章 76: Unexpected picnic
I leave the goblins to their own devices telling them that they should rest, restock their numbers, and try to repair the camp. Meanwhile, I have a meeting with Darwin to attend to. I have no idea what exactly I did but it must have something to do with those threads I saw.
Darwin meets me in the reception area. He's dressed in casual clothes and has a picnic basket under his arm. He looks like he is about to go on a fun outing not have a meeting with me. Navi, are you sure you didn't mess up something in Darwin's schedule?
<He will explain it to you. Just go ask him.>
Darwin sees me come close and walks over while smiling. He waves towards Valeria and places a hand behind my back to push me out of the building alongside him.
"Come, Guy, I have decided that we will discuss matters over a fun picnic. I especially asked Pata to prepare some seasonal sandwiches."
"Darwin, what's going on? Aren't we supposed to have a meeting concerning something I did?"
"We are but being in my office is always so dreary."
Darwin steals a glance at my face and immediately picks up on the barely veiled disbelief.
"Sigh. There is a number of reason why we are doing this somewhere else but the main one is that being inside that building will interfere with some of the tests I want to do with you."
"Is there a need to be so mysterious about everything?"
"What you saw was likely related to the subject of souls. Anything pertaining to that subject is normally taboo and will in many cases get you killed."
"That serious?"
"It depends on the severity of the issue and what kind of potential you have but yes, it is as serious as it gets. Souls are what make us who we are, they are no laughing matter."
We walk in silence for a moment. Walking through the streets next to Darwin feels so weird. We are monsters disguised as humans walking amidst many clueless people. I feel like it was only yesterday when I too was one of those clueless people. But what am I now?
"So, how's your family?"
Darwin's question seems incredibly forced. He must have been reading my expression again. Did I really look that bad? I shouldn't make him worry.
"They are doing well. My daughters are doing alright in school and Melody seems quite cheerful since she's started working here."
"That's good to hear. However, I hear you have quite a long way to work. Did you ever think about moving?"
"It never came to mind. Moving costs a lot and finding an affordable apartment is hard. Where we live right now is already as cheap as it gets without considering the dangerous areas."
Darwin stops walking for a moment and looks at me in shock.
"Guy, when have you last checked your bank account?"
"I don't remember. Why?"
"You remember how our payment system is set up, yes? You have gone through a very rare evolution, leveled up a couple of times, and made major contributions by leading that raid on the human village. I think you don't need to worry so much about the price of an apartment.
"Depending on how your next mission goes you might even be able to take a loan from us and straight-up buy a little house."
"A house?!!!"
I quickly pull out my phone and use it to access my bank account. The number that greets me after I log in makes me trip and fall. Darwin catches me with one hand and pulls me back up but I'm not sure if I can stand on my own.
This amount is more than I had earned working as a carrier for a full year. And how long was I even part of VR dungeons? Time had been a blur but it couldn't have been more than a month.
<It hasn't been a month yet. The number you see there is composed of only your first monthly salary and all the bonuses you received from instructing and doing well on missions.>
What's my current monthly salary? Without hesitation, Navi quotes me a number and I nearly trip again. Is this normal?
<You are a bit of a special case. Your instruction skill makes up a large portion of your current salary. Even if you evolve again the rise won't be as much.>
So I am being paid more than a monster of my power level is supposed to get?
<Not exactly. While your individual power is lower than what you get paid you have to consider the strength of all the creatures you can train. Not acknowledging the monsters you can train as part of your strength would be like asking a beast tamer to fight without his beasts.>
I guess that makes sense.
While I was lost in thought Darwin has dragged me along to a park. Few people are here despite the fabulous weather. The large field of neatly cut grass is illuminated by plenty of sunshine and looks very inviting for a picnic.
Darwin continues further into the park until we reach a small hill with a tree on top. Under the shade provided by the massive oak, Darwin sets down his blanket and takes a seat.
I also sit down on the blanket and watch Darwin open up the picnic basket with a gleeful smile. He takes out plate after plate of sandwiches with all kinds of fillings. The large blanket on the ground is soon filled with plates.
How did all that fit into that basket? Does it have a spatial enchantment or something of the sort? That would be a very costly luxury. And somehow I doubt that the basket is empty now...
"Come on Guy, eat something. Talking about serious stuff on an empty stomach is bad for your health. I would know. After all, I'm still fine after being chairman for quite a while now."
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