MischievousMuffin
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Incremental Torture - Chapter 66
🕑 Added 2024-06-26 12:23:07 +0000 UTC~ Evelyn POV ~
Property hunting had taken a back foot, again. They planned to get to it that day still, but catching up with her mother was far more important. Kayla agreed.
The woman had wanted to go off and start a preliminary search on her own, saying that leaving the family alone to reunite was the done thing. However, Evelyn refused to let her run off. She thought that Kayla should meet her parents. The quick witted southerner was one of the most important people to her now, and so were her mother and father.
She wanted them all together. And she knew the perfect place for them to go. Kayla was rather pleased with the choice of restaurant. Her parents weren’t shy at the dinner table either, and Evelyn’s heart warmed to see the glint in her mother’s eye when the colossal platters of steak and chips arrived at the table.
It turned out that her father had managed to get hold of her mother without her noticing. She didn’t check the local chat all that often so it wasn’t that surprising. Her mother had seen her messages, but by that point her father had already told her he wanted to surprise Evelyn, so she had opted to ignore them.
While it had taken Mei Han a little while longer to reach Haven than it had for Evelyn and her father, that wasn’t because she struggled to clear the challenges.
Her mother was a methodical and meticulous woman, and had opted to rest between floors and spend the full twenty four hours of time strategizing about her attributes and skills before entering the portals to the next one.
A smarter approach than hers. Evelyn would have benefited from a little of that, and looking back at her first ascension there were quite a few things she would change if she could go back, but that wasn’t an option.
However, she would take all the knowledge she had accumulated forward and when it came to her second ascension, Evelyn aimed to make it as close to perfect as possible. No losing skills because she had forgotten to push them into the required tier and no losing out on attributes that were close to 100.
So many things had happened between their last meeting and this one. For hours the group traded stories, struggles and their future ambitions. There was a little crying, but as was often the way with the Hans, not much. Though her father shedding even a single tear was world shattering. It was something Evelyn would’ve thought more impossible than the events of the past few months, but it happened all the same. It was a day of firsts.
And once lunch was behind them, they made their way through Haven, following Kayla’s lead, in search of Defiance’s first headquarters.
All that was left before they could found the guild was one more member. There were a few candidates, but it was just a question of when they would arrive in Haven. Evelyn didn’t want to bring a stranger into the fold, especially not in such an important position, but she would do what she had to if it meant challenging the 17th Floor quicker.
Kayla’s first destination was the commercial district of Haven. It was a bit of a misnomer, because you could find shops and restaurants all over the city now, but the main bazaar was located there and it had been the original location that people had gathered to trade before the property system appeared.
Although it may not have been the most suitable location for the guild, there was still some merit in being close to the markets. They would have an easy way to get more attribute points, skill crystals and as the crafters of the tower grew in skill and discovered more recipes, other supplies and equipment. And they weren’t just founding a guild.
Building Haven’s first bank in the commercial district seemed appropriate. Evelyn loved the idea and her mother just nodded, happy to show support for her daughter’s venture regardless of the outcome.
“I disagree. You shouldn’t spend money and save it in the same place. Think back to the cities of Earth. We always had shopping districts and malls, but with the exception of maybe a minor branch or the odd atm, they never had banks within. I propose we find somewhere without a niche and lay the foundations of a banking district,” said her father.
“You city folk and your obsession with zoning. I don’t get the hassle. Just pick the prettiest building and set up shop,” replied Kayla with an exaggerated groan and roll of her eyes.
“I defer to your father’s expertise here,” said her mother, ever the diplomat.
“So I need to make the decision then. You’re all cowards. Be bold. Have an opinion. This is going to be your guild too,” said Evelyn.
Despite her accusations, she knew her father had a point. He was being a little over the top in his reasoning, but having somewhere a little more secluded for their headquarters had more than one benefit.
Whatever a guild got up to, there was quite a high possibility that they would want to keep some of it away from the prying eyes of others. If the HQ was right in the middle of what was arguably the busiest street in Haven, there was no chance of keeping all their actions under wraps.
Also, it made sense from a branding perspective to set up the bank away from any other burgeoning businesses. Evelyn wanted to draw in as much of the population as she could before anyone else with the means to do so followed suit. Exclusivity worked wonders as a selling point. So, the commercial district was out.
“It’s too crowded here. We’ll need a bit more privacy, and to be honest the buildings here… Too much wood. When I imagined the bank in my head it was far grander. Pillars, steps, statues. The whole shebang. I’m not sure we’ll find that, but at least something that inspires more security than a cosy little village store or a Victorian-esque house.”
“That’s my girl.”
“You’re the boss, darlin’.”
“Sounds wonderful, my love.”
“Input. Suggestions. I need to hear feedback. Argue with me more. If I choose somewhere to found the guild and then two days later you all start complaining I’m going to run away and not come back until I’ve cleared the last floor of the tower.”
“Maybe hold back on the statues. For now,” said her father.
Evelyn noticed that her parents had been holding hands the entire journey. Cute. Had they been this close before the whole grace period nonsense or was this a new development? She was over the moon regardless.
