Chapter 20: Chapter 19: [Conference Call]

People were inherently selfish, but they were also capable of great things.

When I was younger, I’d always expected too much. Honour, compassion, kindness. Was that too much? Regardless, every time I opened myself up, those I’d so easily trusted betrayed my expectations, but it never put me off. No one wants to be alone. Everyone wants to believe in others.

Hana had been the same, and look how she ended up. In the end, people would take advantage of those naive expectations, leaving us looking and feeling like idiots, broken and empty.

Eventually, I corrected my thinking. Don’t expect anything, and you’ll never be disappointed.

‘The world owes me something, so I’ll take that from others’. A lot of people thought like that, in my opinion, and I was vindicated by the man trying to take my crown. A crown I’d never wanted. 

Its weight almost crushed me, the weight of every life in the kingdom. Every selfish, lying life. But everything beautiful about humanity was based on lies, and I was selfish myself. This wasn’t about the people or the country.

It was about my friends.

I wanted them to be happy, to be able to live on their own terms. Despite that, I expected little of them.

That’s why Cannara surprised me so much.

I’m sorry, she said, her tone bitter, I’ve failed you.

Not ‘I’ve failed myself’ or simply ‘I’ve failed’, but ‘I’ve failed you’. Was she implying she was doing this for me, or just saying that because it was at my order? Did anyone ever do anything for others? Or was altruism just a lie locked in self-interest?

For the first time in a long time, I was unsure, and I didn’t know why. What I did know was that Cannara sounded hurt. I needed to soothe her.

Congratulations, I thought. You’re officially human.

I… what?

No one’s perfect. If you can own up to your mistakes and learn from them, that’s enough.

Um… Thank you.

Don’t worry about it. Now tell me what’s going on.

Right. She paused for a second, and her dot flashed further along the border. Outside Asha. When it did, it lit up a slightly larger dot, coloured turquoise. I expanded it while I waited; it read ‘Ribera Spec-Ops’, and gave me Diplomacy options.

Without hesitation, I set it as an Enemy. Then, a red ‘x’ overtook it, like a pair of crossed swords.

That was handy.

They’re attacking Asha—from here, I think they’ll arrive within the hour.

I considered my options. A massive indicator showed a garrison of troops an hour’s march away. If I could get the message to Duke Kalvin—who’d stationed himself and Shia with them—then they might make it.

It’s fine. We have enough troops to—

Ordinary troops won’t help. This isn’t a combat force, they’re espionage.

My mouth opened, then closed. Spec-Ops. Of course. These weren’t normal soldiers, and they weren’t on a normal mission.

They’re trying to sabotage the town.

Yes. I practically heard her grit her teeth. I was deceived. Because the information had flowed so freely, I assumed I would hear everything. But it was a ruse. I won’t make the same mistake again.

No use dwelling on it now. The unit moved quickly, closing in on Cannara. Can you handle them?

Alone? I doubt it.

I hovered over Shia’s marker, close to her father’s. Hopefully, their time together would be fruitful in closing the distance between them, but I held no preconceptions. She was probably still avoiding him as much as she could. 

As I opened her menu, a new option appeared beneath [Command Centre]—[Conference Call].

It had never appeared before, but then again, I’d never tried to use it before. The System was helpful like that. So, I pressed it, hoping it did what it said on the tin.

Shia?

Sire? She sounded groggy. What is it?

Her movement Skill meant she’d be there instantly, and she could level a battlefield with a single spell. It was the best option. Scratch that, the only option. Hana was still passed out in her room.

I need you to meet up with Cannara in Asha.

Asha? Why, what’s going on?

They’re attacking, said Cannara, her tone slow and confused. A small infiltration unit, around eight men.

Shia screeched, then panted, somehow. Did the Skill change certain thoughts into things more easily understood?

I—what do they want? asked Shia.

I’m not sure, replied Cannara.

I was. Every town or village, rather than relying on merchants, had its own food store administered by the local Lord. Citizens would then buy their food directly from them.

Sabotage what little food supply we have, probably, I thought. Whether that’s to strain our resources, change their loyalties, or both, I don’t know.

We have to stop them! Shia’s determined voice rose in volume. 

