Chapter 68 — Alone Again~! (Paid Patrons)

A/N: Finally caught up to 20 Chaps. I'm implementing my old system and leave 10 Chaps reserved for C-Tier and Above. Every 2 Chaps I'll unlock one for those who rank lower, and after I manage to stockpile those 10, I'll change to 1:1.

Perched above even the V.I.P. section, Van-Fem’s office is about the same size as the dump I used to live in, with a switchable tinted glass window offering a view of everything, from the V.I.P. section to the floor below. As for the Elder Apostle himself, he sits behind an oak wood table, his white fedora slightly tilted to the side.

“Lord,” He begins, “Back in the day, this place was a frequent haunt for many Magi, up until the Second World War… Nearly all three of your Factions had a hand in that.”

Glancing at us with an easygoing smile, the Elder Ancestor adds, “It took a while for business to recover, but this place survived. It'll be a pain to clean up the mess downstairs, but these old bones have dealt with bigger mess. I despise that classless pig anyway.”

Now that…

That’s a surprise. “You’re not angry with me?”

If I were in his shoes, I would have been furious and demand an outrageous amount in compensation, and honestly? Given where we are and the people his nightclub hosts, it really would not be all that outrageous.

Fuck angry.

I’d have beel hella’ pissed;

In fact, I’d have murked the guy responsible the moment they walked through that door.

I expected an Apostle Ancestor to have more patience than I do, but I didn’t expect him to dismiss the ordeal entirely.

“I can’t for the life of me remember my time as a human, but from what I’ve observed, most humans are quite hot-blooded in their youth, especially when it concerns to their woman…” The Elder Ancestor chuckles as he slides two glasses of wine towards us. “Though in your case, l suppose that should be plural.”

“I feel judged…” And rightly so, but still…

“Don’t be. Solomon had over 300 wives. Caesar was definitely not fucking just Cleopatra. Wu Zetian changed lovers faster than she changed her knickers, and King Tamba had around 16,141 concubines.” He hums thoughtfully. “Actually, if you include the female servants he never ‘favored,’ that figure might be closer to 20,000…”

What in the actual fuck…?

I enjoy having a harem too, but at some point, you really just gotta take a long, hard look in the mirrorm.

Seriously, 20,000?!

Even if he spent just one day with each concubine, it would take nearly 55 years. And if he actually pulled that off by some miracles, the Root itself better had blessed that Kingdom because if genetics played out as expected, you'd end up with a population so inbred they'd have chins resting on their chests.

Hell, forget the inbreeding; the sheer logistics to feed that many mouths; the nest of STD his Palace must have been or the severe problem of depopulation that most definitely occurred the following years—I’m willing to bet the dude died of liver-failure…

There’s no other explanation…

“20,000 years and you humans are as fascinating as ever. Point is, when humans can have a lot of lovers without repurcussion, they tend to. You’re not the first, nor will you be the last, L.”

“You talked like you were there…” My memory on the Apostle Ancestors are a little murky, I admit, mainly due to the fact the Faction as a whole was rather… Underdeveloped back in my past life, what with Type-Moon pouring its resources in Fate instead of Tsukihime.

“I was.”

Which means he’s ancient… As ancient as Zelretch himself, if not older,

Which as a general rule of thumb equals power, and I’m not just talking political or economic.

He might be the closest thing to a Divine Spirit currently walking the Earth.

“Wait… What did you call me?”

“Oh? My apology, was it supposed to be a secret?” Whistling ‘innocently,’ the ‘Living Fossil’ clicks his fingers, and with a bright burst, the mess downstairs vanishes. No blood; no corpses—it's as if reality has rearranged itself. Activating [Super-Charged: Developer’s Option]—an upgrade of [Structural Grasp], I try to look at the Mysteries taking place, but all I get is a sharp headache that causes blood to pour from my orifices.

“Mr. Hangman, then?”

“How did you find out?” I thought I had been pretty careful.

