Universe's End

Chapter 205: Soggy Broccoli

How did it come to this?

Looking around at the send-off, it took everything Rory had to stifle an exhausted sigh.

Really. In and out. That's what it was supposed to be.

Rory was, of course, talking about the fact that he, alongside the rest of their group, was subjected to what may as well have been some ceremony.

Casting a quick glare at Apostolos, who was currently mid-speech, fast enough that no one but another tier eight would have noticed, Rory resumed his passive expression.

It had been just a tad over three weeks since he'd confirmed to Apostolos his intention to leave Ehkorrus once more.

Also, a tad over three weeks since his conversation with Roxy, which had gone…. Unexpectedly smoothly.

After telling her his plans, Rory had expected some cliché drama to unfold, his daughter to rage at him, or something.

Instead, she'd shrugged, only a slight frown on her face.

"You don't seem surprised?" Rory had asked shortly after his explanation.

"I mean… yeah?" Roxy said without much emotion. "I've been here for eight years. You think I haven't heard the stories of how you vanished for decades? Knowing you, I figured it was because of me."

"Don't feel like it's your fault-" Rory had jumped in, afraid Roxy might somehow be internalizing it.

"I'm not," Roxy laughed, proving once more that she'd had nearly a decade of Rory rubbing off on her. "As long as you're not gone for literal decades this time. I know I'm going to be busy."

"Oh?"

"Duh. Now that I'm tier one, I don't plan to stay this way for long," Roxy flexed her arm, holding her bicep as she did. "Tier five or six is the plan by the time you return, assuming you don't vanish for like, a decade."

"Hah," Rory laughed, pleased with the gung-ho attitude. "What, are you gunning for Gil and the likes' jobs?"

When Roxy said nothing, just crossed her arms with a particular look on her face, Rory could only shake his head, further amused.

"Mariah and Jed have also reached tier seven, that's THREE tier seven crafters you're saying you want to upstage."

"I didn't say upstage."

"You implied it."

"But I didn't SAY it."

"Semantics." Rory chuckled before pulling the girl into a hug, who promptly began to struggle and complain, though without any real effort in pushing away. "Glad to see you'll be fine."

That had been three weeks since, and life had otherwise been relatively normal. Rory had offered to prepare things for her before he left, but she'd turned them down, planning her own independence, something she'd valued even as a young kid. Very little needed to be handled with Ehkorrus itself, and so Rory mainly had just relaxed in those three weeks, just enjoying his remaining time with his daughter.

That wasn't quite the case for everyone else. Once the news had been broken, crafters all over had volunteered themselves, with even Gil showing interest before he was swatted down as too necessary to the everyday running of Ehkorrus. The adventurers-

Well, technically speaking, Kai Rong is no longer classified as an adventurer as she retracted her status after becoming clan head for her family.

-had ended up being the exact few that Apostolos had mentioned to him before, Kai Rong, Flair, Harrison, Everett, Rana, Morales, and Jharrel. There had been some discussion with Ms. Thalia, a wild magic user, about potentially joining their 'expedition.' Still, after it was explained that the region they'd be traveling to would be volcanic in nature, the woman had dutifully retracted her name from consideration due to being 'badly suited' by nature of, you know, plants.

Kai Rong was 'second-in-command' as being the undeniable second strongest of the group, only behind Rory himself. There had been some arguments that Flair would make a proper third in command, given the environment was so suited for his abilities. Rory had shut that down by explaining that yes, while the environment did favor the younger man, most of the monsters -if not all of them- had at minimum a fire resistance.

Rory had helped alleviate that problem by crafting some tailor-made clawed gauntlets out of a tweaked promethium alloy that, with some rather clever inscription, could quite literally 'tear away' the passive fire resistance of monsters with enough strikes. Still, it was impossible at his current level to make it anything more than a gradual, building effect.

Adventurer side of the party aside, there were the six crafters, all tier six. Truthfully, Rory hadn't expected so many tier sixes, given that Ehkorrus still only had three tier seven crafters; Jed and Mariah had joined Gil in those ranks in the past eight years.

The rationale in the end had come from Irene.

"Look, I'll level with you. I'm trying to force a bit of a shortage."

"Huh?" Rory had asked, surprised.

"Because of your daughter," Irene said plainly. "While, thankfully, she isn't a clone of you-"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She takes after you where it matters," Irene had said, ignoring Rory's complaint. "Adventurer for a day, Crafter for a month. You've heard that adage, right?"

"Honestly? No."

"Why am I not surprised?" Irene sighed. "It means-"

"I'm not an idiot," Rory chuckled. "I can put two and two together. Crafters take longer to grow."

"Yes, well, the more motivated and ambitious, the less it holds. No one has been able to hold a candle to your rate of growth as a crafter, but then you're an outlier."

"Thank you."

"Wasn't a compli- you're doing that on purpose."

"Caught red-handed." Rory sighed as Irene rolled her eyes.

