Chương 52: Breakfast

Knock knock knock. Evel stepped back from the door, shifting his weight. In Yosten, the sun was the only sleep schedule they had. You slept when the light died and rose when it returned. Ichoris didn't suffer from such a weakness, but not enough time had passed yet to break his internal rhythm. That was to say, Evel was very early today. Albert probably wouldn't mind. A minute passed. Silence. He knocked again. Another minute. Maybe he's tending to his garden? Such a large field can't be easy to maintain.

Evel peered towards the backyard, then quickly checked the fields a few meters away from his backyard. Nothing. Albert had told him to come in the morning, hadn't he? Was he really too early? Or perhaps this was a sort of test to ensure Evel was decisive enough to increase his intensity? It's too soon to fail. He stepped up and hammered on the wood with his fist. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! A muffled, agonized groan drifted through the door. Ah. Albert just didn't hear my earlier knocks.

Evel mentally noted to always knock harder; the structure of the house must have prevented the sound from travelling as far. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal Albert. He was clad in eye-searingly bright yellow pajamas, and hair so messy it made Bremin's look maintained.

"What?" He grumbled, rubbing a hand over his face.

"You told me to come back in the morning." Albert rubbed his scrunched face. As his eyes opened, he squinted from the brilliance of the sun, then at Evel. He released a deep sigh, "Right. Come in." He gestured vaguely toward the two-chair circular dining table as he slowly dragged himself to the kitchen.

"Breakfast? Tea?" Evel shook his head, "I spent all my Riak yesterday." He really did want to eat, but first he'd need to find a way to convert his Credits into Riak. There were many things Riak was no good for, but right now, he needed food more than anything else. Albert paused, one hand on the doorframe and gave Evel a long, bewildered look.

"Why would you need Riak?"

"You offered food, I can't pay for it." The silence stretched for five seconds. Albert's expression shifted from confusion to one of weary pity.

"Bevel… when I offer you food in my house, it's free." Evel's eyes widened. Free food? Did such a thing really exist? At first, Evel remained cautious and suspicious, but after considering Albert's possible motivations, he couldn't land on a single one. A smile crept up on his face.

"It's Evel," he began, his movements a little lighter and tone a little higher.

"And if you're offering, yes, absolutely! Tea as well!" This was a huge discovery! Initially, when considering possible expenditures, food had always been a major one he had to consider, but that was before he learned his very own teacher was a saint! If I just eat every meal here… In just a moment, his wealth had increased by so much! As Albert vanished into the kitchen, humming a low, unfamiliar melody, Evel pulled out his deck of cards.

He began a set of one-handed cuts and false shuffles, the deck snapping in tune to Albert's tune. Next, he practiced his palming.

He faced the seven of clubs outward on his palm. Then, with a brief flick, it disappeared. Could be smoother. Soon, he'd have to put his skills to use again, and Evel needed to be absolutely flawless. If he were to mess up his first impression, then the whole magic of the circus would be gone. Especially since magicians weren't a common sight around these parts. Before long, Albert returned carrying two plates. Evel almost drooled as the plate landed in front of him.

"Thank you!" Without waiting for a reply, Evel immediately began his feast. Eggs, crusty bread, and a spiced sausage. He greedily devoured the food, occasionally pausing for a sip of tea between bites. Compared to just a few weeks ago, it felt like he was eating nothing short of luxury itself! Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Albert watched him, sipping his tea with the calm Evel had seen the day before.

"So, find a suitable place? Agent will handle the building funds and provide you with some extra Riak for staffers." Evel swallowed a mouthful of egg.

"No specific locations, but I've narrowed it down to a general area." He paused.

"The main problem is I just really don't know enough about… anything." Albert nodded, "Go on."

"First, what's the deal with the Mayor? He was leading some sort of chant. It was weird… I got swept up in it, and next thing I know, he's standing over me mumbling to himself." Albert raised his eyebrow.

"You met the Mayor? Did he ask who you were?" Evel looked down at his tea, "I told him my name was Eth…"

"You really went with… Eth?"

"..." Albert sighed into his cup.

"As long as you didn't say your real name, I suppose it's fine. As for the Mayor… to be honest, I don't know much. Based on what I've heard, the city has completely transformed from when he took office fifteen years ago. The mines bolstered in activity, workers started flowing in, and a bunch of massive projects began. You've probably seen the Sky Elevator or Project Luminescence." Albert paused, looking out the window with his teacup in hand.

"Eight years. It's been eight years since I moved to this city, and it's almost unrecognizable. Each year, the citizens' lives seem to just steadily improve. The man makes me a little uncomfortable, but it's difficult for me to badmouth him, and at the very least, he's a person capable of making change." Evel wasn't sure he agreed. Sure, the lives of the 'uppers' seemed to be better, but he had gotten a chance to explore the slums, and there was certainly a cost to this prosperity.

But even Yosten had slums, and food is being provided to those who work in the mines… Is it really impossible to have the best for both worlds?

"Is the Sky Elevator the tube that runs through the clock tower?" Evel confirmed.

