My mom asks to talk to me privately, away from Marie, and starts to question me about where I’m getting the money to buy all this stuff. She hedges around her concerns, but eventually asks if I’m selling drugs or doing something else illegal. I’m offended at first but realize how it must look from her point of view. Her son, who works at a convenience store and whose paycheck mostly goes to helping with household bills, suddenly has money to buy rather expensive presents. In this neighborhood, the easiest way to make that kind of extra money quick is to get involved with something illegal. Still, it hurts that my mom would think I’d go down that path.
When I explain to her that I got another part-time job, she’s embarrassed that she questioned me. Though when she asks me about what kind of job I found, I’m not sure what to say. After all, I can’t exactly tell her that I’m fighting monsters in a dungeon. Instead, I tell her that I’m doing some clerical work for Lillian. My mom is surprised to hear that Lillian runs her own business and of course asks how that relationship is going. I almost panic, not sure how my mom knows that I’ve developed feelings for Lillian. Then I remember that Lillian told her that we were dating. I assure my mom that things are good for Lillian and I. My mom is pleased to hear that and leaves to make sure there’s enough food for Lillian when she comes over.
Comes over? I guess it would be weird if my girlfriend didn’t visit during Christmas. I head to my room and call Lillian and explain that my mom expects her to come over. Lillian agrees, but makes me promise to attend her holiday office party. Within minutes, Lillian is knocking on our front door holding presents for my mom and Marie. When I ask Lillian where she got two last-minute gifts, she just pats my cheek and tells me not to worry about it. Christmas morning is spent with the four of us talking and eating. Lillian gets the third degree from Marie, who’s a little upset she’s the last person to know her brother finally has a girlfriend.
Lillian and I leave the house around noon, under the pretext of having to set up for Lillian’s office party. The two of us walk around the corner and use the first door we see to port to Lillian’s office. Once there, she really does make me help set up for the office party which is only a couple hours away. In addition to John and me, Lillian has invited some of the people she met at the Halloween party, her friends, and a few business associates.
I’d never been to a real holiday party before and am surprised at how dressy people get. Guys show up in slacks, dress shirts, and holiday sweaters. The ladies wear dresses. The only time I’d ever worn a suit was when my grandparents died, and I had to go to the funeral. I feel out of place in my jeans and Star Wars t-shirt. Still, the night is fun, and no one cares about my attire, especially once everyone starts to drink. John gets completely smashed and tries to tell me about the adventures that he and Lillian’s father had but everything he says slurs together. I laugh when he does and nod appreciatively when I think it’s appropriate, but honestly, I don’t understand half of what he says. I know he’s had way too much to drink when he tries to kiss my cheek when the two of us wander under the mistletoe. The party lets up about 1 am and everyone ports home. That’s one good thing about the System. No one has to drive home drunk; they just port anywhere they need to go.
Chapter 34
January marks the end of the Christmas break and the beginning of the short, six-week Winter semester. Since it’s so short, I decided to only take two classes—Computers and English. Even though I haven’t decided on a major yet, English courses are a requirement for all of them. I’m taking computers just because it seems fun.
In January, Lillian also registers the company officially for the System Games. So now everyone competing knows that I’ll be on her team.
The college’s winter semester is intense because it only lasts six weeks. Before I know it by mid-February, it’s time for finals. The computer class I chose turned out to be way too easy, and I ended up finishing the final within half an hour. For the English final, I had to turn in a short story. They say to write what you know about, and the teacher loved my story about being trapped in a game world. She said the descriptions were very vivid and lifelike.
In addition to A’s in the classes, I gain three skills: Writing, Computer Knowledge, and Computer Interface. Writing at level 2 just improves my ability to put words into coherent sentences, but the guidebook says at higher levels it also stirs the creative writing juices. Computer Knowledge is precisely what it seems, it helps me absorb the technical details of what makes a computer work and at later levels gives insight into systems I haven’t studied yet. Computer Interface is really cool though. It enhances my ability to interact with any computer system. At the earliest levels, it makes the computer run faster as I use the interface. Which alone is great since it means I won’t feel like throwing my keyboard when the computer takes too long to do something. However, the guidebook says at higher levels I won’t even need to use a keyboard but will be able to communicate with computers directly. Almost like they’re NPCs from the dungeons.
The spring semester starts almost as soon as the winter semester finishes. I sign up for another Algebra class, chemistry, physics, and a piano class just for fun.
It’s about this time that more System based companies try to hire me away from Monsters Squashers Inc. I mean, I’d gotten a few messages after the Christmas party inquiring if I was employed by anyone. But those companies were merely interested in hiring an entry-level dungeon clearer.
However, since Lillian registered me with her team, I’ve been getting System messages from companies offering thousands of credits to just quit my job at Lillian’s corporation and even more if I’d join them. It seems like they’re more interested in stopping Lillian from participating in the System Games than actually hiring me because I’m good at something.
I politely decline all the job offers, but after a few weeks, some of the recruiters start to get rather aggressive. They issue veiled threats in the messages they send. Some of which come to my house in the ordinary mail. I don’t even respond to those messages, and when I finally tell Lillian about the offers she’s not surprised. Instead, she suggests we increase my training regimen in case anyone actually tries to follow through on their threats.
I’d been training my skills in crafting with John over the last five months and get Trap Making to level 6, Gadget to level 4, Weapon Design up to level 4. Also, I’ve been training with Lillian in the dungeons on a combination of skills and abilities that work with my fighting style. Well, that training doubled once those creepy job offers started coming in. So, I ended up getting new combat skills and raised the ones I had higher. I raised Firearms, Ranged Combat, and Rifle to level 4. I got new skills in Laser Technology, Explosives, and Grenades and get each to level 3. While all that may not seem like a lot, it amounts to 492 hours of practice.
After all that work, I’m decidedly glad that spring break is approaching.
Interlude
There’s a flash of light and a shadowy figure enters a darkened office in an undisclosed location. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkened room and see the outline of a man smoking behind a desk. The room has been designed to obscure everyone's appearance. Still, the shadowy figure has taken extra steps to conceal his identity and adjusts the mask he wears that has a custom ability to hide his name and level from anyone using Identify or a similar skill.