Drumming his index and ring fingers against the side of his head, Graft reclined in his office chair and reread the list. “Status, learning, trade...er…” So many thoughts electrified his skull that a couple were bound to slip out here or there. Oh well. If he forgot anything, he could simply call again. Pulling about the airborne glyph that designated a muted Open Line, he drew his finger across it to reactivate the magic. It turned from transparent cerulean to a bright, active blue, and Graft used his voicebox to generate a cheery tone.

[i]Doot doot doot doo, doo-doot doot doot![/i]

“Good day, Kath Erine,” the industrialist greeted immediately. In telecommunications one typically waited for the person who was contacted to give a greeting first, but so few denizens of the Chateau harbored any conception of it that Graft always went first to take charge of the conversation. Maybe that identified him as bossy, or as a control freak, but Graft did not care much to disguise those aspects of himself. “My apologies for disturbing you on short notice, but I was hoping to inquire about borrowing some of your books. I also reach out to you prepared to negotiate payment for all the more-than-generous favors you’ve been doing me.”

After her conversation with Chuunitrixx, Kath had become distracted and returned to her library, deciding to take her mind off things by going through its many hallways of books and making sure that none had been misplaced while she’d been gone. It was during this period of reorganization that a familiar voice would return within her head.

“Oh, Graft. No need to apologize. In fact, I was thinking of saying sorry myself. I’ve been so scatterbrained after returning from the village that I had forgotten about bringing to you my book on this world’s flora and fauna,” she replied, before recalling another task she had forgotten. “I seem to have forgotten to bring Lord Rodias the text I had written on this world’s language as well. We’ll have trouble communicating with any outsiders if I don’t release this information to everyone as soon as possible,” Kath said, distracted as always. She hadn’t even paid attention to her fellow floor guardian’s mention of payment.

Graft chuckled. “No need to worry. You overwork yourself so, it’s surprising you remember what you do. And this last day has been full of such interesting developments…” he cleared his throat and triggered a playback of what he said a moment before, taking it easy as his voicebox did the rest. If not for a touch more static, it was indistinguishable from his real voice. “I was hoping to inquire about borrowing some of your books. I also reach out to you prepared to negotiate payment for all the more-than-generous favors you’ve been doing me.”

Kath would nod as thanks for the compliment before recalling that he could only hear and not see her, replying with a quick, “Thank you.” When he repeated to her his request for books and compensation, she would say, “Oh yes, if there are any other books within the Athenaeum of Historia that you would like to borrow, you need only ask and promise to keep them all within good condition. As for payment though, there’s no reason to worry yourself about that. My services are free to all as long as they treat my library and its tomes with respect.

“Splendid, though I meant payment for a service, rather than for books. It is the function of a library to loan out books for free, after all!” Graft chuckled again. “But since we’re on books, I’ll go ahead and make my request.” There came the sound of rustling paper through the Open Line. “First, I am currently training a new protege. She is learning to read, so on the off chance you have any easy material, I would appreciate it. After that, I’m interested in exposing her to religious texts so that she might grow in the Faith skill. For my own purposes, I’m looking for two documents related to Supreme Beings. The first is any chatter regarding abominations known as ‘endgame bosses’, specifically ‘raid bosses’ or ‘world bosses’. If there is any mention of such monsters’ status effects, that’d be even better. I would also highly prize some trade logs. I’m sure that there’s a great volume of those, so two or three is enough.”

He fell silent for a moment before exploding in excitement. “Oh! Forgive me, I just remembered. I’m currently trying to upgrade my scanners, among other things, so I’ll need to collect a great deal of data on various species’ biology. Undoubtedly there’s too much for one trip, so perhaps some sort of circuit would suit you. A steady stream of biology texts from the Athenaeum of Historia to the Factory and back. This is a large request, of course, but would that be acceptable?”

As Graft began to list out the very texts he was in need of, Kath would walk to her reading chair and approach the nightstand she kept next to it, opening one of its drawers to use a piece of paper and quill to write out everything requested. She didn’t want to leave out anything from his order. She would even begin writing the names of books that she might recommend later if he were to ask for more texts similar to these.

