Agent047
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698 - Aftermath III
🕑 Added 2024-08-15 03:21:57 +0000 UTC"See you later," Aron said with a casual wave to Crabapple, Birch, and Cypress, before vanishing from the timeless meadow.
They had finally concluded their meeting, which had lasted more than a day, meticulously finalizing every detail of the handover process. Surprisingly, the tree folks didn’t contest the handover at all and instead directed their attention toward the next phase.
Since their children would be treated as ordinary imperial citizens, that part of the process was relatively quick. What consumed the most time, however, was determining the fate of the tree folks themselves—what classification they would fall under and what rules they would be governed by moving forward.
After lengthy discussions, they agreed that the tree folks would be classified as "special entities." Under this status, they would have the freedom to do as they wished, provided they did not break the imperial constitution and sought prior approval from the emperor for major matters. Additionally, they would have direct access to the emperor whenever necessary.
Beyond that, they would also be granted access to more information than ordinary citizens, particularly regarding government matters and the emperor's companies, with the condition that they do not disclose this information to anyone.
The part about information access was unanimously agreed upon, as most of the tree folks were eager to gain access to knowledge about mana. However, Crabapple made a special request to include information about Aron’s companies as well, driven by his curiosity. Aron readily agreed, but with one condition: Crabapple had to conduct all of his research within Lab City and grant Aron the right to use any discoveries made by Crabapple for his companies.
Aron also agreed to purchase anything the tree folks needed from his own funds, as long as the requests were reasonable. This arrangement spared them from having to lower themselves by working or using their children as labor to obtain what they wanted.
In addition to the benefits, the tree folks were required to participate in any upcoming situations that demanded powerful magicians. Their contributions would also be compensated once the situation concluded as that was the rule set by the government.
Moreover, they were explicitly prohibited from using their children for personal gain or to the detriment of other citizens.
Regarding the systems embedded in their bodies, Aron had already activated them but modified their parameters. Instead of being used to control or aid individuals directly, the systems now functioned as routers and access ports to the imperial network, including VR. Finaly allowing the tree folks to log in the VR and experience life similar to humans or proximians.
Additionally, the systems acted as monitors, capable of intervening if they violated the agreements. This monitoring function served as a backup for the mana contracts, ensuring that any potential loopholes or breaches in the agreements could be addressed.
“I need to check on the VR and see what all the hype is about, so see you later,” Crabapple said, eager to experience the virtual reality for himself. But he still waited for the others' responses before making his move.
“See you,” Birch replied. “I have some things to review before joining you.”
With that, Birch, Crabapple, and Cypress left the timeless meadow, which then faded away as they departed.
…………
[DING!!!!!!!!!!]
[SYSTEM QUEST COMPLETE!!!!!
Congratulations on successfully completing the system's emergency quest.
Quest Completion Level: Perfect
Rewards: +2 of the system's awakening requirements (provided).
Good job! Please continue working hard to further awaken the system.]
Aron’s face lit up with a smile as he read the quest completion screen in front of him. The rewards, having been directly applied, had significantly accelerated the awakening of his system. With only two requirements remaining, he was now closer than ever to discovering the promise of the system.
His actual body was currently still hovering exactly where he previous was, above the ocean, as he had immediately entered the timeless meadow the moment he received the update that the project protagonist nanomachines had competed their job.
{Sir, Empress Rina is still holding a humanoid prisoner and is seeking instructions on what to do with it,} Nova's message snapped him back to reality from his focus on the system screen.
“Oh, where exactly is she?” Aron inquired, planning to visit Rina.
Once Nova provided the location, Aron took off immediately. This time, he was not in stealth mode, meaning anyone looking up would see him streaking through the sky at Mach 50. Normally, such speed would create a deafening sonic boom, but he countered this by activating a silence rune around himself, which absorbed all the sound generated by his high-speed travel.
As he flew, he received updates on the planet’s situation. He was pleased to see that there had been no actual fatalities. The tree folks had prioritized rescuing those in the most critical condition, either shielding them or sending them directly to the nearest status pod. From there, they were transferred to Ayaka, who provided basic treatment to stabilize them until more comprehensive care could be administered.
“What is the mental reaction of the Proximians? Are there any signs of hatred between the races?” Aron asked.
{Since everyone knows the orders came directly from the elders, the anger has been directed primarily at the two elders who issued them. The absence of deaths has mitigated widespread animosity between the races.
However, some individuals are experiencing guilt from having attacked friends, lovers, and family members. This feeling of guilt is expected to fade over time.
A more detailed report will be provided later once the handover is complete and brain data is updated and analyzed.} Nova responded, supplementing her answer with footage that illustrated the current situation and the reactions described.
After a few more seconds, Aron’s enhanced vision caught sight of Rina in the distance. In no time, thanks to his incredible speed, he went from spotting her to coming to a full stop directly in front of her, where she hovered, still imprisoning the humanoid.
“Good job,” Aron said, offering her a hug. As he did so, he subtly deactivated the shield rune he had discreetly cast on her.
