I crossed my arms, standing in front of the fancy lunch buffet line at the dining hall.

It was still pretty early, so the lines were still relatively short. That was a relief. The place would be a mob scene in thirty minutes.

I'd been making use of the lunch buffets in the dining hall, taking advantage of the meal plan that was included as a scholarship perk. With only my family's savings carried across the portal from Earth and a small stipend as a scholarship student, I needed to budget as much as possible.

I'd been bringing tupperware to shove the extra food in to take it to the dorm in the Robotics Club's labs and save it for dinner. Of course I was discreet, stacking my plates and filling them in a corner of the dining hall away from prying eyes.

I wasn't a thief by any means. I just needed to cut costs where I could. The food I'd brought back from the lunch buffet had saved me the trouble of buying a ton of groceries, which were a lot more expensive than I was used to, and the convenience was hard to pass up.

And frankly, I wasn't gonna starve or break the bank when there was perfectly good 'free' food to be had.

Three days had gone by without incident, and classes were in full swing. Thankfully, there hadn't been any fallout from my intervention with Natasha, and no word from the bullies.

I piled some tender-looking fish filets on my plate. They smelled amazing - like garlic and lemons. There was also a delicious looking tray of stuffed peppers.

I eyed them with a hungry stare, wondering how many I could get away with shoving in a glass container in my corner of the room. There were also some sort of pork or beef filled dim sum buns in this row. I grabbed a few of them, before looking at the rest of my lunch.

I had two plates of food on my tray. The first had the filets and some veggies I'd piled up. The second had more rice and some other things I'd grabbed that I thought looked tasty. The portions were a little on the big side, and the tray was getting pretty heavy.

A soft cough from behind interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see who it was. Standing there was a small group of girls, waiting for me to finish up. I stepped out of their way with an apologetic nod and set my plates on my tray. I grabbed some napkins and condiments before walking towards an open table. There was an empty seat in the back, so I headed over and set down my tray.

I was about to sit when I noticed one of the girls at the edge of my peripheral version staring at me. I turned and met her gaze, feeling slightly uneasy. I smiled at her in a way that made it clear I was just grabbing lunch. Her face was unreadable as she continued to watch me intently.

The girl had long, straight, blue hair with navy blue eyes and dark skin. Her features were sharp and angular, and she had a thin, athletic body.

I glanced around to see if she was looking at something behind me, or maybe looking at someone else in the room. It seemed that I was the one that she was focused on, though. She just stared at me, and her gaze made me a bit nervous. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was judging me or sizing me up, like a hunter would with its prey.

She was one of those types - the kind of person that you'd describe as an apex predator.

The other people around her at the buffet line were chatting amongst themselves. The blunette broke eye contact, and then returned her attention to the food on offer. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

She was pretty. Beautiful even. But that intense gaze was... it was kind of intimidating. And she looked vaguely familiar. I felt like I'd seen her face before somewhere. She had a sort of regal bearing and an aristocratic air about her.

Her clothes were all very expensive and elegant. A blouse that looked to be made of silk. Her skirt and leggings seemed to have been made of the highest quality fabrics and tailored to fit perfectly.

Her shoes were polished black leather and she had a small star-shaped chain around her neck. She held herself in a way that suggested she was used to being in control, and that she expected respect from others.

I returned to my food, trying not to let it bother me. The blue haired girl continued to move through the line, and soon enough she was out of sight.

I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure why she had been looking at me so intently. But it was clear that it wasn't friendly attention. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I'd intervened on Natasha's behalf?

It wouldn't surprise me if there had been a ripple effect from what had happened the other day.

My mind was pulled back to reality by a sharp slap on my back, and I nearly fell into the plate of fish in front of me. My eyes darted up.

"Hey there... pretty big lunch you got there," a familiar and annoying voice said from behind me. "Are you going to eat all that by yourself?"

I focused in on the boy behind me, feeling the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end.

