Dream Superglue

((Author's Note: XenoWife's due is close enough now that I'll either have a newborn or be in the hospital for the birth by the time next chapter would be scheduled to drop. Thus, the branch will be going on hiatus after this chapter. I can't say exactly how long the hiatus will be, because there are a lot of unknowns with this stuff, but it will be at least all of Feburary. If you want more detailed updates on that, I refer you to the discord server.

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The rest of Friday and the weekend, John had mostly spent in the lab or hitting the books, while Qhila split it between looking into Dr. Breshnik and helping him in said labwork and studies. They had gone with that because the Apothecaries put more emphasis on talent in medical and medical-adjacent science and magic than on raw power. Despite some misgivings about their sources of information, the doctor was looking promising enough to proceed as though they were doing that, at least until Qhila found something concerning.

She hadn’t, and by Monday morning had concluded that she wouldn’t. What she’d dug up in terms of first or second hand mentions on Abyssal social media was either positive or griping about Apothecary prices in general. Meanwhile, the online rumor mill did have theories about bad things, but the only thing that had even as much as paper thin circumstantial support was one John wouldn’t mind if it were true anyway: that she had a secret affair with William Brighton.

Meanwhile, John’s Skill Level grinding was coming along nicely. In addition to the labwork, he had been going around with calming Pheromone Aura cranked to maximum intensity and coverage, and sinking any spare mana into Enhance Muscle and Accelerate Recovery. The latter was enabled by visiting Marisa, since he had discovered that while he got error messages trying to heal her, the attempt still granted Skill EXP. This, he had discovered in their first attempt at the Sexual Healing Quest, which was a resounding failure. He couldn’t concentrate enough on the actual act to get her anywhere while keeping the spell going, much less keep it going when he was getting excited. Still, things were progressing well.

The only downer about it was that Qhila had insisted on not meeting Marisa because she didn’t want to be registered as a citizen under the GRO. She was firm that by keeping some distance, Marisa would have better plausible deniability if the Order leadership found out Qhila was there as more than just a visitor.

Actually applying for membership to the Apothecaries was an extremely anti-climactic affair. Their page on the Abyssweb had an application form. He had filled it out on his phone before heading to school, fearing the often memed job application limbo of waiting for weeks to maybe get a response.

As it turned out, that fear had been for nothing. Dr. Breshnik responded during his last class of the day, offering an evaluation either Wednesday morning or Friday afternoon. Both would require skipping classes, and while the Wednesday one required skipping more, including an Art Class that he’d have preferred to attend, he had agreed to that one because it was sooner.

With that, he was expecting another afternoon of grinding Skills, but on his way home he got a mildly cryptic text from Marisa

[Marisa]: Hey Johnny. I know you’re prepping for the whole doctor gig thing, but I’ve got someone over that needs to meet you. If it helps get your nose outta the books for a bit, she’s a cutie. And if that’s not enough, I promise to make it worth your while later ;)

[John]: It’s been going pretty well, so I guess there’s no harm in taking a bit of time for whatever it is you’re up to. But if this is you setting up some sort of blind date shenanigans, we’re gonna see how much spanking you can take >:)

[Marisa]: Nah, she could just really use your help in particular. But if that’s what setting up a blind date gets me, I’ll get on that ASAP :P

He chuckled, updated Qhila on the slight change of plans, and entered the second Barrier Alley on his way home.

Marisa hadn’t been kidding when she called her guest a cutie. The girl was about Qhila’s size, with bright pink twintails, pointy, elf-like ears, and large blue eyes. She was wearing a slightly archaic looking white shirt, stretched across a chest that was nearly as big as Christie’s, and looked even bigger on her small frame. Judging by her downturned gaze, sunken posture, and drooping ears, Marisa hadn’t been kidding about the girl needing help of some sort either.

Charlotta [...] Tuknai
Knight Lvl 13
Squire of Nobody

“Charlotta, meet-” Marisa mimed a drumroll on an imaginary drum, “-John Newman.”

The pinkette, a gnome John was pretty sure, looked up from the living room table and raised a hand in a half-hearted, wordless greeting. He returned the wave with a bit less forlorn vibes, and she went back to looking down at the furniture.

John raised a brow at Marisa, who slightly nudged Charlotta. “Charlotta here has applied to become a squire of the Golden Rose. Wanna tell John how that went?”

“They said I was useless.” Charlotta’s words were barely more than a whisper, but her hollow tone was absolutely heartrending.

“That’s not-” Marisa pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay, guess I’m doing the talking. So, Charlotta has applied to become a combat squire a bajillion times. Only, the Goldies don’t put people from Feeble Races in combat roles. Not even Feeble contract mages. But our currently a bit soggy firebrand here had her heart set on her ideal of a real knight, Order doctrine and rank structure be damned, so she kept trying. Enough so that the contract mages have a betting pool going on how many times it takes before she gives up.

“When I heard she’d come around with another application while I was out messing up my leg, I figured that anyone that determined to fight the good fight deserves a real shot at it, and now that I know someone whose Innate Ability might be able to help…”

Letting more people in on what his powers could do, or Leveling Feeble Race people past 15 in general, before he had the added safety of a guild membership was risky. But given that Marisa had been one of the people warning him about that in the first place, she wouldn’t be suggesting this if she didn’t think it was at least worth considering. And he really couldn’t look at the gnome girl’s sadness and not want to help. Plus, it was only a few days since he had lamented that he and Qhila didn’t have a tank to do barriers with. But this definitely called for a full Observe first, concerns about the politeness of staring be damned.

