Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (120/?) WiP 1

Hey everyone! Here is the Work in Progress for Chapter 120 I hope you guys enjoy! :D The revised version for Chapter 119 will be released tomorrow before the full release of Chapter 120! :D I apologize for the delay, I have my MEQ exams in literally 5 hours haha. 

Nexus. The Crown Herald Town of Elaseer. Ambassadorial District. En route to the Adventurer’s Guild Hall of Elaseer. Local Time: 1752 Hours.

Emma

“Ilunor?” I turned towards the Vunerian, my two hands filled to the brim with thick paper bags stuffed to the brim with useless nick nacks, a hundred and one cufflinks, and just about as many more snacks and tasty treats.

“Yes, earthrealmer?” The man craned his head back, one hand holding a one-thousand layer puff pastry baked over top of a stick, drizzled in what was boldly advertised as a syrup containing a hundred unique forms of crown-grade honey.

“We’re burning daylight here.” I chided, pointing at the rapidly setting… ‘sun’, and the growing darkness around us. “You’ve done nothing for the past thirty minutes but to delay us by going on your silly little sidequests around town.” I doubled down, only for the Vunerian to narrow his eyes, deploying a privacy screen in the process.

Following which, did he stop to kick me on the suit’s ‘ankles’.

“Have you learned nothing from our conversations, Cadet Emma Booker?” He tsked. 

I, however, opted to choose the silent treatment on the invisible dialogue tree.

“THEATRE, Cadet Emma Booker! THEATRE! The princess has made it clear has she not? That these… nightly outings, are more often than not, thinly-veiled excuses made for the sake of attaining a reprieve from the Academy?”

I cocked my head almost immediately at that response. “So… you’re just building up plausible deniability?” 

“Correct, earthrealmer!” Ilunor beamed. “It is an open secret that most ‘night pass’ requests are mere fabricated contrivances. Thus, if anyone wishes to delve even slightly beneath the surface of our little outing, they will find patterns of behavior in congruence with what is expected of such falsehoods. Otherwise, they will find the lack of any petty ulterior motives to be suspicious!” 

“Prompting skepticism in our activities to grow, hinting to a more serious ulterior motive to our outing. Perhaps even sparking more scrutiny on our actions on this night.” Thacea reluctantly corroborated, prompting Ilunor to beam bright with self assured victory.

“Only in the Nexus would acting with decency and honesty be met with more scrutiny than the bold-faced acceptance of open lies and deceits.” Thalmin commented with a growl, capping off our little impromptu shopping trip into town, just as we arrived at our destination.

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Nexus. The Crown Herald Town of Elaseer. Ambassadorial District. Adventurer’s Guild Hall of Elaseer. Local Time: 1759 Hours.

Emma

I hadn’t at all expected to see Sym the moment I walked through those double doors.

If anything — and if Aunty Ran was to be believed — this perhaps was fate in the making.

However no sooner did we exchange our first words did a polite and cordial elf arrive to greet us. 

A woman wearing what I could only describe as a fantasy renaissance take on ‘business formal’. With a long flowy skirt, coupled with a tunic with a puffy collar set beneath a beige-orange open-buttoned coat. 

Though only about half of her receptionist vibes came through from her attire. The other half? Was all in the way she carried herself, as she smiled and addressed us in a way only a seasoned front desk receptionist could.

“Good evening my lords and ladies.” She bowed deeply. “Might I be bold to assume that you are here for your appointment?”

She kept things vague enough to not garner more eyes and ears than was necessary.

Yet specific enough that it was clear she was firmly in-the-know.

We definitely missed this lady on our first pass-through of the guild. I thought to myself.

“Yes.” I nodded. 

“Excellent.” The elf responded with that perpetually cordial smile. “I will relay your arrival to Master Piamon, and if you so wish, you may follow me to the upstairs reception area.” 

I glanced over to Sym and the gang, my eyes narrowing at their… disheveled state. 

“Erm, I don’t suppose that they arrived just now too?”

This question prompted the elf to raise a brow. “Yes my lady.” She replied. “Though, if you are worried for their physical well-being, then you need not be concerned. They are in healthy enough condition to deliver a detailed report on the subject of your inquest.” 

