Hair frazzled and with her stance off-kilt, it didn’t take a genius to read the emotions coming off of Adya Korring at that moment. When his eyes met her own, he felt the anxiety spike, along with something else beside it. A warm feeling that certainly wasn’t unpleasant.

  Cass tried to rein in his own feelings, but it was difficult with her feelings bouncing and amplifying his own. He could feel her anxiety, then his, elevating one another as he tried to think about what to say.

  “I’m sorry for running.” She said, breaking the awkward silence that had settled over them both. “And for missing breakfast this morning. I know you didn’t give me a quest for it, but I scouted the east side of the Grounds. The wall there only needs a few repairs.”

  “Great, yeah,” Cass replied, “thanks.”

  The awkwardness re-settled, and he felt the panic of the previous day reassert itself in her feelings. He couldn’t let this continue.

  “Look-look,” He repeated as he found his mental footing, “I probably would’ve run too…” he didn’t know where to take it from there, so he decided to change things up. “Did you look at the new path?”

  She looked at him silently for a long moment before he felt a powerful sense of relief wash through her, “Yes. The nodes?” When he nodded, she continued. “That’s strange. Is it like that for all Administrative Callings?’

  “I think so? What about you? Marks?”

  Stepping over to the seat normally taken up by Moore, she gestured, then sat at his nod. “Marks are what I’ve always had. In fact, that’s what my primary path is, one large Mark that branches out in size as each new Path comes to me. I chose tagging because I thought it would make it easier for you to manage your Questors.”

  “It does. Profile is…” Cass trailed off as he tried to think of how to describe it.

  “Extensive?” She supplied, getting a smile from him in return. “I’ve spent a long period of time going about the city, speaking to people, and using my Observation skill to add as much information to it as possible.”

  “What do your nodes unlock?”

  “We’re diving right into it?” She asked with a raised brow.

  “We’re…partners, right? You said you’d protect my life. I figure the least I can do is share information with you on a Path we’re both tied to.”

  She gave him a smile, “I think the best way to describe it is interpretation? The first major node adds a search function to the register, with the second giving me-us,” She corrected, “ a few customization options. I can’t view the third.”

  “Yeah, the last Mark won’t tell me anything either. How do you think we unlock them? It didn’t say anything about experience.”

  “No, it didn’t,” Adya confirmed with a nod, a second wash of relief coming from her. “I’m betting we have to unlock all the rest to get access to it. But I have no idea how to do that.”

  “Me neither. But, I do know that the system is holding back my experience for you.”

  She winced, “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t want to negatively affect your Calling, but Dev was adamant that the value of the contract outweighed the negatives.”

  “Guild Master Hollis said something similar,” He replied, tapping on the desk twice as small bursts of red lit up the screen. The heat map revealed several shortages related to steel and oats, likely a result of equipment repairs and the Company's emptying of the feed stores during their deployment to the Red Tower. As he looked, a notification came in.

  *Liora Profile updated*

  Curious, Cass went into the ledger and glanced over all of the Quests currently active.

  *Several Profiles have updated*

  “What are you doing?” Adya asked over his shoulder.

  Cass thought on that as he considered his actions before replying, “Analyzing old Quests.”

  “Why?”

  He looked at her before returning to the Ledger. “Mr. Moore told me several weeks ago that experience was the new currency of the world after the Reshaping. That QuestWright’s have a minor monopoly on it. He wasn’t wrong. Everything we do nowadays relates to experience one way or another. Dailies. Monsters. Did you know merchant Callings gain experience from sales?”

  “Of course,” She said with a snort.

  Cass smiled, though she couldn’t see it. “I think they told me that in one of my classes, but it completely slipped my mind. It’s hard enough knowing that the world is a series of questions that need answers. But maybe, just maybe, we might’ve just unlocked something that will get us to the heart of that.” Cass pulled up several old Quests with a flick of his finger, ‘I’m just now understanding the value of collected information.”

  As his eyes scanned old Quests, flickering back and forth between the Ledger and the Heat map as the red sections faded in and out, Adya asked, “Then what’s your conclusion?”

  “Information is potential. The potential for new Quests I hadn’t considered in the past. For protecting the city.” He pointed at another worn-down piece of wall that hadn’t been there yesterday, a worrying trend. “The more of it we gather, the clearer the picture becomes.”

  Tapping on the map, he zoomed it out to its full size. It didn’t quite reach the satellite locations around Liora, but it did show the beginning of the city’s fields. Several green and yellow-colored people moved about as they completed standard and routine Quests. Then, small pockets of red drifted in and out like bruises as the Profile continued to update.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  Cass scratched his chin, “I think I’ve got an idea for Pellin.”

  “Do you want me to get him for you?” Adya asked as he heard her stand up from the rickety chair.

  He turned around and looked at her, getting a dose of warmth that was hard to mistake. “Do you mind?”

  “No,” she shook her head, “not in the slightest. In fact, I already know where to find him.” With a smile that sent his heart aflutter, she walked out.

  Cass looked back at the map, “I’m in trouble.”

  Shaking his head to clear away the thoughts, he re-focused. Each time a portion of red appeared, new information was added to Profile about what the city and its people needed. As he continued to go back and forth between his old Quests and the map, he gained a little insight into how to make his templates more accurate. It would invariably increase the tier of some of them, thereby restricting the Pathfinder’s options, but that would be worth it if he could make the Quests more accurate in the long run.

  Soon enough, he heard Pellin’s stuttering laugh as they came around the corner.

