Chapter 847 (1/2)

When Randidly returned to Earth, he did so silently. He popped into existence on the same low mountain West of his Erickson Steel headquarters on which he departed. The dry stones rattled as he poofed into existence on top of them. Clouds spread out like a flax blanket across the morning horizon in an endless expanse.

But he didn’t even look around at the beautiful sunrise. Instead, his mind was on the talk he had with Octavius Shrike a few days ago.

To Randidly’s surprise, accepting the invitation to talk meant that he once more received a teleportation request. At first he was suspicious, but ultimately Randidly decided to take the risk and meet with Octavius.

It wasn’t a demand, it was a request. If Octavius wanted to make trouble for Randidly, there was no doubt in Randidly’s mind that the strange figure could. So he accepted the teleportation and was immediately brought within a cramped little office. There was a small fire in the corner and everything else...

More than Administrator of the Seventh Cohort, Octavius’ office reminded Randidly of the cluttered abode of a professor. Piles of papers and scrolls formed towering stacks. There was an impressive-seeming wooden desk that served as the centerpiece of the room. Or at least Randidly assumed it was impressive; it was largely obscured by the clutter.

Some of the papers were crumpled while others were covered in a tightly packed scrawl. It was clear that this room saw quite a bit of use.

“Please,” Octavius said, gesturing ambiguously toward two stiff looking wooden chairs that were both overburdened with boxes of metal knick-knacks. Dubiously, Randidly moved to stand behind one. He put his hand on the back of the chair.

Immediately, Randidly blinked. This wood… for all that it was being largely reduced to obscurity, just from a touch, Randidly could tell how smooth and dense the grain of the wood was. It was closer to metal than any wood he had ever seen. This level of materials was far beyond anything he had seen, even on Tellus.

With solemn respect, Randidly looked around once more at the surrounding office with a newfound curiosity. But with Randidly touching the chair, Octavius took that as leave to speak.

“I’m so glad you could come and speak with me. Because of your… particular situation, I figured it would be best to break the news to you directly; you are being carefully observed.”

Instantly, Randidly’s gaze sharpened. Was this somehow related to the Creature?

But Octavius raised his hands before Randidly could speak. “Wait, hear me out. You brought this on yourself. Although Tellus was still technically a viable planet in the Fifth Cohort, most of the Village Spirits that had been assigned there had already retired. They left proxies to divvy out Classes, but they were largely returned to their home planets. It happens a lot; a world is very close to passing a Calamity, then fails due to infighting, or politics, or just the whim of an influential person… There’s no actual failure, but the writing is on the wall.

“Seven hundred years had passed. Some of the Village Spirits might have even died during that span of time. So when Tellus passed the Second Calamity, not only were all the remaining spirits yanked back to the planet to divvy up increased benefits, but the Fifth Cohort was also alerted of the new planet proceeding to the Third Calamity. And when they investigated what had caused this… I did my own investigation, of course. And will report that this aberration was a result of the deviant actions of a Nemesis. But that Nemesis was dead when most scanned the situation. All they found there… was you.”

Octavius grimaced. “Which was why I was… involved. Now, so you understand, there is a whole society of administrators and meta-System employees that have raised a fuss about someone from a lower Cohort rising and gaining a knowledge advantage over their incoming Calamity. Most of this is simply fuss in response to a surprise, but…”

Grimly, Octavius looked at the piles of scrolls on his desk. “Most will settle. Some, however, will not. There is a whole Nexus, waiting on the other side of the Calamities. Administrators are drawn from worlds that have passed the Third Calamity but failed the Fourth. Some, however, still dream of being able to pass the Fourth Calamity and meet God. I suspect that… forces will move to understand how you managed to drag a world back from the brink of failure.”

Randidly frowned. “But… It’s not like I did anything special.”

“Perhaps…” Octavius was contemplative. Then he looked up knowingly at Randidly. “Yet… when these old, powerful, suspicious, and desperate entities do some research into you… do you think they will believe that it was just a coincidence? That there are no… untoward influences moving within your body?”

Suddenly, Randidly felt like he had been doused in cold water. From Octavius’ tone, it seemed like these strangers would be able to gather information about him. And if they could gather information about his self-made Class and Soulskill…

Especially when it came to the Soulskill, Randidly didn’t doubt that they would have… designs on him. It was bad enough dealing with the Creature… did this mean he had come to the attention of a dozen entities similar to the Creature?

“Is there anything you or I can do, to… make sure that doesn’t happen?” Randidly asked slowly. It was only implied, but Octavius seemed to be on his side in this situation. Obviously, as Administrator of the Seventh Cohort, he wouldn’t want others sniffing around his job site.

Plus… a whole society of administrators, huh… That got Randidly wondered about what exactly the System was.

But to Randidly’s surprise, Octavius waved a hand. “Oh, don’t worry. For obvious reasons, the System will prevent them from doing anything while the Calamities are testing the worlds; and your world hasn’t even qualified to receive the first Calamity. For this, I just wanted to warn you; there is a small chance that someone will pull strings to include… variance, in your Calamity. It has only happened once before, but there is a precedent, when a world has foreknowledge of what is to come…”

Then Octavius coughed lightly. “But the real danger is elsewhere. Both your Heretic Path passing 40… and also that mark you received for being on Tellus when Shal Ascended.”