Chương 12: Sales Team

Ch 12: Sales Team Two days had passed since my first taboo training with Sahirah, and now I stood outside in the training field an hour before sunset, anxiously wondering whether any of the people I'd invited would actually show up for my extra combat class. Looking over the neatly organized pile of spells on the table I'd dragged here myself, I couldn't help scratching my head, thinking about how much effort would go to waste if nobody came.

It represented nearly an entire day's work, considering I'd gotten up before sunrise to inscribe the spells from Fire Moon for everyone to test.

"Why are you standing there like an idiot?" Glancing back over my shoulder, I smiled at the approaching figure. Yeah, I wasn't surprised Sahirah had shown up. If anything, her presence was so expected that it did nothing to ease my anxiety.

"I'm just worried we might've wasted a perfect opportunity to work on the second stage of the dual cultivation technique instead of doing this." Now that might be worth a try. We'd repeated the training we did in the atrium for the last two days, but the diminishing returns in repeating the first stage training had been merciless. It was still just as enjoyable, yet my mana had only climbed to twenty-eight while Sahirah's reached two hundred and fifty-five.

Compared to what we'd achieved on the first night alone, it felt like a bad joke. An even worse one when neither of our Constitution stats had increased at all. Sahirah stopped beside the table and uncrossed her arms to inspect the spells. By now, neither of us worried one might explode or activate by accident, proving once again that I'd mastered the art of making things Sahirah-proof.

"Can I keep a few of these?" she asked.

"No," I replied immediately.

"I already set a few aside for us in my room. You don't need to steal from the material I prepared for the class." She put the spell back without complaint and sat on the nearby bench, quietly staring at the training dummies on the far side of the field. She didn't ask any questions, though I suspected she was wondering whether I'd finally managed to create a spell capable of killing Mimics after skipping all classes for the past two days. I hadn't.

It turned out that a proper Mimic-killing spell required a lot of mana, more than my pitiful twenty-eight, at least. And no one was more frustrated by that than I was, though I was already working on solutions.

"Hey, Sahirah," I asked casually, changing the subject, "do you ever skip classes?" She looked at me with obvious confusion, so I elaborated.

"I mean Grey Culture, Language, Combat... even that Future Job Prospects class. Do you ever skip any of them?"

"When did a Mimic take over your body, human?" I couldn't help laughing. Yeah, I normally wasn't the one asking those kinds of questions. But something had changed since that morning we'd done our walk of shame back to our rooms, and I genuinely wanted to understand what my chances would be if I ever asked her to leave this school with me. Considering how things kept going, getting expelled didn't exactly seem impossible anymore. I met her eyes, making it clear I wasn't joking.

When she realized I was serious, she answered.

"I have never skipped a single class or missed a single hour of my work with the children. Some of us actually want to learn more about the world we're being forced to spend the rest of our lives in, Eric." Her answer felt like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. But... yes. I understood. My system still couldn't translate. I wasn't rich. Without the Mimics, I'd probably still be struggling to sell it. Of course she hadn't even considered a future outside this school yet.

A future where she didn't simply follow the path the Grey had laid out for all of us. Even so, the feeling of defeat didn't last long, and before I knew it, I was smiling again. Over the next few weeks, I'd prove to her, little by little, that we didn't need the Grey. All I needed was a few more allies, a version of the system that could turn a profit even without the Mimic crisis, and maybe a handful of inventions that only someone from Earth would think to build.

She raised an eyebrow when she noticed me smiling like a fool, but I kept my plan to myself. By the time she realized what I was doing, she'd already be skipping classes alongside me. I was convinced it would work. But before I could even finish my evil plan to corrupt the straight-A student into a delinquent, a voice from behind stole my attention.

"The others still doubt your magic, but I'm here, human." It was Niko himself, the Zufi alpha. He looked just as he had the last time I'd seen him: broad shoulders, brown fur, the white patch on his snout, and hazel eyes flecked with pink.

"Good to see you, Niko," I said. He turned toward Sahirah, studied her for a couple of seconds, and said, "So the rumors are true. The rare species duo really is–""Get lost." Sahirah cut him off before he could finish. I kid you not, Niko looked at me with the same expression as a puppy that had just been denied a snack. I laughed awkwardly. What exactly had he expected? A smile and a "good boy" for that comment? Well... that line of thought was dangerous.

I'd better get a hold of myself before the intrusive thoughts won. I wasn't about to lose a potential friend and customer over a head-patting incident. Before things could grow any more awkward, another voice drew everyone's attention.

"U-uh... hello?" We all turned at the same time. It was Zira. She looked noticeably more timid than before. Her pointed ears were lowered, and the hesitant pace of her steps practically screamed reluctance. Maybe the day she'd barged into my room she'd simply been running on panic, and this was how she normally behaved.

