<23 August 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+> [Theo and Julia] Almost out of habit at this point, Theo checked the timer.

Time to Primordial Flight: 22H - 43M - 17S

Theo took in a long breath and then let it out in an equally long sigh. "A couple of months. That's all I want. A couple of months to get established, and then I will deal with all this shit. I'm so done!"

Theo stood up and walked over to where he had been dropping off the large blocks of stone. He was angry as he loaded up ten of the blocks. Harbek, Julia, Sylvi, and Kreldar followed after him.

Julia smiled at Theo with a look on her face that he had not seen before. "Theo. Um, what are you up to?"

"Well," Theo said, loading the next block into his pouch. "I figured I would drop a block on some little shits toes and then ask our good friend Yordo what was meant by that. If he says he doesn't know, we crush another of his friends' toes. And just work our way up until we get answers. And if toes are not enough, I can always go to fingers and hands. I'd rather not kill anyone, but I am sick of this shit. Every time we start to make progress, something gets in the way. This life we find ourselves in seems to want us to be brutal, and I'm reaching a point where I'm willing to do it."

Harbek looked pale as Kreldar relayed what had been said. Kreldar looked mildly amused, and Sylvi seemed to approve of his rant. But Theo only cared about Julia and what she thought. Julia was giving him a very complex look that he could not fully decipher. Julia finally said something. "I don't think that we should start crushing toes quite yet. Instead, I think we should prepare to crush any kind of attack or uprising that we need to."

Theo took a deep breath and nodded. Placing one of the blocks back onto the ground, "Fair enough. How about this, Julia and Sylvi? Why don't you go take care of that thing for Lord Ka? Harbek, Kreldar, Ordus, and I will hold down the fort and try to push things along. We only have about ten hours until it's time to greet the people who are arriving. In, say... three hours, when we go to sleep in the retreat, we will discuss everything. At that time, we will count on you, Harbek, and Kreldar to keep everything under control here. Can we all agree to that?"

Everyone agreed, and they went their separate ways. Roughly three hours later, Theo, Ordus, Julia, and Sylvi met up at the place where they all camped. They quickly departed into the Access Crystal.

<23 August 2024, MIRROR DEEP RETREAT, ????> [Theo and Julia] >Local Message: Universal Translation in effect "Greetings and welcome back to the Mirror Deep Retreat," Laurel said. "Ah, Lords Sorrenson and Ordus. Ladies Brahmin, and Karzun-Morrakai. It is good to see you again. The line will lead you to your accommodations. If you would, Lord Sorrenson and Lady Brahmin, I have a favor to ask, as we discussed previously. Please wait a moment, and then you may join Lady Karzun-Morrakai and Lord Ordus."

Ordus and Sylvi nodded and headed off, following the line on the carpet. Theo and Julia waited for a moment. Then Laurel spoke again. "Very well, Lady Brahmin, Lord Sorrenson..."

"Let's, uh, drop the titles," Julia said, a little stressed and tired from the day. "Please just call us Theo and Julia."

The mannequin woman bowed. "As you wish. Theo, Julia. I would make a request of you. This place is special. As such, creating entrances requires several things. One of which is an exceptional amount of mana; the other that concerns you is a Core of some kind. I have been informed that you have recently activated a Homestead Core. I would make a proposition with you."

Theo and Julia were a little surprised that Laurel was aware of Hestia. Theo glanced at Julia and then nodded. "We are willing to listen."

"Thank you. Just know that regardless of your answer, I will count this as your boon to me if you desire, as I realize that this is a large request." Laurel bowed once more. "Now, I would ask that you allow me to establish a link to your core, and via your core, you and anyone else who can touch your core will be able to access this domain. It would also let some people travel through to your core if it were to advertise specific tasks that I might be willing to pass along. I recognize that this opens a hole in your defenses, but these kinds of links are exceptionally difficult for me to establish in areas that are lower than S++ Ranked Mana Density. This would give you a rather unique access, and then you could have unlimited access to the retreat and use the Access Crystal that you are currently using as a barter token. I can assure you that they are quite a useful trading tool."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"I..." Julia looked at Theo.

"Can we have one minute?" Theo asked.

"Of course. Please take your time." Laurel said.

Theo and Julia stepped away from Laurel. Theo looked at Julia. "So what do you think?"

"I think that we should try and get some assurances and also get permission from Hestia before we offer her up for this," Julia said. "And we should see about some kind of agreement. Something in writing."

Theo nodded. "Alright, I am okay with that."

They walked back over to Laurel, and Julia explained. "Alright, so we are willing to agree to this, but it will be dependent upon our core Hestia agreeing to it as well, and we would want something in writing that says you will not assist someone to harm us or anything like that."

