[Null POV] Year 0, Day 105

  Null and the twins walked through the construction site. Free time. Rare. Precious.

  Days had passed since the desert seeding. The three new members had integrated into training. Struggling with basics alongside the remaining candidates. The operation growing steadily.

  But today was different. Today, Ealdred had dismissed them early again. No failures. No corrections. Just freedom for a few hours.

  They found Void at the main excavation site. Standing with Tornin and another figure—a thin human man in robes covered with arcane symbols. Mage-looking. One of the specialists Tornin had hired for the magical infrastructure.

  Void was frowning at a set of documents. Maps. Survey results. Technical diagrams.

  "Master," Null greeted.

  He looked up. Smiled slightly. "Mistress. Twins. Perfect timing actually. This concerns something you mentioned months ago."

  She tilted her head. Curious.

  Tornin stepped forward. Gestured at the mage. "This is one of our geological specialists. He's been conducting deep surveys. Looking for what you requested."

  "Hot springs," the mage said. Voice academic. Precise. "Natural geothermal activity. Heated mineral water. You specifically requested we search for natural sources during initial site planning."

  Null remembered. When they'd first discussed the café design. She'd asked about hot springs. Hot tubs. Bathing facilities with naturally heated water.

  Bathing was one of the few things in this world that felt... good. Real. Human. The sensation of hot water. Relaxation. Cleanliness. She'd wanted that available. For herself. For the maids. For guests.

  "And?" she asked. Hope creeping into her tone despite emotional suppression.

  The mage shook his head. "Nothing. I've surveyed the entire plot. Extended my search to adjacent properties. Went as deep as my detection magic allows—several hundred meters below surface. No geothermal activity. No heated aquifers. No natural springs of any kind."

  Through their emotional channel, the twins didn't just send to Null.

  They broadcast. Wide. To everyone present who could feel emotions.

  Extreme sadness. Devastation radiating outward like a wave.

  "Big sis wanted hot springs!" The feeling was mournful. Heartbroken. "Big sis talked about it! Dreamed about it! Said it would be so good! Now... none?!"

  Even those without special emotional perception could feel the atmosphere shift. The temperature seeming to drop. The air growing heavy with their distress.

  Void actually stepped back slightly. The emotional weight was that strong.

  The mage looked uncomfortable. Not understanding the source but feeling the effect.

  Tornin coughed. "Well. There's still options. We're not giving up."

  Null felt disappointment settle. Not strong emotion—her suppression prevented that. But definite dissatisfaction. She'd been looking forward to this. Planning around it.

  "Can we... create them?" she asked. "Artificially?"

  The mage nodded. Recovering from the emotional assault. "Yes. Absolutely possible. We can engineer a system. Magical heating arrays. Mineral infusion. Water circulation. Temperature regulation. It won't be natural, but functionally identical. Close enough that most people wouldn't notice the difference."

  Tornin stepped in enthusiastically. "It's been done before. Successfully. We can replicate the effect. Make it... well, make it even better than natural springs in some ways. More control. More consistency. No geological instability to worry about."

  "But it's expensive," the mage added. Clinical honesty. "Very expensive. The enchantments required for sustained heating, the mineral cycling system, the infrastructure—this would be one of the more significant costs in the entire project."

  The mage was studying the group with poorly hidden amusement. Null noticed his expression. The way his eyes tracked between Void and the maids. The assumptions forming.

  He thought this was for Void's personal enjoyment. That the elf master was building elaborate bathing facilities for... entertainment. With his beautiful maids. The stories about feeding them gold. The extravagant spending. The careful attention to their comfort.

  The mage thought Void wanted a private playground. Fun time with beauties in expensive hot springs.

  Null found this misunderstanding amusing. But didn't correct it. Let people think what they wanted.

  "How much?" Void asked quietly.

  The mage consulted his notes. Pulled out a detailed proposal. Calculations. Estimates. Material lists. Enchantment specifications. Pages of technical planning.

  "For a facility sized to serve your projected capacity—initial estimates only, understand. Nobody's actually built something at this scale before, so these are educated projections based on smaller installations multiplied up."

  He handed the papers to Void.

  Void read. His expression shifting. From concerned to pale. From pale to almost green.

  "This... this can't be right."

  "Those are conservative estimates," the mage said apologetically. "The actual costs could be higher depending on complications during installation. Or lower if we find efficiencies. But that's the baseline."

  Through the bond, Null felt Void's panic. The numbers were astronomical. One of the most expensive single components of the entire project. Just for hot springs.

  "There's another factor," the mage continued, shifting to lecture mode. "Natural hot springs can be generated by ley lines. Concentrated magical energy bleeding into the earth. Creating geothermal effects. Mineral-rich water. Healing properties."