He was a little taller than me, with messy blond hair and red eyes, with a small Eye of Horus tattooed under both eyes. I vaguely recognized him of course, although I'd met him under what I'd best describe as adrenaline-fueled circumstances.

I hadn't really paid much attention to his features other than the fact he was holding down Cordelia's right during the mess that happened the other day. He had an easy grin on his face, in spite of a bruise that was healing around one of his eyes.

"Mind your own business," I said bluntly, turning my attention back to my plate.

"Oh come on, man. You can tell me," he said, sliding into the seat across from me. "I don't think we were ever formally introduced. My name's William. William Darpel. Third year student."

I sighed and glanced over at him.

"Hello, William. Nice to formally meet you," I replied cooly. "I suppose."

The fact I'd soccer kicked him across his face the other day wasn't lost on either of us.

"What's your name?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

William frowned, crossing his arms and leaning back in the chair.

"Look, dude. You gotta understand where I'm coming from," he said, his voice low and conspiratorial. He pointed at his black eye, which had a nasty scar under it. "You fucked up my face the other day."

"You were part of the group of bullies, so you deserved it," I replied with a snort, turning to face him with my arms crossed and giving him my best 'try me' face.

William let out a small laugh and held up his hands, gesturing to me that he meant no offense. He sighed and looked away, rubbing his forehead. He was quiet for a moment before turning back to face me. His eyes narrowed as he spoke again.

"You know, you've got a lot of guts to do what you did. I mean, seriously dude, who the fuck even are you?"

"A guy who doesn't have much, and not much to lose frankly, but still knows what the right thing to do is when he sees it. Especially when the ones with too much are the ones hurting people."

I had plenty to lose, of course, but he didn't have to know that. I never dealt with high society politics, but I did know the importance of maintaining an appearance. Especially to people that might be a threat to me, or at the very least could become a threat. I was an underdog. The most important thing I had going for me was the fact they underestimated me and probably had all kinds of preconceptions about Earth.

He stared at me, unamused. "Are you some kind of hero of justice or some shit?" he asked. His voice dripped with sarcasm, but he sounded more curious than mocking.

I frowned at the guy. Something felt off. What's his game?

He shook his head. "Seriously, you're a weirdo. You got guts, I'll give you that, but seriously, what's your angle?" he continued, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you sticking your neck out for someone you don't know? Are you hoping she's some kind of secret princess?"

"I guess it's just a values thing. Back where I come from, we didn't really stand by when someone was getting bullied," I replied, taking a bite of fish and ignoring his comment. "It's called doing the right thing. Maybe you guys are used to the idea of a big, wealthy, powerful family to protect you from the consequences, but where I come from people like that don't exist. I don't need a 'why'." I paused for a moment and frowned, thinking back to what Natasha had said. "And why do people here always seem to think that someone currying favor with an elite family is the only possible explanation for why someone would help a stranger? It's kinda sad."

William rolled his eyes, before putting on an amused sneer that rubbed me all the wrong ways.

"My man. Your whole country is a lawless, impoverished hell hole that's run by gangs and mercenaries these days," he replied. "But here I'm hearing you broke a record for one of the highest scores ever recorded on the curve for the non-magical part of the entrance exam. How does a poor little street rat like you wind up at this school?"

"By studying. Hard. It's really that simple."

"Sure. Sure."

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"I get the impression you're trying to imply something," I said.

He shrugged, and his face softened.

"Thing is, it's pretty clear to me even from our little banter just now you're not like these other commoner nobodies that got in, you know? House Darpel is always looking for good men. I'm sure if I put a good word in with the right person I could-"

"I don't think so. Not with your behavior and your history. Especially not after you made the attempt you did on an unarmed girl that could barely defend herself."

I crossed my arms. I wasn't trying to be combative, I was just telling him what I saw.

William frowned at me, and I could see that he was trying to hold back a snarl.