"All direct connections that are formed with cores are based upon a system contract," Laurel said, and waved her hand. A shimmering scroll of purple and blue paper that seemed to have glass embedded into it for the writing appeared in her hand. "This is the standard System Contract I have used in the past. Please feel free to look it over, sign if you agree, and if you do agree, give this to your core."

Laurel handed them a small golden disc. "Please know that this will only work if your core is given this disc at least ten minutes before the start of Primordial Flight."

Theo and Julia nodded. Laurel nodded as well. "Now then, please follow the line to your accommodations. I will have an attendant alert you thirty minutes before the sixteen-hour deadline."

Theo and Julia walked to where the line led them. It looked like the same room, but they both felt as if they had walked another way. When they got inside, Sylvi and Ordus were waiting. Theo, however, had a question he wanted to ask the ring. "Give me one second, guys."

Theo stepped into the bathroom and looked at the ring. He knew that he should probably ask what to do about the dwarves or what to do with the contract. But he had been making deals with Julia all day and dealing with gods and other entities, and dragons and who knows what else. Theo looked at the ring. "What must I do to make sure that Julia and I survive the Primordial flight and all the things that are happening to us alongside it?"

>Private Message: Query - "What must I do to make sure that Julia and I survive the Primordial flight and all the things that are happening to us alongside it?" >Private Message: Processing... >Private Message: Failed Roll >Private Message: As the Ancestors will not always answer, the System will not always answer. >Private Message: Re-Processing... >Private Message: ADMIN OVERRIDE >Private Message: This answer provided by ADMIN "Remain true to yourself and your agreements."

Theo's eyes popped at the response. Now that he knew it was uncommon for any Admin to interact with people, at least people that were as low level and low power as he was, Theo wondered what he could have possibly done that would entice an Admin, not once, but twice, to intervene.

Theo walked back, still turning over what answer the ring had given. "Alright, now let's discuss politics."

Julia nodded. "Very well, first though. Ordus, Sylvi, do you have any thoughts on the dwarves and their potential attempt to take the Overlook from us?"

Ordus must have heard from Sylvi while they waited for Theo and Julia to come back, but he shook his head. "Other than I think we should remind that little shit Yordo that he can't fly by tossing one of his friends off the side of the Overlook."

Theo and Julia raised their eyebrows. "What brought this around?"

Ordus explained that right after Theo had called Kreldar and Harbek to speak, Yordo had made some not-so-subtle suggestions that his family could pay me more for my help in betraying Theo and Julia. "I almost bashed his face in with my staff. But I simply told him no. So I don't doubt that he knows that you are aware."

"If we didn't have a contract that stipulated no attacking us in any way, would you have helped them?" Theo asked with genuine curiosity in his voice.

Ordus looked upset at that question. "No! You have done so much for me. I think of you both as friends. New friends, but still friends nonetheless."

Theo raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Sorry, Ordus, I didn't mean anything by it. I really was just wondering. Now then, Sylvi, what would you do if you were in our position?"

"Well, I don't know what I would do. But I think I know what the Patriarch would do." Sylvi said thoughtfully.

"And what is that?" Julia asked.

"Kill them all, then deliver their heads to their families, and personally tell each and every member of the clan that the only reason they are not all dead is that he is too full and saving them for snacks," Sylvi said in a tone that assured everyone present that she was not joking.

"I don't know if that would be the best move on our part." Theo said, then smiled, "But I have to say that I like that style."

"Alright, let's brainstorm a bit, then go to sleep, shall we?" Julia asked, and they all agreed.

Six hours later, they had all been asleep for a couple of hours. Theo was woken by Julia gently shaking his shoulder and leading him to a new door; rather than just a men's and women's bath, there was also a mixed bathing area. Julia led him inside, and they both climbed into the water. Julia surprised Theo by snuggling up to him.

"I'm worried," Julia said quietly. Both of them hugged each other. "I don't want this to go wrong, but there are so many moving parts."

"I know," Theo said, squeezing her to him gently, nothing sexual about it, simply reassuring this woman that he was finding that he cared very deeply for her. "I have to admit that when I went to the bathroom earlier, I asked the ring what I needed to do to make it through this and that you survive."

"What did it say?" Julia asked, her head resting on his shoulder.

"We got another Admin Override." Theo said, "And the Admin said that I should remain true to myself and my agreements."

Julia looked up at Theo, "What did we do to garner such attention?"

"I don't know, but I know that I'm glad that I garnered it with you," Theo said and kissed her deeply, and Julia responded in kind.

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