  "The Republic sits on top of a massive ley line—the largest known on the continent. But hot springs from ley lines are still extraordinarily rare. Most ley line energy manifests as... other effects. Monster spawning. Magical instability. Environmental corruption. The Republic's endless monster hordes are proof of that."

  "But occasionally—very rarely—the energy manifests as hot springs instead. When that happens, it's always developed immediately. Too valuable to ignore. The few natural hot spring locations in the Republic are famous across the continent. Vacation destinations. Pilgrimage sites. Sources of immense wealth."

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  "The chance that one exists in this area and nobody's found it?" He shook his head. "Effectively zero. If it were here, someone would have built on it centuries ago. Or the monsters would have claimed it. Either way, we'd know."

  Tornin nodded agreement. "We're committed to the artificial system. It's the only option. But it'll work. I guarantee the quality will rival natural springs. Possibly exceed them."

  Void stared at the papers. At the costs. At another massive expansion to an already overwhelming project.

  Through the bond, his thoughts were scattered. Anxious.

  The landing pad situation—Kira's initiative with the Guild—had already expanded everything massively. What was supposed to be a simple additional landing zone had become a full airship port. Substantial construction. Substantial costs.

  And of course Tornin had been completely supportive. Bigger was always better in the dwarf's mind. More impressive. More challenging. More worthy of his skills.

  Now this. Artificial hot springs. More millions. More complexity.

  Everything kept growing. Expanding. Becoming more than he'd ever imagined.

  "This is adding..." he started. Stopped. Tried again. "The costs keep increasing. The landing pads. Now this. Every week something new. Something more. I'm not sure—"

  "It's an investment," Tornin interrupted. Passionate. "Quality attracts quality. Luxury attracts wealth. You're not building a simple café. You're building a destination. Something people will travel for. That requires scale. Requires excellence. Requires being willing to invest in the things that set you apart."

  Void looked at Null. Helpless. Seeking guidance.

  She considered. This was Master's decision. His resources. His project.

  But he was asking. And she had thoughts.

  "Hot springs are important," she said simply. Her limited language making the statement blunt. "For maids. For guests. For... me."

  The last word quieter. Admission of personal desire.

  Void's expression softened. "For you."

  "Yes. Bathing is... good. Hot water is better. If we can have it, we should."

  Through the bond, additional context. ?It's one of the few sensations that feels real. Like food. Like pain now. Things that connect me to existing. To being something more than just monster in maid dress.?

  Void understood. She was asking. His mistress rarely asked for things. When she did, they mattered.

  "Alright," he said finally. Decision made. "Do it. The artificial hot springs. Make them... make them as good as you can. Worth the cost."

  The twins perked up immediately. Joy replacing sadness instantly. "Hot springs! Big sis gets hot springs!"

  They broadcast happiness now. Wide. Overwhelming. The shift from devastation to elation so extreme it was almost funny.

  Null felt satisfaction. Not happiness. But approval. Master had agreed. The thing she wanted would exist. That was good.

  "Thank you, Master."

  Void just nodded. Looking tired. Overwhelmed. But committed.

  Tornin was already making notes. Sketching modifications. "This integrates beautifully with the main design. The bathhouse wing. Multiple pools. Temperature variations. Mineral options. This is going to be spectacular."

  The mage bowed slightly. "I'll begin detailed planning immediately. Material sourcing. Enchantment specifications. Installation timeline. You'll have comprehensive proposals within the week."

  Null read his surface thoughts. Unguarded. Excited. Her ability to perceive minds picking up what he wasn't bothering to hide.

  If this crazy elf actually builds even half of what we're planning, the construction profits alone will fund my life extension elixirs for centuries. Centuries. Premium hot springs at this scale? Continental-class facility? The enchantment work, the installation contracts, the specialized materials sourcing—I could retire on just the commission from this single project.

  Please let him be serious. Please let this be for personal enjoyment with his maids. Let him want fun time with beauties badly enough that he doesn't back out. Let the rumors be true. Let him be that kind of master.

  Null found this amusing. The mage desperately hoping Void was building a pleasure palace. Hoping the extravagance was real. Hoping for profits from just the construction phase that would sustain him for lifetimes.

  She didn't correct the assumption. Let him hope. Let him plan. Let him believe whatever kept him motivated to build the best possible system.

  They dispersed. Back to work. Back to planning. Back to building.

  Null and the twins remained with Void. Watching the construction. The golems moving earth. The framework rising from the ground.

  "It's getting bigger," Void observed quietly. "Everything keeps getting bigger. More expensive. More complex. I'm not sure I understand what we're building anymore."