  “Hey,” The shaggy-haired man said as he appeared. “I heard you’ve got an idea for me.”

  Cass spun around in the chair, noting Adya trailing right behind him. “I do. So, I think I know how to get your Level Ten Quest done.”

  The man gave him a big smile, “I’m all ears.”

  “I was just thinking to myself,” Cass said, pulling on his salesman’s shoes. “How does a System Engineer gain experience?”

  Pellin shrugged, “By upgrading, repairing, and creating new frameworks that the System recognizes for increased functionality.”

  “And how does the System define a framework?”

  Pellin blinked twice, then slowly responded, “It depends. There are defensive frameworks, training, administrative…That’s a bit of a loaded question. Each one has different requirements, and actually building them needs a System Engineer and some rare materials.”

  “Would you be able to build the Rings yourself?”

  “The-the Rings? No! Even repairing and modifying them is hellish.” Pellin said with his hands splayed out, “Is that what you want? A new set of training Rings?”

  “Humor me?” Cass asked with a smile.

  “Humor you…humor you…fine.” Pellin pulled on his hair as his eyes searched the roof for an answer. “They’re made of a metal I don’t understand that conducts system energy with perfect efficiency. I have no idea where to get that from. Then, there are the System screens built into the Posts. Those are made up of a rare type of alchemical glass, and I’d need help from the Enchanters off in the Foundry to connect me to the System in the first place. And not any old Enchanter, but a high-level one. Don’t even get me started on how to program monster simulations into the post. I’m betting that was done by a Tier 5 Engineer. Maybe even higher. They’d hate me forever if I called in a favor like that.”

  “Everyone already hates you,” Cass said with a grin.

  “Inspirational. Really. But back to the fantasy project. It’s not possible for a Level 9 System Engineer to build something as complicated as the Rings.”

  Now, Cass had him right where he wanted him. “Okay, so, forget about the Rings. Tell me, what do you know about inventorying?”

  “...what?”

  Cass waved his hands in the air, “What if you could build a small screen that’s interconnected with the Annex here,” He pointed at the map, “That connects to every shop in Liora. One where they could update their inventory and create a living, running list of what they held in stock.”

  “So…a trade map?”

  Cass grinned, “Think of it as a mercantile framework, maybe one of the first of its kind.”

  “Pscch,” Pellin said with a smirk, “There’s probably something like that in the Capitol…but not here…huh.” He scanned the screen as bits of red text floated over different areas. “Huh…I bet they’re doing everything analog right now. It wouldn’t be too complicated. Maybe…a UI overlay and a localized ping network through a centralized hub. I guess I could sell the inventory system. Make it so they don’t have to worry about paper, pens, and clipboards anymore.”

  Cass nodded, “Yes, you could certainly do that.”

  “Which means I’d have my own income that isn’t dependent on Guild contracts,” Pellin said, scratching his chin. “I could even come up with upgrades that they could spend on. Maybe even a messaging framework since they’d all be interconnected.” He pointed at the chair Cass was sitting in, “You know that the thing your ass is resting on is probably worth more than whatever’s in the Foundry right now.”

  “It feels good on my butt,” Cass replied. “I’d like to keep it there.”

  Pellin and Adya snorted, though the feelings he got from her were probably not the same as Pellin’s. Hopefully.

  “I doubt I’d overload the Annex. After all, they were all created to be upgraded over time. Do you even know that Annex is an acronym?”

  “For what?”

  “It’s the Administrative Node for Navigation, Evaluation, and Execution. A.N.N.E.X. for short. And you don’t even want to know what powers that thing.”

  “Learn new things every day,” Adya commented as she leaned against the wall.

  Cass knew Pellin was just stalling as he worked out the logistics in his mind. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the two silver coins from earlier and handed them over, “Here’s a bit of money to help you out.”

  “Thanks…” He paused, “What do you get out of this?”

  Cass waved at the map, “Updated logistics. I won’t lie and tell you it won’t help me in planning Quests. I have a feeling this would supercharge what I’m able to do. The fact that it helps you too is just the icing on the cake, as my dad would say.”

  “Yeah,” He looked up at the ceiling again, his hand tightening around the coins. “Yeah, this is possible. I’ll do it. Thanks, Cass.” He said with a smile, “If I ever make a profit, I’ll be sure to include you in as a percentage. Let’s say, 5 percent?”

  “Five point five,” Cass said with a hand stuck out.

  Pellin shook it as Adya commented, “I want some imaginary money too.”

  Pellin looked back at her, “You can have Cass’s extra point five.”

  “Hey!”

  “Well, I’m off. I need to visit the Foundry and see what supplies they have. Maybe find an Engineer and an Alchemist who are interested in making money. Who's to say this will only stay in Liora? The…Pellinframe will be known far and wide for its ease of use and friendly but affordable accommodations.”

  “Is that the name you’re going to go with?” Adya commented, “I wouldn’t buy something like that.”

  “The invenstory…No,” He shook his head, “The Craystack…Pellinbook.”

  “Those are all terrible,” Cass supplied, “why don’t you go talk to Orla about it? I’m sure she’d have some ideas.”

  “And a big chunk of my percentage,” Pellin said with a shiver. “I’ll think about it. Anyways,” He held up an empty wrist, “It’s skin o’clock. If I want to get this done in a reasonable amount of time, I’ve gotta get running. I’ll let you know how it goes.” Then he left at a quick trot, vague mutters already under his breath.

  Adya snorted, “That’s faster than he ever moved during our Group classes.”

  “True,” Cass nodded, “but he looked happy.”