Truthfully, I was surprised that he was here to try and recruit me or whatever the heck he was doing, and I was still on guard for an ambush.

Then, he laughed. Loudly and obnoxiously. "Hah! The street mutt has some balls after all! Okay, fine, I get it. I get it. I can respect that."

I gave him a quizzical look.

William shrugged and leaned forward on his elbows.

"Let me ask you something, pal," William said. "Have you ever had a dream that seemed real, but it was too crazy for reality?"

"Um. What?"

William smiled at me, his face lighting up. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, thin object.

It looked like a black rectangle, about the size of my palm.

He pressed a button on the side and the screen lit up, displaying the image of an eye. It looked almost identical to the eye that was tattooed onto William's face. The screen then changed, displaying the words: 'Permitted Eyes Only.'

"What is this?" I asked. "What's going on?"

"Oh, just unlocking it for you."

William placed the small device on the table in front of me and put it square between us.

He smiled and leaned forward. "You know, the Darpels are an old family descended from knights that serve the Holy Roman Empire, and we have our fingers in many pies. I know you're just a nobody from Earth, but we're not picky."

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"What exactly do you want?" I asked, looking around, side-eyeing the device suspiciously.

"You probably expected me to come around looking for revenge. And I'll admit that was pretty unsightly, even for me, but... I'm a pragmatic man, you see," he explained, sliding the device towards me. "You're clearly talented. I don't mind admitting that. You've got some rudimentary skill with combat. I mean, obviously no magic, but still. You're obviously very resourceful and clever."

William looked up at me with a gleam in his eye.

"And you've got guts. You can't say that for most of the rabble. Even the Old Families are just playing the same game of backstabbing, infighting, and politicking as they always have. And you're new to the game."

"Is there a point to this?" I asked.

William sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. Let's cut the crap. You know the name of my House. We're a big shot. We're rich and powerful, but we're a minor house compared to the major powers. I am the son of a Count, but despite holding the same rank on paper, I'm Chelsea's bitch. Her servant. Because of the strength and power of her clan and the political games they're a part of," William explained. "The secret magic and artifacts held by noble houses affect our true hierarchy more than our titles ever do. It's an open secret, and I'm sure you've noticed it. And I think you're an interesting guy that can help us."

I raised an eyebrow.

"And why would I do that?"

He smirked at me. "Oh, come on now. There's a reason why you stuck your neck out for some random girl you don't even know, and there's a reason you're here. It's the same reason anyone is here - power, wealth, and influence. So you can protect what matters. You're clearly a smart cookie. I'm not going to bullshit you and tell you I'm here because I like you or that you and I have a lot in common, but I'll admit I'm impressed with your skills, and you've caught my attention."

He glanced at my tray.

"I'll cut you in on the action. You see, the Darpels run a very lucrative business. Agricultural magitech that we export all over the world and now back over the portal as well. We make enough money that it'd be like winning the lottery on Earth, just from one of our many subsidiaries. I'll cut you a piece of it. A good-sized one too."

"How good are we talking here?"

William shrugged, and then held up his hand, making a circle with his finger and thumb.

"A starting internship that pays a hundred thousand credits a week. Moreover, we'll give you the connections to make a future here in the Coalition. I've heard you've had a pretty shitty life. Don't think we're not watching. We pulled your dossier from the school's systems. We know you're not like the other nobodies who managed to get into this school."

A Hundred. Thousand. Credits. A. Week. I blinked, my mouth hanging open.

That was more than I had ever seen in my life. That was roughly five thousand pre-collapse US dollars per month. For a fifteen year old kid, that was an absurd amount of money. It was more money than my father made on an annual basis.

And they'd pay that as a stipend for a starting intern. It was crazy. Just the prospect of that kind of income made my heart beat faster. If I could bring that kind of money to the family, I could make things right for my dad and sister.