"My point is this: Roxy already has motivation and focus second to none. She was always going to climb far faster than any regular crafter. I'm putting a bet that, seeing a bit of a void that can be filled, she will be that much more motivated. Gil, Mariah, and even Jed, as artisans, are among the best we've got, but I worry at times that they forget their own focus. Alright, maybe not Mariah, she's a strange one, but the other two, yeah. Gil runs the entirety of our foundry, and Jed keeps getting elected as head of the whatever they call themselves now. A talented newcomer is one thing, but if it's your daughter, I think that will light a fire under them."

Rory stared at the woman for several seconds as his eyes narrowed.

"Irene?"

"Yes?"

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"Are you planning a power play?" Rory asked, his tone was more serious than usual. "Gil, Mariah, and Jed are some of the leading external voices, well, Jed isn't external as long as he keeps being elected, in Ehkorrus, outside of your own, but I digress. If they turn their attention to their own focuses, of course, we'd need new people to step more into their shoes. And would those people happen to be those that you would dutifully appoint, given the bureaucratic nature of what would be taken up?"

Irene was silent for a moment before sighing.

"Guilty as charged. Mariah is less so; she keeps to herself anyway, but yes, I am trying to consolidate some of the structural powers for myself. Gil is like a brother to me, and Jed is good at wrangling those cats that are our artisans, but I believe I'd be better suited to 'adopting' some of their control."

"Well, I appreciate the honesty," Rory said, waving it off.

"That's it?" Irene asked, surprised.

"Results matter," Rory said easily. "If you believe it will be better for Ehkorrus this way, then I won't stand in the way."

Irene relaxed until Rory leaned an inch closer.

"But just remember, Irene: I trust you. Trust that you have the best interests of Ehkorrus in mind. Roxy and Apostolos call this place home; they love this place. Do NOT fuck with that."

Bleh, I hate having to put on my serious adult face.

In the end, Rory hadn't been lying when he said he trusted Irene, even if she felt the need to play power games and politics. None of that interested Rory all that much, even though he had recognized the signs; he did have memories of Earth after all, and could recognize such games far easier than the citizens of Ehkorrus, who had never known the scheming of Earth. If Irene truly believed it was for the best, then so be it.

Of course, if she ever got any overly imaginative thoughts in her head, Rory would have no problem coming down on her hard. He wouldn't hurt her, Rory doubted he had it in him to manage that level of callousness to the first generation of Ehkorrus, but he could 'request' she step down if it came down to that.

That aside.

At the very least, the pomp and grandeur of their sendoff was nearing its conclusion, as the gathered faces were mainly the 'movers and shakers' of Ehkorrus.

Who they were, Rory had no idea. Oh, sure, he recognized some of them. Hao Lin Rong sat with an air of dignity. Jed was whispering in Irene's ear, and Mariah had somehow been dragged out of her hovel, but otherwise, most of the faces were vaguely familiar at best. He could have dredged up their names had he really wanted to; he had the cognition to after all, but then he didn't actually care to.

Finally coming to an end, Rory retreated to stand next to the Null Window as the little 'ceremony' concluded with time spent mingling with each other. Those who made their way to him first were actually the artisans who were coming along.

"Reese. Riley. Ron," Rory nodded to the three. How exactly they'd ended up with so many R names was a mystery to Rory, but if they were skilled enough to be selected, he wasn't about to argue.

Reese and Riley, both of them women with arms that could crack coconuts, gave him a respectful nod.

"Lord Founder."

Ron remained silent, but that was partially because he had no voice. He was actually one of the youngest tier six crafters, and part of that was that the man had sworn off speaking until he crafted something 'worthy of the Lord Founder,' which had surprisingly been enough to gain a skill similar to Scholar's Retreat, trading off the ability to speak for increased ascension energy gains.

The idea that apparently, I'm important enough to be recognized as a genuine skill benchmark is weird, but hey, I'm going to pretend it means nothing.

A minute later, another three figures strolled on up as Rory proceeded to nod to them as well.

"Annabeth, Elizabeth, Gon."

Annabeth and Elizabeth had been partially selected because they were the only family they had, married for three decades now. Without anyone to return to, they were perfect candidates, and their skills were around what would be expected of tier six crafters.

Finally, Gon. Or his full name: Gon Rong.

Heh. Gone wrong.

Gon was, technically speaking, a case of nepotism, or at least it seemed that way at the surface level. Reese, Riley, and Ron were all blacksmiths with a skillset related to the field. Annabeth and Elizabeth were both Inscription artists. Gon amongst their group, not counting Rory himself, was the only alchemist, unsurprisingly given that the Rong family was notorious for being a family of alchemists. The man was actually Kai Rong's nephew, though one wouldn't guess as much, given that they looked the same age.

Gotta love ascensions fucking with aging.

The reason he was part of their group was, in part, qualifications: the man was tier six and one of the Rong family's best, higher in tier than even Hao Lin Rong, his grandfather.

The other part was Hao Lin Rong himself.

"I'd like to run something by you," Irene had asked him one day, only a few days after he'd last spoken to her and warned her to watch herself.

"Shoot," Rory said.

"I was… approached by Kai Rong, who wished to have a meeting set up between her father and me."

"And? Was something wrong with meeting the old man?"

