wish me luck.”

Alex came out to find his beautiful ladies both wearing troubled looks, Nicole’s was especially bad. He could see it was taking everything she had to hold it together right now. So the first thing he did was hold her to him tightly without saying a thing, letting her know simply through his actions that he was there for her. After a minute she had calmed down enough that he could lift her chin and give her a kiss before pulling Sam into the embrace and kissing her as well.

“I know this won’t be fun for any of us, but we need to do this if we are going to move forward in our relationship. For the record, I don’t care if both of your parents hate me after this. I’m not doing this to please them or get their blessing. I am doing this so neither of you feel a need to hide our relationship. It’s better for us to face this head on than for them to find out from another source. I expect yelling and name calling, especially from the Jun’s, but just know that I care for each of you deeply. And while I will hesitate to use the L word just yet, I would say my feelings are trending that way quickly. Now let’s do this thing.”

Nicole just clung to Alex tighter while Sam gave him a wry smile before taking a deep breath and speaking.

“Alright, let’s get this over with. I already let my parents know to expect us shortly.”

The three of them walked in silence over to Sam’s parents’ house. Mister and Missis Carter both answered the door when they arrived and led them to the living room, where they sat on the couch with Alex in the middle. Mrs. Carter frowned slightly at the seating arrangement, but stayed silent about it.

“So, what is this all about Alex?” asked Mr. Carter. “Sam said that you had something important to talk to us about.”

“Yes, I do. All I ask is that you keep an open mind about what I am about to say.”

“Ok,” replied Mr. Carter.

Alex didn’t like the frowns both were wearing but moved forward anyway.

“Ok, here goes. I am currently in a relationship with both Sam and Nicole.”

Alex was waiting for the explosion that he was sure was coming, only it never did.

“Is that it?” inquired Mr. Carter.

“Yes, were you expecting something else?”

“Phew, thank goodness,” replied Mrs. Carter.  “I thought you had gotten our Samantha pregnant.”

“Mom!” an embarrassed Sam exclaimed.

“What? Oh, you thought we didn’t know about your relationship,” asked Mrs. Carter. “Sorry, but we see you three time to time when you’re running in the mornings and it is clear to all that the three of you are a thing. Now, don’t get it wrong, I’m not happy about it, but there is not much I can do about it, so I’ve accepted it.”

“Thank you for being honest with us Alex,” added Mr. Carter. “I appreciate the fortitude it took to be upfront about this. I’m not sure I could do so if I were in your shoes.”

“Thank you both for being so understanding,” a relieved Alex said.

“I can’t believe you thought I was pregnant. How stupid do you think we are?”

Mr. and Mrs. Carter just looked at each other and smiled.

“Forget it, I don’t want to know.”

“Well, as much as I would like to stick around a bit longer, we still have one more stop to make,” said Alex.

With that Mr. and Mrs. Carter’s looks turned into masks of worry, but they held their tongue as Alex stood with Sam and Nicole. They all said their goodbyes and Mr. Carter told them that he would watch for them if they needed help leaving the Jun’s house. Alex thanked him and resolved himself to face this head on and left the Carter’s home. Alex could tell Nicole was shaking more with each step they took so he took her hand in his and reassured her.

“Nicole, we are not going over there with any intention other than to be upfront with them. I fully expect them to not take it well and say things that they will regret. Know that I am here to take the abuse for you. Trust in me and keep your head held high. Just whatever you do don’t respond to their insults. Just let them know it’s your life and you are doing what you want. Trust me, you will be fine in the long run. Sam and I are right next to you. You’re not alone.”

“Thanks Alex, it’s just hard. My whole life was run by them until recently. I don’t think they would have even let me spend time with Sam if she hadn’t been right next door where they could easily monitor me.”

“Alex is right. This is about you telling them you are your own person. If they don’t like it, it’s their loss.”

With the pep talk out of the way Alex made his way to the door and knocked. It took a minute but finally the door opened and Nicole’s 12-year-old brother Jhon was at the door. The first thing he did was look around with a worried expression before talking.

“Nicole, you really shouldn’t be here. Mom and Dad still haven’t calmed down about you moving out and not going to college.”

“It’s okay, we are not here to make nice with Mom and Dad. I hope they haven’t been too harsh on the rest of you because of me.”

“Yah, things have been a bit more touch and go as of late, but we know how to keep our heads down. Just do us a favor and succeed in whatever it is you are doing in Eternal Dominion. Nothing would be worse for us than if you came crawling back like they think you will. Then none of us will ever hear the end of it.”

“Don’t worry, in a few months they both will be eating crow, I promise you that,” Alex assured.

“I hope you’re right, but seriously, what are you all doing here? If I had to pick three people who my parents wanted to strangle, you would be my first thoughts.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Sam. “Just tell your parents that we are here to tell them something, then leave. We just want them to hear it from us before it gets around.”

Jhon had a perplexed look on his face as he looked between the three of them trying to figure out what they needed to say that could be so important. He couldn’t think of anything so he just shrugged and left to go get the Juns. Shortly after Jhon left, both of Nicole’s parents appeared with vicious looks on their faces as they stared daggers at Alex and Sam. Nicole seemed surprised at her parents directing their hate at her friends instead of herself. Alex on the other hand knew this was how they were. It wasn’t Nicole’s fault that her friends led her astray. No, it was all Alex’s and Sam’s fault. How dare they drag Nicole down with their stupid pipe dreams. He remembered all the times in his last life that they had asked him when he was going to get a real job and stop playing around with their daughter’s future. They had ruined Alex’s one real relationship all because they blamed him for Nicole not going to college and her not becoming a doctor like they wanted. Alex couldn’t help but smile at what he was about to do.

“What do you want?” demanded Mr. Jun. “Is it not enough that you are ruining our daughter’s life, now you want to ruin our dinner as well?”

“Not at all. We are simply here as a courtesy to you both as we thought it best for both of you to hear from us that we three are in a relationship together.”

“What! Nicole, I didn’t raise you to be a-” Mrs. Jun said angrily.

“That’s enough! Mrs. Jun I would advise you to watch your mouth. Nicole may be your daughter but right now she is my girlfriend. I will not just stand by as you insult her. If you want to vent at someone I’m right here. Yes, we know this isn’t a situation one could call normal, or generally acceptable, but it is just how things are right now.”

“Oh, so you think just because you’re dating my daughter you have the right to say how I can talk to her?” demanded Mrs. Jun. “You know nothing! You’re just a stupid kid who hasn’t even figured out how the world works. Instead, you think that some game will make you all rich and life will be all smiles. Well bub, I hope for Nicole’s sake that you all wake up from your delusions soon. Now leave before we decide to call the cops on you. Until Nicole has come to her senses she is not welcome here. As for you two, if I ever see either of you on our property again, I will call the police. You will never be welcome here!”

“Fine by me,” snapped Nicole. “It’s a shame though. It’s your loss. I hope you two will grow up and accept that your daughter is happy and just be glad for her.”

“Nicole, I’m disappointed in you. Not only are you sharing a man, but he can’t even provide you with a decent life,” fumed Mrs. Jun.

“Mom, I love you, but you just don’t get it. It is my life, not yours. I will live it how I see fit. Besides, you’re wrong. Alex can easily provide us with a better quality of life than either of you enjoy. Also, just for the record, I didn’t know just how successful he was going to be before we all started to date. Let everyone know I love them and I’ll miss them Jhon.”

With that the three of the left the Jun’s. Alex had an arm around both girls as they walked away. Alex caught Sam’s dad’s eye as they passed by and gave him a nod, letting him know everything was ok. Though now that he thought about it, he knew that the Juns would head over there shortly to vent at another target. He felt bad about the trouble he had just given the Carters, but then he smiled as an idea came to his mind.

“Sam, text me your dad’s number.”

“Why?”

“Just do it. I’m going to send him some peace of mind as well as a way to shut the Juns up when they go over there to yell at them. Hopefully it will spare my parents as well.”

“Alex, what are you going to send him?” Nicole inquired.

“Just my current bank balance.”

“Wait, you won’t even show us that!” Sam grumbled.

“Yah, you’ll show our parents, but not us?” Nicole asked with a frown.

“I want you both to want me for me, not my bank balance. Now I know neither of you care that much about it right now, but please just let me keep it a secret until we move to Colorado in January. I promise to let you both have access to my liquid funds completely at that point.”

“Wait, what? You plan on letting us treat your money as our own?” an amazed Nicole asked.

“Yep, so long as we last the rest of the year.”

“Are you an idiot?” demanded Nicole.

“Yah, what’s to stop us from cleaning you out if you piss us off and we leave?” Sam asked mischievously.

“Nothing. I just want to make one thing clear. Thanks to ED, by the time January arrives it will feel like we have been dating for a year, not just a few months. If we are still together at that point, I think it’s safe to trust you with our finances. Besides, if I piss you off to the point you want to leave me and clean me out, I would deserve it.”

“You’re still an idiot, but a lovable one,” Sam said with a smile.

“He’s our idiot. We just need to make sure no one else tries to take advantage of him.”

With that Alex took a few quick screen shots of his investment portfolio and bank accounts, used an app to blur out everything that identified the account beyond that it was in his name, and sent a quick text with them attached to Sam’s dad.

Mr. Carter was watching as the Juns made their way over to give him and his wife a piece of their mind when he received a text from a number he didn’t recognize. He was about to ignore it when he noticed the first line was “It’s Alex,” so he quickly checked it. What he saw knocked him off his feet. He couldn’t believe it as he started to laugh in disbelief as the knocking started at the door.

“Honey, what has gotten into you? Are you going to make me face them alone?” Prodded Mrs. Carter.

“Hahaha, nope, the world is a lie, there is no way…” Mr. Carter mumbled.

Mr. Carter stood up and handed his phone to his wife to see as he made his way to the door. Mrs. Carter’s confusion morphed into shock as she realized what she was looking at.

“It’s Alex,

I realize the Juns will probably come over to vent at you soon. As I feel bad, I thought I should give you some peace of mind. Attached are some screen shots of my current financial situation. Please don’t share this with Sam and Nicole until January. I have a surprise in the works that I want them to see before they know just how well I have been doing in ED.”

The numbers on his accounts added up to more than 280 million credits. He had more money than the Carters had made in their entire lives. Just what had he done to go from a completely broke teenager two months ago, to this? It made no sense. Credits didn’t just appear from nowhere, yet she had the proof right before her that her daughter was dating a millionaire. Meanwhile, Mr. Carter opened the door for the Juns, stopping them before they could even get a word out.

“Before you say anything, I know our no-good daughters are both dating Alex. Now, rather the yelling I think it would be much better if we just sit and discuss what this means like adults.”

“What is there to discuss? Your daughter corrupted ours. Now they are sharing the same man. How can you stand there like it’s none of your concern?” Mr. Jun demanded angrily.

“Now, now. I think you both are forgetting that they are all adults and have the right to make their own mistakes, just like all of us, especially you two today.”

“How dare you say that to us” Mrs. Jun said with venom. “Everyone knows that their brains are still developing, and instead of taking advantage of their time, they are wasting it playing games all day and night. I don’t want to hear that they are adults. If you and your wife had raised your daughter to respect you like we did ours, neither of them would be acting like this.”

“I think the two of you need to calm down and take a good long look in the mirror before your daughter disappears from your life completely,” stated Mrs. Carter firmly. “Do I think playing a game as a profession is a likely career path for any of them? Not really, or at least I didn’t. Do I approve of Sam, and Nicole both dating Alex? Not in particular, but at least I know what kind of person he is. If the two of you don’t accept reality for what it is, and quickly, it will be too late. The next thing you know you’ll be grandparents and not even know it.”

“Don’t tell me he already got both of the pregnant!?” a horrified Mrs. Jun demanded.

“No, but from what I can tell neither girl has any intentions of letting him go and he isn’t going to push either of them away. It’s only a matter of time until it happens. I would say I hope they were married first, but their situation may not allow for it.”

The Juns were both left speechless at how accepting the Carters were. How could they be fine with this situation? Just as they were about to rebut the Carters, Mr. Carter delivered the knockout punch.

“Besides, Alex has already made enough money they could retire now and live in luxury for the rest of their lives.”

“What did you just say?” asked a confused Mr. Jun.

“Oh nothing, just that that boy has already become a multi-millionaire from playing that silly game all day. It makes me wish I had joined in at the start. Perhaps I would have found a way to earn a tenth of what he has.”

If the Juns had been stunned at the Carters’ acceptance of the situation, they were now catatonic as they realized what was going on. They had berated Nicole, Sam and Alex, all the while they were just being courteous to them by letting them know about their relationship. Now their daughter was all but assured to cut them out of her life.

The Carters felt pity for the Juns as they watched them spiral in on themselves mentally. They could only imagine what they were thinking as they all but disowned their daughter until she broke up with Alex and came home. Now they knew that wasn’t happening, and to top it off, this would likely cause their other kids to rebel. This single moment had literally flipped their life upside down. Now it was on them to figure out how to proceed. The Carters didn’t have the heart to tell them exactly how many credits Alex had on hand.

“If that is all you two had to say, we would like to get back to enjoying our Saturday,” said Mr. Carter.

With that the Juns, stunned into silence, made their way back home. Jhon, who had been watching and listening to the whole thing go down just out of sight, was ecstatic.

Meanwhile, Nicole, Sam and Alex were back at his house letting his parents know how things had gone. Nicole was holding his hand like her life depended on it, while Mrs. Bell had a troubled look on her face at how the Juns had taken it. She wondered how Alex could mend the fence when Sam got a call.

“What’s up, Mom?... Nicole, yah she is here why?....Ok, just hold on a second, I’ll put you on speaker.”

“Nicole, can you hear me?”

“Yes Mrs. Carter, I can hear you.”

“I just wanted to let you know that we had a good constructive conversation with your parents. I think we gave them a whole lot to think about with how they act going forward. Also, I wanted to make sure you all know that the three of you are welcome here anytime.”

Nicole and Sam both looked like a deer in headlights at Mrs. Carter’s words while Mrs. Bell just looked confused.

“Thanks Mrs. Carter, that really means a lot. How does Sunday dinners starting next week sound?” Alex asked.

“That sounds wonderful. I suppose we will need to eat a bit early on those days so you all will be able to get back to your game. Anyways, I’ll let you all go as I’m sure you have other things to do. Bye. Love you Sam.”

“Bye Mom, love you too.”

With the call over, Alex looked over at Nicole who had a complicated expression on her face, then to his mom who looked like the sky had turned green, and Sam who was smiling innocently. First, he gave Nicole a quick kiss and looked her in her eyes with a smile as he pulled her into a hug. Then he pulled Sam into a hug giving her a kiss as well. Finally, he looked at his mom who looked like she had eaten sour candy and hugged her as well.

“Mom, I know you don’t like this situation and I don’t expect you to agree with it, but please accept it. I don’t know where we will end up but I would be lying if I said I didn’t think it was heading towards a lifelong commitment.”

“Son, you have only been dating for about a month and you have never had a serious relationship before. How could you know where this is heading?”

“Mom, you are forgetting the time dilation in ED. And as for the reason, I see it heading that way is that with them I know it’s about me, not my money. Once my finances get out it will be extremely hard for me to find another woman I will be able to know that about. Please understand I have just about gone all in on either of them, or both of them.”

“I still don’t like it, but I accept that you are all adults and I can’t stop you. I do still love you son, just don’t do something you will regret for the rest of your life.”

“Thank you, Mom. Now Nicole, I will see you tomorrow evening. Are you going to be good till then?”

“I’ll be fine.”

With that Sam and Nicole made their way back to the apartment and Alex went to his room to return to ED.

ED Year 1, Days 162-163.

Xeal logged into ED, and after the debacle with Nicole’s parents, he was ready to take his frustrations out on the nearest monster. Luckily, he had just the target to direct his anger at as today he would be taking care of one of the three minor bosses present inside of the Ethereal Bog that represented the seal on the Vault of Ucnuc. Only after each of these bosses were taken care of for the first time would any player be able to enter the Vault of Ucnuc. With his target for the day chosen Xeal set off, avoiding any unnecessary fights along the way. He went after the level 50 wight that would have been completely beyond him if it was not for his title Behemoth Slayer and his elemental blade skill that would let him deal fire damage as he fought it. The part that annoyed Xeal was how he knew that even though it was considered a minor boss, it would not give any extra experience due to it really only being a monster placed in an area that was below its level. Still, it would be a nice one on one fight that Xeal felt he could handle and work out some of his anger.

After a few hours of maneuvering while avoiding all but a few necessary fights with the undead, Xeal came upon his target. Standing on a small hill staring into eternity stood the emancipated decaying corpse of the wight. In one hand was a blade that looked like it had more chips in it that should have been possible for it still to be a usable weapon. In the other hand was a round wooden shield and its body was covered in the shattered remnants of what used to be full plate armor. Xeal knew this fight well. The moment he stepped onto that hill which was a circle with a ten-foot radius, the fight would be on and a barrier would manifest. This was a one-on-one fight, locked in melee combat with no outside assistance allowed. Only after the wight had been taken down once would it become just another monster. Xeal still remembered one of the first groups of players who had taken on one of the three seal monsters complaining about how they had lost their main tank due to being taken by surprise when the barrier manifested. Smiling, Xeal waited as all of his stats recovered to full before making his way to the edge of the hill, and after a calming breath, he charged in, letting his anger out as he did so.

