CHAPTER 99: TEA WITH EIRLYS

I logged off, expecting Anshur to be sitting on my bed with a gimp suit and a dog’s muzzle... But she didn’t, quite reassuring, it was.

I had a good night sleep, tomorrow... I’ll go to Eirlys for the details on the two abnormal bosses. Then I’ll go looking for a hidden camera at an electronic shop or something, because ordering online could compromise me.

Now... The problem is... Where’s Eirlys office?

After asking around, I found it, and knocked on the door.

Eirlys Sonder opened it, and I took a moment to marvel her excellency.

A casual business woman with neat, tied white hair, fit figure, strong chin, and very sharp eyes.

"Cory, Anshur, what are you two doing this early? It’s not even breakfast."

I was horrified as what she said, and I looked around. Indeed, Anshur von Rodolfo was there.

"I must serve Ms. Smith and make sure I gain her trust." She answered, "So, I am escorting her through the mansion, and I have finished my morning duties, madam."

Eirlys nodded, looking at me for my answer as I turned back to her.

"I was going to talk to you about some ingame stuff." I said, a bit trembling.

"Come in then." She said, then looking up at Anshur, "Is this something that need privacy?"

I didn’t even dare to look back as I gave my answer.

"N- No... She can come."

Eirlys’ office was the kind of room you’d expect from someone with wealth carved into their bones.

Tall windows let in the pale dawn light, the shelves behind her desk stuffed with tidy rows of thick, leather-bound ledgers and crisp documents.

I stood awkwardly at the door as it closed, Anshur trailing just behind like my unwanted shadow.

As we sat, Anshur began to pour tea for the two of us, her presence at my back as sharp as a knife against the throat.

"Our dress does not particularly suit you, now that I have a good look..." Eirlys commented, "Would you like to buy something else."

"No no no no... I like this."

I lied, I just didn’t want to cause anymore trouble, and I quickly continue to divert the conversation.

"Before we begin..." I said as I receive my tea, trying not to sink into my seat too comfortably. "I just wanna say that I appreciate you letting me stay here, you know... The shelter, the food, the baths, and like, the general princess lifestyle, really... I feel like I’m in a Chinese drama"

"You’re hardly an inconvenience," Eirlys said, dismissively elegant as ever, she raised her own cup with practiced grace, the pinky stretched, "Sometimes I forget you’re even here... We’ve had guests that cost more in an evening than you do in a week."

I forced a laugh, but inside I was reeling. Weird flex bro... Like, was it to hammer home the fact that these people were too rich to even notice a parasite like me?

Before I could say something hospitalic like "I appreciate it, really." and "I wish I could do more for you". Eirlys’ eyes sharpened as she spoke once more.

"Now. What really happened yesterday? You weren’t just... staying up with a friend, don’t insult me by calling me gullible."

Anshur’s tone was syrupy, but the weight behind it made my neck prickle.

"Yes, Ms. Smith, you should tell us."

I smiled, sitting even more up right, and lied through my teeth.

"Nope... Uh- That’s exactly what it was, the whole story was boring like that... I promise."

Eirlys studied me for a long, unbearable moment before finally sighing and looking down at her tablet, uninterested.

The tension eased only slightly, so I pushed ahead.

"Anyway, what I actually wanted to ask, what’s an unbeatable end-game enemy doing in a Cleric feat Warlock quest?"

That wiped the calm right off her face, as she snapped onto my eyes.

"What did you say?" Eirlys’ voice cut low and sharp.

"Uh, hello? The Null Shepherd?" I said plainly. "It ambushed me and Hailie in Wroeg’s Hollow while we were running her Cleric quest, I was escorting her per the Wish system in the Warlock quest... That thing almost killed us both, be barely made it out."

Eirlys slammed her palm on the desk, rattling the cups, and startling the both of us.

"Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?!"

"Wa- Huh... What? I- You..." I blinked like an idiot. "I thought that Hailie... I thought Hailie would’ve told you. She’s your sister, she talks a lot, too."

"The Null Shepherd... God, you two..." Eirlys pinched the bridge of her nose, groaning. "Unbelievable."

Behind me, Anshur had gone silent, content to refill our cups with unnerving calm. She was fulfilled knowing I wasn’t here to snitch.

"Cory..." Eirlys finally lowered her hand, exhaling slowly. "I expected you to come in here about the Titan of Ashen Bark, that, at least, I knew about... Complaints have been flooding in from the third raid participants."

"So that one was on purpose?" I tilted my head.

"Yes, it was intentional, though outside my jurisdiction, I don’t touch important codes or the events." Her tone was clipped, defensive. "But the Null Shepherd? Absolutely not, it shouldn’t be seen before level 600, in fact, it isn’t in our VR plans at all, it was practically scrapped until we have plans for it."

That sent a chill down my spine.

"So... Most definitely a bug." I said.

"I’ll look into it, but if it’s not..." Eirlys replied.

The room went quiet, we both sighed, realizing that this was way more serious than it should’ve been as thought buried our minds.

Then Eirlys Sonder would lean forward, clasping both hands.

"Help me get to the bottom of this, Cory," she said firmly. "Do that, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely."

Handsomely, she said?

My gaze slipped down to her boobs immediately.

But not for long, because just for another half a second, I feel my shoulders being pinched.

I jolted as I looked behind me, as Anshur’s hands were on my shoulders, massaging with a little too much force. She was being gentle enough to pass as service, yet threatening enough to make my stomach twist.

"Yeah," I said quickly, nodding while averting my eyes. "I’ll help you with that... If I can, but you should check it out on your end, to make sure it wasn’t a bug."

"Will do." She said.