Chapter 14: Chapter 14 – Burn

Over the next couple of days, Rachel never came and found me for anything. And since I had the looming threat of complete annihilation hanging over me, tending to her was lower on my list of priorities. 

Besides, I was intending to leave the affairs of the sorcerers to Grace. I wasn’t someone those girls could easily connect with, simply because of the fact that I wasn’t like them, and I was a man who they couldn’t be sure to trust. Even though Rachel was willing to risk herself to come to me, she always looked ready to run away. 

I’m sure her powers of healing gave her much confidence. No wounds could stop her, and I was sure that her powers went deeper than just healing superficial injuries. 

What did it mean to be able to be capable of cellular regeneration? It wasn’t as simple as sealing lacerations. It was the body’s ability to restore itself to its most optimal and prime condition. 

Rachel’s body kept itself perfect at all times. This means she was physically without flaw and blemish. 

I could see it in her pale skin. Melanin within the skin was only created when the radiation from the sun damaged your cells, being protection against UV rays. . 

But she had no need for that, so her skin was perfectly pale besides her genetic baseline level of melanin. So her skin was only the slightest bit tan, and yet not unhealthy in the slightest. 

And she had none of the blemishes that might come seemingly naturally, like freckles or moles. 

The proportions of her body were also perfect. From the symmetry of her face to the shape and size of her large bust. 

And the only reason I wondered about her bust was due to the fact that her body was spectacularly toned. Women who worked out often had smaller breasts since their body burned its fat. But hers didn’t do that. 

Instead, perhaps because she was constantly on the run or fighting off enemies who might wish her harm, she had constantly exerted herself. But because of her regeneration, her body always immediately healed itself. 

Imagine being able to workout and recover during the exertion. Imagine what that would mean for your muscles, to build more muscle mass by the minute. If she were a man, she would be a monster with strength and stamina incomparable to any ordinary human. 

But due to her genetics, she wasn’t allowed to build more than her genes allowed, resulting in the toned yet feminine body she had. And since her powers of regeneration came from the mystical energy source of sorcerers, it didn’t sap at her bodily energy or resources, meaning she wouldn’t become emaciated from recovering tissues or burning tons of energy. 

The implications of her power were numerous and definitely something I wished to know more about. And with the more sorcerers I encountered, the more I wondered about what their power was. 

But, it wasn’t appropriate to study it, at least not now. Not only would I have to earn a reputation among the sorcerers, but I would need more information on their origins, something I couldn’t get without more power. 

And currently, there was one thing standing in my way. 

The threat to my city. 

A couple days after Rachel joined us, I decided to take a trip to the wall and see its progress. 

I had given very precise and explicit instructions to the brothers at the Rock and Stone Foundation. If they were competent managers, then I expected things to look as I told them. 

Grace decided to come with me, and so the two of us rode to the northern region of the city.

We met up with Fenten and Gerald, who took us to the site. 

“We’ve been following your directions to the letter, Lord Audius. And truly, it did answer many of our questions during the process. Without your guidance, I’m afraid things would have turned out much worse. Here.”

After walking a bit across a dirt trail, we arrived at the location. 

Dozens of men worked laboriously for miles in each direction. Currently, the wall only covered the northern region, and it would prevent anything in the mountain range from coming into the city. 

The deep trenches had been dug long ago, and by now they were finishing the concrete foundation. 

The wall was several meters thick, and it wasn’t being constructed of cinderblocks. No, this wall was going to be made of huge concrete blocks, sturdy enough to protect the city even from sieges. 

It was for this reason I didn’t bother finding information on demon beasts. If a wall that could protect against organized military sieges wasn’t enough, then there was nothing I could do to protect this city in the first place. 

The plan was to build the foundation and mount the concrete blocks on afterward. After all the cement mix was prepared back in the city, the concrete blocks would be manufactured at an outpost built nearby and placed at this site. Those blocks were even built with iron bars in them as an alternative to rebar, giving them improved resilience

This was the most efficient and effective method of construction I could devise with the technology and time we had. Even as the trenches were being dug, Fenten and Gerald were making the blocks. Now, there were already huge stockpiles nearby that simply needed to be hauled over and placed when the time came. We even had the necessary equipment like cranes that would allow a tall wall to be built. 

With all the manpower we had and our preparations, the wall was set to be completed in only a few more weeks. It would be well established by the time the Months of Darkness came. 

Grace and I toured the construction site while the two brothers briefed us on everything. I also checked to make sure everything was going according to plan, and it seemed like it was. 

It naturally wasn’t perfect, but there was a margin of error that wouldn’t affect the final product. This fell into that range, so I was satisfied. 

“It looks great.”

I gave the two brothers a nod of approval, causing them to smile. 

“Thank you, Lord Audius. We know this is important, so we’ve been making sure to personally oversee everything.”

“Good. I’m counting on you two. If this project succeeds, you two won’t lack opportunities in the future. You’ll be free to take the formula for the cement, produce it, and sell it wherever you wish. I’m sure you can see how high the demand for a product like this will be. The quick, easy, and cheap material that can build strong structures.”

“Indeed, Lord Audius. Your formula is truly revolutionary. I’ve never seen a mixture that sets so fast and has such strength, even early on. I’m sure once a month or so passes, it’ll be even stronger than now. But, we can’t simply take the fruit of your knowledge without recompense.”