“Oh, erm. Actually I should’ve asked about that first.” I mumbled out, rubbing the back of my head in the process, before turning to the adventuring party. “Are you guys… alright?” 

“Things are, as The Receptionist has pointed out, my lady.” Sym replied instantly, raising an arm to prevent the bat-like Thul-vahn from responding first.

“Well… I’m assuming you’ve been through a lot, still.” I added, my eyes running up and down their disheveled, muddy, soot and ash covered forms. “I wouldn’t be opposed to you guys taking like half an hour to get ready for the meeting.” 

This offer… clearly took both Sym and his troupe, along with the receptionist by surprise. 

However, all were more than willing to accept this offer, as the man simply gave me a deep bow, before walking off and into some back corridors. 

Presumably to some in-house dorms.

“In any case, we will be more than happy to accommodate your wait up in the noble’s reception room, my lady.” The receptionist continued on seamlessly, as several vintage-looking baggage trolleys were quickly pushed our way.

My eyes, however, quickly locked onto the kids behind those trolleys, as two of them were immediately identified by the EVI.

[N04 Garna]

[N05 Loris]

The pair looked… ragged and exhausted, sweat pouring down both of their foreheads and onto their stained tunics, probably as a result of having to haul Sym’s gear and supplies prior to our arrival.

The pair tried their best to appear as polite and cordial as possible though. However, in spite of their best efforts, there was one thing they couldn’t hide. 

Gurgle…

The hunger welling within. 

The pair did what they could to begin shoveling Ilunor’s overpriced purchases onto the trolley.

However, no sooner after they finished doing so did I grab a few of those bags, handing two to both the satyr and elf respectively.

“Here.” I offered with a smile. “You look and sound famished.” 

The pair, in shock, turned to one another with wide eyes. 

“Oh, erm. We…” Both of them stammered out, though it was Garna who finally won out in the end.

“Our dinner comes after the senior and junior level adventurers, my lady.” He explained sheepishly, pointing to the west wing’s dining hall that was beginning to fill up with the adventurers in question. 

“Oh, so it’s like a seniority type thing?”

“Yes my lady. The guild master eats first, then the senior adventures, and then so on and so forth.” 

I cocked my head at that, as a disturbing thought cropped up as a result. “Please tell me you’re not given the leftovers from the dining hall.” 

“Not here, my lady.” Loris responded this time around. “Though lesser halls have been known to practice that given their limited—” 

The elf suddenly paused at the behest of the receptionist who’d silenced her with just one stern look. 

“In any case, are you certain you wish to gift—”

“Yes.” I interjected, cutting the receptionist off. “And here—” I reached over, grabbing yet another one of Ilunor’s many treat bags. “—take this as well. Share it amongst the rest of the trainees.” 

A myriad of expressions formed following this.

With an incredulous one from Ilunor, a cordially neutral one from the receptionist, and the one which won my heart — the two bright and beaming faces of the adventurers in training.

“Thank you my lady!” They beamed out.

“Oh, don’t thank me, thank Lord Rularia here for his charity.” I gestured towards the Vunerian, who simply turned his snout up at the whole affair. “Credit and gold where it’s due, after all.” 

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Nexus. The Crown Herald Town of Elaseer. Ambassadorial District. Adventurer’s Guild Hall of Elaseer. Guild Master’s Office. Local Time: 1835 Hours.

Emma

The slime’s room was noticeably the same, save for what I could only describe as a buffet table nestled haphazardly at a formerly empty corner. 

Apparently, it was customary to offer both adventurer and quest-giver alike dining options should the meeting take place during mealtime. 

And it was clear that everyone was taking advantage of this, save for of course, me.

Both parties currently sat opposite of each other, on the two couches in front of Piamon’s desk, with the coffee table in between it used as a sort of ‘middle ground’ stacked high with selections from the buffet table. 

Though, much to Ilunor’s chagrin, there seemed to be a distinct lack of tableside service.

“Thank you all for your punctuality.” Piamon began, choosing to remain in his slime form this time around. “This meeting is to conclude the matter of the quest contract issued by one Cadet Emma Booker, to the adventuring party officially registered as Sym’s Troubleshooters. Given the quest’s unique nature, I will act as both arbitrator and primary witness to this conversation. So please, feel free to begin.” The man spoke politely, and in a surprisingly succinct manner for a Nexian noble.