Clang- Xeal’s first strike was met by the wight’s broken blade as it prepared to strike out with its shield. Smiling, Xeal waited till the last second and side stepped, sliding his blades off of the wight’s blade as he did so, entering the stance for double upward slash with fire elemental blades, and executing the skill just as the wight fully extended its shield. Both of Xeal’s blades hit home and his chain started; one hit, two hits, three hits, four hits, dodge back. Xeal was disappointed at just how fast the wight countered his chain, and to make matters worse, Xeal knew that he didn’t need to dodge just to avoid damage, but to ensure the wight didn’t steal his health as each hit it landed would also heal itself. Still, Xeal couldn’t simply stand still awaiting an opening to present itself. He needed to stay aggressive or the wight’s passive healing would erase all of his work before long. Once more Xeal charged in, this time leading with a piercing thrust charged with fire from elemental blades. Thunk- The wight blocked using its shield as Xeal side stepped once more to avoid its counter attack while striking out with his other blade charged with fire inside the opening just created, which landed and created another opening in which Xeal was able to land another four hits of his chain combo.

Thus, the battle continued, with Xeal charging in using various tactics to keep the wight off balance the whole time. Even so, Xeal could not avoid every strike and more than once had failed to create the needed opening. Finally, with another thud as the wight blocked a fire charged piercing thrust, Xeal smiled as the wooden shield caught fire, causing the wight to lose its composure as it went to toss the shield away and Xeal was able to string together a great combo as he took full advantage of the situation. Ten solid hits later the wight recovered enough to counter as it switched to a two-handed hold on its blade. With a haunting wail it charged at Xeal in a reckless manner, entering a berserk state. Xeal smiled as he knew he had finally won. Five minutes later Xeal struck the wight for the last time as its health dropped to zero and it turned to dust, leaving a small pile of loot behind and Xeal received a system notification.

(Defeated Ucnuc seal guardian wight: two Ucnuc seal guardians remaining)

Xeal quickly looked through the loot on the ground before heading off to take on the second guardian before the end of his current login. The loot was nothing special other than a single glass bead, called eye of the undead, that was only really useful to a necromancer as it would allow them to raise a wight equal to them in level as a servant in battle. For Xeal it was an item he actually preferred to keep off the market as necromancer was one of the classes on his guild’s ban list. Simply put, NPCs treated necromancers like pariahs and guilds that housed them could often find themselves avoided as well. Still, Xeal also knew that necromancers could become some of the strongest players out there if they built up a large enough army of the undead and had the stats to maintain them for any significant amount of time. With these thoughts running through his mind, Xeal made his way through the Ethereal Bog until, a few hours and fights later, he stood at another hill that mirrored the one the wight had been on. However, no monster stood awaiting his charge here, only bones littered all about the hill. Xeal knew that the bones were a trap as the moment he entered the circle, they would form into a skeletal creature. The exact creature it shifted into seemed random at first, but in Xeal’s last life it had become clear that it did so according to who was fighting it. This was discovered due to players always fighting the same creature that first appeared for them until they defeated it.

Smiling, Xeal stepped onto the hill and watched as bones swirled together forming into a ball around the size of a golf cart. Finally, it unfurled itself, revealing a skeletal dragon the size of a horse, with bone wings that luckily looked to be incapable of flight, as long as the system didn’t allow it to defy physics completely. If it did, then Xeal was all but assured to lose as he was ill equipped to deal with a flying opponent. Not wanting to find out one way or another, Xeal charged in just as he had against the wight, only this time he led directly with a double downward slash charged with fire before the skeletal dragon had time to fully orientate itself. As Xeal’s attacks landed, he quickly started his chain, focusing on the left wing, hoping that he could inflict enough damage to cripple it just in case. Unfortunately, he was only able to pull off five attacks on his first chain as the skeletal dragon used its wings like whips to lash out at Xeal. However, much to Xeal’s relief, it did not instantly take to the sky as he backed off, instead moving to press its advantage by trying to close the distance to Xeal, which Xeal was all too happy to assist with once he executed a piercing thrust charged with fire to interrupt its attack and start another chain.

This continued for a few minutes as Xeal began to relax after his initial worries about fighting a dragonoid monster wore off, at least until it unleased a point-blank breath weapon on him, taking a full eighth of his heath with a single attack. Next, Xeal could tell the skeletal dragon was quickly becoming more efficient at using its body as a weapon as the occasional hit was becoming a steady stream, as Xeal did his best to avoid being anywhere near its head in an effort to avoid another breath attack. Quickly the battle was becoming a battle of attrition that Xeal could not win. He needed to find a way to tilt the battle in his favor and quickly. Without thinking too much about it, Xeal let the skeletal dragon land a decent blow at an advantageous angle for him, taking his health below 25% but, he used the momentum from the hit to aid him in jumping onto the back of the skeletal dragon that was still at around 50% health. Still, Xeal smiled as he stabbed his left blade straight down at where the neck met the torso, creating an improvised hand hold as he did so. He also hooked his legs around the wing joints to hold himself to the back of the dragon as he swung his right blade with reckless abandon, charging it with fire as often as he could. The skeletal dragon was instantly enraged and started to buck like a bronco and flap its wings in an attempt to dislodge Xeal. It was then that Xeal got his answer as to if the skeletal dragon could fly, as a definitely sort of. It didn’t seem like it could get much height or control with him on its back, but it was definitely generating lift, and Xeal was concerned about it attempting a roll to pin him beneath it, but it each time it shifted its weight to one side or the other, Xeal would jerk his imbedded blade in the opposite direction. This kept up for a good ten minutes with Xeal taking constant, but minor damage the whole time until he finally finished the skeletal dragon off, with only 5% of his own health remaining.

(Defeated Ucnuc seal guardian bone field: one Ucnuc seal guardians remaining)

Xeal sat there recovering from what had turned out to be far more of a struggle than he had anticipated. He had never heard of the bone field taking on the form of a dragon in his last life. This had to have something to do with the elder dragon mark on his chest. Still, he was smiling as the fight had brought him up to level 44. He could now focus on taking care of the last guardian in his next login and spend the rest of this one fighting easier monsters, and that was just what he did once he had recovered from his fight.

Morning September 9, 2266.

Alex stretched as he got out of bed for the morning run, quickly got ready, and made his way downstairs to wait for everyone to arrive. Once again Alex found both Lauren and Jessica downstairs chatting with Anna, already letting him know that both had stayed over once more and would likely stay over again today, meaning that there would be a bit of a logjam to get showers in. Luckily his parents had agreed that Alex had first dibs due to his need to be prompt in logging in most mornings. Had he not been so successful in ED already, it would have been more of a fight for the first shower as it had been in his last life on days where he and his sister fought over it, with mixed results. Still, that was neither here nor there now, and after greeting each of them, Alex took up a spot on a recliner to relax for a minute.

“Alex, do you mind if I ask you something?” inquired Jessica.

“You just did but, go ahead,” responded Alex.

“Oh, okay, how long do you think it will be before Lauren and I will be able to reach level 80 and teleport to Nium?”

“Hmm, that’s hard to tell. Both of you are still in school, which adds a lot of time as you can’t play as much as you would like. So, let’s see, you both have already made it to tier 3 thanks to the summer time when you managed to login more often. So, assuming that you two don’t have any major setbacks, probably you would be looking at around March or April.”

“Jeez! Maybe we should just restart and use that to change locations.”

“No, you’re better off staying the course. Besides, you both are fine where you are. If you started all over you, would lose any bonuses you have gained for being in game so early. You should only restart if you can’t master the skills I advised you on already, because that means it is likely you are not suited for your current class.”

“Oh, okay. I just wish we could play with you and Anna already.”

“Why the hell do you want to play with my womanizer of a brother?” cut in Anna.

Just then a knock at the door was heard and Alex knew it was time to head out for the run. Alex opened the door as his parents started down the stairs to join them for the run, and Alex found Sam and Nicole waiting for him. Alex quickly pulled Sam, then Nicole, into deep good morning kisses, holding Nicole for an extra moment, making sure she was okay after last night. Nicole gave Alex a warm smile just as Anna rolled her eyes and pushed past the trio who were blocking the door. Alex simply smiled back at Nicole and Sam as he walked outside for the run, which he took easy that morning, staying with Sam and Nicole the whole time as they flirted casually.

ED Year 1, Day 164.

Xeal made his way towards the third and final minor boss that needed to be dealt with in order to unseal the Vault of Ucnuc. As he arrived at the final area, he saw the lump of fur mixed with decaying flesh that lay atop the third circular hill. Xeal could only smile wryly at the fight he was about to undertake in defeating the undead dire bear as it did its best to overwhelm and maul him. Cautiously Xeal approached, choosing an angle of approach that put him to the undead dire bear’s back, inching up until he was directly at the edge of the hill, building up like a spring ready to release at any moment. There he waited patiently for just the right moment; one minute, two minutes, five minutes, then it happened. The undead dire bear stretched, displaying one of the few leftover habits from when it was alive, giving the opening Xeal needed. Like lightning Xeal moved, closing the distance before the undead dire bear could react, instantly starting in on a chain of attacks as he took the initiative in the fight. Even so, Xeal could only grimace at how much health the undead dire bear had and he knew just how much power was behind its attacks. All it would take was a single knock down and Xeal would be almost guaranteed to lose with how little health he had, yet he was unconcerned as he made sure to remain to the undead dire bear’s back as it tried to turn around to attack him.

This continued until Xeal was finally able to whittle the undead dire bear’s health down to 90%, when it rolled to try and crush him. Xeal smiled as he had been expecting this move, and quickly turned it to his advantage by treating the undead dire bear like a rolling log, to launch himself to the other side of the undead dire bear as it came up looking for him where he used to be, only to be attacked from its other side. As he continued to attack without using his skills, as he knew that he would need them once the undead dire bear became completely enraged, if he hoped to have any chance of victory. This was due to the lack of any end to its rage as undead monsters never tired and would continue to attack until you completely defeated them. The next half hour passed as Xeal worked slowly but surely, reducing its health as it rolled, fell, and tried various other means to try and reorient itself clumsily, until it reached 30% and it was time to go all out in an effort to end this fight now. The undead dire bear let out a, earth shaking roar while standing straight up on its hind legs. Its body bulged as the open wounds on its body started to drip bodily fluids. Xeal wasted no time in executing his chain combo of double upward and downward slashes, while enhancing his attacks with fire, to really stack the damage.

After an initial pile of damage from Xeal, the undead dire bear spun wildly, pushing Xeal back. When it stopped it was looking straight at Xeal as it unleashed a steam of stomach acid at him. Xeal took the brunt of the acid attack, watching as it caused damage to all of his equipment’s durability, as well as slow damage to himself. Still, he ran straight into it, leaping in the air and landing on the undead dire bear’s back and using it like a slide before renewing his onslaught. With each exchange the undead dire bear became more and more enraged as Xeal brought it closer and closer to zero health. Still, Xeal grimaced as he would need to see a smith back in town to take care of his gear as it had all fallen to below 60% durability and was going to require a silver or gold level smith to repair it. Still, it was a price Xeal was fine paying to ensure he completed his task. Finally, after over 40 minutes of fighting, exhausted, Xeal dealt the final blow to the undead dire bear and could relax for a second as the loot dropped.

(Defeated Ucnuc seal guardian undead dire bear: no seal guardians remaining, rewarding 1,000 renown for defeating all three seal guardians)

Once again, not much of the loot held much interest to Xeal as he pocketed it all to sell, before using an advanced return scroll to return to Dragon's Heart City to find a smith to repair his gear. Once he had his gear in for repair, Xeal spent some time catching up on guild business. He also placed all three specialty drops from the minor bosses that would allow a necromancer to summon one of the same monsters, inside the guild vault under lock and key. Especially the bone charm that straight up said would summon a bone dragon if used by a necromancer. Xeal didn’t even want to think about how deadly that charm would be in a tier 7 or 8 necromancer’s hands. If he could destroy it, he would. As it was, he felt it was best if it never saw the light of day. With that complete and his gear repaired, Xeal headed out to continue his grinding while moving closer to the Vault of Ucnuc that he had just unsealed.

Evening September 9, 2266.

Alex logged out from ED, one step closer to the Vault of Ucnuc, in another couple of logins he should reach level 45 and start using it as his main grinding location, but all of that was on the back burner right now. Instead, he was focused on the night bag he had prepared the night before that sat on his desk. Tonight was the night he and Nicole would take that step. He was nervous, not because he didn’t know what to do, but because of how things had gone in his last life. He knew that once he took this step there would be no clean way to end things. Could he really drop all of the baggage he had with Nicole from his last life, or was he doomed to repeat his mistakes. Taking a deep breath, Alex got ready and made his way over to the apartment.

When he arrived, he noticed that the girls’ car was already gone. Clearly Sam and Amanda were wasting no time in getting out of Nicole’s way. Alex knocked on the door and it was answered by a smiling Nicole wearing an apron. The smell of her cooking came rolling out of the apartment making Alex salivate at what he knew was her home-made beef bulgogi, likely served with rice and a veggie on the side. While Nicole had never been able to beat his mom overall in cooking, she had a few recipes that were up there. Her beef bulgogi was at the top of that list, making Alex more than a little excited to eat it again in this life.

“My, don’t you look wonderful, and something smells almost as good as you look in there.”

“Thank you, and dinner is almost done. I’m making you my specialty beef bulgogi over rice with sigeumchi namul (Seasoned Spinach). I hope you enjoy it.”

“Oh, you have no idea how much I am looking forward to it. I can’t wait to enjoy the first meal of many that you will make for me. I’ll have to reciprocate one of these days and treat you to my cooking.”

With that Alex entered and closed the door before pulling Nicole into a short but deep kiss, letting her know she had his full attention. Nicole chided him slightly, claiming she needed to make sure the food didn’t get over cooked. Alex could tell it had just hit her how the pair of them were alone in the apartment and she was definitely a bit more than a little nervous. Alex enjoyed watching Nicole work in the kitchen while he waited for the food to be done. It wasn’t long before they were sitting next to each other at the counter with Nicole’s homemade dinner in front of them.

“I hope you enjoy it.”

Alex gave the blushing Nicole a quick glance before smiling and taking a confident bite, savoring the flavors he had missed for over a decade in his last life, before replying. It was so good to him that he had to fight his emotions to not cry over how much he had missed this in his last life. He had never really gotten over Nicole in his last life and to be able to enjoy her food again brought back so many memories for him that were both good and bad. He once more solidified his resolve to not lose this like he had in his last life. Before he gave her his answer, he pulled her into the most passionate kiss he could in the situation. Finally, he released her and smiled.

“It’s perfect, at least for me. I think I could be happy so long as I could enjoy meals like this from you.”

Nicole was shocked. She knew Alex’s mom’s cooking was top notch, and while she didn’t think she was a bad cook, she didn’t think she could compare to what he was used to. So, when Alex took that bite and the pure joy it seemed to bring him was in front of her, she didn’t know how to react, much less when he gave her a kiss that felt more real than anything else in her whole life had. Where had this reaction come from? It was like a man who had been stranded out in the wilderness for years living off plain food had suddenly had a meal from a five-star restaurant. She had been hoping for a simple it’s good, not whatever had just happened.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, but are you ok? You seem a bit too happy about eating my food.”

Alex paused before putting on a sheepish smile.

“What can I say, I never realized the sheer joy I would get from having my girlfriend cook for me. I’m not kidding when I say this moment was really special for me.”

Nicole could feel her heart race as Alex looked at her. She hadn’t expected this night to be so intense. She figured that they would enjoy dinner, relaxing into a casual make out session, then just let things develop and see what happened. Now she felt like it was all Alex could do to not rip her clothes off and simply have her for dinner. What scared her is she found herself wanting that to happen, to just let all inhibitions go and be ravaged by him. A hand on her cheek brought her back to reality.

“Nicole, calm down. Let’s enjoy dinner and just take things slow. It’s best we take our time tonight. Rushing things will just lessen the experience for both of us.”

Alex could tell Nicole was about to be overloaded with passion for a moment. While he had loved that part of her, she had always been happier after their more sensual encounters. So he brought her back to reality before she had been lost to him. After which they continued to enjoy their dinner, talking about nothing in particular. Following dinner, they moved to the couch as they slowly started to explore one another with gentle caresses while they kissed. Alex was taking his time as he did his best to stay natural and not push all the buttons he knew he could as he focused on enjoying the moment for what it was.

“Alex?”

“Yes Nicole.”

“Where do you see this going?”

“That depends on what you are referring to. If you mean us tonight, I see a very special first for both of us. If you mean the relationship as a whole, it’s complicated, but I see the three of us working things out in a way that makes all of us happy. Not sure exactly what that will look like but I want to find out.”

“No, I mean do you see us having a family, or just each other?”

Alex smiled as he remembered how Nicole had always wanted kids but he had been too focused on ED to even consider it in his last life.

“Oh, hmm, I definitely want a family, and while I don’t see that happening for the next few years, I think we should have at least a few if this all works out.”

“What would you do if Sam or I were to get pregnant right now?... I’m sorry, I’m ruining the mood, it’s just that I can’t get how the Carters thought Sam was pregnant out of my head.”

“It’s ok. Considering what we are probably about to do, it’s important you know that I will love our child and be the best dad I could be. The day I become a father is the day all else becomes second. If you or Sam get pregnant, I will celebrate it as nothing would make me happier.”

“Really?”

“Yes. While I think it is still way too soon for us to actively try and make it a reality, I accept that it may happen and am prepared mentally if it does.”

“Alex, I think I love you.”

“Nicole, I know I love you.”

With that the pair continued to let the passion build until it spilled over.