  Through the bond: ?A home for maids. A business for guests. A monument to excess, apparently.?

  Spy's dry commentary made Void almost smile despite the stress.

  "Will it work?" Void asked.

  "Unknown," Null replied honestly. "But we're committed now. Too late to stop."

  "That's not reassuring."

  "No. But it's true."

  They stood there. Master and servant. Watching their future take shape in stone and magic and ambition.

  The twins sent comfort through their emotional channel. "It'll be good. Big sis believes in Master."

  Null did. Strangely. Despite everything. Despite the chaos and the costs and the uncertainty.

  Master would make this work.

  Somehow.

  [Sara POV] Somewhere in Republic Territory

  The assassin guild was hidden well. Sara had flown over the mountains three times before spotting the entrance—a cave mouth disguised as natural rockfall. Most would never find it. But Sara had centuries of experience reading terrain. Understanding how predators hid.

  Once you'd seen a hundred assassin guild locations across different continents, the patterns became obvious. They all used similar concealment methods. Natural features. Remote locations. Predictable.

  She landed outside the entrance. Felt the wards tingle against her skin. Recognition magic. Threat assessment. The guild knew something dangerous had arrived.

  Sara walked in. Her talons clicked against stone. Leaving gouges. She hated that. Hated how her body ruined everything it touched.

  The reception hall was empty except for one figure behind a desk. A board on the wall caught her attention first. Job postings. Bounties. Information requests.

  Most were standard fare. Monster extermination contracts. Assassination targets. Theft jobs. The usual work.

  But two postings stood out. Different paper quality. Different formatting.

  The first was from the Church. Gold seal. Official wording. "INFORMATION WANTED: Cardinal Vescari. Last known location, current whereabouts, associates. Reward: Payment scaled by information value (maximum 1,000,000 gold; significantly higher if information results in capture) OR full absolution of sins."

  Sara found that amusing. The Church posting a bounty in an assassin guild. Offering forgiveness as payment. Whatever Vescari had done must have been catastrophically bad for them to need this.

  The second posting was stranger. Plain paper. Simple writing. "SEEKING INFORMATION: Heroic actions. Any documented cases of individuals performing selfless heroic deeds. Details required. Payment negotiable."

  Sara stared at it. That was... random. Why would anyone want information about heroes? What possible use was that? The posting gave no context. No explanation. Just the strange request.

  She couldn't make sense of it. Dismissed it as someone's odd research project.

  The reception desk had one figure behind it. Human. Male. Professional assassin by his posture. He looked up. Saw her.

  His hand moved toward a weapon. Then stopped. Professional discipline overriding fear.

  Sara appreciated that. The guild was one of the few places that treated monsters as clients rather than threats. It was why she'd come here. Regular information brokers would never accept someone like her.

  "Information request," Sara said. Keeping her voice neutral. Professional.

  The man's jaw tightened. "We're assassins. Not an information broker."

  Sara felt frustration rise. She'd known this might be an issue. But where else could she go? Who else would even talk to her?

  "I have gold," she said quietly. "And I can't go anywhere else. Information guilds run when they see me. Merchant guilds refuse entry. Only here."

  The man studied her. Processing. Understanding the problem.

  "What information?" he asked. Cautious.

  "Masters who own slaves. In the Republic."

  Silence. The man stared at her. Then: "That's tens of thousands of people across the Republic. We're not a census bureau."

  Sara realized how stupid that sounded. Too broad. Unreasonable. She needed to narrow it. Think.

  "Elven masters then," she said. "Elves who own servants or slaves."

  The man considered. His expression shifted. Less hostile. More calculating.

  "Actually... that's more reasonable. Not many elves in the Republic. Especially since the Blood Cult got kicked out." He pulled out a ledger. Made notes. "We can work with that."

  "Cost?"

  "Twenty thousand gold total. Ten thousand now as deposit. Ten thousand on delivery."

  Sara reached into her Item Box. Retrieved a bag of gold coins. Counted out ten thousand. Placed it on the desk.

  The man picked up a coin. Examined it. His eyebrows rose slightly. "Foreign mint. You came from far away."

  He pulled out a scale. Weighed several coins carefully. Tested one with a verification charm. After a long moment, he nodded.

  "Gold is gold. Come back one month from now. Same time of day. We'll have what we can find."

  Sara bowed slightly. Professional courtesy. Then turned and left.

  Outside, she took flight. Wings carrying her away from the hidden guild. Into the vast Republic sky.

  One month. Then she'd know where the elven masters were. Where to search.

  Sara flew toward the horizon. Patient. She'd waited centuries already.

  One more month meant nothing.