Even the movies and shows I starred in mainly appealed to younger demographic, not older audiences.

“I have friends in many places… It’s one of the many perks of Immortality. People in our position tend to talk. There’s not much else to do when you’re already at the top. I just had to connect the dots. And you…”

The way Alexios stiffens, you’d think he was being stared down by the Devil himself.

Having previously encountered the Devil himself, I manage to maintain my composure more effectively than Van-Fem.

Despite his polite and wise demeanor, there’s an unsettling aura about him.

It’s the same feeling I had when I first met Gil, but while her presence exudes grace, his resonates with the overwhelming essence of every Beast on Earth all compressed into a single, unholy entity.

Though this may be a more fitting description for the 'Primordial Sea,' it is the best—and perhaps only—way to articulate his aura.

Zelretch, on the other hand, resembles a walking vortex of Od—a seemingly bottomless black hole with an inexhaustible reservoir.

As painful as it is to acknowledge, Apostle Ancestors outshine even Servants, with only a handful of A-Rank exceptions like Karna and Gilgamesh who can meet them on relatively equal-grounds. In fact, I suspect that even a summoned Divine Spirit might struggle against the Ancestors, given their age rivals that of the Gods themselves.

“Yes… I am Alexios Athanasiou the Fiftg,” Tremblingly, the Magus bows. “At your services, Milord.”

“… I knew the First… Wonderful young man who turned quite vicious later in life… I killed him with my bare hands after I discovered he had murdered a village for the Ritual that would have elevated him to Apostlehood. Quite the experience, really. Alexios the First abandoned his orphaned children in the woods, whom I saved… They turned out much more pleasant than their father. I hope you'll prove to be as well.”

Licking his drying lips, Alexios the Fifth fakes a chuckle that sounds painfully sharp to my ears.

It is not just fear I detect now, but a rage he’s doing a piss-poor job containing.

“I understand you promised my House a favor… I’m here to call it in.”

“About your brother, I assume?”

Fists tightening, the Magus nods.

“Brother? You didn’t mention that.”

“What’s that one saying: Don’t air your dirty laundry? Besides, it did not seem important at the time.”

“Fair enough…”

“He managed to recreate the Ritual?”

“With many compromises and modern adjustments to the original. I knew he wanted the Crest and our House Seat, but I never expected him to go that far… It’s quite… Unsportsmanlike of him.”

"You don't say... I'm curious, how has he managed to go around the dimming Constellations?" 

"Tons of human sacrifices—thousands, if he wants to maximize the results of the Blood Ascension Rite. If he succeeds, I fear we might have to deal with yet another VII-Rank Apostle, if not…”

He drags the word; letting our imagination do the rest of the work.

“Another Ancestor…” I conclude after picking up on the cues.

“There can only be 21 Ancestors at a time. If he manages to kill one, we’ll have quite the troublesome pest on our hands. Normally, I only extend my favor to those who can beat me at my own game, but I will make an exception this time.”

With a relaxed smile that reveals his sharp, gleaming fangs, Van-Fem gestures toward the glasses. “Please, have a sip. It’s not poisoned.”

Alexios doesn’t even pause to check the contents of his glass, swallowing it in one swift motion. 

I, on the other hand, am more careful, examining the glass with [Structural Grasp].

Van-Fem once walked with the Gods.

If he intended to poison our drinks, [Structural Grasp] wouldn’t do shit, only [Developer’s Option] might detect it, but this gives me a peace of mind at least. “Here goes nothing.” 

Unlike Alexios, I drink only half. 

It’s the strongest stuff I’ve ever tasted, but worse. Way, way worse.

“It’s poisoned by the way.”

My hand freezes in place, and so does the Magus.

“Just kidding. You youngsters really can’t take a joke these days.” 

“Prick…” I mutter, chuckling along with the Ancestor as I empty the glass. 

“You’ll find your brother in China. Plenty of remote villages that will be forgotten if wiped out. I heard he offered something to an official in Sichuan Province.” 

