Chapter 23: A Proposition

Chapter 23: A Proposition

He tapped the pickaxe’s metal head on the ground to knock the gunk off before putting it on his back.

I’ll store this until it’s repaired back to ‘excellent’ condition. There’s no need to use it for the foreseeable future.

Cal saw Tavia hurriedly waving him over as if afraid he would return to pickaxing the ground like a maniac.

“Relax!” He shouted when she didn’t stop. “I’m done for the day.”

Tavia raised a brow in doubt and waited for him to get closer. “And how was I supposed to know that? And honestly, I don’t think you know either. I’m reasonably confident all it takes for you to ignore the world is a swing of that pickaxe. I’ve never seen anyone focus on their actions at the intensity I just witnessed.”

“... Thanks?” Cal scratched his chin. This felt like another tirade, but it was different from when she claimed he was ‘lucky.’

It almost sounds like she’s mad at herself.

Tavia saw him staring at her curiously and quickly changed the subject. “You know Miren tried to leave multiple times? She was trying to get your attention for the past hour.”

“Miren?”

The girl can’t even talk to me, let alone hope to get my attention.

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Tavia rolled her eyes at his expression. “Miren told her aide to call you.”

“I see,” Cal glanced at Torin, who leaned on the side of the cart Miren was sitting on. The man looked bored out of his mind. “I find it surprising that Torin didn’t do more to grab my attention. He does not hesitate to show his dislike for me.”

Tavia giggled nervously but stayed silent.

“What?” Cal narrowed his eyes.

“He did try. And almost got split half for his trouble. Nobody dared to get close to you after that.”

Is this due to my personal dislike of Torin, or will anyone who approaches me while I’m working experience the same? I’ll need to warn Seris—wait, where is Seris?

“What are you looking for, Cal?”

He stared at the tree line to see if Seris was hiding there. She was an expressive girl around him, but she clamped up and became a mouse when other Initiates were around.

“Did you pass a young girl wearing hunting attire on your way here?” Cal was having unpleasant thoughts appear in his mind, even though he was confident the path to his station from town was safe. Especially after he had given Seris the necklace.

“... No,” Tavia gave him a strange look. “Why are you asking?”

“She’s my assistant. One of her jobs is to come here every morning to see if I want to order anything from town.”

“How did you manage to get yourself a—never mind,” Tavia shook her head resignedly. “She might have seen the convoy and decided this wasn’t a day to visit.”

Cal nodded slightly in agreement.

I’ll check on her if she doesn’t show up tomorrow.

“If you don’t approach them, we’ll stand here all day. They’re all too scared to get near you.”

He blinked at Tavia’s words, looked at the workers, and found she was right.

Miren looked like she wanted to be anywhere else—he suspected this was normal for her. Torin might have put on a bored expression, but the frequent glances the man gave him before looking away quickly told a different story. All the other workers had put a healthy distance between Miren’s cart, likely to avoid having to interact with him.

I couldn’t have been that frightening... was I?

Cal cleared his throat. “I’ll put them out of their misery.”

“Wait, do you mind if I come with you?” Tavia put on a pleading expression. “I really want to see the interior.”

“Er, okay,” Cal looked away quickly and approached Miren’s cart.

It seems that returning in time has some lingering effects. The affection I used to feel for Tavia remains within me.

“Initiate Cal,” Torin greeted politely. “Would you like to walk through your new outpost?”

He was taken aback at the change in attitude.

I needed to threaten Torin’s life to get his respect? Strange man.

“If you would,” Cal stepped aside and motioned Torin to the newly built outpost. He wasn’t surprised when Miren avoided his gaze and stayed on the cart when her aide led them to the outpost.

Torin opened the entrance and ushered them into the great room. There was no furnishing—not that Cal expected any—but he could easily imagine it matching his residence hall in the core guild with the correct decor.

It was concerning that the guild put such care into the materials they chose for what was supposed to be a temporary residence. It made it all but certain that the intention here was no longer a month-long stay.

