Chương 64: The Governor of Featherift

The 59th year of the Radiant Vigor Era. The 2nd day of the month of the Lotus. The day had begun like any other. But it was, by Jordan's count, his 101st day inside Vesselia's game world. Which felt like a real milestone of sorts, and he was anxious for the day to live up to the hype. Yet it had begun like any other. A rushed breakfast of porridge and preserved meats, then onto the drill square where the recruits got stuck into physical training.

By now, they were well into their archery module, which meant Jordan got to shoot some arrows at a painted target. Ten shots in ten seconds. Eight on target, with just the one managing to hit the bull's eye. Highly unimpressive, especially compared to some of the YouTubers who used to pop up on Jordan's feed. But it was the best he could do as a relative beginner. There was some intentionality behind his archery training, too. Namely, he'd deliberately focused on speed while sacrificing a bit of accuracy.

A 'specialization' that had been rewarded with: Feat enhanced. [Nezha's Blessing (Lv. 2) -> (Lv. 3)]: In recognition of your whimsy, you've gained a permanent [3]-point upgrade to Dexterity. DEX 17 -> 18 (modifier +3 -> +4) Agility: 1. 34 -> 1. 36 Together with: [Zhurong's Blessing (Lv. 4) -> (Lv. 5)]: In recognition of your labor of the flesh, you've gained a permanent [5]-point upgrade to Strength. STR 17 -> 18 (modifier: +3 -> +4) Encumbrance: 9. 0/255 lbs -> 9.

0/270 lbs Although the latter, of course, had more to do with his and the Gym Rats' ongoing mountain strength exercises. Indeed, the so-called Gym Rats had exploded in size ever since the Original Six had returned from their Bat-bear-slaying mission. Damn near the whole platoon had signed up for memberships now, essentially turning the hour of the Dog into a second training session of the day. Which hadn't escaped their instructors' notice.

Finch Quiverwing especially showed a keen (but silent) interest, taking to overseeing the sessions and offering some pointers here and there. The Ranger's experience-rich input no doubt played a large part in accelerating Jordan's progress from [Zhurong's Blessing] Lv. 4 to Lv. 5. Presently, Jordan lowered his bow to catch Finch's eyes. The Ranger's silent gaze flicked between the recruit and his rather mediocre grouping, then settled back to perfect neutrality.

Which was about as close to'keep doing what you're doing' as you were ever gonna get from Finch Quiverwing. Jordan smiled to himself, grateful for the endorsement. It was a little hard to believe just how comfortable he now felt among fellow soldiers. Especially considering how his first day had gone: a horrible misstep at Zhurong's Day inspection, followed by getting knocked out cold by none other than Finch himself. Compared to that, the Jordan of today was a completely different person. And yet…

a part of him worried whether he'd grown too comfortable. He was, to be sure, highly satisfied with his physical improvement: healthy BMI, sturdy muscles, and a bunch of extra [Blessings] in [Strength], [Dexterity], and [Constitution]. On the flipside, his soft skills were a little lacking, with [Intelligence] and [Charisma] especially still stuck on Lv. 2 upgrades. He would have to seek out more opportunities to flex those kinds of muscles—a difficult proposition within the confines of the city barracks.

Then, of course, there was the matter of mana. Ever since the manic episode that had seen him jump from 10, 000 cc to 50, 000 in a matter of days, progress on that front had stagnated. With the apparent 'disappearance' of the Garuda, things in Featherift had gone back to normal. No more general levy. And no more sending lowly recruits out on dangerous missions meant for veterans. Which was all fine and dandy for Jordan's friends in the Army, and for the people of Featherift at large. But for Jordan himself?

He knew he couldn't go on like this. Sooner or later—sooner rather than later—he would have to strike out on his own. His new VC of 100, 000 cc yet beckoned, and so did the overarching goal of opening the Nine Gates of Ascension. To that end…

"Recruit Yu. With me." Jordan would recognize that sneery voice anywhere. Sure enough, Heron Catchgrain had wandered onto the drill square, eyes on just the one recruit. The Ranger was dressed rather formally for a weekday—patterned vest over a full-body robe—which no doubt would've raised more than a few eyebrows. But Jordan knew what was up. And his heart leapt at the sight of Heron in his Heaven's Day best.

"Is it happening?" Jordan lowered his voice to a whisper as he joined Heron on the edge of the drill square.

"It never ceases to amaze how imprecise you are in your speech," Heron groused, also in a whisper, "but if you're referring to Governor Saddleback's response to your request… yes, he's here."

"Awesome! Wait, he's here? Like here in the barracks?"

"Yes. Because unlike you, I take pride in the precision of my word choice. Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are, but far be it for me to question the day-to-day of an Imperial official. Normally, we'd"—Heron looked Jordan up and down with obvious distaste—"clean you up before presenting you, but… it can't be helped that the Governor is a busy man. Follow me." With that, Heron led Jordan into a near-empty classroom. It was really the only place in the barracks fit to receive a guest of honor.

And the man in question already sat kneeling on one of the straw mats, looking rather like a fancily dressed student himself. The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. <Character Sheet> Name: KENTON SADDLEBACK Race: Human Age: 32 Class: Scholar, Lv. 13 Vessel: Gourd of Clarity"Ah!" the Governor's surprisingly youthful face lit up as soon as Jordan walked in.

"The legendary Gatekeeper Yu. I'm delighted that we finally get to meet. Please, sit, sit." The man gestured toward an empty straw mat in front of him as though it were an honored seat at a dining table. Jordan hesitated. It wasn't just the Governor's age (samesies!) that had caught him off guard, but also how well put together he was. Lustrous hair immaculately bundled with a bejeweled headpiece. Porcelain skin, twinkling eyes, and chiseled jawline.