“Immortality or power—probably both.” I interject, self-control loosening as the wine enters my system. “Shit, that’s quick… What did you put in this?”

"It was brewed by Yidi himself with 500 different herbs 2,300 years ago." 

"Who's that?"

That's a name I'm unfamiliar with, mainly because mythology is often dismissed as superstition in many Asian countries, resulting in a lack of historical records of their Gods.

“The God of Wine in the Immortal Court. Fun guy… Really down to earth, too. I wouldn’t suggest driving afterward though… You kids want seconds?” 

“Don’t mind if I do.”

The wine is the sweetest I’ve ever tasted—even sweeter than the grape wine Gil keeps in her treasury and  carbonated drinks in fact. Yet [Structural Grasp] detects no trace of sugar in it.

“I’ve heard the Gods’ drinks might grant supernatural abilities… Does this?” The Astromancer asks, drawing my attention and momentarily distracting me from the warmth spreading through my veins and Circuits. Right… I forgot this was crafted by a Chinese God. “Longevity, maybe?”

“Nothing so fancy. The wine soothes your spirit, alleviates stress, and… Well, you will get it when morning comes. Keep in mind, a person can only drink this once in a lifetime.”

And morning does come. By the time I wake up, I can’t remember a damn thing from the night before, except that there was a whole lot of drinking.

I have to give Van-Fem credit; the dude was chill.

Didn’t know he was cool like that. “When did I even get home?”

The better question is: How did I?

Rubbing my head to ease the ache, I attempt to flare my Crest—a rather simple and effective remedy for grogginess—only to find all 9 of my Circuits responding at Rank A.

‘Wait… 9?’

Od-Consumption has never been a big issue for me since I’m more of a Lancer than a Caster, but these Circuits exceed my Od’s maximum output by a whopping 1000% at the very least—tenfolds, for those bad at math. “What the Hell happened last night?”

Opening the [Tree], I frown when I see the [Mage] Branch sitting untouched. 

If it’s not the [Tree], then what gave me these Circuits?

“The wine…” I gasp in realization. 

In the East, it’s said the Gods could change one’s fate, granting even an ordinary person ‘Spiritual Roots’ to ‘Cultivate’ or simply improve one’s the original set.

I never expected to receive ‘Cultivation resources’ in the Fate world, of all places, but who am I to complain? It benefits me, though I’ll still need to check the quality of the Circuits later—you know, in case there’s something extra.

People can trust their Gods and have their faith; as for me, I’m cursed with a paranoia that extends not only to my fellow humans but also to the Ones-Above. 

“Urgh.” Still, I guess I owe Van-Fem one now. 

This Boon might not mean much to the Elder Ancestor, but as for me, it will be incredibly helpful.

Jumping off the firm bed, I rub my back; shoulders then nape, stretching as I stare at my own reflection.

“Did I get taller too?”

And is my fucking skin glowing?

Thanks to the hot and humid weather of the Witcher-Verse—especially in Radonia and Temeria—my skin had taken on a tanned, slightly roughened look.

Now it’s as if I’ve turned into one of those TikTok, Looksmaxxing guys who probably put more effort into skincare than most women and only got live after an hour picking the ‘right’ filter.

Never mind the fact all those products are loaded with estrogen, which will decimate their testosterone level in the long run…

“Fucking gross…”

I’m vain, but I’m not the type to take much pride in my appearance to begin with.

I better get my tan back soon, or getting a kick in the family jewels is going to be the least of Van-Fem’s problems.

“Jasper, are you up?”

A shaky voice breaks me out of my contemplation—“Lily’s?”

Throwing the door to the master bedroom open, I catch the two girls fidgeting outside, dressed up proper for the first time.

“Hi… We, uhm, we came to…”

Sweating profusely, Lily backs away, fear in her eyes—a fear she tries desperately to hide.

“We came to say goodbye. Vacation’s over… Bailey has to return to school, and I… Well, my parents called.”