ED Year 1, Days 165-166

Xeal stretched as he logged into ED later than usual due to the time he spent with Nicole. He still needed to continue his grind, but before that he had some guild leader business to take care of. Many of the local guilds were seeking a meeting with him and were not willing to deal with his vice guild leaders. It was frustrating because his guild was not ready for the level of attention it was getting from the small branch guilds that the major powers had in the area and he knew that once his guild expanded to the rest of the kingdom, more would come knocking. He needed to set a precedence now before the issue became unmanageable. When Xeal entered his guild hall, Taya was overjoyed to see him. As the only vice guild leader who didn’t focus on combat, she had ended up being the one to hold down things here the most. Meaning that she had to deal with most of the disgruntled guilds trying to meet with Xeal that refused to take no as an answer.

“Guild leader, thank goodness. Should I contact the guilds trying to meet with you and let them know you are available?”

“No, I am here to curb this issue before things get any worse.”

With that Xeal accessed the guild hall’s settings to adjust the announcement board. On it he wrote, “To all guilds seeking an audience with my guild. At this time I am unavailable before level 80. If your guild wishes to form a partnership with mine, please submit the details to one of my vice guild leaders. If you refuse to work with them, then we have no business to conduct. I will look over your proposals as time permits and my guild will respond once we have come to a decision. At this time we have no interest in anything involving sharing of my guild’s exclusive zones. Nor are we willing to form any alliances, or take on any subordinate guilds.” With that complete, he turned to Taya and smiled.

“Now if any guilds have an issue with my statement and start to cause a scene, simply put them on our banned-from-entry list. Also make sure the other vice guild leaders are taking a shift at the desk as well. There are eight of you and I would expect each of you to spend 18 hours here every four days in game. Especially right now when most of them are honing their skills and don’t need to level.”

“Understood, guild leader. So, when will you be taking a turn here?”

“Taya, you’re cute. Any sought-after guild leader dumb enough to make himself so available is doomed to fail. I would never be able to escape if I was at the desk. Heck, soon we will need to employ guild members to man the desk as the same will be true for all of you.”

“No fair. Why haven’t you hired them yet then?”

“The ad is out already, but we need to find good candidates first. Besides, most of them won’t even be able to start until level 80 when we can bring them here from other continents.”

“Ugh, so you’re saying we have several more months before we can expect help to arrive.”

“Yep. Right now, we are looking at early January when our Colorado HQ should be operational.”

“That’s another thing, where exactly will I be living once I move to Colorado? I know you said the guild would cover my housing, but are you expecting me to live in our HQ?”

“Don’t worry, you will be living in a nice neighborhood. Exactly where is something we will have to take care of once you get there.”

“So you don’t know yet, and what, am I supposed to try and play ED using a hotel’s shoddy internet?”

“Taya, just trust me. I already have plans in motion for all of it. For the first bit all of us will be staying at the same place, so just enjoy the adventure.”

“You’re not trying to add another girl to your harem now, are you?”

“Taya, I enjoy both of my heads attached, thank you very much. I’m not stupid enough to think that making a move on any girl would be advisable. I promise you I have no intentions of doing anything untoward to you. If you don’t feel comfortable once you arrive, I will find you alternative lodging with top quality internet.”

“Fine, besides it might be nice to meet you all in person.”

“Good. Now I need to be off, and remember, keep sending our members who reach the city out to the Ethereal Bog to level and train. We need to keep it secured for our guild’s future plans to succeed.”

“Will do.”

With that taken care of, Xeal snuck out of the guild hall from one of the secret exits he had paid extra to install. He knew at least half a dozen guilds would be waiting for him to leave once he was seen entering his guild hall. It was part of why it was so rare for him to go there recently. Next on his list was a meeting with Geitir who had an update on his guild’s position on their partnership. A few minutes later in a private room of a restaurant, Xeal and Geitir were seated.

“So Geitir, how are things with your guild?”

“I am afraid you were right when you said that we need to stand or be pushed around by other guilds’ will. As far as our partnership, our guild leader will honor it as long as you get to him by day 390, otherwise it will be voided.”

“So what happened?”

“The behemoth slayer title details has been sold to several other guilds in return for a year in game of noninterference, and promises to keep other major guilds off our backs.”

“Hmm, at this point that is not that bad. The title is practically impossible for anyone over level nine to secure. Still, in a few years this will impact the situation across ED greatly. Anything else?”

“No, but even this will stunt Eternal Valhalla’s growth. At least I was reimbursed for my investment when they sold it.”

“Geitir, my offer still stands for you and any of your friends to join FAE.”

“I appreciate the thought but I wish to see how things develop. Also, I have been forbidden to make any further deals until further notice.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Geitir, I’m going to say something that will likely piss you off, but I need to say it as a friend to you. Your guild is doomed. If you are not careful, not only will your ventures here in ED fail, but in reality as well. Your guild is trying to walk in the middle of two paths. One leads you to being pushed around, the other prevents you from gaining meaningful allies. Right now you are going to find yourselves isolated and attacked. Next you will try and use credits to keep yourselves afloat. You will all do this like it is second nature as that is what a business would do in reality. The problem is this is ED and the laws and protections you all know don’t exist. Your situation will lead to most of your members who are not tied to you in reality to abandon you for greener pastures. The only reason my guild didn’t lose most of our crafting players when Abysses End attacked us was due to the debt buy out required in their contracts.”

“Your right, it does anger me to hear what you say. Unfortunately, even though you’re right, what I am supposed to do about it?”

“Diversify your holdings and build your exit strategy, and don’t drop over 20 million on gear for your guild again.”

“I will think on your words and I’ll let you know if anything changes on my end.”

With that Xeal made his way back out to the Ethereal Bog as he made his way closer to the Vault of Ucnuc. Before he finished for the session, he was able to reach level 45 and arrive outside the vault. Finding the transport way point for the area, he synced one of the advanced transport recall scrolls that he had started to have to rely on for maintaining his grinding speed. Unlike regular recall scrolls that just return you to the last settlement you entered, advanced recall scrolls would allow you to return to where you left as long as you did not use another recall scroll. They were one of the best escape tools due to no charge time on the return trip, but they were expensive. Instead of a few copper, they cost ten silver and were subjects to dynamic pricing. In Xeal’s last life these scrolls had cost several gold in later days as players ventured into the wilds where it could take months to reach another settlement. With everything in order, Xeal logged out.

Morning September 10, 2266

Alex awoke feeling the warmth from Nicole who was smiling at him as he turned to her. Without even pausing he took her into his arms and gave her a good morning kiss.

“You know I might just force you to move in here just to be able to wake up like this every morning.”

“Would that mean Sam would wake up like this every evening? Not sure I would be able to survive that. When would I ever leave the apartment?”

“Why ever would you want to leave? Wouldn’t you have everything you could ever want right here?”

Nicole was smiling as she delivered her sarcastic reply and Alex was enjoying the view she was giving him, but he knew that it was time to get up. They had a run to get to and he was sure Sam and Amanda were dying to talk with Nicole.

“Regrettably, I don’t think we are quite ready for that. Soon, but not yet. There are still a few things that need to happen first.”

“Oh, like what?”

“This morning’s run for one thing. Then a talk with all three of us, and finally, time for us all to think it through with clear heads.”

“Are you saying I don’t have a clear head right now?”

“No, I’m saying I can’t have a clear head when I have a view like this before me.”

“Aww, you’re so sweet.”

“Yep, now let’s get ready to run.”

With that the pair went about getting ready. Alex caught Nicole wincing every now and then as she moved about. He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as he thought about Nicole trying to run through her soreness. Finally, they arrived at Alex’s parents’ house for the run. They were the last to arrive and Alex’s mom had a look on her face saying she wanted to talk with him. He and Nicole walked up to Sam before he gave both of them a kiss and made his way over to his mom.

“Mom, please just wait till after the run.”

“Fine, but don’t try and escape, or I’ll make you get your own car.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not running.”

Alex’s mom looked placated for now, but he knew she was going to have several words with him. As Alex looked around, he could see he had a full group today, even Jessica and Lauren were here. He also noted that Jessica had a troubled look on her face as she glanced between Nicole and himself. Jessica was one problem Alex didn’t want. He knew that ever since she had found out he was the guild leader of FAE she had been dropping blatant hints for him. He had expected her to take a hint that he wasn’t interested and for a while it looked like she had. However, ever since Nantan had come to town she seemed to find her determination once again. Alex hoped she wouldn’t try anything too stupid and needed to remember to let Sam and Nicole know what he was seeing.

“Okay, everyone, let’s go ahead and get this run out of the way.”

40 minutes later the run had ended and Alex had bid Nicole and Sam farewell and now found himself seated across from his mom and dad.

“So, do you want to tell us what you were doing at the girls’ apartment when it was just you and Nicole?” demanded Mrs. Bell.

“Mom, you and Dad are not five years old. You know what was happening and what will continue for the foreseeable future. I’m not going to justify my actions as I am an adult and am allowed to make my own decisions and I’ll live with the consequences.”

“Alex, what your mom is trying to say is that we love you and want the best for you. Everything with you and the girls seems to be moving too fast. You haven’t even been dating them for a month yet and you’re already sleeping with them. We just want you to take some time and think.”

“Exactly. Your father is right, please just slow down. I’m sure they aren’t going anywhere.”

Alex just shook his head and smiled bitterly as he looked at his parents.

“Mom, Dad, I love you, but I’m not going to step back on our intimacy. I realize this all feels really fast to you. It should. Please remember that time works differently in ED and for us it has already been over two months. I’m not saying that is long enough either, but like pandora’s box, once you open it you can’t close it.”

“This is why you made sure that both Sam’s and Nicole’s parents knew about the relationship the other day isn’t it?” asked Mr. Bell.

“Yep. I had made up my mind then and felt it was necessary beforehand.”

“So when are you moving in with them?” Mr. Bell inquired.

“That is still not set in stone, but it will be no later than January. Oh, right, all six of us are moving to the Colorado Springs area by January first.”

Alex’s parents had looks of shock on their face at Alex’s statement.

“Just when were you planning on letting us know?” Mrs. Bell demanded.

“Um, well I knew all six of us would be in the same house once we moved and I didn’t think you would be to happy due to my relationship with Nicole and Sam. So, yah, never had a real solid plan on that.”

“Alex, why are you moving?” asked Mr. Bell.

“Mainly taxes, but also the cost of everything in this state.”

“I understand. How far have you progressed in this move?”

“Um, I kind of already paid in full for a house that is currently having some work done on it to make it perfect for our needs.”

Confused, Mrs. Bell asked “Alex, what happened to us cosigning something with you?”

“Umm, I made way more money than I ever dreamed of so yah, didn’t need a loan.”

“Alex, just how much are you worth?” Mr. Bell inquired with widened eyes.

“Umm, before I go into that can I ask you to keep the rest of this quiet until after the move? I want our new place to be a surprise to them and if they knew how much I’m worth right now it would make it kind of obvious. Also, don’t spread around that we are leaving. I kind of want us to drop off the map to most for a few months.”

“So long as you don’t try and avoid us, we will stay quiet on both, right honey?” Mr. Bell asked as he looked at his wife.

“I’m not happy about this. Alex, you’re my son. My only son and now not only are you getting serious with girls, but you are also moving so far away,” Mrs. Bell said in alarm. “I’m supposed to get to watch you as you fall in love and start a family. I was supposed to get to spoil my grandkids every week. Now you’re telling me to just smile about all of this? No! Alex, you are going to buy us a house in Colorado and we are going to move with you!”

“Mom-” (Alex)

“No, if you don’t agree I’ll call that guy from Abysses End and tell him exactly where you’re moving.”

Alex was looking at his mom like he had never seen her before as he tried to make sense of this outburst. Alex’s dad seemed to be just as lost as Alex.”

“Honey, what will I do for work and do you really want to make Anna change schools in the middle of her junior year?”

“Dear, I’m sure Alex can afford your salary and hire both of us to work full time for his guild. He seemed so keen on securing us that I’m sure he would be more than happy to have us. Besides, I’m sure Anna could stay with friends while she finishes school before joining us in Colorado if she wants to stay behind.”

Alex was beginning to sweat. His mom had him backed into a corner.

“Mom, would you really be okay with that? I would expect you to be playing for at least 16 hours a day. I would be your employer. As such I would dictate your tasks and quotas. If you failed to live up to your end of the agreement the system would enforce the consequences, not me. I would even have one of my vice guild leaders set up the contracts to avoid any conflicts of interest.”

“Son, you misunderstand. The only thing on our contract will be that we are permanent members of your guild. You’re going to let us retire into ED as we pursue our passions. Now, if we make money while doing so, 80 percent will go to the guild. Beyond that you are simply paying your parents back for raising you.”

“Honey let’s at least see just how much he is worth first. He may not have enough to afford us just yet.”

Alex just shook his head as he responded, knowing that things were about to get awkward.

“Right now, between my bank accounts and stocks, I have just under 300 million credits.”

The room went very quiet as Alex’s parents processed what their son just told them. They had expected it to be around 50 million, maybe, from the way he was talking. They couldn’t understand how Alex was earning so much so quickly.

“Son, are those funds your guild has raised, or that you have raised?” asked Mr. Bell quietly.

“That is just what I have raised. The guild is still burning through more resources than it produces. Luckily, most of our members have realized that while it may take a while to recoup their investments, they know that once our crafters take off, we will be golden.”

“Son, when were you going to tell us you had so many credits?”

“Dad, would you believe me if I said that those credits are just a drop in the bucket of what I need if I want my guild to become a top power house? Most of those credits are in the stock market right now. Heck, half of what I have is from the increase in values from my stocks. Then I have to figure out taxes. Fortunately, I have already retained services from a company that is handling that for me. I understand Mom’s desire to be near me and I’ll agree to you both working for my guild, but please stay here at least until Anna graduates High school.”

“Honey, can you at least agree to that?”

Alex’s mom was looking at him like he was a complex math problem she needed to solve. Finally, after looking him over several times, she responded.

“Fine, Alex. I will stay here so long as you don’t get either Sam or Nicole pregnant. However, if I find out they got pregnant and you hid it from us until they give birth, or shortly before, I will make you regret it as I move in with you. So, if either of those girls are carrying my grand baby you better let me know no later than the ten-week mark so we have time to find a place to live, understood?”

“Yes, Mom. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get food and a shower in before I log back in.”

ED Year 1, Days 167-168

Xeal had another day of grinding ahead of him. Today he would be moving on from the Ethereal Bog and entering the Vault of Ucnuc. The Vault of Ucnuc was exquisite, both inside and outside. Any player who came here could tell at first glance it was a gold mine. With its high walls and sturdy gates that lay in ruins from over a century of decay, to the still standing columns, everything here had been of excellent quality. However, only Xeal knew just how much value it actually held. Unlike the dwarven mine that was overrun with kobolds, he planned to systematically clear this dungeon. While doing so for the mine would allow them to expand the forge and possibly attract more dwarven NPCs, its value as a leveling area was too great. Here however, it required a guild to clear it to even begin to gain its max rewards. Only after reaching the tenth floor could the first seal be placed and end the spawning of undead on floors one through ten. However, the vault wouldn’t sit back and let itself be conquered. With each seal that was placed it would fight back harder. The Ethereal Bog would become even more of a death trap as the monsters who once roamed the sealed levels would show up there. Only once floor 150 was sealed would the struggle end and the Ethereal Bog become nothing more than an eerie field at first, before slowly coming back to life.

Xeal was looking forward to clearing this dungeon, but he knew it would be years before that happened and it was not something he could rush. For now, all he could do was move cautiously, finding single targets, and killing them quickly to grind XP. Unlike outside in the bog, the vault’s monsters were higher undead. Outside, skeletons and zombies were all you would run into. Here on the first floor were level 51 ghouls. The further you descended, the stronger the foes would become. The first major issue was still 20 floors down when many foes would become incorporeal. ED was always elevating the difficulties players would face. Even now at level 45 Xeal still felt as if all of the challenges so far were like riding a bike with training wheels. As he thought back to his early days of playing ED, he could remember the first time he faced certain foes, he had thought the system was insane. Incorporeal foes were one such case. If one was caught unprepared, your only hope to survive was escape. Xeal remembered dying the first time he came across one in his last life. Only after reading the forums did he realize his mistake. After that he had always looked on the forums when he was planning to go to an area for the first time. That had helped some, but they were still severely lacking as he was always near the top levels in the early days. This had made him one of the trailblazers for several areas and was what had led to Twilight Sky noticing him. Before that he had only been in a small guild that had no backing whatsoever and could only scrape by from the selling of his loot

While it had taken several more years before he reached a rank within Twilight Sky where he was able to live comfortably, just the extra income from joining their expeditionary team had been like taking the boot off his throat. He had finally been able to get off his cup of noodle diet and actually eat a decent meal once in a while. Xeal was surprised with himself as he reminisced about his struggles in his last life and could only sigh as he refocused himself, reminding himself to ensure he reached out to several of his old friends when the time came. As Xeal was about to begin his assault on the first floor, he received a message that Amser had completed her tier 4 test and reached level 40. Xeal smiled at this news as it meant soon the rest would make the jump as well. This would allow them to finally expand into the rest of Nium, securing their place as its top guild. The only reason Xeal hadn’t already started the expansion was due to his need to avoid nobles at all costs right now. Feeling excited, he messaged her and set up a meeting for the start of his next log in. With that out of the way, Xeal started his exploration of the first floor of the vault.