’She gave up her home to become a knight, only to be rejected… I can’t just let it end like that!’ But it was also clear that he needed a bit more than just talking to pull her out of her head and get her to realize what was actually going on. And he needed her to pay attention and grasp how important it was to be discreet about what his powers could do for now. His own escape from the clutches of despair had always been his hobbies, but the only passion of hers that he knew about was also the source of the problem. Though maybe getting her talking about knight lore instead would help… In fact, that gave him an idea.

He nodded to Marisa, then took a seat next to the forlorn gnome and took her hand. “Charlotta, do you know about the Knights Hospitaller?”

She looked up at him. Actually at him and not just in his general direction this time. “Not… not much. They were an order of crusader knights, but unlike the others they had neither an Abyssal branch or counterpart, nor a connection to the Order of the Golden Rose.” A bit of surprise and a little bit of life mixed into the general gloom of her expression, but it was enough to tell him his approach had been the right one. And that detail about the Hospitallers was perfect.

“Do you know what their sacred mission was?”

She shook her head in response, after a moment of thinking.

“Their mission was to protect hospitals and healers tending to the sick and injured in dangerous places.” He paused briefly. “I’m trying to become an Apothecary. And if that fails, I’ll become some other sort of healer. And Marisa is right, my Innate Ability can help you. If you’ll help me become the best healer I can be, I’ll help you not just exceed the Feeble limit and become a knight, I’ll help you ’found the Abyssal Knights Hospitaller’.”

It took a moment before his words sank in, then her ears rose until they were pointing up instead of down and her eyes literally turned a few shades lighter. “You can do that??”

“Yes. I already pushed a kobold a bit past the limit. It’s not going to be fast or easy, but with time and effort you won’t just reach the standards of a knight, you’ll soar right past them. But my Ability can’t fall into the wrong hands, so until I’m safely established with a guild at my back, it’s important that you are very, very careful about who gets to know.”

She nodded energetically, setting her twintails dancing. With a look of enthusiastic energy almost bordering on the manic, she retracted the hand that John had been holding, produced a small knife from somewhere, and slashed her palm. Balling her hand into a fist, she firmly declared, “I solemnly swear, upon the last drop of my blood, not to tell a soul about the Innate Ability of John Newman, save those he has already told or with his express permission.”

While John’s mind was trying to catch up with what she’d just said, a feeling of pressure spread in the air somewhat reminiscent of the weight of Wentworth’s glare when he first learned that she was Abyssal. Only for a moment though, then it disappeared, and a status icon showed up in Charlotta’s debuff tray.

Blood Oath
Charlotta has sworn a blood oath. She cannot forget the oath, and knowingly breaking it ignites her blood, dealing 2500 True Damage per second until she dies.

“Damn girl, a blood oath? That’s some dedication!” Marisa clearly knew what was going on, and judging by the tone she approved, or at least respected, Charlotta swearing one. So while John was less than comfortable with the consequences of breaking it, he decided to leave it be for now.

“... Okay then. I’ll send you a party invite. Once you’ve accepted, I’ll explain to you how this stuff works.”

“Party invite? Like an adventuring party?” She tilted her head as the system window popped up in front of her.

“Ye-” he had barely answered by the time she tapped ‘yes’, “-ah, more or less.”

He proceeded to give her a crash course on the system mechanics, EXP, Levels and his special Gamer barriers. Explaining the game terms part was fairly easy, as it turned out she was familiar with tabletop roleplaying games. Meanwhile, the part where Leveling Up actually worked for real, as well as getting loot from barrier creatures, elicited the expected amount of awe. And a lot of enthusiasm. Very bouncy, distracting enthusiasm.

“So that’s, uh, that’s about it.” He shifted awkwardly trying to keep his semi from getting too visible. “There’s more bells and whistles for me personally, but we can cover that as it comes up.”

“Okay!” Charlotta more or less jumped out of the couch. “I’ll get my gear and th-”

She was interrupted by a message showing up in the party chat.

Gaia: You know, you forgot an important detail about the Knights Hospitaller. That isn't actually their name, it's a nickname they got because their actual name is something of a mouthful. Which is also why it was often shortened...

Gaia: …to the Order of St. John.

John rubbed his forehead with his palm while Marisa broke out in a fit of unrestrained giggles. “Please, please believe me when I say that I forgot that! I did not mean to imply that I’m some sort of saint.”

Charlotta was not looking at him, instead staring at the chat display. For a moment, he wondered if she had even heard him at all. Then she pointed at the name. “Gaia?”

“Uh, yeah.” John scratched the back of his neck. “We’re not sure if she’s the real deal or not, but she pops in sometimes to make fun of me or give me a Quest.”

The gnome’s gaze snapped to him, unabashed, reverential awe shining in her brilliant, blue eyes. “The Lady speaks to you? And gives you Quests?!? You really are a saint!!”

“No! No, I-” He was interrupted by Marisa laughing so hard she fell off the armchair. For a fraction of a second, he was concerned that she’d hurt her leg, but the laughing continued unabated. Then, just as he was about to try, once again, to explain that he wasn’t a saint, a system window popped up, disregarding the notification stack.