Upon request of biology books, Kath would beam. She was so happy to see others within the Chateau Gothika so excited to read so much. “Certainly. Though you might be surprised by just how much my arms can carry within one trip,” she joked. Mostly. Her dragonoid attributes did give her quite a lot of strength after all, even in human form. The hardest part wouldn’t even be trying to balance the books upon each other as she walked them to Graft’s domain. No, it was being able to get the large stack through doorways that would cause the most trouble. “Is there anything else you might need?”

“Ah, Kath.” Graft marvelled. “Truly an indispensible specimen. While it cannot be touched, bagged up, or spent, knowledge is its own sort of wealth, and you are obscenely rich. You need not concern yourself with carrying, however. I anticipated just this sort of response and dispatched a number of Guards some time ago. Perhaps you saw them gathered by your library as you entered. They can do the grunt work.” The line went dead quiet for a moment, as if shut off so that Graft could speak to someone else without Kath hearing. It came on a moment later, though. “As for anything else, unless you’re crazy enough to take a physical, I don’t think so. After all, you already provided me with such fascinating insight into what our moody friend Chunnitrixx is up to, with those mimics of hers. It appears I am not the only one cultivating new life…” He trailed off with a snicker before continuing. “That service, and of course the spirit of goodwill, are what I seek to repay you for. It is my turn to ask: is there anything I can do for you? Any items you need made? I have an inimitable collection, and I do take custom orders. Oh, I have just the thing! Emel Shells, which can inject a sedative. Why, they’re just the ticket if, say, transgressions upon your sacred domain have made your gorge rise.”

“Oh lovely. Yes, I’m sure they will be a huge help for transportation,” Kath said, peering from her position in the library over to the front door to see Graft’s Guards standing by. Upon him mentioning providing a service to repay her for all her efforts though, the polite librarian would turn him down again. “No, I can’t say I’ll need such a thing. Traps and servants are not necessary here in the Athenaeum and any… hmm… troublesome visitors I might have I should be able to handle on my own. I appreciate the offer, but I promise it isn’t necessary.”

Graft started talking again quite quickly. “Well, if you insist! With the Guards is a Team Lead who will help keep things organized and running smoothly. I shall look forward to cracking open these tomes of yours. Thank you kindly.”

“And thank you,” Kath would say before Graft cut the line. Now with a new task in front of her, she would begin collecting all of the books and texts that he had requested, bringing to the Guards several stacks within minutes. She focused on the first few things Graft had asked for, before moving on to the Biology books, not wanting to forget any from the smaller order before moving onto the bulk one.

Despite just how many texts had been requested, Kath would clear out her library of anything related to Graft’s order within the next half hour. It was mostly thanks to just how well organized she had her library as well as her encyclopedic knowledge of what was housed within its shelves. With several stacks piled high near the door, she waved to the Guards as they struggled to keep up with how many texts she handed off to them. “Make sure to not drop any,” she said with a smile.

The enormous, heavily armored Team Lead, burdened with many tomes in both his arms and tentacles, nodded his helmet. “Count. On. Us.” He turned and lumbered away, and the Guards followed as best they could.

In the Factory, Graft stood to his feet. He’d been tempted to keep the Open Line on again, but this time he decided to dissolve it. Too much to do to spend time snooping. He thought about Kath for a few moments as he leaned over his desk. Utterly dedicated to her job, without any hint of hesitation or restraint, and willing to do it wholeheartedly without recompense, but uninterested in what he had to offer. [i]Unlike with Chunnitrixx[/i]. The pair’s interaction was the only anomaly, the only evidence of Kath going beyond her duty. Mentioning the surveillance she unwittingly carried out for him had been a gamble, but either she was less clever than he would have thought, or a lot more . Altogether, the results of this test were conclusive: Kath could be wholly relied upon for the sake of his R&D. “And that,” declared Graft, causing Papillary to look at him in bemusement, “I can take to the bank.”