They could finally get the auto shop running in full gear, buy new tools, and we'd never have to worry about money ever again. My sister would never go hungry and wouldn't have to spend her teenage years doing dangerous jobs with my dad, fighting off the gangs and looters.

We could get her a nice home, and I'd be able to take care of my family. It'd give her the chance to live like a normal kid for a change, and have a decent childhood. And all of that could happen in a few short years if this was a real opportunity and I worked my ass off to climb the ladder.

But I was no idiot, and I was a city boy from Philly. We were known for our stubbornness. And I knew there had to be a catch.

"Alright, you're a pragmatist," I said, leaning back in my seat and crossing my arms. "And I am too. I'm a poor guy from Earth, but you're not gonna pull a fast one on me, pal."

William's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing in suspicion.

I continued.

"You're a noble with an ancient and wealthy family. And you're not just some dumb brute. You're an elite student at one of the most prestigious magic schools in the Coalition," I pointed out. "And I'm a nobody. An immigrant from another world, and not even one of the refugees who come from wealthy families, like a lot of the exchange students here are. You wouldn't offer to throw a pile of cash at me for nothing, and the whole thing reeks of being too good to be true."

I took a bite of my lunch.

"So level with me here, man," I said, swallowing and looking him straight in the eye. "I'm not gonna waste my time or yours. You're trying to butter me up and give me a big offer to get something out of me, so you've gotta tell me what you're really looking for, and why. I'm no idiot. If you're trying to hire me for some reason, you gotta tell me what it is you're expecting me to do, and why."

William's face was unreadable as he looked at me for a long time. He sighed and leaned forward.

"I guess you're not just grades," he admitted. "You're a bit of a tough customer. You're right, though. We've got something specific in mind."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, and then looked back up at me.

"How familiar are you with the politics of our little world?"

I shrugged.

"Not at all. But I'm guessing it's pretty messed up. This world has a really different history from Earth."

William laughed. "That's one way to put it."

He leaned forward and rested his chin in his hands.

"We live in interesting times, my friend. You may not know much about our history, but I'm sure you've noticed a few things about our society, right?"

I shrugged again.

"I don't know, I've been pretty focused on school and haven't paid much attention."

"Let me enlighten you then. Our world is full of secrets. A few years ago, you guys got hit with that Magnitude 10 Chaos Event. Well, you're not the only ones. A similar event hit us too."

"What do you mean?"

He smiled. "I mean the world changed. Everything changed, in ways we still don't fully understand. Every time an Emperor-class Aberration descends, they bring with them a whole host of changes. It's been a once-in-a-half century event since the first ones came, but it happened to both worlds simultaneously. We've got some theories about what happened and how they're related, but no one is really certain. And it's been going on for the better part of two centuries."

He paused and looked around the room before leaning closer.

"Our worlds were linked. Portals opened all over the world, which literally nobody expected. Monsters that are supposed to only be found on our side of the divide showed up in your world, and you're already well aware of how devastating that is."

He sighed.

"Look. I'll be direct about it. I never had an issue with Natasha, and frankly I think it's stupid that Eleni and Chelsea and some of the other mid-level nobles are going after her. It's a stupid waste of time that I think makes them both look bad, and is really petty on their parts. But my House serves theirs. That's why I've gone along with all their bullshit. But I think we're in a unique opportunity right now, with you having intervened in all that. To finish up with my point about the Fourth Chaos War, the trade between Terra and Earth has opened up opportunities that we never could have dreamed of."

William smiled at me. "And there are some people who are very interested in learning more about your world, as you can imagine. My house, and our allies and patrons included. We want to see if we can find some more opportunities when it comes to Earth."

William looked me dead in the eye, his voice lowering. "The American Northern Coalition is a Great Power, and my family owns a large county here. My father's land has a high percentage of refugees, and frankly I'm sympathetic to them and the ones in Greenhaven. I've heard what some of them go through. The Darpel clan has always been very open about trade and diplomacy with the people from your world. But the key point is the technology and economic potential of the United States - with a coast to coast identity dwarves that of our version of the New World if it successfully rebuilds. If we play our cards right, the ANCO can outmaneuver the parent Empires in terms of power, resources, and trade, and we can become the dominant power on this continent."