The first ghoul Xeal came across was alone and to an untrained eye could easily be missed. Ghouls were ambush monsters who relied on their quick burst movements and strength to overwhelm their prey. Xeal’s preferred strategy for dealing with them was to counter the ambush like he would with shadow cats. Once the ambush was countered, he would kill it using his infinite chain while utilizing fire with his elemental blades skill. With his 2,363 skill points and 1,089 magic points, he was good for the piercing thrust to interrupt the ghoul, followed by up to 117 downward and upward slashes, with 54 of his attacks enhanced with elemental blades. All of that should be more than enough to take care of a single ghoul, but it would take a full 100 minutes to recover. Thankfully Xeal had stocked up on skill and magic regen potions that would cut that time by half, allowing him time to deal with one ghoul per hour. He only needed to take care of 24 ghouls solo to reach level 46

Xeal slowly approached the strike range of the ghoul, ensuring as he did so that there was not a second one that would be attracted by the fight. When he was within the ghoul’s range it lunged at him with a suddenness that an unsuspecting player would have little to no chance of adapting to in time. Xeal, however, had already activated piercing thrust and stuck the ghoul mid lunge. Xeal still took over ten percent of his health in damage due to the fact that he ignored his constitution stat when leveling, relying on items to compensate for his low health. Once the ghoul’s attack had been interrupted, Xeal started his chain, with the first 54 downward slashes being enhanced by fire. Once the chain started, the ghoul was unable to respond until after the last elemental blade charge had been used up. This made Xeal realize that the elemental blade was likely making it harder for the ghoul to recover mid battle due to the type weakness for the ghoul it added to his attacks. After the 112th set of upward and downward slashes the ghoul was finished off and Xeal still had over half his health points left. He would continue this cycle for the rest of his log in, experimenting with how often he added fire to his attacks to see how often the ghoul would recover. Xeal found that if he only added the elemental blade to every fourth attack, a ghoul would only recover before the next one five percent of the time. This let Xeal only deal with a few attacks from any ghouls he faced from then onward.

Evening September 10, 2266

Alex awoke after his latest grinding session in ED ready to face his parents after they had more time to mull over him moving. When he got downstairs, he found Anna, Lauren and Jessica all there and working on homework. When they noticed him they all looked over, with Jessica’s look lingering a bit longer than the others. The trio were now a staple in the house as with the upgraded internet Alex had paid for it was the only one where all of them could play ED at the same time. The massive increase in data usage caused by ED had left internet companies scrambling to bulk up their residential capacities for the first few years after ED was released. The effect was already being felt as many areas had no availability for the increased bandwidth left in their areas. This had created a business opportunity for many office buildings with business internet lines with a capacity of around 100 Terabytes per second (Tbps). They would rent empty space for players to use. As it took about 1.5 Tbps per player, a business that could free up 60 Tbps for the players would be able to have 40 players logged in at once. At 25 credits per hour, over 20 hours per player slot, they could earn 20 thousand credits a day. While it had only been for a short while, the internet cafés had seen a resurgence for a few years. Several guilds even came about due to their leaders meeting in an internet café. Shortly after Alex arrived downstairs, his mom joined them to start working on dinner.

“Alex, will you help me in the kitchen?”

“Sure thing Mom”

Anna looked confused by their mom asking for Alex’s help as it was the first time she could remember it happening beyond a simple task here and there. Alex knew this was due to their mom wanting to talk where the girls wouldn’t hear everything. So Alex and his mom disappeared to cook dinner. Despite how rare it was for his mom to ask him for help, Alex did know his way around a kitchen reasonably well as his mom had ensured that he knew how to cook by the age of 16.

“So, son, your father should be putting in his two weeks’ notice today. After he leaves his work, how will our pay and benefits work?”

“Mom, the pay is easy. He just needs to send my payroll people his account information and they will set up his direct deposit. As for insurance, the company I am working with is still in negotiations with several options and they are hoping to have a deal reached by November. The main issue is we don’t have a good idea of what our scale will look like yet. This means it will start as a sliding scale. As we grow, it will become more affordable.”

“So we are going to need to get our own insurance for the short term? You realize that you are going to lose insurance when your dad leaves his job as well, right?”

“Mom, I can afford just about any medical bill I might be hit with. That said, it would be best to not be hit with any unexpected major expenses.”

“Just let us know. We should be okay as there are transition plans available, but if it takes too long, we may have to have this talk again.”

“Believe me, I don’t want that. There is a reason I am paying professionals to not only handle this for me, but to help put together an entire human resources department for me.”

“Just how many employees are you expecting to have?”

“Umm, yes.”

“Son, that’s not an answer.”

“I know, but if things expand how I hope they do, it would not be an exaggeration to say that eventually I might have a city’s worth of employees.”

“That seems a bit excessive.”

“Mom, when you think of a city’s population, what number comes to mind?”

“At least a million.”

“Now, if ten billion people are playing ED, what percent of the games population is that?”

“It would be a hundredth of a percent.”

“So, if FAE grows to become a true top ten guild and we have half a percent of that, with two percent of our members on our payroll in one way, or another, and we get to a million employees.”

“And at what point do you see FAE being that big?”

“If my math is correct and we are able to continue to grow steadily, in the next nine to ten years.”

“And you think you will be able to manage that many members?”

“As long as we use the rule of ten, it should be fine.”

“What is that rule?

“Simple. At our lowest level you will have a squad leader who has ten normal members who report to him, making a squad of eleven. Ten squad leaders report to a platoon leader, making a platoon of 111. Ten platoon leaders report to a company commander, making a company of 1,111. Ten company commanders report to a battalion commander, making a battalion of 11,111. Ten of them will report to a regiment commander. These will likely be a lower vice guild leader, making a regiment of 111,111. Then ten to a Brigade, ten to a division and ten to a corps, which should be myself, bringing us to a max of 111,111,111 members. Even when the guild cap passes that mark, which is very possible by year 15, I have no plans to go beyond that.”

“You really think you might have over a hundred million members some day?”

“That would only be around one percent of all players. While that number is a long way off, it won’t be that rare for guilds that span across multiple countries to have player bases in the tens of millions.”

“At what point in that chain would you start paying your members?”

“Platoon leader and up, with some promising squad leaders getting paid to retain them as well. But over 100,000,000 of our members will only earn what they can sell themselves. We will work to ensure our guild helps them be more profitable than they would be otherwise, but most players in ED will only be at that level. About one percent of all players will be able to earn enough money from playing that they can play full time. Most of those will only do so by living on the bare essentials and forgoing all luxury in real life.”

“Just how big do you see ED becoming?”

“Mom, I’ve already said this to Anna, but I see it becoming a second world for most. Only those who live in areas where the internet can’t support playing ED will it not be the main recreational activity. I expect over half of the world to be playing before the end of the decade. Just think of how much more time you have been able to spend with Dad since you started playing.”

“Um, it has been nice. I think we have probably spent more time together in the last few weeks than the last few years. I can see where you are going with this. It won’t be just about playing the game like you do. There will be players who just log in to do things we can do in reality but don’t have the time for.”

“Exactly, and it won’t stop at just that. Those who have disabilities that make many activities hard, to impossible, will almost live in ED. It will quickly grow to be a major part of the world’s economy. Mom, those who see this coming now and are able to take advantage of it early on will be able to rise in the world exponentially.”

“Is that why you are leaving California?”

“Pretty much. For my plans I will need to build a massive complex to house my guild’s core members in. That means I may need a space to build residences for at least 100,000 members one day.”

With that the conversation died off as Alex’s mom thought over his plans and reasons. The pair worked on making potato gnocchi served with a Bolognese sauce. It was just after 5:00 PM when they finished. While Alex loved gnocchi, he didn’t care for the amount of work it required, but that was part of what made it a special meal. When Anna, Lauren and Jessica came in for dinner and noticed what it was, they grew excited. Anna was no longer suspicious of why Alex had been called in to help with dinner, though she wondered what the special occasion was.

“Mom, what is the occasion?” Anna inquired.

“Hmm, well…”

Just then their dad had walked in, a few hours earlier than normal.

“Dad, why are you home?” Alex questioned.

“Oh, I told my boss I had to leave early today to take care of something in relation to my new employment.”

“Wait, you have a new job Dad?” asked a confused Anna.

“Well, your mom and I talked with Alex and he is going to bring us on as full-time members.”

“Wait, you’re going to work for Alex in ED? Just how many extra credits does he have?”

“Anna, I’m not getting into that with you, and before you ask, yes, I plan on employing you as well if you can pass my basic requirements.”

“What about a couple of her friends?” Jessica asked hopefully.

“Jessica, how shameless can you be?” an exasperated Lauren asked.

“Hey, look, unlike the pair of you, I graduate this year. I need to figure out how I am going to afford to live. Unless one of you have a spare room I can crash in for the next forever, my parents have made it clear that after I graduate I have till August to be out.”

“Yah, we know your parents suck, but still,” said Lauren.

“It’s fine. Jessica, as of right now I am only taking on players in the kingdom of Nium. If you can get to level 80 and make your way there I will give you a chance.-”

Jessica almost tackled Alex with a hug when he said she could get a job in Alex’s guild.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, you have no idea how much that means to me.”

“Just don’t expect to be able to live off much more than instant ramen, while living with several roommates.”

“Still, at least I will be able to enjoy my life in ED. Besides, you wouldn’t let me end up on the street, right?”

Anna was making a gagging gesture and Lauren rolled her eyes as Jessica gave Alex a puppy dog look, while Alex tried to extract himself. Both of the other girls knew that Jessica had been just short of a melt down on how she was going to survive after high school, so they didn’t say anything about how she reacted. Still, both found it a little awkward to see her clinging to a man who already had two girlfriends while he tried to escape. Alex’s parents were giving him a troubled look though, as they both worried about his life getting more complicated. However, both the girls assumed it was simply a result of a major burden being lifted and nothing more, so they let it slide. Alex on the other hand worried that he might have given her the wrong idea and didn’t want to let a misunderstanding grow.

“Jessica, you need to calm down. When I say I will give you a chance it means just that. You will have goals and quotas just like any other members. The only difference is that I will start you at in a paid position. This means two things. One, you will have more expected of you if you want to keep your job and two, if you underperform drastically, I have to fire you.”

“Wait, what?”

“Jessica, I would likely be hiring you to do admin type work in game. That would mean that one of your logins each day would be spent at a guild hall working for 16 plus hours in ED. Unless your combat or crafting skills are first rate, it will likely be the only way I can justify it. Don’t worry, I will not set you up for failure. Once you arrive, we will find the position that suits your talents the best and start you there.”

“Still, if I do really well you will promote me, right?”

“Of course, as long as you are selected by those who make those decisions.”

“Wait, you aren’t going to decide who moves up in your guild?”

“No, I will have others handling that. Now if you could please stop hugging me, it’s getting a little awkward”

“Yah, Jessica, we get it, you found a job and won’t end up on the streets this time next year, but Alex already has two girlfriends who happen to be vice guild leaders in his guild, I don’t think they would like to see you holding him like that,” Lauren reminded her. “Remember, they are going to be your bosses as well.”

With that Jessica sheepishly disengaged from Alex and he breathed a sigh of relief. With that situation handled for the most part, Alex sent a quick message to Nicole and Sam and sat down for dinner. The meal was delicious and everyone enjoyed it while they caught up on the day’s events. Dad’s boss had been more than a little surprised to see him leaving, and he still hadn’t let any of his coworkers know yet. He was planning to let the few he was close with know over the next few days, and the rest would find out when he left. The three girls talked about school and ED. Each of them was looking forward to fall break as it would let them play more ED. Alex’s mom talked about how she had started to expand her cooking skills in the game and how much she was enjoying working with all of ED’s unique ingredients. When it was time for Alex to log back in, he excused himself and made his way upstairs, but before he left the dining room Jessica spoke up.

“Alex, thank you again for letting me work for your guild once I graduate and make it to Nium. I promise to do my best and show you just how thankful I am.”

“Relax, Jessica. Just do your best and I’m sure you will be able to make ends meet. Heck, perhaps Anna and Lauren will join you once they graduate.”

Once only the three girls were left working on homework Anna confronted Jessica.

“Jessica, what are you doing?” demanded Anna.

“What do you mean?”

“She means why are you crushing on her brother so hard, and don’t say you’re not. We have known you for long enough to know what those looks you have been giving him mean.”

“Ugh, look, I can’t help it. You both know I’ve always thought he was cute, well now he’s a man and is hitting all the right buttons for me. Look, I know he is very much taken, but is it a crime to just look?”

“Yes, he is my brother. What do you think would happen if his girlfriends noticed you looking at him like that?”

“I would hope they would understand why, after all they are dating him. So long as I don’t make a move on him, I don’t see why anyone should have an issue with me enjoying the view once in a while.”

“Let’s just drop this before you make me sick from hearing you pining after my brother.”

“Jessica, be careful, you are playing with fire” warned Lauren. “As your friend I don’t want to see you ruin the opportunity he has extended to you because you can’t keep your thoughts to yourself.”

“Fine, I get it.”

ED Year 1, Days 168-169.

Xeal made his way to the meeting he had set up with Amser to discuss things now that she was a tier 4 player like himself. Though as he thought about it, he probably didn’t look the part like he should as his gear was simply whatever drops had best suited him. The mishmash of gear he had acquired over the last few weeks made him look more like a bandit than a knight. Xeal entered his guild hall and made his way to his office for the meeting. Once he arrived, he found Amser was already awaiting him, looking like she could also use an update on her gear.

“Look who is finally out of hiding. Have the nobles finally stopped throwing their daughters at you?”

“Ha, ha, very funny. We both know I have been focusing on leveling, just as the rest of you have been focused on passing your tier up challenges. Now though we finally have a second member who can travel about the country with relative ease.”

“Stop right there. I’m not a recruiter. Don’t even think about asking me to set up any guild halls.”

“What? Oh no, Amser, you have me wrong. I know very well how bad of an idea that would be, so relax. What I need from you is simply to be a go between for the guild and supplies from the capital. That, and as I know you are still free while you wait for the rest of your friends to reach tier 4, I would like you to spend time sparring with our members. Focus on those who are stuck at level 39 while they work to master the skills needed to pass their tier 4 quests.”

“What, you want me to spend my time babysitting when I could be out leveling?”

“I can understand why you might be hesitant to agree. I am asking you to give up some of the lead you have built on all those players who are still trying to reach tier 4. That said, it would yield great results and I don’t plan on making you do so for free.”

“Oh, and just what may I ask, do you plan to pay me with? I’m not exactly poor. I can get just about anything I want.”

“So, you’re not just talented, but rich as well. Good to know. However, you still lack access to certain areas that are hard to get into. Areas where some of the best gear for players our level can buy are sold. Look, I am planning on going there after this meeting. You are welcome to join me when I do, but it’s only on me if you agree to spend eight hours a login in the guild arena taking on any level 39 challengers from our guild until we have ten tier four players.”

Amser looked at Xeal and his gear before looking at her own. She had planned to wander the capital after this meeting to upgrade her gear and she could also tell Xeal needed to replace his as well. Going with him would certainly save her a great deal of time as Xeal still hadn’t released the map of the capital he had made, yet. However, she didn’t need him to pay for her. She could afford her own gear, unlike all those girls who let boys buy them everything.

“You’re not trying to add me to your harem by buying me a bunch of stuff, are you?”

“Amser, that’s not even remotely funny. I value my life, thank you. Think of it as an advance for sparring with our members in training matches.”

“Good, just making sure. So, basically you are saying you will give me guild coins for spending my time sparring with our members. Only I will be paid in advance in the form of gear I need.”

“Exactly.”

“Then why aren’t you spending your time sparring with our members?”

“Same reason I haven’t set up any guild halls in other cities yet, politics. If my location is easy to find, there will be no end to the other guilds trying to get a meeting with me.”

“Are you ever going to be able to come out of hiding?”

“Once level 80 players become common in mainstream guilds, major power plays will happen as guilds begin to merge with their branches. All of the truces that are in place to ensure that major guilds are able to dominate ED will end. At that time, for a brief moment, they will forget about a new up and coming guild based out of a kingdom on the edge of the map. When that moment comes, we will secure the whole of this kingdom and lay the ground work for the rest of the continent. After that I will step into the spotlight, not as a small-time guild, but as a regional power.”

“Okay, so in a year you will be able to move around freely. Do you really think you can squander your time while you wait?”

“Amser, if you thought I was squandering my time you would have already left the guild. No, you see just what I’m building and know that if it succeeds, FAE will be one of the top guilds in all of ED and Abysses End will be relegated to the history books. If I can accomplish those two things I will have achieved all but one of my goals.”

“What goal is that?”

“Sorry, but it’s a goal that only I will ever know. Just know it won’t affect the guild until I am sure it can handle it.”

“Whatever, so let’s go shopping.”

“So you will help with sparring every login?”

“Yeah, yeah, now let’s go get some new gear.”

“Alright, let’s go to the capital.”

With that the pair made their way to the teleportation gates and traveled to Nium city where Xeal led Amser to a group of shops in the noble district. These shops were only accessible to those who had a noble title like Xeal’s knight class granted him. Most players wouldn’t be able to become a noble before level 40 when they could reach the capital cities in their kingdoms. After which they would need to complete several quests and gain several sponsors in order to become a Baron, or Baroness. Typically, the players who pursued nobility in this way would achieve it after working on it nonstop for about three months in ED. To make matters worse, ED only allowed for a strict number of players to become nobility in each kingdom. The number itself was based on the number of active players in a given kingdom, so it did increase as time went on, and if you were inactive too long you could lose your status, opening a slot for someone else. The knight class was the great exception to this rule. However, even then it was one of the hardest classes to get. Still, it wasn’t impossible and once the secret was out on how to get the class it became one of the most sought-after classes in all of ED. Even then only about one in ten thousand players were knights in Xeal’s last life.