If this man were to walk around in 21st-century Earth, he'd likely be mistaken for a K-pop idol! A subtle kick by Heron helped Jordan unfreeze. He hastily performed the palm-over-fist with a slight bow, then folded himself onto the straw mat. Sat across from this perfect specimen of a Stormvaster male, he became self-conscious of his own disheveled appearance, fresh off the drill square. But the Governor's next words weren't addressed to him.

"Ranger. Leave us, if you please." The man didn't so much as glance at Heron, amiable gaze locked onto Jordan. The latter also chose to maintain eye contact, so he only heard Heron leave the room—measured footsteps followed by the door sliding shut.

"There," the Governor said, voice as smiley as his face, "now let us speak freely."

"About something you couldn't have said in Heron's presence?" Unbelievable. Jordan's first words to the Governor of Featherift, and he'd already come out swinging. But Kenton Saddleback only widened his smile.

"I should think that would depend on you, Gatekeeper. Is there something you want to ask me that you wouldn't want your instructor to listen in on?"

"Not really. I'm sure you're here to deliver the important news anyway, whether good or bad. But… I guess while I have you, I wouldn't mind getting an inside scoop on the whole Garuda situation." At this, the Governor sat up, as though a new thought had occurred to him.

"Nezha bless you, you really are just as I've heard. Perfectly fluent in the Common Speech, yet you do wield our language with peculiar combinations of words, Jordan Yu. I can call you Jordan, can't I?"

"Huh? Uh, sure. Knock yourself out." Jordan's mind wandered even as he answered in the affirmative. The Governor's words had reminded him of something… but what?

"Splendid. And please, call me Kenton. I can already tell that we'll be fast friends."

"S—sure, Kenton. Will do." Kenton refreshed his smile.

"Now, to answer your question. The Garuda situation has… resolved, as far as we can tell. It's a shame that she got away in the end, but… you and your companions must have put the fear of Featherifters in her. It's been a month since, and there's been no sighting of her or her horde of [Frenzied] monsters. The province—and I as its Governor—must thank you, Jordan Yu." With that, Kenton Saddleback lowered himself into a deep bow, deep enough for his head to touch the floor.

Jordan didn't know how to react other than to return the gesture to a somewhat lesser degree. Then, as both men raised their heads, Jordan went on to ask,"So… no signs of her anywhere? Like, at all?" Kenton considered this for a moment.

"If you must know, there was a vagabond we apprehended in the now abandoned shantytown. He had in his possession a striking green feather, which he swore up and down he'd picked up off the side of the street. We released him after several hours of fruitless questioning. Now, whether or not that's a sign of the Garuda's recent activities, I leave to your judgment." Jordan nodded, trying his best to look casual and disinterested. In fact, it was all he could do to keep a self-satisfied smirk off his face.

Guess she did come home, after all, but only to say hi to an old friend. Now she's off to Fuxi knows where, living her best life, I would hope. Wherever she is, she's keeping a low profile. And given everything that's happened, maybe that's for the best. Intelligence DC 20: failure Fuxi:"For the record, I do not know where the Garuda has flown off to. And even if I did, I'm not obliged to share the information."

"Now, onto the matter at hand." A little of the amiable smile faded as Kenton straightened in his seat. He reached into the sleeve of his fancy robe and pulled out a piece of letterlocked paper.

"This," the Governor explained with due ceremony, "is a document inked by Emperor Kardy Goldcrest himself. It's a special dispensation to discharge you from the Imperial Army in good standing and to absolve you from any legal or financial obligations tied to the premature termination of your training. Count your blessings, Jordan. Discharges of this nature are extremely rare. I've had to go above and beyond to help you procure not just one but two—""So you did it!" Jordan blurted, excited beyond propriety.

"You managed to get two discharge papers! One for me, and one for—""Yes," Kenton cut in, and for the first time since the conversation had started, his eyes flashed with something that approached warning, "but I wasn't done telling you how much I'd had to work for these papers. You see, it wasn't enough that I wrote directly to the Emperor and gave my personal endorsement. I also had to call in a favor … from someone much closer to the Emperor than myself." Jordan frowned, but only slightly.

It sounded as though the Governor was saying something rather mysterious, but Jordan's mind had yet to get past his excitement about the initial news.

"It seems to me," Kenton continued, "that some interesting people in interesting places have taken notice of you, Jordan Yu. And I can't blame them. For I myself find your… story … endlessly fascinating. I wonder…" Oh, here it comes, Jordan thought warily. This is what I've been dreading. The part where a switched-on NPC finally starts to poke around where I don't want them to. And maybe that was exactly what Kenton had meant to do.

But then, after a moment, the man's twinkling eyes and chiseled jawline relaxed once more into a perfectly amiable smile.

"No, it's nothing," Kenton said with a slight shake of the head. He then stood abruptly with a smooth, graceful motion.

"I shan't take any more of your time, Jordan. Now that you're free to go anywhere you like, I'm sure you'll be busy preparing for the next leg of your journey." Jordan too stood, hastily and a little more clumsily than his counterpart. He was then dismayed to learn that Kenton had a good couple of inches on him… though exactly why that upset him, he couldn't really say.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks for everything, Kenton. You've got my vote in the next election. D—do you guys do elections here?" In the midst of his rambling, Jordan had stuck out a hand. Force of habit, refusing to die even after a hundred days in Stormvast. Kenton looked at the outstretched hand, smiled, then shook it firmly. Competently.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again, Jordan Yu. But in the meantime, farewell. Yours is a road never before traveled in the annals of our great nation.

'Twould be my honor to be but a humble footnote in the final telling."