"Which means you're in a better position to make deals and get more resources from our world, so you're not just interested in my potential as a worker," I finished for him, and William grinned. "You're interested in me because you're trying to curry favor with the diaspora and the immigrants from my world."

William smiled and nodded. "You catch on quick. I'm a practical man. I'm not gonna lie and tell you that we're just trying to do the right thing or that I'm not a bad person because I don't go out and harass refugees. I am a believer in Great Actors in history. People like the heroes and villains from your world. Napoleon, or Horatio Nelson, or Washington."

He sighed. "People like me don't really matter, in the grand scheme of things. You know that as well as I do. We don't have any real power. What I want to do is make sure that the right person gets to make the big decisions."

"And who's that?"

He shrugged. "Who knows? I'm sure you're not stupid. But you have to at least be a four standard deviation talent from what we could gather on you. That's enough to be in the running. The only people who can be the right people are the ones with enough talent and willpower. And frankly, if a nobody immigrant can do better than us then we probably didn't deserve to be the right person. You catch my drift?"

I frowned, staring at him intently.

He smiled and sat back.

"I don't think you're gonna do something stupid. I've seen some of the reports about the things you've managed to build at thirteen and fourteen, and I know you've got a bright future in this school. I'll make sure you get a fair shake here, and that you have the chance to prove yourself, and in exchange, you ally with us down the road. It's not a hard deal. Hell, I'll even put in a good word with Chelsea for you and try and keep the bullies away from Natasha."

"Why are you so insistent on helping Natasha?" I asked him.

"Because it pisses off the big shots that have been fucking around with her. And if she winds up becoming a major player in the next few decades, then maybe we get in her good graces too."

He leaned in again and lowered his voice. "My house and our allies want the best for this country, and for the world in general. We're playing petty games while we have all kinds of Novel Aberrants still popping up from the Fourth Imperatore's descent, and there's a whole other world out there that we're just starting to learn about. My house and our allies are the most sympathetic and interested in Earth among the noble houses of this world. You won't find better than us."

"And you want to make sure your family and your friends are the ones at the top of the pecking order," I said. "So I'll get a bunch of money, connections, and favors, and in return I just gotta agree to make sure you guys get the right kinds of influence in the coming decades. Is that about right?"

William grinned. "Exactly. I knew you were smart. It's not a bad deal, all things considered. And it's not like you have to do anything for us immediately. We just want you to consider our interests. I'm just offering you an opportunity here. And it's not a zero-sum game. You don't have to be loyal to anyone in particular. We just want you to consider our point of view when the time comes."

I hesitated. I didn't really want to be involved in political shenanigans, and I definitely wasn't looking forward to becoming some kind of pawn in a big political game, but...

My mind drifted back to thoughts of my sister. The image of her face when she'd begged me not to leave for Terra.

And I knew that if it meant making her safe and letting her thrive, then there wasn't a deal I wouldn't make. Even if it meant getting involved with something that might end with me being beholden to some powerful family. My little sister's happiness was worth that. What other hidden strings would come with this, though?

But before I could say anything and really come to a decision, he held up his hand.

"Look. I know how things look, with that entire mess involving the pink-haired commoner and Natasha. I didn't expect you to say yes. But I brought this as an olive branch. Think of it as a gift with genuinely no strings attached. To be perfectly blunt, I only give it twenty percent odds I'll ever hear from you."

He slid the small device over to me.

"There's a letter of introduction in there and where to go if you want to use it, and some information about our House and our business and how to contact me. I've also included credentials for a deposit box with four Mythic-grade mana crystals and inert Count cores you can have. You can ignore it, toss it in the garbage, or take it and use it. Whatever you want to do. Just consider my offer, okay?" William said, smiling. "We could really use a guy like you in the family business, and I'd make sure it was a good fit for all of us."

