Chapter 45 - 『Heaven's Feather』

"Rubber Dick?" Roberdyck raised a brow watching as the small big mouthed Eve was running and jumping down the corridor, chanting his ill-given nickname. "So unladylike..."

"Thank you!" Apparently being called unladylike was a compliment. Something which confused the man in the first place.

The fully armored high priest watched as the girl vanished down the corridor, only to turn his head to see Imina and Termite come walking towards him. A smile donned upon his face, he waved to them as they approached.

"Roberdyck," Termite placed a hand on the Kind and Gentle Cleric's shoulder., a strange smile on his own face

Blinking a few times seeing the face, he turned his eyes to look at Imina before back to his leader. "Hekkeran? Why the strange smile, friend? It's as if you think God hasn't not blessed us enough."

Termite chuckled at his friends words and shook his head, "That's not it. We have job."

"And we embarrassed ourselves in front of Jack," Imina admitted rather quickly, running a hand through her purple hair.

"Oh?" Roberdyck took a step back with a brow raised once more at this, looking to Termite who apparently tried to skip the subject. "Well, what's the Job?"

"From what I understand… Collect naturally occurring Undead for Experiments done by the Imperial Magic Academy." Termite said s he let his arms dangle at his sides.

"Experiments?" The Cleric shook his head slightly, not exactly liking the idea of doing this job at all.

"I mean, you don't have to come. According to Jack who received the job offer, it's twenty five gold per Undead Head, living of course." Imina said sympathetically before turning her head to look behind them. She felt as if someone was watching, yet she saw no one there. Reaching up and nervously touching behind her ear, she bit her lower lip.

"Undead are Violent, even should one be able to control them… Will Jack be participating?" Roberdyck asked as he let out a soft sigh. The money was definitely speaking to him as he started to show some interest at least.

If he had money, he could afford to make a makeshift clinic for the needy on the property. Well, as long as he had Jack's permission. Though there was another route that Jack might take instead, which he took into consideration. It was only something that Roberdyck thought of however, if Jack didn't want more artificial buildings.

Turning part of the East wing into a makeshift clinic with a bunch of beds and equipment in one or two of the rooms. It was a good idea, something that could work.

As Roberdyck had assumed, Jack had thought of this.

"So where are we going?"

"So first we need to go and accept the Job with Jack."

"And… That will be?"

"Through Fluder, the Head Master of the Imperial Magic Academy and Court Wizard."

"A Job directly through the.. Court Wizard?" Roberdyck was rather surprised at this. He was unaware of the deal Jack had made with Fluder, so that was evident.

"Yeah…" Imina scratched the side of her face slightly. The fact that she could still feel eyes on her was bugging her extremely. Especially since she couldn't see or sense who or where they were.

"Shall we get going then?" Roberdyck asked as he gave Imina a once over, only to see Termite nodding his head in the corner of his eye.

The three of them would make their way down to the foyer on the first floor and step outside after collecting their respective equipment from their rooms.

Standing around the Fountain, they looked up towards the sky wondering just what kind of Job this would turn out to be. Zombies, skeletons and the lot would be easier to kill than to capture. That is what made this job risky, but the payment was unbelievable.

Would this mean they'd be heading back to the plains? Or would they be going from cemetery to cemetery in order to collect the bitter souls which refused to rest and grew hateful of the living?

When they reached the front gates, Jack and Arche appeared, teleporting beside them.

"I'm never going to get used to this..." Arche shook her head slightly at the fact that they had suddenly appeared outside. The light changes causing her to squeeze her eyes shut before adapting to the naturally lit environment, blinking several times in the process.

Imina smiled slightly seeing her friend, someone who she had been treating as a little sister.

Arche would step off of Jack's feet as she had been standing on them, facing him and then proceeded to peer over towards the rest of her teammates.

Shaking his head, Jack would place his hand on the top of Arche's head. Feeling her blonde hair which perfectly framed her face.

With a brow raised, she reached up and pushed his hand off her head, before grasping his hand in her own. The five of them would then make their way off the property. Arche essentially leading the way to the Academy.

Soon enough without much fuss, they were on the campus, a structure surrounded by tall grey walls with a gated entrance. With her few remaining connections, Arche was able to gain entry immediately without having to wait for Fluder to arrive.

Fluder came walking out of the central complex to meet them. "It is good to see you came so quickly, Graham-dono…" His eyes shifted towards the student which had once caused him much shame when she dropped out. "Arche." In a way he still felt the pride as a teacher, but he was still envious of those who hadn't reached their limits, those who were young.

The two of them nodded their heads to him, as if saying likewise.

Fluder took out what looked like a scroll, or a rolled up map stamped shut with the Court Wizard's seal.

Jack looked over the item as it was held out to him. He reached out and grasped it with his thumb and forefinger, looking it over for a second before raising a brow at Fluder.

"This is the map and list of your probable targets," Fluder said as he wanted certain types of undead, not just random zombies or skeletons with missing limbs.

"Ah..." Jack lightly tugged at the paper, pulling out the list which was wrapped around by the map. Spreading it out with two fingers, he looked over the details. "Zombies and Skeletons with all their appendages?" His eyes shifted to Fluder, "At least there aren't names here."

Raising a brow at this, the old man couldn't help but chuckle towards the stronger magician. "Their names were relinquished the moment they became undead. Only their tombstones can tell who they once were."

"Huh..." Jack's eyes shot straight through the man as he had said these words.

Fluder almost froze seeing the look he was begin given until Jack pulled out an odd glowing white object from his item box. His eyes traveled own to the item and he narrowed his eyes.

A feather, being held by its itty-bitty spine, was being held out to him.

"Remember, don't use the item. Only study it, otherwise, this is the only one you'll ever get." Jack uttered quietly as he made this exchange in front of all of them.

In a way, he was showing his influence over the Court Wizard to the members of Foresight. Showing it off as if it was nothing.

Fluder was gasping in awe, looking over the feather and holding it up to the light from the sun above. "What is this!?"

"It's called Heaven's Feather. An item that can theoretically turn a being into an Angel, a powerful being capable of laying waste to the land." Jack had plenty of these due to his repetitive adventures in the land of Angels during the duration of the game.

Fluder squealed almost excitedly, his disposition similar to a tickled child as he practically danced with the feather in hand. "This… Is the ticket to eternal life!"

"Yes, a milestone above what you have already achieved," Jack said in a voice that sounded more like a warning than a compliment or observation. "Just remember, if you do use that feather, it is the only item you'll get from me… And if you use an alias, your existence ceases immediately."

Fluder froze again for a moment before composing himself, clearing his throat as the members of Foresight were trying their best not to laugh at the odd display. Tucking the feather into his lavish tan and gold robes, he looked over those whom were present, shamelessly with a smile hardly visible beneath his facial hair.

"Oh?" Chuckled Jack, "We'll be going now. Have fun with the feather," turning away from the old man, the group would begin to head out of the campus grounds.

Arche remained beside Jack after this, bowing her head after turning to look back towards the Head Master.

Just like that, the five of them had left the Academy grounds and began making their way towards one of the areas on the now unsealed map.

Ruins a several miles from the Empire's Capital, a place in which has been kept at bay from overflowing with undead by Adventurers, has now become a farming location for undead!