"Come on over," I said.

"Grab any seat you want. We'll be starting soon." As she cautiously approached, I discreetly leaned toward Sahirah and whispered, "What's her species called again?" Sahirah sighed.

"Finally gave up calling them elves?"

"She actually showed up. I guess she deserves a little respect." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. She leaned closer and whispered back, "They're the Driari." She glanced toward Zira, who still kept a respectful distance from the rest of us.

"They look down on eating meat. They look down on other species. I think they even look down on the Grey, they're just too cowardly to say it to their faces."

"That much I knew. What about their homeworld?" Sahirah answered in a tired voice.

"I don't know much. They keep their children isolated so they don't get 'contaminated by lesser cultures.' I know they have mana on their world and know how to use it, but I don't think they rely on runes. Their magic seems to come from some inherited blood trait." I looked back at Zira, and I just couldn't picture her being as bad as Sahirah described. Maybe every species had its exceptions, and maybe Zira was one of them. For now, I decided to assume that was the case and treat her like everyone else.

Time would tell whether I was right. A few quiet minutes passed with Sahirah and me sitting comfortably side by side. Niko was visibly struggling with the urge to start a conversation, though he seemed equally afraid of whatever Sahirah's response might be. Just as I was about to accept that only the two of them had come, I spotted two scaled figures approaching across the training field. Unlike the others, I couldn't read anything from the way they walked. Their pace was calm, almost mechanical.

Both were covered in green scales, with yellow eyes that looked even more predatory than Niko's. They stopped directly in front of me, their bodies as rigid as statues.

"I didn't think you'd come," I admitted.

"Honestly, I wasn't even sure you'd heard my invitation when you left my room with a copy of my system without answering my question." They remained perfectly still. One of them said, "You warm-blooded creaturesss have a tendency..." The other finished the sentence.

"... to sssay more words than need to be sssaid." Sahirah, Niko, and I simply stared at them, collectively unsure how to respond. Even Zira watched from her bench with a puzzled expression, apparently just as lost as the rest of us. Eventually, I decided someone had to break the silence.

"So... what are your names?" To be honest, I could barely tell them apart. The only difference I noticed was that one of them had a slightly darker patch of scales on his forehead. He spoke first.

"I'm Kip." The other nodded.

"I'm Kap." Then, in perfect unison, they added, "We are brothers of the same egg." I blinked. Same egg? So... twins? More importantly, did that mean their species laid eggs instead of giving birth? Yeah... I really had been missing out by skipping so many classes. There was still so much I didn't know about the other species. Hell, there were still similar things I wasn't even sure about when it came to Sahirah. Swallowing my curiosity, I decided those questions could wait. I'd learn the answers in time.

Rising to my feet, I looked around at the four of them.

"I don't think anyone else is coming," I said.

"So let's get started." Every pair of eyes turned toward me.

"Please gather around the table," I said. Everyone except Zira was already nearby, so we waited for her. While she joined us, I picked one inscribed sheet from each of the three piles and slipped them into my pocket, ready for the demonstrations.

"Each of you came here because I promised to share combat spells from a book you won't find in the library," I began.

"And I don't think you'll be disappointed. More importantly than the demonstration, though, each of you will receive several copies of the three spells I prepared, along with a detailed guide explaining how to inscribe them yourselves. That way, you won't have to rely on me every time you need another copy."

"Is that a human joke?" Niko asked immediately.

"For free?" Zira added. The brothers remained silent, but the way they stared at me made it clear they didn't believe it either.

"Yes," I said.

"For free." Pulling out the first sheet, I held it up.

"This spell is called Haste." I walked into an open area, well away from both the table and the training dummies. After checking the ground beneath my feet for anything that might trip me, I bent my knees and jumped, pressing my thumb against the activation circle the instant my feet left the ground. Mana surged out of me in a violent rush, as if someone had punched a hole through my chest and my very strength was pouring into the paper. The spell activated, and the world lurched.

A burst of invisible force seized my body and hurled me forward several meters in a single leap, the wind roaring past my ears before I even had time to realize what had happened. I landed hard enough to rattle my bones. The folded paper grew painfully hot in my hand, blackening at the edges before crumbling into glowing ash that burned my palm. I clenched my jaw, refusing to show even a hint of discomfort. Pretending the landing had gone exactly as planned, I turned back to the group.

"This spell can save your life if you ever need to escape a Mimic. Trust me, I already survived one because I managed to run." They immediately began whispering among themselves. I couldn't make out the words from this distance, but I didn't particularly care. Sahirah was close to them. She'd tell me later. Rather than getting offended by the obvious skepticism, I simply reached into my pocket and raised the second spell.