I frowned. He seemed sincere enough.

"I'm not saying no, but..."

He nodded. "Don't say anything now. I want you to think it over. It's not like we're going anywhere, and neither is your world. Like I said, I'm a pragmatic guy and so is my family. I know how I looked back there. But you need to know that the Void clan has its fingers in a lot of pies. And that girl's had a rough time, you know? I don't know what happened, but she's lost the protection of Caroline Kong and even earned her ire."

He shrugged.

"I'm a big picture kind of guy, and I know how things work. But there's an art to playing the game, and that girl's already outlived her usefulness for the Void clan, and now that she's pissed off the top clan and a few of the big shots here she's a pariah. She's got a powerful enemy, and I'm sure she's a nice enough girl and has the makings of a talented mage - save for her commoner upbringing. But that's not enough in our world. She's not the kind of person you should be hitching your wagon too. I just want you to think about it and consider what's important in life, alright?"

He sighed, standing up.

"Take the offer and consider it. It's a good deal. Just be careful hanging around that girl. I don't know the full details of why she's been abandoned by the Void clan and I'm not going to dig around in that snake pit, but whatever happened it's not good."

I took the small device in my hand and looked up at him.

"Her name is Natasha. Not 'that girl.'"

William chuckled. "And she is a very unlucky young lady, from what little I've seen. She was the daughter of one of the Great Men of the last generation, and you can see for yourself how well that turned out for her."

"Wait. What do you mean by that?

He raised his eyebrow. "You didn't know?"

"Know what?"

William frowned, shaking his head. "Damn, you really don't have a clue, do you?"

He shrugged.

"She's not some nobody that happened to get adopted. Her full name is Natasha Zamir. She's the biological daughter of Aleksei Zamir. Up there with Doctor Rachel Feynman as one of the greatest technological minds in the last half century."

He frowned. "Although that name doesn't really mean anything on Earth these days. He's pretty much faded into obscurity. I'd compare the relation between Zamir and Petrov to Tesla and Edison."

He shook his head and looked at me.

"You didn't even know who she was?"

"Frankly I didn't even ask for her surname. She's just saved as 'Natasha' in my phone."

"Then that proves that she's a poor investment, if anything. Her father disappeared, leaving behind mountains of debts and bad press. The Void Clan took her in — and we reckon it was part of an attempt by the Kong Matriarch to get her hands on some Zamir patents and inventions. And she got her wish from what our sources could tell. And she was discarded. I think we can both agree that's the most likely explanation for why the clan no longer seems to care for her."

I took that with a grain of salt, of course. Something about the way she interacted with Caroline told me it was a lot more personal than that.

William gave me a meaningful look. "But anyway... You don't have to do anything. We're offering to help you, and in exchange, we just ask you to think about us down the road. That's all. At the very least, you've got a good couple of shiny new mana crystals to use in your projects."

With that he stood up, giving me a firm handshake which I took numbly, and left the dining hall.

I looked down at the PDA-like card in my hand, my eyes drifting between it and the plates of food on my table. I glanced around and took note of the other students around me, and made a show of eating my food, shoving bites of the fish into my mouth.

Once I found a window to shovel all the food into my tupperware, I got up from my table, grabbing the device and stuffing it into my pocket before heading out the door and towards the robotics lab.

"Zamir and Petrov..." I mused.

The company that was behind the research lab that'd been sapping small amounts of mana from Greenhaven's residents.

And I was getting very, very close to the daughter of one its founders. Unknowingly.

I didn't think it could all just be coincidence.

There was something strange going on.

I needed to figure out how all the pieces fit together. I had the feeling that the answer was close, but that it might take a lot of digging to uncover the whole story.

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Something in my gut was telling me I was onto something, but I had no idea where this trail was leading.

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