The first shop they entered was a specialty weapon shop that dealt in unconventional weapons. This was one of the few places Xeal knew to get Amser Sojourner’s signature weapon, a ring blade. He wasn’t sure just how she had picked up the weapon in her last life. All he knew was she had only become a top tier player after mastering it. Looking around he was able to find three ring blades that she could use as a tier 4 player. One was nothing more than a simple steel blade that looked like a hula hoop. It was simple, yet elegant. Next was one that looked more like a giant saw blade than a weapon. It looked menacing and Xeal could imagine trying to deal with Amser as she used it. Lastly, there was the one Xeal planned to get her. It was black with four large points spaced evenly along the blade with a handle built in at each point for extra control and flexibility in use. It was the one closest to what Amser had mastered from what Xeal remembered. While Xeal had been focused on the ring blades, Amser had been looking around and wondering why Xeal had brought her here. She didn’t use any of these fancy and impractical weapons that were more of a hassle than they were worth to master. Simple and effective was the best way to go when it came to fighting. So when Xeal handed her the ring blade she was caught off guard.

“What is this?”

“It’s a ring blade. While it is extremely difficult to master, once a player does it can out speed almost any other weapon for time between attacks.”

“Okay, and why would you give it to me?”

“Call it a hunch, but I feel it would be the perfect weapon for you if you can master it.”

“Umm, yeah, that’s a big if. Besides, when am I supposed to have the time to master it?”

“You can work on that while you spar with our members. Don’t worry, I’ll get you an upgrade for your current weapon as well. Just please trust me when I say that you should really try out the ring blade.”

“Okay, I’ll give it a try, but don’t expect me to suddenly start using it.”

“Okay, now let’s move onto armor and regular weaponry.”

The pair made their way to several more stores over the following hour, with Xeal picking up an armor set that used leather with chainmail worked into the joints and small metal plates strategically placed over key vital areas, while Amser ended up in plain leather armor that emphasized ease of movement over everything else. The pair looked like tier 4 players in Xeal’s eyes now. They had decent gear that was nothing special. It wasn’t until tier 6 that players started to put the extra effort into finding the best gear possible for their level. This was due to how long it took for a player to grow once they reach that point. Even then the new gear was a major upgrade compared to what the pair had been using prior. Xeal felt like it would improve his grinding efficiency by at least ten percent.

“So, is there anything else before we return to our tasks?”

“No, I think we are good Amser. Be sure to let me know how the ring blade works out for you.”

“I still find it weird that you are making me try it out.”

“Just think of it as a handicap to give the other guild members a chance.”

“Okay.”

“Good. Oh, here have a copy of the capital’s map.”

Xeal used his advanced return scroll to return to his grinding at the Vault of Ucnuc and Amser stayed to explore the capital a bit more with the map Xeal gave her.

Morning September 11 to Evening September 12, 2266, and ED Year 1, Days 170-173.

The next few days were uneventful, both in and out of ED. Alex was focused on his day-to-day routine and Sam and Nicole were letting him keep focused. The only thing to note was that they were now insisting he stay over whenever they had an ED date scheduled so they could log out together. So, Tuesday the eleventh, Alex went over to the girls’ apartment to play during the day while lying next to Nicole. In ED Xeal continued working on leveling up before he and Aalin enjoyed a wonderful date in which Xeal showed her some of the tricks needed to pass some of the challenge courses. Xeal couldn’t wait for Aalin to reach tier 4 so he could start to take her to other areas for their dates. After their date they retired to an inn together for the night. Upon waking up, Nicole gave Alex a deep and long kiss before dropping him off at home.

When Alex walked in after his afternoon with Nicole, his mom was already working on dinner while Anna and her friends were once again working franticly on their homework. Alex missed the look that flashed across Jessica’s face at him coming home instead of him walking down the stairs. She had already left to get ready at her house when Alex had disappeared with the girls for the day. Suddenly she realized that Alex was probably already having sex with both Sam and Nicole. She hid it pretty quickly but the worry on her face was noticed by Anna who was starting to get annoyed by Jessica’s crush on her brother. Still, she didn’t want to deal with it, so she said nothing and returned to the math problem the three of them were working to solve.

At dinner that night Jessica started to ask Alex about what he was up to in ED and how his guild was doing. He gave her vague answers and when she pushed for more details, in an attempt to keep the conversation going, he told her things like that were secrets for now. She then pivoted to any suggestions he had to help her improve her skills in game to get ready for when she moved over to Nium and joined FAE. After learning she was trying for a trickster build and was currently a rogue in game, Alex gave her some advice on which skills to train and how to optimize her efforts in doing so. Alex left the dinner table and returned to his leveling in ED as Xeal.

Xeal would spend the next two logins focused solely on leveling, reaching level 47 and moving ever closer to his goal of level 55 before he attempted the first task of the prince’s quest. The highlight of his time was when he was checking up on the guild while recovering from his fights. Currently the guild chat was full of level 39 members talking about how they were being crushed by Amser and her new ring blade. It had taken her all of four hours to become just as lethal with it as most players were with normal weapons. Now she was simply getting better with each fight. Though she was still not as effective as she was with normal weapons, she was getting there. She had even thanked Xeal for getting her to try the crazy thing out as she found the movements required to use it came easily to her. She admitted the fighting style was fun and the looks on other players faces as she overwhelmed them with it was priceless. The guild had already taken to giving her names like the ring of death, or hula hooper of despair. Amser didn’t much care for the nicknames but was enjoying herself all the same.

Alex’s morning exercise was uneventful on the 12th other than how Jessica had hung around until after Nicole and Sam had left. Dinner that night had been a repeat of the last night with Jessica talking about how she was trying out the suggestions Alex had given her and asking for clarification on aspects she was having problems with. Anna just held her tongue and Lauren just ignored the whole thing as she didn’t feel like getting in the middle of it. Once dinner was done, Alex excused himself and went to get ready for the tea time that was scheduled for shortly after he logged in.

ED Year 1, Days 174-175.

Upon logging in Xeal met up with Gale and Aalin before they all made their way to the Dragon's Heart City keep for their tea time with Princess Enye and Lady Dyllis. Once at the keep the guard on duty instantly recognized Xeal as it was the same one who had guided him on the day he completed his tier quest. Wasting no time, the guard led the three of them to the garden, where the maids where already working on setting up the area for their tea time. A few minutes later Princess Enye and Lady Dyllis both arrived, both looking as lovely as ever. Princess Enye was dressed in a flowing green dress that brought her green eyes in to prominence. Her dark hair was styled up in an elaborate bun with her tiara sitting in front, bringing the whole look together. Lady Dyllis was dressed in a beautiful light blue dress with her hair done up in a simple bun. While she looked lovely, you could tell she had dressed to ensure that she did not outshine Princess Enye. Xeal frowned slightly at this, but knowing all the little things involved in court politics, knew it was necessary for the time being. Xeal quickly went up to both ladies and gave them a slight bow as Aalin and Gale curtsied in greetings

“May I say, you both look lovely today?”

Princess Enye extended her hand, which Xeal took and gave a quick kiss, following which Lady Dyllis did the same and Xeal gave her hand a kiss as well. Both girls were now blushing slightly.

“It’s been too long Sir Xeal. I must say Lady Dyllis and I have been looking forward to seeing you, miss Aalin, and miss Gale again. Tales of your adventures are always so exhilarating. I can’t wait to hear what the three of you have been up to since we last met.”

“Now Princess Enye, let our guests settle in first before we dive into recent events.”

“Thank you both,” responded Xeal. “I look forward to enjoying the refreshments that have been prepared for us. They look wonderful, wouldn’t you agree Gale?”

“Oh yes, they do look like it will be quite enjoyable, and it is a pleasure to get to spend time with you Princess Enya and Lady Dyllis.”

“Thank you, Gale, it is nice to see you again” replied Enye. “I trust that you are keeping Sir Xeal healthy for us. Now Aalin, how have you been? I see that like Gale you have been improving yourself at a rapid pace. I honestly am a bit envious at how the pair of you get to go on adventures.”

“You are too kind your highness. I am sure that if you wish to, Xeal would be more than happy to escort you for your own adventure one day.”

“That would be lovely, if my brother would allow it, but for now, let us be seated so we can drop all of the formalities as agreed.”

With that the five took seats around the table, with Aalin and Gale taking the seats across from Xeal, as Enye sat to his right and Dyllis to his left, with Gale next to Dyllis and Aalin next to Enya.

“Much better. I do so enjoy dropping all of the edict and status nuances that my position requires. It really does feel nice to just relax among friends, wouldn’t you agree Dyllis?”

“Yes, it’s so nice, especially with all the scrutiny that is present as we move about the capital when we are there. Though I do enjoy when it is just us and we can relax and talk, being a lady-in-waiting to the princess is rather intense.”

“So, does that mean the two of you made a special trip here today for our gathering?” questioned Gale.

“Yes, though we can’t always do so, it is nice to escape the capital every once in a while,” replied Enye. “Though I do hope our next gathering will be in the capital.”

“That should be possible. Both Gale and I plan to undertake our tier 4 quest directly after this meeting. So long as we are successful, we will be able to easily travel to the capital in the future.”

“That is simply wonderful. Hmm, I think the two of you should visit with Dyllis and I when you find time. It would be nice to spend more time together and the rumors will be quieter if the pair of you are known friends of mine when you show up with Xeal for our tea times.”

“Yes, that would be wonderful, plus I know we all have a common interest that we could talk about,” added Dyllis.

“That does sound like it would be quite enjoyable. I mean, how often do you get to spend time in a royal palace with friends?” Gale questioned.

“I don’t know, wouldn’t it cause the nobles to start to pursue us?”

“Oh, I’m sure there are a few lower nobles who might try and snatch you from Xeal, but most of them will have far too little pull to be much of an issue,” commented Dyllis.

“What about the few who could cause issues?” Aalin asked.

“Well, it is already known that my brother has his eye on Xeal as a potential ally for his ambitions, so the fact that you are connected to him will keep most from doing anything drastic. Besides, as my guest, you will be protected from most of the heavy-handed tactics they could use. No, the only worry is if they use under-handed tactics.”

“Gale, Aalin, I think you should just go and enjoy yourselves. Whether it is now, or the next tea time, it will get out that you are friends with Enye and the bad actors will act.”

“Oh, are you not worried what the four of us will decide when you’re away?” Gale asked mischievously.

“Why, yes, who knows what kind of plans we could make behind your back,” grinned Aalin.

“If I can’t trust you four while I am not around, then this would-be relationship has already failed,” declared Xeal resolutely.

“Oh, that sounds fun. I do look forward to seeing the two of you at the palace soon,” gushed Enye.

“Perhaps the two of you could move your base of operations to the capital as well? Then you could see us more often,” Dyllis proposed.

“Oh yes, that would be nice. Speaking of which, Xeal why has FAE not yet established a guild headquarters in the capital?” Enye inquired.

“Simple realities. First, we currently have no one to man it. Second, guild headquarters are expensive and FAE has better uses for its funds right now. Third, the easily available locations are not optimal and we would be better off waiting until we gain access to the better locations. Finally, our targets for recruitment are not in the capital at this time.”

“Hmm, I see. Well, it appears you will have people to man it shortly now that Aalin and Gale will be in the area. If the finances are an issue, we might be able to come to an arrangement, and that arrangement may even address your location issues. Lastly, you want to be ready for when it is time to start recruitment and not playing catchup when the time comes.”

“Enye, what is your real motivation? You seem far to invested in my guild having a headquarters in the capital.”

“Xeal, can you not just accept that it is in your best interest and accept my advice and assistance?”

Xeal sat and thought for a moment. Guild headquarters weren’t like guild halls. A guild could only have a single headquarters in any given kingdom, and they had to be in major cities. Most guilds in his last life had jumped the gun by setting up their headquarters in a kingdom’s capital as soon as they could, only to regret it later, once it had become clear that many major cities were better for guild headquarters than the capital cities, and that better locations could be unlocked through guild quests. To make matters worse, once established, a guild couldn’t move their headquarters for five years in game. Entire guilds would start over in order to change their guild headquarters. This had its own set of problems as everything from their name to their reputation was lost once they did so. For Xeal, he would lose his guild’s bonus to their member cap if he restarted his guild.

“Please, just here me out. I can tell you are hesitating about establishing your guild’s headquarters for Nium in the capital. I believe you are aware that other cities will be more beneficial as a guild headquarters depending on your guild’s focus. However, it is important that you choose the capital for yours and my sake. You are already seen as a member of my brother’s faction in court, which means building in any city that is not governed by the same faction will cause you major issues. This fact alone limits you to three other cities. Next, if you wish to maintain your direct line with my brother you can’t have anyone who has a claim on your fealty between you. The moment you build your guild headquarters in a city, the governor of that city will treat you as a knight under them. This means they will expect you to report any meetings with other nobles to them and seek their permission before seeking any audiences with nobles of the same, or higher rank, as them. Also, they may try and influence any courtships. That could include them finding issue with Aalin and Gale. I know you’re not completely inept in dealing with nobles but you are certainly unable to impose your will effectively. All you need to do is ask yourself if you have any choice in whether or not you are going to marry Dyllis and I if you continue to build your guild up as you have been doing so. Even if you ignored the quests my brother is giving you, your guild alone would cause your rank in nobility to rise since you have stepped onto that path. Which is the final reason you must choose the capital. Any other city’s governor will not want you to rise to, or above, their rank if you are in their city. Do you understand now why you must choose the capital?”

“Xeal, I think Enye is right,” agreed Gale. “I didn’t even realize that there was so much at stake with our guild headquarters. I just thought it was a fancy guild hall.”

“Alright, I know when the writing is on the wall. Now, what did you have in mind Enye?”

“You are right to say that if you were to accept what is publicly available right now it would be a mistake in the long run. However, you are working with the prince and he wishes to see your guild flourish as it will boost his own power. Now, there is a particular property just outside the palace that has been vacant for several decades at this point. It was originally meant as a residence for a Duke by birth, but our kingdom has taken to marrying off any of the crown prince’s brothers into another kingdom once he produces an heir. Meaning they rarely ever move out of the palace before they leave the capital for another kingdom. As such, only a few of such residences have been maintained while the others have sat empty as time slowly erodes them. I believe that my brother could be convinced to help you get permission to take over the property from the king.”

“Why has it just been sitting there?” asked Aalin. “Surely some noble would want it as a residence in the capital?”

“It’s simple, really. The property has had some issues that have plagued any resident and led to the king simply locking it up.”

“What kind of issues?” Xeal inquired.

“Strange noises, disappearances, and other bizarre events.”

“So, it’s haunted,” offered Gale.

“No, many priests and priestesses have cleansed the grounds and searched for anything that could be the source of the issues. No source has ever been found so it is still unexplained as to what has been causing the issues. Many expect it was an individual who, for one reason or another, wanted the location to remain empty, chasing others away. This is supported by that no noble was ever seriously harmed, only servants would be targeted directly.”

“Then why would the noble leave?” a confused Gale asked.

“If you were used to having servants take care of you and all of a sudden none would work in your home, would you stay there?” asked Dyllis with raised eyebrows.

“I guess not. Wait, only Xeal is a noble and how will a residence work for a guild headquarters?” Gale asked.

“Believe it, or not, so long as there is enough land, it will work just fine, and don’t worry about whatever is causing the problem” informed Xeal.” I’m sure we can figure it out before we turn the property into our guild headquarters. Now, am I to assume you have already brought your brother in on your plan?”

“Yes, he is actually the one who suggested the property. He wishes to keep you firmly under him to keep other nobles from situating themselves between you and him in a chain of authority.”

“What about Dyllis’s father?” Gale questioned. “Wouldn’t he have some authority due to our guild hall being in his city?”

“Father is aware of the situation and has made a point to only exercise the necessary amount of overview. He is treating FAE as if it was the prince’s property that was operating out of his city.”

“Make sure to let your father know how much we appreciate that,” Xeal commented.

“So, Xeal, will you pursue securing the property?” Dyllis inquired.

“I will need to inspect it first and know what the terms of acquiring it are first.”

“For that you will need to meet with my brother. Xeal, will you at least promise me that you will set up your headquarters in the capital?”

“So long as I can find a suitable location for my guild’s needs, I will. I had forgotten to take my status as a noble into consideration. Thank you Enye for reminding me. Now, let’s stop talking about matters of court and enjoy our time together.”

The five of them spent the following few hours going over the events since the last tea time. Xeal was happy to hear that Dyllis and Enye were getting along well in the capital. They were dealing with several nobles attempting to have their daughters serve as ladies-in-waiting for Enye once she brought on Dyllis. Apparently there were rumors that Viscount Weawen was working to secure Enye’s hand in marriage for his son. It had taken the prince declaring that Viscount Weawen was not and that Enye had simply taken a liking to Dyllis as a friend and wished to keep her close. The fact that Xeal was expected to court Dyllis in the future was still obscure enough that it wasn’t known in the capital, yet. Thus, Enye and Dyllis were constantly being approached by young noble ladies whose families wished to forge ties in hope that a friendship would develop. Xeal was rather somber during this as Enye told him the reason the pair had accepted was to vet them in case they targeted him once their courtship was official. Enye also promised to introduce Gale and Aalin to some of them when they visited the capital, as most were staying near the palace. Both girls wore a slightly sour face as they realized just how many women might chase after Xeal in ED. Once Xeal had bid all the girls farewell, kissing Enye and Dyllis on their hands and Gale and Aalin on their cheeks, he made his way not back to the Vault of Ucnuc, but to the capital to meet with the prince about setting up his guild headquarters. Once in the capital, Xeal made his way to the palace using the same seal he had before to gain an audience with the prince. Bowing and rendering proper courtesies before the prince invited him to sit and have a drink with him.

“Xeal, it is good to see you again. I see you have been working on growing stronger. I assume you are preparing to tackle your first quest soon.”

“I am Prince Victor. However, I am here to discuss something your sister brought up with me today.”

“Ah, this is about your guild headquarters.”

“Yes, she said that you had a location that you may make available for FAE, my prince.”

“I do, although it would come with some stipulations.”