Indeed, said Cannara. Then, it was her turn to screech as Shia’s marker appeared next to hers.

I chuckled. Whatever their reasons were, they were good subordinates. They were willing to fight and defend the people.

All right, I said, what do you see?

Like I said, thought Cannara, around 8 of them. They’re moving fast, on foot, and they’re carrying something.

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I could obliterate them, said Shia, a note of malice to her tone. Easily.

Steady on, I replied, watching the dots come closer. This could be an opportunity. Don’t kill them.

Cannara gasped. Are you serious? At a time like this, do you want us to—

I’m not telling you to show mercy, I said. I want them to live to tell the tale. To tell their master that even though he tried to deceive us, he lost anyway. That no matter what he tries, we’ll force him back.

He’d learn anyway when they didn’t return.

But this way, thought Shia, it’s confirmed. He’ll hear exactly the words we proliferate straight from their mouths.

Or I could just kill him.

I’ll be honest, I considered it for a second. With Aleister out of the way, his entire hierarchy might crumble.

‘Might’ being the operative word. There were too many unknowns, too many variables to consider, and what was stopping another noble from taking his place?

It’s too risky, I thought, and then my breath caught as a klaxon went off in my head. The dots began merging together.

Contact.

They’re here, growled Cannara.

I know.

But what the fuck could I do about it? I was stuck in my bedroom, watching colours move in my mind, without any way to influence proceedings beyond giving orders.

I couldn’t even see.

Or could I?

Curious, I summoned Shia’s menu again, and noted that another option had appeared.

[Combat View].

Well, if you don’t ask, right? I selected it, and my intestines tried to climb out my mouth. Suddenly, I was in a field, surrounded by starry darkness blanketing the verdant green. Cannara was next to me, daggers clutched in a combat stance.

Why did she look so tall?

Around 200 feet away, 8 men in black crept along, oblivious to our existence. I could only see them because I knew where they were.

Trying to move, I was perplexed by the lack of response, but I couldn’t even furrow my brow. Every so often, I found myself stealing glances at Cannara’s chest.

Really, Shia?

With a wave of her arms, she declared, “Zero Gravity!” I floated up, looking down on the spec-ops and Cannara, and felt a grin spread across my—Shia’s—cheeks.

This was fucking weird.

Come to think of it, why did my back hurt? Was it the size of her boobs? Were they really that heavy? Ah, it didn’t matter.

What mattered was that I could see them. Also, if I focused, Ruler View overlaid on my vision, but I didn’t hear any squeaking, so I imagined Shia couldn’t see it.

Suddenly, Cannara was among the group, lashing out with kicks and punches and the blunt end of her knives. A furor erupted, men grasping for weapons before being knocked to the ground.

I giggled, and I wasn’t sure if it was me or Shia. What happened to this girl’s personality in combat? Was she always like this?

Her emotions didn’t come through, but I still felt her body. How did this work?

The spec-ops splintered, running in several directions, and Cannara couldn’t chase them all. A couple pulled out bows in my periphery, one aiming at Cannara and another at me.

Shia didn’t notice.

Shia, watch out!

She whipped around, spotting the arrow just in time and holding out her hand. “Binding Weight!”

The arrow clattered to the floor.

Dumbstruck, the soldier ran.

Laughing dangerously, Shia dragged our arms up, summoning a whirlwind of energy and connecting it to each of the enemies.

I felt it, as though I performed the spell myself. It was like a million volts ran through me at once, but without pain or death, only power.

“Anchor!” I yelled.

They all fell horizontally. It was like they’d been connected to some faraway place by a rope, and the person at the other end had yanked it.

Mission completed, thought Cannara.

I saw, I said. Shia, what did you do?

I directed them to fall in the direction of Zarua. They won’t stop until they arrive, or they collide with something.

With that, the combat ended, and I was jarred from [Combat View]. My throat flexed.

Good job, guys. I want you both back here. I cut the connection. Shia’s spell had been a little overkill, really, but I couldn’t blame her. I’d felt her adrenaline, the sheer excitement and euphoria as the magic flowed through me.

And in the end, a win was a win. Aleister’s overtures being what they were, I’d take as many of those as I could.

For now, no more games. It was time to start a revolution.

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