"The next one is called Kinetic Push." I stopped beside one of the wooden training dummies, held the folded spell between two fingers, and extended my hand toward the target. After carefully aiming the inscribed circle, I slid my thumb onto the activation point. Mana exploded out of me once again. This time, the force slammed backward into my own arm as hard as it struck forward. My shoulder screamed in protest as I fought to stay planted, my weak body barely able to resist the recoil.

At the same instant, the invisible impact smashed into the dummy, ripping it free from the ground and launching it across the training field. It spun wildly through the air before crashing into the dirt dozens of meters away, rolling several more times before finally coming to rest in a cloud of dust. I looked back at the others with a grin.

"I don't think this one will kill a Mimic either, but it can throw one far enough away to buy you time to escape." This time, nobody whispered. They simply stared at the shattered dummy lying in the distance, its wooden limbs scattered across the field. I didn't wait for their amazement to fade.

"Lastly," I announced, raising the third sheet, "there's this one. The Pain Inducing spell." Before anyone could ask what it did, I slipped it back into my pocket and gave my best imitation of an evil laugh.

"I can demonstrate it if I have a volunteer. But trust me, it's very painful. I still regret testing it on myself while preparing today's lesson." I looked around.

"Any brave soul?" Everyone looked at one another. Most of them seemed to expect Niko to volunteer. Maybe being an alpha carried that sort of expectation, even across species. Niko, however, looked at them as though they'd all lost their minds.

"This human built the system," he said confidently.

"There's no reason to doubt his skill with runes." Somehow, he managed to sound courageous while refusing. The others appeared to agree. Zira nodded. The brothers remained expressionless, which I was beginning to suspect was simply how they expressed agreement. Sahirah... Well, I'd lost her attention somewhere during the explanation. It didn't really matter. She'd already read the first two chapters of Fire Moon and probably knew exactly what each spell did the moment I said its name.

"If nobody wants the demonstration," I said, "feel free to take an equal share of the inscribed spells, along with one copy of the guide so you can make more yourselves." They stared at me as though they couldn't believe the offer. It took an encouraging wave of my hand before anyone finally stepped forward. One by one, they collected their copies, carefully counting the sheets to make sure everyone received the same amount. Once everyone had finished, I smiled.

"One more thing before you leave." I looked at each of them.

"Would any of you like to become my sales representatives?" That finally got Sahirah's attention. She stared at me as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Wearing the most shameless CEO smile I could manage, I continued.

"Here's the deal. Each of you pitches my system to the senior students of your own species. Every time you sell a copy for two hundred and fifty credits, you keep one hundred credits as commission." I clasped my hands together like the villainous executive I apparently was becoming.

"Sell one copy, and you've already earned the equivalent of an entire month's allowance." Zira's eyes widened.

"Count me in!" The brothers answered next. They both bowed toward me at the same time. I had absolutely no idea what the gesture meant, but I decided to interpret it as agreement. Finally, Niko looked me straight in the eyes.

"I don't need the credits," he said.

"But I want to keep doing business with you, human. So I accept." That genuinely surprised me. Until now, Niko had never struck me as someone who thought much about the future. Pleased that I hadn't heard a single refusal, I smiled.

"I hope today marks the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial partnership for all of us. And I don't just mean here at this school." I gestured toward each of them.

"Unlike Sahirah and me, your species have entire communities across Navar. The Zufi, the Granar, the Driari... there are cities full of your people out there." I couldn't help smiling wider.

"And if we work together, I'm pretty sure there are countless credits waiting for all of us." A wall of eyes, brown, yellow, green, and mismatched, looked back at me. This time, they all were smiling.

"That's all for today. The only thing I ask before you leave is that you get yourselves checked by a copy of my system. We don't want Mimics getting their hands on those spells, do we?" Well, I wasn't even sure Elitha would be okay with me sharing this with anyone besides Sahirah, but I figured she would have stopped me by now if she had any objections. After all, I had no doubt she could monitor this school far better than even Principal Dickhead.

Minutes later, Sahirah and I were walking back to our dorms. I'd slipped my arm around her shoulders, and she'd let me, both of us clearly aware that something was happening between us, even if neither of us had shown any interest in putting a name to it.

"You baited them with free stuff, then hired them to work for you without even offering a salary," she said.

"Sometimes you still manage to leave me speechless, Eric."

"Would the same trick work on you?" I asked. Instead of answering, she stopped in her tracks, forcing me to stop as well. My gaze shifted past her, and I immediately spotted two Greys waiting outside our dorms. Principal Zorik. And the old teacher, Niori.

"Uh... why are you here?" I asked.

"I just got back home to prepare this week's class and found a dead patch in my garden with the same shape as your butts," Niori said. Principal Zorik crossed his arms.

"You two took advantage of my sleeping hours to create yet another problem during a Mimic crisis. This will not go unpunished."