“What kind of stipulations, my prince?”

“The property is a 15-acre plot with a historical residence that has belonged to my family for hundreds of years. As such, a certain care would be required. Additionally, your guild would not own the lot and would need to gain approval for any modifications to it. The major issue is that you would need to construct your actual guild buildings as the residence would be designated as your private quarters. My intention is for it to be your house once you and Enye are married. Is any of that a problem?”

“Not fundamentally. However, I can see some possible issues depending on what we wish to build on the property. I will have to see the property and submit a rough layout of how I would like to utilize the space before I can say for sure. However, I hear that there have been some issues in the past with strange occurrences inside the residence, my prince.”

“Ah, yes, though I feel that whoever was the perpetrator should have moved on by now, as over 60 years have passed since the residence has been occupied. Still, I understand your concerns. so why don’t I send you with an escort to look over the property.”

“That would probably be best, but first, what kind of payment would the kingdom be looking at for allowing us to occupy the property? Next, as we will not own the property, what insurances will we have that we will not be forced to vacate the property once we invest in our guild buildings? Lastly, how long will my guild be allowed to use the property, my prince?”

“All very important points. Once you are married to Enye the kingdom will not be looking for any monetary compensation for the property’s use. Before that, we would be looking for about 1,000 level 100 weapons of silver quality for our soldiers from your guild every 30 days. I also hope we can go from receiving those weapons as rent, to buying them at a slightly discounted rate once you’re married. Next, the insurance you have is that so long as my sister is to be your bride, you will be safe. So, if you are not serious about marrying Enye, it would be best to turn this offer down. Lastly, I am prepared to designate the property as your family’s permanent residence so your heir would control whether your guild could continue using it once you pass on. Also, if you have no heir, the property would return to the kingdom allowing the ruler at the time to make the decision.”

“I see, that should be acceptable in the long run. However, it will still be some time before my guild will be able to handle an order for so many level 100 silver quality weapons. Our smiths are still in their training days. It will be years before they could fill that order. Is there an alternative method until then, Prince Victor?”

“Your guild intends to nurture 5,000 smiths, correct?”

“Yes, my prince.”

“Then it’s simple. You and I will sign an agreement that for each time you can’t meet the quota, you will owe an extra 1,000 weapons. So, if you miss 12 payments you would owe 24,000 weapons. If you have 3,000 smiths each make you a single weapon for the following 12 payments, you would clear your debt. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like something can be worked out. May I investigate the property for a few days before I answer, my prince?”

Prince Victor took out a piece of paper and started to write upon it before applying his seal to it and handing it to Xeal, along with a key.

“Very well, I will have one of my guards show you to the property. Keep that authorization on you while you investigate. The key will open the doors to the residence. I must stress that you do not damage anything while you are there.”

“Thank you, my prince.”

With that Xeal was guided to a property just behind the palace walls by one of prince Victor’s guards. Xeal was pleasantly surprised when he looked at the property. The residence was large, as one would expect. Thankfully, it sat near the palace walls on its rectangular property, making the front ten acres easily usable space for his guild’s headquarters. Inside the capital that was an enormous plot, as most available plots for guild halls or headquarters in the capital were under five acres, with some being less than an acre. Xeal could tell that the once beautiful gardens that occupied the space had been allowed to turn wild. The house was a two-story mansion covered in vines that had been allowed to grow up its sides. The whole ambience around the property was that of a horror film. The guard who had escorted Xeal stepped away quickly leaving Xeal alone to look over the property. He could tell that Victor and Enye had been downplaying the reputation of the property as if it was just not being used, the vegetation would have been maintained. Xeal made his way to the front of the mansion and as he unlocked the door, he received a notification.

(Quest: Explore the abandoned mansion and solve the issue within. Do you wish to accept this quest? Rewards unknown. Warning, failing the quest will have negative repercussions on your account. Yes or No)

Xeal selected yes and entered the house to explore. The first floor felt normal, aside from the inch of dust that covered everything. Upon entering he found himself inside an entrance hall that opened up to a large room that had clearly been designed for entertaining guests. The room had three exits, one which opened to the gardens in the back, one that led to a kitchen with servant quarters past it and the one Xeal just entered from. Xeal looked over the cramped quarters that had been designed to fit 20 individuals in two barracks-like rooms that were only around 200 square feet. Each had five bunk beds lining the entire wall clear around the room leaving only the doorway clear. Past the servant quarters were wash rooms designed for doing laundry, dishes and bathing for the servants, as well as a narrow staircase granting access to the second floor. On the other side of the main hall were what appeared to be four guest suites. Each had their own bathroom accommodations and large beds. In between the pair, against the back wall, was a decorated staircase leading up to the second floor. Once Xeal moved to the second floor he found 11 bedrooms, ten of which seemed to be designed for children, or a single occupant, and one which was simply massive at half the size of the main hall directly below it. Each of the ten smaller bedrooms shared a bathroom with an adjoining room. At the far side of the house, above the servant quarters, was a dining room. Xeal could see the narrow staircase he had seen below led to this room. Inside the massive master bedroom was a comically large circular bed that could fit ten people easily. Its private bathroom was as large as one of the servants’ quarter’s rooms. Plus, the bathroom exited to a private balcony that over looked the gardens, presenting what must have been a magnificent view when the gardens were cared for.

As Xeal turned around to return to inspect the master bedroom closer, a streak of movement caught his eye. As he looked to find the source, he noticed that the dust had been disturbed and what looked like a cat pawprint trail led out of the bedroom. As he followed the trail out of the room down the hall into the dining room, he saw a black cat with blue eyes sitting on the dining table looking at him. Xeal knew better then to dismiss this cat as ordinary even without his enhanced senses sending him alarm bells to be careful. Immediately Xeal started to think over every mythological black cat he knew of in ED. There was no white spot on its chest, so it’s not a cat-sith, as he mentally checked off the list of other possibilities, and came to a good possibility. It fit with the description of what had been happening here, so he gave it a try and pulled out some food offering it to the cat. The cat sniffed the food before greedily eating it and sauntering away without further issue, turning once before leaving the room to look at Xeal with its glowing blue eyes, then running off. Once the cat was gone Xeal made his way back to the prince to confirm his suspicions.

“Xeal, I did not expect you back so soon. Did you already figure out the issue and give up?”

“No, my prince, I simply wished to confirm the details of what led to the estate being abandoned completely. Did the last resident die a prolonged and agonizing death?”

“Yes. The initial thought was that his spirit had attached itself to the house and was causing all the issues. That was dismissed once a cleric investigated for a haunting though.”

“Okay, I believe I know the issue. However, it will complicate things now, my prince”

“So, what is it?”

“The house contains a matagot, my prince.”

“And a matagot is?”

“Hmm, put simply, it is a creature that takes the form of an animal, in this case a black cat. The creature can be considered evil, but it is a beneficial existence to those who care for it. I suspect that the last resident seemed rather lucky when it came to wealth in a way that wasn’t easy to explain. However, he failed to follow the one rule with these creatures, which is when it’s time for you to pass on, you need to gift them to a new caretaker. That is why the last peaceful occupant died in such a way. The matagot didn’t want to lose its meal ticket and so it artificially prolonged their life, my prince.”

“Hmm, I do not know about the wealth part of it, but there are records of a black cat that was well cared for. So how do you plan to deal with it?”

“I believe it has accepted me as it’s master, so essentially, I am stuck with it as I doubt I could kill it, even with help. Trapping it could be possible, but it would come at the risk of it holding a grudge for eternity and even my descendants might not be able to escape its wrath if it ever escapes. No, the best choice is to simply appease it, my prince.”

“Okay, so that is taken care of. I trust you have a method to do so, so I will leave you to it.”

“I do, Prince Victor, but it requires your assistance as I need a single servant who will be willing to take care of the matagot. The servant must be trustworthy and able to keep a secret. Preferably it would be someone who would be fine serving myself and Princess Enye once we are married. Do you know of anyone who would fit that bill?”

“I do, although they are getting on in years so they may need help in getting the residence cleaned before they take up residence there. So I take it you will be accepting my conditions for you to take over the property.”

“I have no choice now. If I don’t ensure the matagot is cared for it will start to target those around me, my prince.”

“Very well, I will call for him.”

With that Prince Victor pulled a string and a few minutes later the butler who had been at Xeal’s first meeting with the prince arrived. He was dressed in a nice suit and had well-kept short white hair and a mustache and was clearly past his prime. The butler bowed to Prince Victor upon entering.

“My prince, how my I assist you today?”

“Maxwell, we have been discussing your retirement recently, correct?”

“Yes, my prince, though I still say I have several years of service left in me.”

“Indeed, I believe I have a good compromise for you. Sir Xeal here is in need of a trusted aid to look after an estate I am letting his guild use. He needs someone trustworthy to oversee his residence while he is away. As you are aware, he is expected to court Princess Enye in the future so it will likely also be her home one day. I would appreciate it if you would spend your later years looking out for them as you have done for me all these years.”

“I understand my prince. Sir Xeal, please treat me kindly.”

With that Xeal led Maxwell to the residence to introduce him to the matagot. When they arrived at the estate, Maxwell gave Xeal a dubious look.

“Sir Xeal, are you perhaps aware of the situation surrounding this estate?”

“Yes, I am, and I have already identified the source and have a solution to it.”

“Oh, may I ask what those are?”

“Certainly, once we step inside, I will explain it all to you in detail.”

“Very well.”

With that they entered the mansion. Maxwell looked insulted by the sheer amount of dust. He was about to start cleaning right away before Xeal stopped him. After Xeal assured him that a full staff would be hired to return the estate to its proper splendor, Maxwell relented and allowed Xeal to lead him upstairs. They used the servants’ stairs to enter the dining room, then Xeal followed the tracks that the matagot left as it left the dining area. They followed them into the master bedroom where they ended abruptly. After looking around for a bit Xeal found what he was looking for. Atop one of the shelves that lined the wall was a cubby that could be easily missed if you didn’t look closely. Looking down from the cubby was a black cat with blue eyes. Xeal showed the cat to Maxwell who wore a shocked look.

“Is that Midnight?”

“Midnight?”

At Xeal’s words the matagot jumped down and walked toward him. Xeal instantly crouched and went to give the matagot attention.

“Midnight was the late duke’s cat. He doted on it like nothing else. It was even said he had a life extending spell placed on it. I was just a young lad in training when the duke passed and this house started having issues.”

“Well, this is probably Midnight, but it is no simple cat. If I am correct, it is a matagot and will outlive us all. It is also the source of the strange occurrences connected to this house.”

“So, how are you going to get rid of it then.”

Midnight shot Xeal and Maxwell warning glances at Maxwell’s words.

“There is no need to get rid of it. In fact, it can be quite the beneficial companion if treated right. It simply wishes to be treated how it sees fit. Though I do plan on relocating its sleeping area, I see no reason not to appease it.”

“Understood. May I ask why?’

Xeal took 20 minutes to explain to Maxwell why he was going to take care of the matagot. While he explained this, he continued to stroke Midnight’s soft fur and feed him some more dried meat. Midnight seemed to be enjoying the attention and Xeal was sure the last several decades had been annoying for it. It had been spoiled by its last caretaker and wasn’t about to leave its comfy home. A matagot didn’t have a real need for food, it simply enjoyed eating, so it wasn’t about to leave its comfy home to find it. Xeal suspected that when the duke had passed away the new resident didn’t know the truth behind the matagot so they hadn’t known how to treat it. If it hadn’t been for Xeal learning about matagots in his last life he would have been clueless as well.

“So, with all of that said, your main duty is to ensure Midnight is kept happy. So long as we ensure he has a comfy sleeping place and is served the first bite at every meal he will have a positive effect on the manor.”

“Understood. Now may I ask where you intend to move Midnight’s sleeping area to and when should I expect the cleaners to arrive?”

“For now, moving Midnight can wait until after the cleaners are done with this place. Maxwell, how much do you think it will take in order to get the manor presentable again?”

“If you wish for the manor to be in tip top shape, 100 gold should be enough. Then another 25 gold every 30 days to employ the minimum staff to keep everything in order.”

“How much am I paying you?”

“We have not yet discussed that. As the prince’s personal butler, I was earning 1 gold a day. As I am now partially retired, half of that would seem appropriate.”

Xeal thought about it for a moment, considering his own finances, and how if it wasn’t for the map making so much, he wouldn’t be able to sustain the 40 gold every 30 days that was needed to keep this mansion in working order. However, thanks to the map of Dragon's Heart City and the map of the capital he was going to post soon, he was easily able to afford it. He decided it would be time to post his map of the capital once he added his guild headquarters to it.

“That should be doable. Also, if Midnight ever gives you something, treat it like a bonus.”

“Thank you, Sir Xeal. Now, if you hand me the funds, I will get started with the cleaning of the manor.”

“Sure thing. Here you go, Maxwell.”

“Sir, this is far too much.”

“No, that is to ensure that I don’t have to worry about remembering to pay the staff. Please let me know when it is about to run out.”

Xeal had handed Maxwell 500 gold to cover the next 300 days, plus the cleaning, before bidding Maxwell and Midnight farewell. As Xeal left he received a system notification.

(Quest, Explore the abandoned mansion and solve the issue within: Complete, calculating completion rate… 98% completion rank S. Reward: 2,000,000 XP, 1000 renown, estate lease agreement and Midnight’s favor.)

Xeal was pleased that he had completed his quest, especially that it at least gave halfway decent XP for his level. Still, he could level so much faster by simply grinding monsters due to his skill level. For most players this quest would have been just as rewarding as if they had been grinding monsters XP wise. Add in the extra rewards and it was easy to see why most players focused their leveling strategy around quests. With his business complete for the time being, Xeal sent a quick update to the vice guild leaders chat and returned to the Vault of Ucnuc to grind levels.

Morning September 12 to Evening September 18, 2266, and ED Year 1, Days 176-193

The next few weeks in ED were a flurry of events. FAE had one member after another reach tier 4 after all of his friends had. With the influx of Tier 4 members, it was time to spread out across the whole of Nium. FAE now had a guild post and hall in every starting area of Nium and was sitting as a level 29 guild with 77,548 members. The crafting players of these areas had been ecstatic when FAE had arrived and of the 15,509 new members in those areas, over 5,000 were focused on crafting. If it hadn’t been for the fact that they needed combat focused players in those areas, FAE could have easily filled all of the slots they gained from hitting guild level 29 with just crafters. As it stood, of the 19,387 slots that would open when they hit guild level 30 in a week, or so, another 7,000 crafters were set to join, and that wouldn’t even clear out the waiting list. The local guilds all were wary of the monster that was FAE, as they feared that they would be pushed out by them. Many of them had begun to band together in preparation to resist an imagined FAE take over. The forums that focused on the kingdom of Nium were full of players talking about how FAE was planning to take over the whole kingdom. Xeal wanted to laugh at the fear these guilds were showing towards FAE, but he knew that if he simply stood by and ignored it, things could turn bad. As such he had his friends running all over the place to try and alleviate tensions. They were doing this by simply stating that while FAE did intend to have a presence across the whole of Nium, we only intend to monopolize a few locations in each area. What was left out was Xeal had marked the map to show all of the crafting paradises in Nium. If his guild really did manage to secure these locations, FAE would be the only guild in Nium that could compete in the market for crafting players. Still, most of those locations required tier 7 players in order to fully exploit them. By the time other guilds realized the true value of the locations it would already be too late.

Xeal had also posted the map of the capital to the shop and was enjoying the gold and credits it was generating. Everything that was earned by its sales was being put directly back into the guild in ED, or reality. Everything was going great in ED and Xeal had reached level 51 and needed just four more levels to attempt his first challenge quest given to him by the prince. The mansion had been cleaned and all the girls loved it, especially when they met Midnight. Midnight’s bed had been moved from the master bedroom to the room directly next to the kitchen area where Maxwell had taken up residence as well. The pair had become close as Alex had delegated the care of Midnight completely to Maxwell. He knew doing this would lead to the matagot viewing the butler as its caretaker more than Xeal, but he didn’t have the time necessary to avoid this. Amet and Ignis had both been upset when Xeal told them that they couldn’t move into the mansion due to the nature of the deal with the prince. They didn’t understand why them living in the future home of Princess Enye would cause an issue. That was until Clara explained to them that only nobles and servants could live in the mansion and if they didn’t mind being Xeal’s servants they could live there. In fact, even Aalin and Gale couldn’t move in yet as they were not officially married to Xeal. Enye had said that it would be fine for Gale or Aalin to “indulge in nighttime activities with Xeal” from time to time. However, it needed to be done discreetly as a brazen display could cause issues in the court when the engagements are announced. This annoyed both Aalin and Gale as they wanted to enjoy their relationships openly. This made them push Xeal harder to complete his quests. Enye had also started Gale and Aalin on questlines that would raise their standing to baroness as quickly as possible. Both of them had been complaining about the etiquette courses Enye insisted on giving them personally. While they enjoyed the time they spent with Dyllis and Enye each day, the sheer amount of little things Enye was determined to correct irked them. Xeal had laughed and then proceeded to list off almost everything they had been corrected on without even asking them. When they asked him how he knew and asked why he wasn’t going through something similar, he explained he had passed Enye’s test at the first two tea times, and as a knight he was held to a lower standard as well. Whereas Enye planned to use her pull to get both of them into the nobility, meaning that their actions would be a direct reflection on her. This was only compounded by the fact that all of them would be marrying the same man and all of their actions would reflect on Xeal as well at that point. After that the girls had stopped complaining as much and seemed to apply themselves doubly so.

