That Adya ran wasn’t surprising. The amount of fear and utter terror he felt from her the moment the contract settled was overwhelming. As were…other feelings.

  Cass had been wondering for a time now if the recent events in his life had ultimately made him emotionally numb. He’d thought that it was a standard process for those who’d seen combat a time or two. But after what he’d felt from Adya, he now believed he was the exception rather than the rule.

  His father stuck to his word and didn’t pry about what had happened, but he did throw Cass a few odd looks before handing him a dish full of pastries and kicking him out.

  Cass chewed on one as he walked toward the bakery on his way back, unfamiliar with just how tasty the food was. His sense of smell was stronger, for better or worse. As was touch and hearing. The adjustment was quick, like he’d just gotten over being sick and sound had found its way to his ears again.

  As a quick test, he bit his lip, hard. But even though it bled a little and his healing factor rolled in with a burn, he couldn’t tell if it hurt more or less than it had before the contract.

  Devouring the platter of pastries was so fast that he’d cleaned the tray by the time he arrived at the Goldencrust. For once, Gary was in. His old friend was rolling bread with white, powdered hands as a dozen perfect pieces already sat completed beside him.

  Naturally, Cass Weenus’d him as soon as he could.

  “Cheating! I’ve got food near me, we’re not animals!”

  “Cheating my ass! You always have food near you…you’re a Baker!”

  “Still!”

  Then they settled into an uncomfortable conversation for a while, where Cass asked a few direct questions as a test of his newest ability. Each time his friend said something new about his life, a small update hit his screen. Although he had already told him about Adya and what had happened, Gary couldn’t stop himself from delving deeper.

  “She ran?” He asked for the second time, “But why?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  Because she has the hots for me, he thought, but didn’t say. Because she’s terrified of what else might be revealed by proximity.

  He couldn’t say that, of course. Saying it out loud would make him sound like the biggest asshole in the world. But it was reality based on what he could interpret from her feelings. Until the contract was over, Adya would be emotionally bared to him, as would Bella. And the Scout’s feelings had been…strong. Very strong.

  Then he remembered that both of his partners would get a dose of his feelings as well, and that’s when the motification set in.

  Completely unaware of the look of horror on Cass’s face, Gary shrugged as he continued, “Look man, it's your life. I get it. But I thought we didn’t keep secrets from one another? For instance, I have one I haven’t told anyone because you haven’t been around.” His hands were moving at speed as he grabbed another splash of dough and had it in rough shape within seconds. As soon as that was set to the side, another bit of dough was picked up as he moved again. “I’m just saying, we’ve always been open with one another.”

  Cass forcefully pushed Adya’s face out of his mind, “Yeah, but this secret is different because it’s not wholly mine. It’s like that time I found out Janine liked that visiting Adventurer. I didn’t tell you until after he’d left because it was her secret, and I didn’t think there’d be any harm in you knowing at that point.”

  Wanting to help rather than just stand there, Cass moved over and grabbed a glob of dough himself. When Gary looked at him, then at his hands, he quickly got the idea. As soon as his hands were washed and dried, a new, uncontaminated piece of dough was waiting for him.

  Cass started working the dough like he’d seen Gary and his father do hundreds of times before. His new, enhanced sense of touch made it a little easier to tell where the dough was still not tight enough. “I will tell you that the contract came with something new.”

  Even as he said that, Gary’s profile updated.

  Gary Trenner: Son of Aubrey and Mark Trenner.

  Known affiliations: Friendly with the Shattermark company, close friends with QuestWright Cassio Vale.

  Known Calling: Baker.

  Employment: The Goldencrust, located at the edge of the grounds in the city of Liora.

  Abilities:

  – While working with baking products, hand speed and strength are enhanced

  – Enhanced heat tolerance

  – Baseline organizational sense increases when in possession of food-based timers

  Known Quest completions: (Routine) Delivery of snacks to Jim the gatekeeper, Delivery of a single treat to Register Administrator Bella the draft horse. 0 Failures.

  *New* Hidden details: Gary Trenner has declared he is omitting information from others.