Gerald looked at me with seriousness, combing his beard with his fingers. 

“As business men do, we wish to offer you a deal. We’ve already engaged in correspondence with other merchants who are interested in facilitating distribution. Particularly, we’ve gotten into contact with the biggest merchant who dominates the Ridge River shipping lines. He plans to visit Northtown soon and build a dock here, and he’s interested in the cement, as well as meeting you. But since you are the creator of this formula, Lord Audius, we wish to make you a partial owner of the Rock and Stone Foundation and bring you into our business with those beyond the city.”

“Oh?”

I was surprised by their offer, as was Grace who stood beside me. 

I questioned. 

“Why are you offering to give up so much? I hadn’t actually intended to take any ownership in regards to your use of the formula. You could’ve had it all.”

“Well…”

The brothers glanced at each other with weird smiles. 

“We’re business men, not thieves or a charity. We don’t intend to give you nothing for your knowledge, so we initially decided to give you a portion of the profits. But we’ve realized how wise you are in regards to matters of business, so in the end we wished to make you an owner on par with us, where myself, Fenten, and Reduct own 25% each, while you own the last 25%. A four way ownership of our company.”

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“In this way we can help each other. You can use our company and you’ll get a major share of the revenue, money that can help you personally or with the city. And we can benefit from your guidance.”

“My guidance…”

I couldn’t help the cheeky smile. 

I could truly say that these brothers were smart. There was nothing better than becoming a direct partner with a City Lord. After all, the government was where the riches lay. 

Through me, their company would score deals and opportunities that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. For example, this merchant who dominated Ridge River. They said he was coming to meet me. If I struck a deal with the man, which I absolutely intended to, then they would benefit from it directly. Especially if I was going to sell the cement. 

Sure, I would take a not so insignificant portion of the profits and ownership from them, but a small portion of big riches was better than a large portion of little wealth. 

I was their golden ticket, and I didn’t mind that. The company would become another tool, and they were valuable and competent partners to have.

I turned to them, and put out my hand. 

“Since you’re willing to trust me so much, you won't be disappointed. I’ll take your deal.”

“Haha, that’s great! We’re glad to be working with you, Lord Audius. Tomorrow we’ll come with a contract that will make you a quarter owner of the Rock and Stone Foundation.”

“Understood. Well gentlemen, this has been a worthwhile trip. Continue the good work on the wall.”

“Yes!”

With that, Grace and I took our leave. She sighed on our way back in the carriage. 

“So now you own two companies?”

“Well, own one and partially own a second, but yes.”

“Hm, to think so much would happen in such a short amount of time. To think that only a few weeks ago we were wasting away at father’s house. Now you’re mining iron, producing cement, building a wall to protect against demon beasts…”

Her voice drifted. 

I had long told Grace about the Corrupt Rift, and while she had been shocked at first, she soon went along with my plan. 

Even if I failed to build up a defensive force, there would be time to evacuate the city. My plan was to bail if things weren’t ready within two weeks of the Months of Darkness. 

But things were proceeding at lightning pace. The wall’s foundation was already laid and setting, and weapons were being manufactured. 

Of course, my flintlock weapons weren’t being worked on yet, but that would come later. 

Grace had confidence in me, especially after seeing my changes ever since my ‘awakening’. It made me feel weirdly nice, as if I’d accomplished something. 

“By the way.”

She changed the subject. 

“I talked to Rachel. Apparently she’s a wanderer. She goes from city to city, stealing clothes and food to get by. She’s been like that ever since she awakened 2 years ago. Apparently, she had been caught not long after her awakening and…”

Grace’s voice faltered a bit, catching my attention as her hands clutched her dress.

“...Some of the people of her city decided to take things into their own hands and burn her. But her power kept her alive. It was only after they tossed her and the ashes of her bonfire into the dump that she crawled out and left.”

“...”

I was silent, contemplating the horror of that experience. 

To be burnt alive, feeling the utter agony of pain for every second, and unable to escape it even by death. 

I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have your skin burned and regenerated, only to be burned again. For your nerves to be so horrifically overloaded because your body refused to let them die. 

It could take hours for only ashes to remain in a bonfire and be thrown out. So for hours, she sat there within fire and cinder, within the unending heat. 

I suddenly remembered the apathy I saw when we first met in the room. The total lack of care for what was going on around her. 

She had no doubt been twisted by that experience.

“She…”

Grace struggled to say her next words. 

“...We found her hurting herself yesterday. I guess she had taken a knife from the kitchen, but… She was carving herself up. There was a lot of blood…”

I saw as a few tears fell down Grace’s cheeks. She continued through her sobs. 

“She said that it didn’t matter since she couldn’t die anyway, but… I can’t believe something like that happened. It’s not fair! For her, her power is nothing but a curse. If she just hadn’t been caught like that… If anything else had happened…”

I held Grace as she started to break down. 

As she cried, I looked at her while feeling great affection. 

To think she could be so empathetic. To cry for another person’s plight. I understood that it was a horrible situation, but I held a certain level of detachment that didn’t allow me to feel as she did for someone else.

But seeing Grace cry like this made my chest hurt in an odd way. It reminded me that I wasn’t who I used to be. 

I let out a short breath.

“I’ll talk to her tonight.”

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