The most annoying part of the expansion into all of Nium was all of the requests for a meeting Xeal was receiving. They came from all sides; NPC nobles, the guild leaders of other guilds, major NPC merchants, and both NPC and player crafters. All of them wanted a piece of FAE and Xeal. The most troublesome were the NPC nobles as he couldn’t just refuse them. For this Prince Victor had come to Xeal’s rescue by scheduling a party set to take place on ED day 222 that Xeal was compelled to attend. The prince had made it clear that Sir Xeal was a knight who he was backing and all nobles wishing for Sir Xeal’s time should attend. Xeal felt like he was being offered up as a fresh piece of meat to all of the nobles. Although the fact that Lady Dyllis would be his official date for the event at least let him have a small barrier to many of the courting proposals he was sure were coming. Prince Victor had also emphasized that the first quest he had been given needed to be complete by then as it was crucial to his plans at this point. Xeal felt like that was doable, but was concerned as to what Prince Victor’s plan was. Regardless, Xeal appreciated the reprieve he was getting as his vice guild leaders could handle the rest of the annoying meeting requests. Many of the players who wished to meet with Xeal had tried to insist that they would only meet with him, but he didn’t care and ignored them. If they were looking for an honest partnership, they would have no issues with prescreening meetings. Most had relented and were in the process of working with FAE’s representatives as they sorted out what each wanted and set up multiple large meetings Xeal would attend to deal with each type of issue in each area. Still, this would require over 100 meetings to take place due to how many locations were being covered. Finally, Xeal put his foot down and declared that he would host them all at his residence in the capital after ED day 231. As a show of good faith, FAE would help power level each of the accepted guests to level 39 by Ed day 210, giving them at least three weeks in ED to complete their tier 4 quests, before the party. With that taken care of, Xeal was finally able to focus on his plans for the future. He had already passed Amser and her team several locations Xeal wanted them to explore across Nium. At first, Amser didn’t like Xeal trying to direct her and her team where to explore, but relented when she noticed how many options they had to choose from. Though she said that if these areas were all busts, she would send Xeal a major bill. That had changed once they had scouted the first area and found it was a major jackpot. When the second and third areas had been major finds as well, Amser had stopped even questioning Xeal’s info and was salivating at the rest of the locations he had handed to her. Xeal had also sent Amet and Ignis to several locations with teams to explore. None of them realized it yet, but Xeal was pushing them towards many of the locked cities in Nium, though it would still be a while before they could reach them and most had you pass through at least one level 60 area along the way.

In reality, Alex had been keeping to his normal routine other than the pair of times he had stayed at the girls’ apartment. His first time doing so with Sam had been a bit awkward as he could tell she was doing everything she could to hold back as Alex had asked her to. He wanted their first real time to be special and that meant waiting a bit longer. Sam was both happy and sad about this, but he promised her that he would take the time in conjunction with their next date to carry out his plan. Even so, Sam had enjoyed waking up next to him and the make out session that followed. His time with Nicole had no such restrictions placed on it when he spent the afternoon with her and the pair indulged in one another completely. Each time Alex was near Jessica she seemed to not be able to keep her mouth shut and would ask questions about ED and the job she would have. Alex would always answer her questions with partial information as he didn’t think it was a good idea to spread his knowledge too much. Anna always seemed annoyed when Jessica would do this and Alex wore a bitter smile as he pretended to ignore the obvious advances Jessica was making. He just hoped she could keep it to her, all-but asking him to make a move, as he knew better than to take the initiative to ruin his life. The only times Jessica seemed to be a bit distant was when Alex would come back from spending a login with Sam, or Nicole. Alex had started to feel guilty that he hadn’t completely shut her down yet, but he needed to keep Abysses End thinking he was a complete womanizer. His parents kept giving Alex look saying don’t even think about it whenever they saw Jessica creating an opening for him. These looks had been a double-edged sword as it had kept Jessica in check when they were around, but also emboldened her when they weren’t. It was getting to the point that Xeal was worried that she might try something drastic.

Morning September 19, 2266

It didn’t take long for Alex’s worries to become reality. It was just a normal Wednesday after the morning run when he stepped out of the shower. In front of him was a completely naked Jessica with her dirty blond hair still in a ponytail from the run. She took a step towards Alex as her hand reached for an area that was completely off limits to her. Alex’s confusion lasted only a moment. He had hoped that he could have avoided this, but it was already too late. Grabbing the towel next to the shower, he swung it in a wide arc making Jessica step back before quickly wrapping it around his waist, opening his mouth and yelling.

“ANNA! MOM! I need your help in the bathroom, now!”

Jessica’s face went pale at Alex’s actions. She had been hyping herself up for this move for days now. She was sure that it would work and Alex might even be happy about it. Even if he hadn’t been, she didn’t for a second expect that he would expose it freely to his family. Jessica had waited for Anna to go to her room before slipping upstairs while Mr. and Mrs. Bell were distracted. She then picked the simple lock on the bathroom as it only required a flat head screw driver or a coin to do so. She had just finished losing all of her clothes and was about to join Alex in the shower when he stepped out. At first she had just rolled with it as she had succeeded in catching him nude and she had definitely liked what she had seen. Then, as if he hadn’t even been surprised at all, Alex simply used a towel to rebuff her and called for help without a second thought. Before Jessica could even recover, the bathroom door opened and Anna stepped in. At first it looked like Anna was going to say something rude to Alex, but she simply froze when she took in the scene in front of her. It wasn’t but a few seconds later that Mrs. Bell appeared behind Anna and froze as well, before sending a reactionary accusatory look towards Alex. Jessica was red with embarrassment as she finally realized she should try and cover up. Alex was keeping his eyes to the ceiling, Anna looked like she wanted to puke, and Mrs. Bell had a look that could kill on her face. Before Mrs. Bell could speak, Alex broke the silence.

“Anna, get your friend out of here. Mom, don’t let her leave and make sure you hold onto her phone. I need to call the girls about this and we need to handle this, now.”

“What the hell is going on here?!” demanded Mrs. Bell.

“Mom, I walked out of the shower to find her standing naked here. I called out for help immediately. Please calm down. I called you for help, so no, your son has not picked up a third girlfriend. However, we still need to deal with this now. All I ask is we hold her here for a while as we figure this out.”

“Jessica. you bitch. What the hell are you doing?” yelled Anna.

“Anna, leave her be for now. Don’t judge her too harshly yet. Just get her dressed and wait for me in the living room.” Alex stated firmly.

“What are you saying Alex?” an angry Mrs. Bell asked. “She just tried to trap you?”

“Mom, please calm down. I’m pretty sure there is more going on than you or Anna realize.”

Alex’s words drew Jessica out of her shell-shocked state as a look of horror crossed her face.

“Please, just let me go,” Jessica pleaded. “I promise I won’t come around anymore.”

“Jessica, if you walk out that front door, not only will you lose your best friend, but you will also throw away any chance at redemption,” warned Alex.

“Alex, what are you talking about?” snapped Anna. “She has already lost her best friends as I doubt Lauren will want to be around her after this either.”

Slap! The room went silent after Alex walked up to Anna and slapped her.

“Anna, be her best friend and try to understand what she is going through. Once she walks out the door you can decide if you are still her friend, but until then, do not abandon her.”

The room was silent as Anna looked beyond shocked at what had just happened and Jessica looked like she might cry. Mrs. Bell looked at Alex with a complicated expression as she tried to figure out his thoughts. Finally, Anna recovered enough to give Alex a disgruntled look before throwing Jessica the clothes she had taken off earlier. Alex pulled out his phone and messaged Nicole and Sam to get to his house immediately. 20 minutes later Jessica sat in a chair in the living room while five pairs of eyes bore down on her. Nicole’s and Sam’s glares were particularly harsh. All Jessica wanted to do at this point was curl up in a ball and die. The only reason she didn’t is the small hope she had gotten when Alex stood up for her. She knew what she was doing was wrong. She knew that doing it would hurt Alex the most. Still, she had done it, and now she would have to pay for it.

“Everyone, calm down,” ordered Alex. “We are going to drill down into exactly what happened, and why. I ask that you all let Jessica answer my questions. First question. Jessica, did you do this simply because you like me and were desperate, or were there other motives”

“Um, both.”

“I see. Let me guess. Ever since Abysses End’s representative Nantan was here you have been talking with him. He has likely encouraged your feelings towards me while also saying that they would love to help develop you in ED. However, while he never expressly said it, you could tell that they were only interested in you if you became one of my girls. Am I on the right track?”

Jessica looked at Alex as he spoke. As she did, she realized he had known the whole time. That was why he seemed so composed when she had been naked in front of him. Steadying herself with all she had, Jessica looked Alex in the eye as she responded.

“When did you know?”

“Are you serious?” an incredulous Anna demanded. “Some stranger comes along with vague promises and you just say, okay?”

“Anna, calm down. Let Jessica explain why before you rip her a new hole. Now, as for when I knew about it, the moment they set up a meeting with me.”

“Wait, how? I hadn’t even met him yet!”

“Jessica, this is where my blame in this comes into play. However, before I go into that I need a promise from you. In exchange, I will still allow you to join FAE and become a paid employee as long as you can earn your keep.”

“Hold on, you’re going to let this hussy join FAE?” Sam angrily demanded.

“Sam, Alex warned us about this already,” curtly commented Nicole.

“Yah, but I didn’t think she would throw herself naked at him,” glared Sam. “I figured she would just try and steal a kiss, or something.”

“Sam, Nicole, regardless of how she did it, we had been expecting it for weeks now. Please understand, I am disappointed in her as well. I had hoped that my job offer would be enough to make her act with some restraint, but it wasn’t to be. Now Jessica, are you willing to make a deal?”

Jessica looked on the verge of tears as her emotions warred within her, between the absolute despair she had been in, to the hope Alex was extending her, she was at a loss. It took her a few minutes to gather herself once more to respond.

“What kind of deal are you offering me?”

“There are a few options, though it really depends on how deep you are and how deep you are willing to go. So, if you want to make a deal, I need to know just how far Abysses End has sunk their claws into you.”

“They haven’t really done much. I have just been talking with Nantan offline every other day, or so. In ED I haven’t even made contact with any official members yet. Something about me needing to stay under the radar. He has just been saying how they want to build a good relationship with you and if I could sway you, it would be great. He even said that Abysses End would make sure that I would be set for life if I could get you to join them. He also encouraged me to aggressively pursue you, saying things like that if I could get you alone in an intimate moment you would show your true feelings you hide from your family. That’s where I got the idea to join you in the shower.”

“I see,” commented Alex.

“That’s it, you see? Come-” snapped Anna.

Alex held his hand up as he took his time to think before elaborating. This confirmed that Abysses End had taken his bait. Now it was time to decide how to use that and how Jessica would be involved. He also asked himself if he was going too soft on Jessica because of his last life. Unlike his friends, he didn’t know where she had ended up. After her parents had kicked her out, she had bounced from place to place just trying to survive. The last thing he remembered about her was five years from now she was in some city up north, homeless after she had failed to hold down a steady job, and begun abusing substances. Anna had tried to reach out to help her a few times but she had given up when she couldn’t stay clean. With all of that in mind, Alex proceeded.

“Jessica, what do you want and why?”

Jessica took a deep breath as she took a moment to really look at herself for the first time in ages. Once she had an idea of how she wished to answer, she began.

“Honestly, I just want to have somewhere I feel safe and welcome. My parents never really wanted a kid, but here I am. Honestly, high school is my life and in less than a year that will end and I will have to stand on my own. It’s like I’m driving a car with no brakes at 100 mph and a brick wall is coming up fast. Then ED happens and it’s like a whole new world, but I know I’m only an average player, at best. I just want to forget this world and live there, but I know I don’t have the skills to do so. That’s when I found out that Alex was extremely good at ED and had already made a ton of credits off his skills. For me that was when the way I looked at him changed from being my friend’s older brother to simply a man. The more I looked, the more I found myself attracted to him, and then he started dating Sam and Nicole. At first, I thought I had missed my chance and started to move on. Then Nantan convinced me that you wouldn’t mind having a third, or even fourth girl on your arm. He said that it was normal for a guy to want a harem, it’s just that most women can’t put up with it so men usually settle. The fact that Sam and Nicole were already sharing you made me believe that they would accept more the same way I would. At first, I was simply trying to get you to make a move on me as that would be the easiest way in, but then you started to spend time at their apartment. It lit a fire under me as I knew that the longer you three were like that, the harder it would be for me to join. So, what I’m trying to say is I just want to be one of your girls, Alex. With or without Abysses End’s encouragement, that’s all I want. I don’t care if you have 100 other women as long as I feel safe and secure, I would be fine.”

The whole room was silent after Jessica finished her rambling explanation. Nicole and Sam shared a troubled look. Anna looked like she was going to be sick and Mrs. Bell had a look of understanding on her face.

“Your parents have really messed you up with how little they care, haven’t they?” Alex said softly.

“Ha, you know, the only reason they bought me my VR gear was so I would be occupied by something that made me invisible to them.”

“Alex, what are you going to do?” a concerned Mrs. Bell asked.

“Jessica, I’m sorry, but I don’t think Sam and Nicole would be willing to let me even entertain the idea of a third girlfriend. Plus, you’re still under age, so yah, not really trying to get in that kind of trouble. As for the deal I will offer, it is simple. I want to flip you and have you help us keep Abysses End wasting their time and resources. All you would do is record all of your conversations with them and start to string them along about your progress. In return, I will hire you on and make sure you have a place to call home after you graduate. Understand that I will essentially be bugging your phone and placing a tracking device on you that will not only tell me where you are, but where you are in relation to your phone. I will expect to be able to hear every word you say and I will ask Lauren to have you sign a contract in ED that will allow me to do the same with your VR helmet. You would have no privacy as I don’t think I can trust you, but you would have security.”

Anna and Mrs. Bell looked at Alex like he was crazy while Jessica simply took a deep breath and stared Alex straight in his eyes as she spoke.

“I have only a single condition. If you agree to it, I won’t care if you put a physical leash on me. You have to date me. I’m not asking for the passion you clearly show Sam and Nicole. In fact, I am fine bowing to their will in almost everything. Whatever deal we make must include that you will date me at least for the next year. After that, if I haven’t found a place within your heart, I will accept your refusal.”

Sam looked like she was about to murder Jessica, and Nicole had a look that could freeze the sun. Anna had given up and just had her head in her hands while Mrs. Bell looked troubled. Alex could tell Jessica was going to hold firm on dating him, though he thought he could bend the details a bit. Still, he knew better than to accept. Nicole and Sam came first to him, as he would sooner let Jessica walk away and ruin her life then hurt either of them.

“Jessica, you are asking me for something that is not mine to give. Anna, Mom, will the two of you let the three of them talk things out while we have a conversation of our own?”

“Wait, you’re considering this?” an incredulous Anna asked.

“No, I am delegating my choice to the women I love. I trust them and will agree with their decision, no matter what it is. Now please come with me. I need to discuss something with you two and I’m sure whatever is said between those three is better off being done in private.”

Anna and Mrs. Bell relented, following Alex into his room while Sam, Nicole and Jessica kept staring at one another.

“Alex, is there something you actually need to talk about, or did you just want us out of there?” Mrs. Bell asked.

“Both. First, as I said, I knew that Abysses End was trying to get Jessica to make a move on me. I alluded to me being at fault for that earlier. What I didn’t say was why. I’m letting you know because you’re family, and it is important now that it came to this. For the record, I did not expect her to come at me while I was in the shower. Like Sam said, I was expecting her to try and kiss me, or something at that level. Honestly, I have to give her points for commitment on that as she had to know that it was do or die, but I digress. When Abysses End reached out to me, I deliberately set a plan in motion to delay them from taking decisive action here in reality. I had to make them think there was a way to get at me without over extending. So, I had Sam and Nicole make me look like a womanizer at dinner. I knew they would start to find women to approach me, like a bounty hunter. In fact, if you have noticed that a few houses that have sold in the neighborhood over the last week have young single women living there now. All of whom have been watching us run in the morning the last few days. As it is, I need to change our running route now or it won’t be long before they try and approach us in order to meet their new neighbors.”

“So, wait, it’s your fault that Jessica did this?” demanded Anna. “That’s just messed up. Why would you let it get this far?”

“Anna, regardless of whether or not Alex set things in motion, it was still Jessica’s choice to act.”

“Mom is right. However, Anna please blame me and be there for Jessica regardless of what happens between her and I. Mom, I think you should offer to let her stay here once I move out. She needs a hand and I don’t want her blood on my hands if her life spirals down into oblivion because of this. Both of you need to understand her friends are her life. She doesn’t have the support we do as a family.”

“Why do you care about her so much?” Anna asked with narrowed eyes. “Are you hoping Nicole and Sam let her date you?”

“No, I’m hoping they can rebuff her and still flip her. The reason I care is in five years I want you to be able to smile when you think about her, not regret letting her disappear completely from your life as her life falls apart at its seams.”

“Why are you so sure her life is going to be ruined?” Anna asked.

“Anna, just call it my instinct. It’s the same instinct that had me place a certain bet. There’s an idea. Anna, I have a bet on the Angels winning the World Series. Stay friends with her until after then, and if I lose you can say I was wrong, but if I win you will accept that I know what I’m talking about.”

“What’s this about you gambling?!” demanded Mrs. Bell.

“Mom, I placed a singular bet. Call it intuition, but at 1500 to 1 odds, I decided it was a sound investment.”

“1500 to 1? What in the world are you thinking? How much did you bet?”

“Mom, drop it. Compared to my current worth, it is just a drop in the bucket. Still, it will cover my taxes for the year if I win it. Now, Anna, will you accept the bet? If so, just don’t cut her out of your life before November is over.”

“Are you saying you know the future?” a narrow-eyed Anna asked. “Because that’s what it sounds like you are saying. Earth to Alex, I think you have gone crazy.”