  Continue to speak to the subject to add additional information…

  The profile screen was something he was still getting used to. It appeared, floating with partial transparency beside the person he was looking at. Each time Gary and he spoke of something new, like how fast his hands moved or why he didn’t sweat when surrounded by ovens, there profile was, giving him more information.

  Gary placed another roll beside him with a smile, “Daily done. So, what’s this new thing you’ve got going on?”

  Cass didn’t tell him about everything. There were still some things he needed to discuss with Adya before sharing, even if it was with his best friend since childhood. But he did give the basic gist of how Profile worked.

  “So it’s there, just floating beside me?” He waved a hand through the air as if he could touch it.

  “Yeah, it’s something new and with a lot of information at once. I can’t imagine how filled out it’ll become the longer I’m talking to people.” Knowing it wouldn’t hurt him to know, Cass recited Gary’s Profile to him.

  “Creepy.”

  Cass shrugged, “To me, it’s like a running note system on people I interact with. It isn’t pulling from my memories, just the conversations I’ve been having with people since receiving it.” He had a sudden idea, “Hey, wanna take a walk with me?”

  Gary placed the rolls on a metal tray, “Sure. I’m pretty much done here, and they don’t need me to make any deliveries for a bit. Where we going?”

  Cass shrugged again, “Out. I do need to drop by the Foundry for something, but we haven’t had much of a chance to speak lately. I thought it would be nice.”

  Gary agreed, picking up a treat on the way out as he activated his routine Jim Quest. Together, the two old friends walked out into the darkening evening. Following Cass’s lead, they walked closer to the stalls and people in conversation than normal. As they passed by a young man and an older woman leaning towards each other, Cass’s heightened hearing picked up on what they were saying.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “I’m telling you, Faile, he’s got a big axe beside his bed and he can’t know what we’ve been doing.”

  *Profile updated*

  That can’t be good…

  A man with a stall out had a piece of French bread lifted in the air as he yelled to any passerby.

  “Selling the best bread this side of the city!”

  Gary snorted, “Liars.”

  *Profile updated*

  “William, I keep hearing stories from my son that there are more monsters than ever before. I’m scared. What is the Council going to do about it?”

  “Mary, it’ll be fine. Liora stood up during the Reshaping. It won’t fold now.”

  *Profile updated*

  *Liora Profile updated*

  That forced Cass to pause and step to the side, allowing the city traffic to move past them.

  Gary gave him a curious look, “What’s wrong?”

  “My city profile just updated, hold on a second.”

  “City profile?”

  Cass laughed, “Yeah, I don’t know either.”

  Diving into the experience screen for the first time since the Contract started up was an interesting moment. In the center were all of his paths, Inspection notably excluded. At the bottom was the hazy line he’d grown to associate with Bella, and to the left were the marks he’d gained as the contract finalized.

  It was still as organized and plentiful as before, but now, there was something new to the far left. Clicking on a red and gold box expanded a set of screens into his vision.

  -Profile Register-

  Register Administrators: Bella the draft horse, Adya Korring, Cassio Vale

  Locations: Liora, New Dallas, Oldetown, the Red Tower

  Known figures: Alice Ardent, Felipe Artuso, Ben Bueller, Brad Bueller…

  Even as he parsed the information, clicking on a few profiles that had an assortment of collected data, a new message came in at the top. Out of pure curiosity, he clicked on it.

  *New Profile Registered*

  Willard Korring: Father of Register Administrator Adya Korring.

  Known Calling: Lumberjack.

  Register Administrator Adya Korring is actively gaining new information at this time…

  All those names and places…I know it didn’t come from me, so based upon that last update and what it said when the contract was finalized, we add to it together. Wait, does Bella add to it as well, or does she only understand me? How much of this will be filled out in a day or a week?

  As he considered that, another thought struck him. Wait, how much of this will be true? From what I can see, it adds information based on what we hear others say. What if they lie?

  The System will remember everything…but finding the truth of the matter is different. It’s going to fall on me, on us, to sort what’s real and what’s not. I think…I won’t be able to trust the Register one hundred percent.

  With that troubling thought in mind, Cass exited the pop-up and clicked on Liora. The amount of information was staggering. A full breakdown of every location, shop, and person appeared in a running list that grew in size the longer he moved through it. As a test, he clicked on a name he didn’t recognize.