“You’re scared.”

Mouth dropping, she struggles to string together a sentence, before admitting with a downcast expression that quickly explodes into anger. “Wel‐ Yes… Yes, we’re afraid, okay?! I have seen plenty slasher movies before, but yesterday’s night was too much! I saw Stella break limbs; slice throats—I saw her stomp a guy’s head in while Gilgamesh liquefied twelve other thugs with her Enchanted-Phantasm thingy! I just… We just wanna go home, and if you want to stop us—”

“You can go. I’m not gonna hold hostage.”

“I knew I—Wait, what did you say?”

“I said you could go. I get it, this kind of life isn’t for everyone.”

My recklessness comes from pure, unadulterated boredom for the everyday-life, but they might

Strangely enough, a flash of disappointment flashes across Lily’s face.  “O- Oh. That’s it?”

“Yep… That’s it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m honestly hurt you thought I’d do something to you.” Feet shuffling side to side, Lily mumbles to herself something even I can’t make out, which is when my eyes are drawn to the suitcases stuffed full of clothes behind her. “The- Then, our plane takes off in three hours, so we’re going to the airport.”

“You need me to call you a cab?”

“N- No. We can communicate with the locals fine.” She laughs, face a bit red as she hurries off, dragging her cousin along. “And Jasper…?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for everything.”

Just before they exit the hall, a nagging feeling in my guts compels me to call them back. “WAIT!”

Both girls, especially Bailey, jump like startled deer, glancing over their shoulders as I pull a piece of paper from my breast pocket. “Here’s a check for $300K USD. You can cash it in just about anywhere in the world. Split it between yourselves.”

On instinct, I catch her hand in midair, puzzled, until I notice the tears in her eyes.

“What do you think we are—whores?”

The things we did, I’m pretty sure you can’t pay most prostitutes to do, but I guess that’s probably the wrong approach to go about this.

“What? No, that’s not what I mean at all. Consider it compensation for emotional distress… For what happened last night.”

“So, it’s hush money?”

“No.” Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t testify about it.

The Geas will prevent them, since it has to do with the Supernatural.

“Last night’s events were intense for a first-timer.”

Granted, my own experience—what do they call it in the Worm-Verse again? A ‘Trigger Event’?—was a bit more traumatic, but I was also much better prepared. I can’t recall much from those days, but I did spend quite some time in the Void thinking about how I’d go about my first Walkthrough, although I had another Verse in mind at the time.

As much as I enjoy Fate, it wouldn’t have been my first choice. It’s not exactly a beginner-friendly Verse unless the System a Player receives is the overpowered Classic or one of those ‘Sign-In’ System recently popularized by the Xianxia genre.

“Most people would consider it a bit traumatic… This is to cover any psychological damages you two may have had.” Doesn’t seem like a lot by 2020’s sensibility, but it’s quite the sum in the 90’s.

“I don’t wa—”

“We’ll take it!”

Grabbing the cheque out of my hand, Bailey smiles, practically dragging her older cousin by the scruff of her neck while whispering, “Do you know how much student debts I will be able to pay back with this? I can start actually saving with thi—"

And there they go… Never to be seen again, probably.

“If you had asked nicely, they might have stayed… Maybe not the blonde, but the brunette—”

“I know.” I answer the Queen who abruptly appears behind me like a ghost.

“Some people are built for this life; some aren’t.” I wasn’t just speaking off the cuff when I said that to them. It was my mistake that put them in danger. I should have known better than to get involved with mere humans who can’t even flee, let alone protect themselves.

“It’s better they leave now that they are still ‘nothing.’”

Gilgamesh gives me a sharp look, shakes her head, then tosses her hair over her shoulder and shrugs. 

“Well, it’s your loss.”

“It isn’t.”

Ever since they got here, I have been in vacation mode unconsciously, which hinders my progress.

It’s time I put on my game-face again.

“Now—” Where to find that damn Astromancer… Bastard owes me information.