“As long as it’s spacious and more impressive than Kyron’s ugly tower you can pick whatever you like,” replied Kayla.
“We’ve only just reunited, dear. I don’t want to argue with you. Though perhaps something with white stone floors. Like snow. That would be gorgeous.”
That was a start. With a few requirements listed, they would have an easier time finding somewhere suitable. Kayla said she knew a street which might have the kind of grand, romanesque architecture that they were looking for. Evelyn had been shocked she knew what romanesque meant.
“Just because I’m a simple woman doesn’t mean I’m a stupid one, darlin’. I thought you’d know better than to judge a book by its cover.”
“You’re right. Sorry. I don’t think you’re stupid though, but medieval architectural styles aren’t the sort of knowledge I thought you’d have.”
“Knowing how all kinds of buildings work is essential. Makes it all the simpler to bring them down. If one had any need for that sort of thing.”
All three of the Hans shot Kayla an odd glance. Evelyn was certain that she hadn’t been a demolition worker. Which made that last statement rather revealing. It was perhaps the most that she had ever revealed about her past. They would talk about it later, in bed. After they got the more exciting part of the evening out of the way.
Kayla was a magician. Evelyn had reawakened sensation in parts of her body she had forgotten existed. No one since Lyra had managed to push her over the edge more than once. And even Lyra couldn’t measure up.
“I should mention, after you designate a building as your guild headquarters, the property system lets you adjust its appearance a little. And you can even size up after reaching certain milestones, so we don’t have to get it perfect right away,” said Kayla.
“Why didn’t you lead with that?” Evelyn shot back with a little more venom than intended.
“Well you know now, so don’t give me the theatrics.”
“You can hand the interior design over to me, if you’d all be willing,” said her mother.
“What a wonderful idea,” said her father. “Mei has such a creative mind. I don’t think you’d find anyone better. Most of them are brutish fools without any flair for art.”
Evelyn hesitated to respond. Her mother was an incredible interior designer. Had made a business out of it, in fact. One of many.
The source of her trepidation wasn’t in the quality of what her mother would produce, but rather that she was worried it would remind her too much of home. Her upbringing. Even though the past week had done much to remedy the scars of the past, there were some things she would never forgive.
Giving her mother this would go a long way to rebuilding a healthy relationship, however. And the more jobs she could offload, the faster she could get back to climbing.
“That would be wonderful, mother. I look forward to seeing what you can do with whatever building we choose.”
“Perfect. It’s always fulfilling to provide what you can to these sorts of ventures. I had one other question, too. We need five people to officiate the guild, correct? We seem to be missing one person.”
Evelyn had an answer ready, given that it was an issue she had already been mulling over in her head. She never got to give it.
“Huh. Universe is a strange damn place,” chuckled Kayla, before turning to Evelyn and addressing her directly. “Open the local chat, darlin’. Our problem has solved itself.”
Local Chat
ANThea: Ohmigosh ohmygosh hi hi hi. Eve, K? I did it!! I’m in Haven. Or a bunch of hills, at least. Where are you?
K: Slow down, girl. I’ll come and get you, just sit tight.
Eve: Well done! See you soon. And press yes.
Invitation to the guild ‘Defiance’ has been extended to the challenger ‘ANThea’.
ANThea: OH? What’s this???
K: Just press yes, darlin’.
Challenger ‘ANThea’ has accepted the invitation.
With that, they were five. All that remained was the headquarters, and the oaths. They arrived at the street Kayla had suggested. The buildings towered over them, all stone and glass. A few had pillars, but not quite as many as Evelyn had been envisioning.
However, they would do. It was just a matter of finding which ones were unclaimed and best suited the group’s individual needs. As for what they would require to fulfil the business of running a guild? Kayla would have the best idea, but even she was in the dark. The tower didn’t reveal much until you got over the first hurdle, and the other guilds weren’t about to show their hand.
The first building on the street was out. It had an owner already. Though they didn’t seem to be home. Evelyn hoped they wouldn’t mind having new neighbours.
“It won’t let me swear the oath. I think Anthea needs to be here. How about I go and grab her now? it won’t take more than twenty minutes. Y’all know what I want from the HQ,” said Kayla.
“Sounds good,” replied Evelyn.
The next few buildings were a bust as well. One had some kind of mould infestation that none of them fancied clearing out, while another turned out to be missing staircases. And it had eight floors. They meandered along the cobbles, hoping that one of them would be suitable.
The exterior architecture was almost a perfect match for what they all wanted. There had to be one building available. Alas, the tower was cruel.
Not a single one of the buildings was habitable, and the ones that were had all been claimed already. As of yet there was no way to force an existing owner out of their claim, which left them high and dry. Evelyn turned the corner onto the next street, and after just a few steps she stopped in her tracks.
“Oh, it’s perfect.”
Comments
IdolTrust
Mama Han is here. The guild is about to be complete. Then the bank. I bet all of them would be shocked at eve’s essence per 6 hours gains.
