The Ancients World

Chapter 261: Waiting for the Signal

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The morning sun shines through the window and makes the room bright. I lean up from the bed, and I remove the sheets from me. I rub my eyes to get the crust out. Sally is still asleep, and from the looks of it. Hailey was able to sleep in the chair. I reach over and lightly shake Sally, and she groans at the idea of getting up. We need to be ready for the signal. It could happen at any time. Sally slowly lifts her body out of bed, and I get out of the bed fully and stretch my body. I quickly equip my armor and weapon.

Hailey starts moving, and I watch her eyes slowly open. She struggles too and has to get the crust out of her eyes. "Morning, you're going to have to pay for breakfast, Hailey. I'm out of gold." She finishes getting the crust out of her eyes, and she looks at me. She gets up and heads for the door. She's going to be overcharged for the food. The natives of Gaia are very unhappy with the players right now. They're overcharging in hopes of getting back at the players. Some players will feel the burn from their attempts, but not players like Hailey and me.

Sally scoots out of bed and starts picking up the clothes that she left on the floor. She doesn't have an inventory. She gets dressed in her gear and stretches her body. "I'm starving! Let's hope we can get some good food." Ever since we had the player-made food, it's been hard to eat anything else. Once you've had something as good as that, it's hard to find a substitute or replacement. We walk to the bedroom door, and we both head downstairs. I see Hailey having to put down a medium sack of gold for the orders. She waves us over so we can.

Sally and I make our way over and sit down at the table. The waitress comes out and is waiting for our orders. Sally orders a medium-rare steak, and I copy her. Hailey orders a hamburger and a side of mashed potatoes. It looks like we have a beef-filled breakfast today. The waitress leaves without saying anything else. "I have a feeling it's going to be hard for us new people to show our faces around public areas for a while." I nod my head in agreement with Hailey. Life will get harder for us players, and we can't do anything to stop it.

We've brought this on ourselves. In a manner of speaking. The fact that the natives of Gaia are getting caught between the battles we players have with monsters and forces after us is not good. It will help that a player is the next Pope, but without more high-ranking offices filled. I don't doubt the possibility of a purge. The natives will end up getting sick of us and will eventually try and rid us of Gaia. This is all a theory, of course. "You got a deep look in your eyes, brother." I look over at Hailey and see she's staring at me.

We all have our hoods on. You never know who could be watching after all. "I'm just thinking about the future... There might come a time that everyone who's not like us will get sick of our being here. There is the possibility of a crusade against our people." As players, we are a separate people. We have access to incredible things and grow in power exponentially faster than the natives of Gaia. I think the only thing really stopping them from purging us is the fact we are technically immortal. Even if they kill our bodies, they'll never stop us from respawning.

I'm willing to bet there is a secret lab somewhere. A place filled with the brightest minds of Gaia, looking for a way to get rid of us permanently. "You're not wrong, but it'll be fruitless for them to try. After all, we can just respawn." Hailey has the same ideas as I do. While we have immortality going for us, it's not like it'll be that way forever. It can be taken away at any time. I don't want to be arrogant about any of this. Taking the natives of Gaia lightly can bring greater effects to our future as a people here on Gaia. We need to be cautious.

While the group of three continues to talk as they wait for their food. Kelly James is in her estate preparing for her meeting with her brothers. Kelly James' plan is almost coming to fruition, and while she is excited at the idea of ruling the barony, she needs to stay composed and play this little game the right way all the way to the end. She wants to make sure that when Cera and Saliandra arrive after getting the signal, her brothers still won't know a thing. She wants them to be surprised at the manipulations that she has played. The truly masterful game she has won against them.

One of my maids finishes helping me get dressed, and I look into the mirror. There is still swelling and bruises from Saliandra's attacks. "My Lady, are you sure it's wise to go back out after such a short amount of time to rest?" The only one in my estate that knows of my true plans is my butler. So I get her question. My spies in my brother's estates don't know the full plan either. They won't like the fact I manipulated them, but they'll be free from their tyranny too. I'm sure that'll wash away, and ill will towards me.

My brothers might've stood a chance at seeing my plans and moves if they weren't so arrogant and self-absorbed. Not to mention abusive and hated. Their greatest folly was taking me for another regular woman who could be manipulated. "You are dismissed." The maid bows and leaves me alone in my room. While I don't like the looks of the swelling and bruises. They're only temporary. Once I'm done with my brothers. I'll call another healer to finish the rest. I make my way towards my bedroom door, and I head for my office.

The meeting isn't for another hour. That leaves me just enough time to figure out where my father's secrets were kept in his old estate. The only reason I'm alive is that I made multiple deals with Slayer Zern and Saliandra. One of those deals was telling them the location of the information regarding the slave business here. It's connections around the rest of Gaia. "He can have those problems... Better him fixing the ones outside the city than me..." I whisper to myself as I enter my office and make my way to my desk and chair to sit down.

I open my desk and pull out a piece of paper that my mother left me. She told me that my father's most important secrets would be revealed only once upon this paper. It's a magical one she had made for me before she died. I was going to use it as a trumpet card to take him out, but he died before I could set my plans in motion. Now I've found another use to it. Mom said that once the secrets are revealed, I'll only have a minute to find what I'm looking for. After that, the paper catches fire and burns away. His most important secret was his connections.

The location of the documents is bound to be on this paper. Its location is just as valuable as the information itself. I channel some of my magic on the paper, and words instantly appear. There is a single page, and it's filled with names, locations, and accounts. I look at the bottom, and I see what I'm looking for. He buried all the files regarding his work in his father's empty coffin. My grandfather died in a battle. Nobody could be recovered. So this is where he was hiding the information Slayer Zern needs. I memorize the account numbers.

I'm going to use those hidden funds to rebuild the city after I'm doing taking the barony. I hear the door open as the paper is set ablaze. My mother's greatest gift has finally been used. "My Lady, what would you like for breakfast today? You told me to make you a special breakfast for the day you succeeded, and I want to make sure that is what you want." I had forgotten about that. I nod my head, and my butler leaves. Today is a day of victory, and all the hard work that I've put in has finally come true. Everything is almost finished.