Alex simply sighed.

“Anna, I agree with Alex, and while I am not happy to hear he has been gambling, he is right that Jessica needs her friends. Don’t just cast her aside over this. Don’t let her forget it but help her grow from it, not die from it.”

“Mom-”

“Nope,” cut in Mrs. Bell, “this discussion is over. If you cut her out of your life without consulting me first, I will ban you from ED until you move out.”

“Wait, what?!”

While Alex was with Anna and his mom, Sam and Nicole had moved in on Jessica.

“How stupid can you be?!” Sam angrily demanded.

“You think that we want to share Alex with another girl?!” added Nicole grimly.

“The worst part is he gave you a way out that will let you walk away from this with dignity and a job still,” snarled Sam. “Yet you still want to play Abysses End’s home wrecker!”

“I don’t care about Abysses End and its goals, and I don’t care if you want to share, or not. I know the two of you are willing to share or you wouldn’t be doing so already! Do you think I wouldn’t rather have him to myself? I just know that won’t happen and if I take the out, I will never get a second chance!”

“Why should we care?” snapped Sam.

“You shouldn’t care about me. No, you should care about him and you should do what is best for him regardless of if it’s what you want.”

“And what, you are best for him?!” huffed Nicole.

“Well, are you?!” demanded Sam.

“No! I’m not. I have nothing to give him, but whatever little I can get on Abysses End. I’ll admit it, I am using my only chip for a chance. I’m not asking that he love me. I won’t even ask him for a kiss. All I want is for him to take me on a date once a week, or so. 52 dates, that is all I am asking for. If after that he wants nothing to do with me, I will accept it. Is that really that much to ask for?”

“From Alex, it is,” said Sam. “Trust us, we didn’t think our relationship would last a week before it all fell apart.”

“We thought Alex would stumble, or one of us wouldn’t be able to put up with it, but no, Alex doesn’t know how to not make a girl fall for him after a single date,” added Nicole.

“Wait, you both were hooked from one date?”

“Yep,” boasted Sam. “You may say that you only want 52 dates, but if he treats you even a fraction as well as he does us, you won’t ever be able to let go.”

“You all are just in the honeymoon phase still, how can you be so sure?”

Sam and Nicole looked at each other and just smiled.

“Jessica, if you think that we are still in the honeymoon phase when the last week has been full of him messaging us each time you made an advance on him, then you need to think about how that has made us feel,” replied Nicole. “If it wasn’t for the fact that he suspected Abysses End was pulling strings to get you to act I would have no pity for you.”

“You should take his offer and step aside graciously,” said Sam. “Who knows, maybe ten years from now we could all be friends laughing at this.”

“No, I don’t care what it takes, I will do anything. Just give me a chance.”

“Nicole, I don’t think she is going to give up.”

“Hmm, Jessica, when do you turn 18?”

“December 26th, why?”

“Hmm, that’s a bit too late,” mused Nicole. “How about this, you give up on Alex until you graduate. After which, you move in with us. I’m not talking as a roommate, but as a servant. If we are pleased with you, we will allow you and Alex to discreetly date. You will not be his girlfriend. At most, you will be a dalliance for him. We will make it clear that you will never be the one he goes to bed with, but you will be expected to meet any need he has that we can’t. Would you be willing to accept that?”

Jessica stared right into Nicole’s eyes as she processed the offer.

“As long as I could serve the same role in ED, and once the relationship between Alex and I becomes physical, I won’t be cast aside.”

Shaking her head, Nicole said, “Nope, if we decide you aren’t acting in a manner we approve of, that would be the end. You will essentially be an indentured servant for us.”

“If I got pregnant, would I be allowed to keep it? That is to include if I am cast out.”

Nicole paused at Jessica’s question. Kids were something that she definitely wanted with Alex. However, she had never thought about how Sam having Alex’s child would feel, let alone another woman. At the same time, she couldn’t see herself ever denying a woman the opportunity to have a family. As she thought, she came to a simple realization.

“That arrangement wouldn’t work. I couldn’t stand to see any of my kids lose a sibling like that. I also can’t see myself treating a woman I would let my love get pregnant as anything but an equal. At the same time, I couldn’t deny you the right to have a child.”

“Does that mean we are back to square one?” Sam worriedly asked.

“No, it means that Jessica has passed my test. She is definitely determined at this time. Now for the real test. Jessica, you may date Alex after you graduate, but only if you take his deal and follow through. That means no shortcuts and tricks. Everything you do must be aboveboard. I’m still going to have your relationship start as our live-in maid who becomes his dalliance. How you convince him to take a liking to you will still be your own problem. If you succeed, we are going to make you wait at least as long as Sam and I do before you are allowed to get pregnant. However, once you give birth you will be one of us and well, we will just have to live with it. Is that acceptable Sam?”

“Nicole, why are you giving her a road into our relationship?”

“Sam, she is the same as us. If it was Amanda asking, how would you handle it?”

“Ugh, this sucks. Jessica, know that if you accept Nicole’s deal, the first year you’re with us I am going to do my best to get you to give up.”

Jessica couldn’t believe it. She had resolved herself to being their maid for life when Nicole had made the first offer. Now, not only was she being given an opportunity to have a family, but also, she was going to be able to enjoy it fully. Before she knew it, she had pulled both Sam and Nicole into a hug as she broke down crying.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you…”

“Umm, I think we broke her,” said Sam awkwardly.

“Alex is not going to be happy about this,” Nicole sighed.

“Hey, you managed to delay it by nine months, or so. Who knows, maybe she will find another man to focus on.”

Sam and Nicole simply stood there awkwardly for several more minutes as Jessica slowly calmed down. Eventually the emotional mess that was Jessica was able to speak coherently and Alex, Anna and Mrs. Bell were called into the room and the result was shared. Anna was in complete disbelief, not just that Sam and Nicole were going to allow Jessica in, but also that Jessica was willing to go that far just to date Alex as well. Mrs. Bell’s lips were pursed as she thought over the ramifications of this deal. The part that scared her was how she was actually feeling kind of excited at the thought of all three girls giving her grandkids. Alex meanwhile was sweating as he thought about his future. He had thought Nicole and Sam would be an unbreakable defense. Had the time with Enye and Dyllis softened them up towards other women in his life? Any way he looked at it, Abysses End would see this as a major opening if they found out and now Alex feared his plan was going to backfire completely. He needed to develop new counter measures, and fast. He had just crossed from a thruple to a potential full-blown harem.

“Jessica,” said Alex.

“Yes?”

“You are aware that all Sam and Nicole have done is okayed me if I want to date you, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I have my own set of requirements. One, in January you will move here after I move out. Two, you are to date at least one guy before you date me. This can be after you graduate. I might even introduce you to someone. Three, you need to start seeing a psychologist-”

“Wait, you want her to see a psychologist?” demanded Anna.

“To be clear, I don’t think Jessica is crazy. It’s just, knowing the situation she grew up in, I’m sure there are things she needs to deal with. Jessica, if you do all of those things, I will promise you a single date, and as long as we both enjoy our time, we can discuss a second date.”

“How am I supposed to pay a psychologist?”

“I’ll cover the cost, so don’t worry about it. Jessica, if I’m being honest about all of this, I am hoping that you find a guy that you like and settle down before we date. So, I expect you to treat whoever you date how you want me to treat you. Can you accept these conditions?”

“No, I will see a psychologist as I can understand what you are getting at, but until you have given me a chance, I won’t see another guy. That would be like forcing Sam to date Dan before you would date her.”

Alex could only shake his head as Jessica cornered him. Sam was now giving him a look telling him that she actually agreed with Jessica. Jessica had a look somewhere in-between worried and hopeful. He could only hope she lost interest once he moved to Colorado.

“Fine, as long as your psychologist clears you to have a relationship, I will agree to date you.”

The next thing Alex knew Jessica was hugging him, then Sam and Nicole pulled her off before anything else could happen.

“Sorry, I just got a bit excited. Um, am I allowed to continue to flirt with Alex, or do I have to ignore my feelings until I graduate?”

Sam and Nicole gave each other looks before turning to Alex.

“Alex, you are to let her flirt, but nothing else,” declared Sam.

“Yep, if she starts to get handsy the deal is off, so make sure she stays in line,” Nicole added.

“Nope, not until she has spent some time with the psychologist.”

“I can accept that,” smiled Jessica.

“This is really happening. How did this happen? Mom, help talk some sense into them.”

“Anna, if I thought it would do any good, I would. Jessica, let me make one thing clear. I do not approve of your actions, or your decisions in regard to this situation. I expect you to show me that you have grown before I will accept you sharing Alex as I have Nicole and Sam. To be clear, I still don’t approve of that either, but I have accepted it. I love my son and I care for each of you, but I fear the fallout if the relationship turns sour. So please, show me that you can be trusted before you date Alex.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Bell. I understand, and please have patience with me.”

With that taken care of Alex, Sam and Nicole pulled Jessica aside to discuss how they would utilize her against Abysses End. Alex still felt like his plan had backfired on him, but he owed it to Jessica to at least give her a chance for leading her on. If he had simply talked with her when Nantan visited, this all could have been avoided. Instead, he had led her on, making her think he wasn’t opposed to the attention and she had jumped right off the cliff that it had led her to.

Preview

ED year 1, day 200

Xeal awoke in his bed in the mansion that prince Victor Vidfamne had allowed him to occupy. It was also the site of his developing guild headquarters, the prince had approved his plan to split the property into a five acre and ten acre plot. While the ten acres were just flat ground at this point, a new wall was already being constructed to signify where the two portions met. There was also a new modest garden being set up around the mansion designed for both beauty and functionality. It was important that he was able to entertain nobles and the like both inside and outside his home in the future. He had made sure that both princess Enye and lady Dyllis approved of his choice in design for the garden before proceeding. Today was another day he would be spending inside the Vault of Ucnuc. Now at level 52 Xeal had made his way down to the seventh floor and was now having to deal with ghouls that always had a few under leveled skeletons or zombies with them. This caused a few headaches for Xeal as he had to kill the under leveled monsters first or his boost from his behemoth slayer title would disappear. Xeal couldn’t wait to reach level 55 and challenge the first quest the prince had given him. With that in mind he activated his advanced return scroll and started his grinding.

Four hours later Xeal had come to a room that was being guarded by a group of four level 50 zombies and a level 57 ghoul. Normally Xeal would avoid a group this size but he felt like the way they were guarding the door was suspicious. It wasn’t the first guarded door he had seen down here and while he had marked the others for when he brought his friends here this one stood out. Normally the ghouls on duty would seem to be relaxed and disinterested in the actions of their underlings. This time however the ghoul was taking an active role in guarding the door. Xeal couldn’t shake the feeling that if he walked away this opportunity would be lost, so he spent a half hour observing the guards and working out his plan. Finally he thought he had a fairly good chance to succeed using his items and skills. If the door turned out to be a bust he would regret using so many expensive items but he just couldn’t walk away for some reason. Once everything was set up he approached the door throwing a spell grenade loaded with a fire ball spell at the five guards. Instantly they were engulfed in flames and the four zombies charged after him. Xeal wasted no time in luring them into a hallway that dead ended. He had set up just under 20 mines that went off the moment the first flaming zombie reached them. The explosion that followed disabled all four zombies allowing Xeal to quickly finish them off and return to engage the remaining ghoul. Xeal was able to pull off his normal chain combo and finish the fight with relative ease leaving the door un guarded. However, his MP and SP were both low, meaning that he was in no condition to start another fight, making the notification he received informing him he only had five minutes to open the door before whatever was behind it disappeared rather troubling. After a few seconds Xeal made his move and with an instantaneous movement scroll readied he opened the door.

The room was obviously an enchanter’s workshop with various tools and workbenches set up for use. The room itself was covered in dust and cobwebs except in one corner where a humanoid figure was entranced in its work. It only took Xeal a second to long to realize that he should have run away immediately. The figure had locked on to Xeal and it looked to be a mix between curious and enraged. Xeal had to be careful as now that the male level 150 vampire had him in its sight he wasn’t sure he even had time for the one second activation time of his scroll to escape. Before Xeal could come up with a plan the vampire broke the silence.

“Well what do I have here, a lone human offering himself as a meal?”

“…”

“Go on, please enlighten me as to why you are here, unless you really do just want to be a meal.”

Xeal was sweating buckets as he tried to think of an escape route but kept coming up empty. He had to talk his way out of this one.

“My apologies, I did not know anyone would be here, I am just an explorer looking for anything of value.”

“Oh, there’s no need to lie. I can sense the hilt you carry with you from that accursed blade. I know what you are looking for but, your search will end in vain as you do not possess the strength to reach its pieces below. Now as for how to handle you, hmm I know, throw away that blades hilt and I will allow you to go free.”

Xeal was about to begrudgingly accept the vampires proposal when a thought occurred to him. What if the hilt was all that was keeping the vampire at bay and once he discarded it he would die. Death could be seen as a form of freedom, freedom from life so instead Xeal held onto the hilt.

“I think keeping it is in my best interest. After all, it seems to cause you discomfort, perhaps I only still have my life due to it.”

“Ah, so you’re not a simple fool. What a pity you are right, it is keeping me at bay. However, it does nothing against other undead. Really, it’s a shame. I would have enjoyed a good meal. It has been so long. Perhaps I should visit the surface to see what has become of the land over the last few decades.”

“That would be troublesome as I would hate to have to inform the prince that we have an outbreak of undead.”

“Ha, you are funny as there is no way you could reach and convince him before I rampaged through the nearest settlement.”

Xeal just smiled at the vampire’s words.

“Hmm, you seem confident in your words. What are you to the blood sacks’ prince?”

“Just a friend and ally, who could be in his presence in less than ten minutes.”

“I see. If what you say is true, even if I did lay waste to a settlement I would likely die as well. So how do we proceed? I can see the scroll you have ready for an escape. However, you and I both know I can keep you from using it while I can see you. So what would you suggest?”

“A contract.”

“Interesting. Go on, just what would we agree to?”

“Nothing major, just that you will not interfere with my escape and I will not inform anyone of how close to the surface you are.”

“One more caveat. If I find you down here again you will throw away the hilt and face me without it.”

Xeal knew that this was the best deal he was going to get so he made up the contract really quick before signing it and handing it to the vampire. Once the vampire had signed the contract Xeal started to ransack the room.

“What are you doing?”

“Simple, I won’t be able to return so I figured I should take what I can now. Oh, and I wouldn’t try and stop me as that would break the contract we just signed.”

“What? It said nothing about letting you take whatever you want.”

“No, but it does say you will not interfere with me until I escape from this floor. That means any actions you take against me right now and you break the contract. So thank you for all the tools.”

Xeal’s statement thoroughly enraged the vampire as the contract had also said that he would not attack anything on the surface so long as nobody set foot past the fifth floor in the Vault of Ucnuc. Xeal knew that it was only a matter of time before that happened. He was also upset at the appearance of a way over powered NPC as it would make locking down the area that much harder. However, all he could do now was retreat and create a strategy to deal with the issue moving forward.

“Clever. You better hope we never cross paths again, for if we do you may wish for death.”

With those words the vampire left Xeal to finish looting the room before pulling out a normal return scroll and leaving the Vault of Ucnuc behind. Once Xeal arrived at the capital he received a notification that due to surviving an encounter with a foe two tiers higher then himself he was rewarded with an automatic level up. This brought him to level 53 and with the several sets of high quality enchanting tools he was able to secure for his guild’s use the day had not been wasted. As he would need to travel a good distance for his upcoming quest from the prince he figured he could get the last two levels along the way. So, he made his way to the teleportation hall and made his way to Angelbrook city as it was the closest location for him to start at. Wearing his cloak for concealment Xeal made his way out of the city heading in the direction of the quest’s challenge. As long as everything went well he would be able to complete this quest in the next week or two. This was how Xeal spent the rest of his time before he returned to the capital to log out in the safety of his mansion.

Thanks!

Thank you to all of my patrons on Patreon, especially my knight tier patrons: Ottojanius, Jim Hall, Benjamin Griner, Rowan, Carl Benge, Clayton Flores, Nathan Ross, Matthew Nichols, Timelesschief, and Christof Köberlein.

Thank you to all of my readers, especially everyone who left me a review/rating. It really makes my day reading how so many of you enjoyed my story.

Afterword

Thank you all for reading book 3 of Eternal Dominion, I hope you all enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing you back for book 4 and beyond. If you enjoyed the story, please leave a review. They really do help ensure others give the story a try. As I work on each book, I really do think about the constructive criticism I receive and how I can improve my story. As I write this, I am already working on the first draft of book 6 and getting ready to start the final round of edits on book 4 so it will be ready at the start of March, so certain things are already baked in like the harem aspect, though I hope this book made my reasoning more clear. Yes, I know many will see harem and say no thanks, (my wife is one of them) but for me it just needs to be handled right. I do not write smut scenes. There will be moments where you will be well aware of what happened and where, but the act itself for me is best left off the page. Switching gears now, this month has been a busy one for my team and I, between editing this and the first two books to remove the use of () in dialog, finishing the first draft of book 5 and doing its initial editing, working to get the first draft of book 6 done and working with my eBook cover provider to ensure that I could get this to all of you on time this month and moving forward with the rest of my books. If you feel I have forgotten something, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook through my page or join my group. I am only one person and sending a message to my Facebook author page is the fastest way to get me to see it as I don’t get alerts on my personal page when non-friends message me for the first time. That said I will not answer personal questions like where I live even in a general fashion, please keep it to my story. If you would like a weekly extra that is not plot necessary but is canon, I publish shorts on my Patreon site, the first two of which are currently available to my $1 patrons who will get another one every four weeks while my $5 patrons get one each week.

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