"He's younger than both of us," Irene said flatly before shaking her head. "But not the point. While Kai Rong may be the technical head of the Rong clan, it is Hao Lin Rong who still calls most of the shots."

"And?" Rory repeated.

"He very… firmly suggested that his grandson be added to the expedition group."

"I'm not sure expedition is the correct term; I already did the exploring, but whatever," Rory said, shaking his head. "What's the problem? Just say no if you don't think it's fitting."

"And that's the problem I'm approaching you with, given you're the one ultimately calling these shots. He's a tier six alchemist, albeit a relatively new tier six, so he meets the requirements we have internalized. The two factors I'm considering are these: On one hand, I'd rather avoid accusations of nepotism."

"Valid."

"On the other hand, I'd rather not purposely slight the Rong family."

"Why?"

"Lesson in politics." Irene had said, taking a deep breath.

"Never mind, not interested."

"In the early days-"

"Oh, cool, we're just ignoring me, yeah, that's fine." Rory sighed.

"The factions within Ehkorrus were fairly limited. You had your combatants or adventurer types, for whom Apostolos is generally the recognized 'voice'. Then you had your artisans, led by whoever had been elected head of the artisans. Finally, you have the 'bureaucrat' or governance types."

"Led by you, I presume?"

"Led by me," Irene confirmed. "The Rong clan has, over time, grown and expanded, and they now make up a large portion of some of our best alchemists. Mariah still is our best alchemist, but she's essentially a rogue actor who belongs to no real faction; you've got to cash in favors with her, unless it's coming from you, with whom she seems far more willing to work."

"Uh huh."

"We've now reached a point where the Rong Clan is essentially a faction in and of itself."

"Okay…. And?"

"Their loyalty is to you, not specifically to Ehkorrus. They, in their own odd ways, believe themselves the inheritors of your will."

"Bit of a religious fervor I'm not liking," Rory muttered.

"I'm not sure if I'd call it specifically religious, but I digress. With Ehkorrus continuing to grow, more factions will begin to arise."

"And with factions, self-interest," Rory sighed. "It doesn't matter if none of them are specifically out to undermine Ehkorrus, at least while I continue to exist as a looming deterrent. So, you want to bring the Rong Clan into closer ties."

"Effectively," Irene nodded. "So, thoughts?"

"Simple. I don't care. I have three main priorities: Roxy, Apostolos, and the overall well-being of Ehkorrus. These games of politics aren't for me. That's not to say that I don't understand them, but my advice to you is do what YOU think is best. You have my blessing and trust in that."

And thus, shortly after, it had been decided that Gon Rong would become part of the expedition. There had likely been backroom discussions between Hao Ling Rong and Irene, but Rory frankly couldn't give a rat's ass about any of it.

I witnessed enough of that shit on Earth, why the hell would I want to dip my toes into it myself here in a universe of magic? That's like being offered a delicious bowl of ice cream and deciding to eat soggy broccoli instead… Actually, I like broccoli, but it's beside the point!

"Lord Founder," Gon brought his hands together in an almost stereotypical bow, and Rory had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

Right, I'm convinced. I don't think the 'culture' that Hao Lin brought along with him is based on one he actively practiced. Too many pieces from different areas, too many pop-culture aspects of what 'Eastern' culture was. I'm thinking he stitched together their current familial traditions from the fragments of memories related to anything Eastern. But not like I was an expert, so I'll do what I do best: ignore it.

Conclusion had, Rory opted to return the bow, albeit less deeply.

"I appreciate seeing your family lend one of their promising members to my cause. On behalf of Ehkorrus, I offer my thanks."

Alright, just because I told Irene I have no intention of getting involved in the political games doesn't mean I won't throw her a bone.

"No, it is we who are pleased to be of service to the Lord Founder," Gon Rong said with another bow.

Don't laugh, Rory, don't smirk. That's disrespectful as shit. They don't know any better.

With all the crafters gathered, the adventurers, led by Kai Rong, eventually milled their way over as all eyes of the spectators watched intently.

Ugh, I feel like I'm putting on some show.

"Alright, folks, here is how this is going to go," Rory began as he gestured toward the Null Window. "Kai Rong will lead the adventurers through, crafters will follow, and I will bring up the rear. I will be holding the coordinates in place, so I will be the last to enter. You all will temporarily be exposed to corrosive spatial and void energies. Kai Rong and crew, I expect you to establish a temporary buffer with your own aura for our crafters here. It only needs to be for a moment, as once I pass through, I will take it from there, and we will be off. You will likely feel as if you're floating in nothingness for a moment; that is to be expected. Any questions?"

When no one said anything, Rory nodded.

"Then let's get this show on the road."

What followed was rather anticlimactic. The adventurers, led by Kai Rong, passed through, followed by the crafters, with the silent Ron leading them. Not having time to waste, Rory followed a moment after, not even sparing a glance back. Sure, he could have had some dramatic goodbye, but he wasn't all that fond of goodbyes to begin with.

I'll see them all in a few years anyway, no big deal.

And thus, passing through the Null Window, the Lord Founder left Ehkorrus for the second time.