A mont later Redy, Felecia, Scott, and Ivy stepped inside.
For a split second, they paused.
Seeing Adam already there.
Then the surprise faded.
Of course he was here.
He lived in the manor.
Still, it was hard not to feel a little strange after everything that had happened tonight.
Redy stepped forward.
"We could’ve driven you back."
Adam waved a hand dismissively.
"That would’ve taken longer."
Redy nodded.
"...Fair point."
****
Once they returned to the manor, the team gradually dispersed.
Felecia headed upstairs.
Scott followed after her, already pulling out his phone to handle whatever business had piled up during the night.
Ivy disappeared down the hallway without a word.
Soon, only Redy and Adam remained in the sitting room.
Adam continued cultivating on the couch, as essence flowed steadily into his body.
Redy sat across from him, quietly watching.
She made no move to interrupt.
After a few monts, Adam spoke without opening his eyes.
"So... what happens now?"
Redy tilted her head slightly.
"For Tristan," she asked, "or for the Family?"
Adam opened one eye.
"...There’s a difference?"
Redy nodded.
"Yes."
Adam thought about that for a mont.
Then he asked, "Which one matters more?"
"The Family," Redy answered without hesitation.
Adam nodded slowly.
"That sounds about right."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"So... what happens in Tristan?"
Redy didn’t answer imdiately.
Instead, she studied him.
Adam finally opened both eyes.
"What?"
Redy frowned faintly.
"If the Family’s are more important... why ask about Tristan first?"
Adam leaned back slightly.
"Isn’t it obvious?"
Redy raised an eyebrow.
"I want to save the important part for last."
"Oh."
Adam watched her for a mont.
She’s acting strange again.
He decided not to think too deeply about it.
In fact, he was almost afraid to activate Connect.
He had a feeling he wouldn’t like what he saw.
Redy finally leaned forward.
"Now that Reliance’s true nature has been exposed..."
She began explaining what would happen next in Tristan.
****
Adam listened as Redy laid out what would happen next in Tristan now that Reliance had been exposed.
"First," she said, "everyone connected to Hyper and Herbal X will be apprehended."
"The Alliance will run full investigations on both companies. They’ll dig through every record, every lab, every employee."
"To make sure nothing slips through the cracks."
Adam nodded quietly.
Redy continued.
"After that, they’ll sweep all of Tristan for any traces of Reliance."
"Any remaining supply will be destroyed."
"And once that’s done..."
Her expression turned slightly serious.
"Every pharmaceutical company in the sector will be scrutinized, regulations will tighten and new drugs will go through far harsher testing."
Adam leaned back slightly.
"But we both know that won’t solve anything."
Redy glanced at him.
"Because they couldn’t detect Reliance in the first place," Adam said.
"They’ll miss the next one too."
Redy nodded.
"That’s true."
"But that’s why we left them with the Reliance corpses."
Adam raised an eyebrow.
"With enough research on those," she continued, "the Alliance should eventually figure out how Hyper hid their tracks for so long."
Adam nodded slowly.
That made sense.
Then Redy continued.
"Now there’s the financial side of things."
Adam blinked.
"Financial?"
Redy nodded.
"Because of Reliance, Herbal X’s stock shot up more than five hundred percent."
"But after tonight..."
She shrugged lightly.
"The price will crash."
Adam frowned.
"I don’t see the big deal. So investors lose money."
He waved a hand dismissively.
"Is that really important?"
Redy smiled faintly.
"Would it beco important if you found out you profited from it?"
Adam frowned deeper.
"What are you talking about?"
Redy chuckled.
"Let’s just say the Eden Group placed a very large bet against Herbal X."
"And now that their stock price has collapsed..."
"We’re getting a massive payout."
Adam’s eyes lit up.
But then he paused.
"...Wait. That’s Eden Group money."
Redy looked at him like he had just said sothing ridiculous.
She sighed.
"Adam."
"The mont you joined the team, you received stock options in Eden Group."
"So yes."
"You’re getting a cut."
A slow grin spread across Adam’s face.
****
Adam needed money.
Testing new conduits and experinting with fusion in Judgent’s wasn’t going to be cheap.
Originally, he had considered asking Redy for a loan.
But the idea didn’t sit well with him.
He didn’t want to look like a freeloader.
His backup plan had been simple, visit the Mission Hall, take a few high-paying missions, and build up so funds.
But now?
It seed he already had an unexpected source of inco.
Stock options.
That was very different from outright begging for money.
Adam leaned back slightly, thinking.
Then sothing suddenly crossed his mind.
That’s right... I haven’t submitted the Infinite Worm Mountain mission yet.
After finishing the run there, everything had spiraled into chaos, the spar, the fight, the launch event.
The mission had completely slipped his mind.
Adam almost laughed.
It would be hilarious if they fined for abandoning a mission I already completed.
He made a ntal note to head to the Mission Hall soon and turn it in.
Redy watched him quietly for a mont.
Then she spoke again.
"So."
"Do you want to hear what the Families might be planning next?"
Adam nodded.
Redy leaned forward slightly.
And began explaining the next set of possibilities.
****
Redy leaned back slightly.
"By now," she said calmly, "the Family will have realized that you aren’t actually dead."
Adam nodded slowly.
Then frowned.
"What was the point of that anyway?"
"All that trouble to fake my death... just to be classified as alive again?"
Redy shrugged lightly.
"It’s called misdirection."
Adam blinked.
Where have I heard that before...
Then he rembered.
That had been one of the answers Redy gave him the first day they t.
Adam studied her for a mont.
Does she have preset keywords for answering questions or sothing?
Luckily for him...
That didn’t seem to be the case this ti.
Redy continued speaking.
"Before your ’death,’ you were just Adam."
"No influential background."
"No powerful backing."
Adam opened his mouth to respond, but Redy cut him off imdiately.
"I an a real backing."
"A Saint."
Adam closed his mouth.
...Fair enough.
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