"Mhm. Imagine the city as an upside-down water droplet. The Mayor's residence, along with most of the Banner's headquarters sit at the wide top; the bottom, the tip, is where Ichoris meets Slack Stone. The tube allows you to bypass the remainder of the city and the slums entirely, giving easy access to the wealthy folks. It's quite quick too." Evel absorbed the information the best he could, painting a mental image of the city in his mind.

"And Slack Stone, how can weakened laymen working in simple mining jobs be effective enough to sustain the city?"

"That sort of information you'll have to purchase," Albert said bluntly.

"Danger Zones are always shrouded in a certain mystery, and only a few people ever actually bother learning about them. It's just not relevant to most people's day-to-day. If you're adamant on knowing, you can purchase the relevant information through the VTR I put in your room."

"I see," Evel nodded as he recalled the machine on his bedside. A frown tugged at his mouth.

"What about Dissent? I know they made that massive terrorist attack 14 years ago in Almer, but that's about as far as my knowledge goes. I can't possibly expect to infiltrate them without knowing anything."

"Avid didn't give the rundown?"

"No, and I haven't seen him since he left me here yesterday." Albert stood up, grumbling about unfamiliar terms like 'workload' and 'work-life balance,' and left the room. He returned with a bulky, familiar device and a blank piece of paper.

"That guy's probably intentionally holding information, or just hasn't gotten around to you, but I'll ask him just in case." With a quick glow of Energy, a complicated shining white orb gently floated into the paper, inscribing it with some sort of writing.

"That's Avid's code," Albert explained. He pressed a sequence of buttons until the machine released a small beep.

"Avid, you told me all I had to do was train him. Either double my pay or answer the kid's questions yourself. He has your private line now, courtesy of me. Deal with it." BEEP.

"There, he'll probably send you a message tonight. Make sure to really berate him with questions, even those you feel are irrelevant. He deserves it." Since he had this opportunity to ask questions to someone so agreeable, one question in particular had been plaguing his mind.

"I do have one more question, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate to ask."

"Ah, who cares, if it's too personal and I don't wanna tell you, I'll make it clear. Just speak your mind."

"It's... about the recruitment trial." Albert narrowed his eyes, but didn't interrupt.

"If the tasks afterwards are so... regular, why were the trials so deadly? Some jobs require killing, I get that, but from what I gather, most jobs are just to keep the country progressing. My job, for example, is to start a circus. Why did I need to..." Evel's eyes wandered to his plate.

"Kill your fellow countrymen?" He nodded. Albert remained silent for a few seconds.

"I don't really know but I have my guesses." He sighed.

"The city may care about an extra Core soldier helping out, but the Imperium? Even Weavers like me aren't too important on a larger scale." That much made sense, but that still didn't answer his question.

"The key lies in the method to advance past Weaver. Although you don't need to kill per se... Despite it being a barbaric system, if it can keep Ultor away from our cities, then so be it. Not to mention the frontline... I won't get too into that. The likes and dislikes of people like us just aren't part of the calculus." Evel nodded slowly. He could follow the logic, more or less. That didn't mean he had to like where it landed.

"Oh, cheer up—""I'm cheery," Evel quickly replied, and picked up his tea.

"Hm. And the credits you worked so hard to earn, got an idea on how you're gonna spend 'em?" Evel straightened up — this was the other thing that had been plaguing his mind. Two things he needed to buy stood out. Information on advancement and a suitable weapon. With the information, he could then make more informed decisions regarding future purchases. There were many mystical items that could help his training, but Evel unfortunately just didn't really know exactly how.

As for a new weapon, he needed something compact and unassuming. Eth wasn't suited to be his sole weapon and needed something to complement its utility, and the crossbow would no longer suffice. First, it was a bit too bulky for the city setting, but more importantly, it wasn't very powerful. Sure, during the recruitment trial, it had been lethal, but a lot of that came from Diana's ability rather than the power of the bow itself.

In the future, should he meet more terrifying opponents, he needed something that would at least give him a chance. There was one more thing that piqued his interest.

"Is there a service in the city with rest pods? Do you own one?" Albert scoffed, "And miss out on sleep? You could probably find one at the headquarters of every Reaper Banner in the city, but in your case, you'll probably have to buy it."

"Are they expensive? How much for a decent weapon?" Albert leaned back.

"500 credits plus fuel, probably, as for the weapon… listen, Revel–""Evel."

"Sure. My job is to train you up and answer your questions specific to the city. Anything that involves Dissent or your mission goes to Avid. The VTR will handle your purchases and knowledge; it's Agent's way of keeping you hooked on the system and continuing your contributions. Order your stuff, ship it here, and I'll show you how to use it." Albert stood up and collected all the plates. His form pushed out against his pajamas, projecting a surprising amount of authority.

"I don't mind answering your broader questions, but explore the VTR a bit first. Right now, head to the basement, change into the clothing there and start stretching for your first day of training." Albert scratched the back of his head and yawned.

"I'll meet you there after I finish some chores."