Over the course of the next few weeks, as my body recovered and hardened from the encounter with the Big Goblin, my strength increased exponentially. I know that woman from the government had told me that's how it works, but it was still weird to experience. The weight of the sword I had taken now only felt like I was swinging a soft breeze, though I'm sure that's not what the goblins felt. I could run for longer, my skills were increasing, and the once gripping fear I had was starting to fade away as I entered a routine with Zach and the kid, who had properly introduced himself as Hic to me.
Mino, though, had left the day after I was discharged from the hospital, stating she had more official business to attend to, leaving the three of us to keep watch over the underground. The ecosystem down there that had been messed up by the gathering of such a massive force of goblins was once again back to how it should be, and we faced a much wider array of enemies. Though with the sudden increase in my strength in speed, the slashes that had once been difficult to force through the neck of monsters now sliced through like butter.
I had just gotten back home from a particularly strenuous day out in the field. I downed an entire bottle of water, after which I wiped my mouth and sighed. It wasn't easy, by any means, but I think I was starting to get used to this kind of life. I glanced around the small apartment I had started to call home.
There hadn't been much in the way of furnishings when I first got here, but I had gone out and tried to rectify that. A small tv now sat in the living room in front of the couch, with a small black stick poking out of it. There were a few pictures hung up around the barren walls and in the kitchen. I also bought a small cactus plant to put on the kitchen counter. A few more small appliances, like a coffee maker and toaster also sat on the kitchen counter, waiting for their next us.
I shook my head lightly. Even with all the changes, I still couldn't really shake the slight feeling of uncomfort I got whenever I looked around this place. And what's worse, the supply of money I had before becoming Selected was quickly running out, down to me just getting a few light groceries. They had said I was going to get paid, but none of that money had come in yet, so for now, just the essentials.
But as I was wrapped in my own head, there was a light knock on the front door, causing me to jump slightly. The knocking slowly became more insistent, and I quickly dashed over to the door, my newly acquired speed making me really light on my feet. I opened the door slightly and peaked through the crack.
A tall man stood there wearing a black suit and holding a briefcase. "Alaric Rindall, I have a delivery for you." His voice was deep and monotone. He held out the small case for me to take. I snaked one hand through the crack and grasped the handle. He promptly nodded before pivoting on his feet like a soldier and stepping away. His retreating footsteps were echoey in the small hallway where the door was, before I heard him hit the stairs and start walking downstairs. I closed the door with a click, and twisted the deadbolt into place.
I retreated to the kitchen before opening up the briefcase. Inside, there was a small envelope, and on top of the envelope was a smartphone. I set the smartphone to the side before ripping the side of the envelope open and sliding out what was inside. There was a clatter as a plastic card slid out and collided with the granite countertop. It looked like a debit card that was all black except for an unknown symbol in the top right hand corner. I looked like an arrow pointing to the right with a skull underneath it. The other object in the envelope was a letter. Unfolding it and reading, it said:
I hope this letter finds you well, inside of this briefcase you will find a cellphone and a card. The cellphone is your official government issued phone, in case anybody higher up the food chain needs to get in contact with you, or in case your fellow Selected need to do the same. The card is an official Selected Debit card, where your paychecks will be deposited into on a bi weekly basis. The reason for why it took so long to get here is because we wait for about a month for any given Selected to yield results, and thus they get our investment. I'm sure you understand, given the longevity of most Selected. The symbol on the card, which is the official logo of the Selected, means "Even in Death, we move forward." You'll also find a pay stub attached to the bottom of this letter, as well as a QR code, intended for you to scan and download the mobile banking app. I hope you have a wonderful day, goodbye.
The thought "This feels very corporate" ran through my head, but I brushed that aside. My eyes quickly fell down to the aforementioned pay stub, and my eyes quickly widened. Wait, wait, you could earn that much just from a month's worth of work? And this is on the lower end, good God, I can't imagine how much the more highly ranked Selected make. Unknowingly, my face broke into a small smile. Welp, that's my money problems solved. Maybe I should send them-
But I never finished that thought. The cellphone that I set on the counter started beeping and vibrating wildly, throwing me out of my thoughts. I glanced down at the caller ID, and saw that it said MINO LEKAMI. Huh, so that's her last name. I quickly set down the letter and brought the phone up to my ear, pressing the green phone button on the way up.
"Good, you answered." Her dead voice was surprisingly reassuring after weeks of not hearing anything from her. "Yeah, I just got the phone today." I answered.
"I know, they told me, listen, there's… been a problem." Her voice had a tinge of concern to it. "What's up?" I tried to sound calm, but even a slight bit of concern on her voice must mean something big.
"The hospital. Something happened at the hospital, and we need to investigate." I couldn't really read how serious the situation was from her voice, but judging from her words, it was serious. "Ok, ok, what's going on? Are people ok?"
Her voice quickly morphed into an annoyed one. "I don't know, they haven't told me, I just know we need to be there by this afternoon. I'm going to call Zach, and I'll be by to get you, understood?"
I gave her my verbal understanding and hung up the phone. I let out a tired sigh, before glancing over to where my sword was hanging. I installed a small hook in the kitchen, so I could hang up the blade while I was home. I quickly strode over to it and brought it off the wall.
I didn't want to go with Mino, to be honest. I knew it would just be another danger, whenever I was finally getting into a routine, but, I knew that wasn't an option.
Well, it didn't really matter what I wanted. Time to get ready.