  Fideo Audrey:

  (Inferred) Calling: Merchant.

  Wares: Low-tier swords sold at a small stall for reduced prices.

  Location: Last seen in the Forge’s southside district near Mercantile Plus.

  Cass shook his head and exited the screen.

  Gary was waiting there with his arms crossed, “So, what’d it look like? I know what it means when people stare at nothing with dumb looks on their faces.”

  Cass rubbed the back of his head, “It’s a running breakdown of everything in Liora. It’s…it’s incredible.” He blinked once, then shrugged, “But it’s based on what we see and hear. I think it’s tricky too.”

  “Tricky how?”

  “It’s like…if people lie to us, I could see that getting added into their profile. Like, right now, tell me you have a different calling.”

  Gary puffed up his chest, “I’m the greatest warrior in Liora.”

  *Profile updated*

  Beside Gary, the transparent screen shifted as new information entered.

  Known Calling: Baker.

  Note: Gary Trenner has stated he’s the greatest warrior in Liora. Based on current information, this is likely false. No combat experience is recorded.

  “It says you’re lying.”

  “Creepy,” He replied with a definitive nod.

  They continued their stroll again, Cass gaining more and more information as they moved. To a large degree, it felt intrusive. These people didn’t know what he was doing; they were just having conversations within his hearing range.

  And that was the problem. They weren’t talking to him, but each other. Between his enhanced hearing and Profile constantly running in the background, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from invading the conversations of others. He wasn’t observing them particularly, yet every word, every name mentioned and intent implied, automatically slotted itself into their profiles.

  Did he really need it recorded in the Register that the woman with the funny hat needed new drapes? And, did he need to record that a little boy fell and scraped his knee, crying out for his mother? No. But he also didn’t seem to have the option not to update Profile.

  And what happens when I don’t know their names? How does that work? He didn’t know; it was just more questions he didn’t have answers to.

  Soon enough, they were at the Foundry, where Cass’s newest ability seemed to go into overdrive as all kinds of new crafting terms entered the Profile’s lexicon. There was a running stream of notifications running transparently at the top of his vision as he went and paid Noah the required cost for his axe.

  The man smiled as Cass handed over his hard-earned money, then they were off, Profile still streaming with new information as they stepped away.

  When they hit the Guildhall’s courtyard, people still moving across the area as they prepared for the defense of the Red Tower, Gary grabbed his arm and dragged him to a quiet area lacking in crowds.

  His face held a troubled expression, “Look, I don’t want to keep this secret from you, so I’m just going to come out with it, alright?”

  Cass shrugged, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, man. Like you said, I get it.”

  “Yeah, but I’ve been bursting at the seams to tell someone.” He took a deep breath, “Alright, here it is.” He looked around one more time, then shotgunned it out, “I got a new title.”

  “You did!” Cass said with a smile, “Nice man. What’d you get it for?”

  Gary gave him a big smile in return, “Sales. It’s not that big of a deal. For every piece of bread sold that is made by my hands, I get a small amount of experience. It doesn’t sound like a lot-”

  “No,” Cass said firmly, putting his hands on his big friend's shoulders, “That’s incredible, Gary. And you got it all on your own.”

  The big man smiled as he put out a hand, tilting it back and forth, “Yes and no. I may be wrong, but I feel like it all started when I met those Shattermarks in the Registry. Without that moment, I don’t think I’d ever have considered going out and finding new customers. So, in a way, I do owe it to you, Cass.”

  “Say what you want, Gary, but you deserve it.”

  “Thanks,” The big man said with a smile.

  As they turned, intent on having a comfortable dinner nearby, Gary moved out ahead, not paying attention as Cass struck.

  “Weenus!”

  “Bastard!”

  That night, Cass put off looking at the Marks he’d gained from the contract. He knew where Bella was, he had a vague idea of what was coming with the Dark Guilds, and he well understood how hard it would be to stand around Adya for the next several years. But after a hard, intermediate workout, tokens filling up his Survivor coffers, he fell into a deep and untroubled sleep.

  What would come, would come. Stressing over his problems wouldn’t solve them anytime soon.