“Your station is perfect,” Tavia gushed. “It’s isolated without being too far from the closest town. The guild provided you excellent housing, and most importantly, I won’t have to deal with all the idiots in the core guild.”

“You want to stay here,” Cal bluntly said what she tried to avoid.

“Occasionally,” she stressed. “I hate the idea of staying in one place, but I would like a place I can rest if I want.”

She’s likely beggaring herself by offering to pay for the furnishing. I should say no, but I want to do the opposite.

“Did you forget I live here too? We seem to get along, but this is only a recent change.”

“I was fine with you before the Selection and this attitude change, but I couldn’t afford to take it easy like you were, so I avoided you. Now, I’m sure it won’t be an issue,” Tavia shrugged.

I don’t know if I want to give up my privacy, though it would be nice to have her here. I wouldn’t be left with just the little beast as company.

“Let me think on it,” Cal shifted his eyes away from Tavia’s disappointed look. “I assume the other bedrooms are nothing special?” Torin nodded. “Then show us to the workshop.”

He felt the silence was a little more tense than necessary as they followed Torin.

Tavia may have been planning this for some time. She isn’t one for rash decisions... at least, that is my impression of her.

“Wow,” Tavia’s hushed word was the first sound heard when they stepped into the space meant to be a workshop.

Cal would agree with her, but he was concerned about the lack of reaction from his interface.

“It’s not necessary for me to say, but the Starlit Marble floor Madam Miren designed naturally gives a learning boost when involving mana. There are no runes involved whatsoever.”

He wasn’t interested in what Torin explained and instead stared at the flooring. It had a glass-like appearance with flecks of silver and gold set on a midnight blue backdrop—a standard appearance for Starlit Marble.

Why am I not getting the boost? Without that effect, Starlit Marble is just an overpriced stone.

“—possible to turn one side into a library.”

“It depends on what Cal decides,” Tavia nudged him to get his attention.

She got it.

Tavia must have known about the Starlit Marble before she arrived, or it could have been when Cal panicked and made her aware it was being installed. She wanted to gain access to it. There were some rooms in the core guild with Starlit Marble, but it was shared between hundreds of members.

For some reason, I feel more disappointment than relief.

“Are you getting enough of a boost for it to make a significant difference?” Cal asked, mind already made whatever answer she gave him.

“It will be invaluable to me,” Tavia’s violet eyes implored him to make the correct decision—for her.

“Fine, fine,” Cal made it sound casual, “make yourself at home.”

Being alone would have become tiresome. Plus, this can change whatever happened for Tavia to disappear in my last life.

“Really?” Her eyes went wider than it already was. “That’s great! Torin, let me see your catalog! I want to start decorating right—Ah!” She looked at Cal awkwardly. “Is that alright? You didn’t seem too interested in it before.”

“I’m still not interested. Just let me know what you’re choosing for my bedroom. I care about what that looks like... slightly.”

“Great!” Tavia chirped uncharacteristically. “Let’s go, Torin.”

The man followed Tavia, but not before giving him a last smirk and nod.

Cal was left alone in the empty warehouse, which finally got the gears in his brain to click.

Oh... Torin thinks that Tavia and I...

He shook his head and walked to the storage room, which Torin had neglected to show. To be fair, it was not nearly as interesting as the workshop since it was just a plain room with no special features.

However, this room was the most useful for Cal. It had places to hang his tools on the wall and was large enough for him to fit tens of wheelbarrows...

Cal facepalmed.

I’m a fool. I can have Orrin make multiples of each tool so I can have a backup to use while I allow a tool to repair itself for a week. I must tell Seris to give him the order the next time I see her.

He was still shaking his head when he hung the pickaxe on the wall. At the least, he caught that error reasonably early. It would be possible to upgrade the ranks of the backup tools and not have them too far behind.

Miren and the workers had included a convenient exit to the field right in the storage room so it wouldn’t be necessary to use the house to access it.

Cal left the storage room and stepped back onto his field. He needed to pay them the one guildmark bonus so they would be on their way. He still needed to pick his [Tier] rank upgrade reward.