The next morning, the group reconvened downstairs, and walked towards the receptionist. Taog raised an eyebrow as he glanced around. Still the building was empty, not a single Exploratores eating breakfast or competing for juicy requests. And still the request board was packed to the brim.

Ateia moved to speak with the receptionist once again.

“Good morning.”

The reception gave a polite smile.

“Good morning, did you sleep well?”

Ateia and Taog nodded. A haggard-looking Estrith just yawned instead.

“Yes! The beds here are amazing! Dad always complained about them so I was surprised.”

The receptionist nodded.

“I’m glad you enjoyed your stay.”

She then dropped her smile, and reached under the counter, pulling out a document and slipping it in front of Ateia.

“Now then, since you two have just arrived I’m sure you haven’t heard yet, but there’s a bit of a situation going on.”

Taog’s eyes narrowed.

“And what is that?”

“The Centaurs have been raiding the border once again, and pushing the other tribes into Imperial territory as well. Magister Exploratores per Utrad Vibius Vatinius Balbillus has put out a call to all Exploratores in the province to join the Legion in the defense.”

Ateia and Taog glanced at one another, their eyes widening. Ateia turned back to the receptionist.

“Is it that bad? Is Utrad in danger?”

The receptionist smiled and shook her head.

“Magister Caelinus has many a victory under his belt, I doubt this will be any different. But the Centaurs are swift and cunning, and the wave of tribes they trigger can be tough to keep track of. So the Legion needs a wide net of scouts to ensure they don’t miss anything. You’ll be paid well for your service, and it should be less dangerous than the average monster hunt as long as you’re careful.”

Ateia exhaled her breath, and then shook her head.

“Well…if they have it covered, we’ll have to decline.”

The receptionist raised an eyebrow.

“You’re…refusing a call from the Magister Exploratores? I wouldn’t recommend that, and this request is well-compensated, you know?”

Ateia shook her head and then glanced at NSLICE-00P.

“We’re already on a mission, assisting an Amicitia Populi Elteni, so we’d need to check with her. Seero, what do you think?”

“Response: All mercenary contracts with entity ‘Empire’ have been concluded, and this unit has no hostility with entity ‘Centaurs’. This unit cannot intervene in that third party conflict at this time, and will strongly request that the friendlies prioritize assisting with this unit’s primary directive, as per the contract.”

Ateia nodded and turned back to the receptionist.

“That’s how it is.”

The receptionist nodded back.

“That’s reasonable, I suppose. May I assist with anything else?”

Ateia nodded, and NSLICE-00P stepped forward. Her robotic eye lit up and displayed the holographic screen of faces once again. The receptionist tensed for a moment before relaxing.

“Request: This unit is requesting all available intel on the displayed persons of interest. This unit also requests any intel regarding Exploratores Aulus Caedicius Niraemius.”

Ateia and Taog had discussed things with NSLICE-00P earlier, deciding that if there was anyone they could trust, it was NSLICE-00P. They had decided that, as per Magister Tiberius’s advice, they would have NSLICE-00P include Ateia’s father in her intel requests. NSLICE-00P agreed once the situation was explained to her, since it would help protect Ateia from those currently unidentified hostiles.If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

The receptionist looked over the screen.

“Hm…I don’t recognize any of those figures. And I don’t recognize that name either…I’ll have to check the records. Would you mind waiting for a bit? I can arrange for a recorder core so we can pass this illusion around as well.”

Ateia shook her head.

“Take your time, we’ll probably take a local request or two in the meantime, if that’s fine?”

Ateia and Taog also wanted to continue growing as Exploratores, and to assist the Empire as they could along their quest. NSLICE-00P had agreed, as continuing to upgrade herself and her subordinates was desirable and her new major directive indicated upgrades for Ateia and Taog were sorely required. She had put in the condition, however, that she would only assist against unaffiliated entities, such as monsters and dungeons, save in the case of self-defense against unprovoked hostility.

The receptionist nodded and smiled.

“Honestly, that would be a big help. In fact…how confident are you in dungeon exploration?”

Ateia and Taog looked at one another.

They glanced at NSLICE-00P.

They nodded at each other and then turned to the receptionist in sync, speaking as one.

““Extremely.””

The receptionist pulled out a request.

“Excellent. A new dungeon was reported to us a while back near one of the smaller towns…but with the pressure on the borders we haven’t been able to put together a full exploration team.”

Taog raised an eyebrow.

“Isn't it dangerous to leave a dungeon unchecked close to people?”

The receptionist frowned.

“Highly dangerous. Getting intel on this is our top priority after the Centaur situation. But exploring new dungeons is equally dangerous. Honestly…”

She glanced over the group.

“I wouldn’t even propose this to you under normal circumstances. New dungeon exploration should be done by a full team of veteran Exploratores. But we absolutely need to know if this is going to be a problem and, as you might have guessed, we’re a little short-staffed with everyone watching the border. So…don’t feel obligated to map out the entire thing. Stay safe, only go as deep as you can handle, and just try to get a feel for how developed this particular dungeon is. Any information you can give us will help.”

Ateia nodded.

“We’ll be careful.”

The receptionist glanced over them once more, then sighed.

“Right. Well then, here are the details…”

And so the group set off from the port town. The city quickly gave way to lightly wooded pastures and farmland. Right by the town there were some massive farms, surrounded by stone walls, with Imperial banners flying all around them and armed soldiers patrolling on top. The moment these came within range of her sensor’s NSLICE-00P’s eye turned red.

Because she detected a non-standard energy signature she already had on file, even before arriving in this place.

“Warning: Undead detected. Engaging re-termination protocols.”

It turned out NSLICE-00P had encountered necromancers in her past…and so already had that particular foe logged as hostile. She engaged her helmet and was about to activate her repulsors…

Ateia and Taog tilted their heads before Taog’s eyes widened.

“Wait, Seero! Don’t attack just yet!”

“Requesting Elaboration: Undead are to be terminated on-sight. Please explain why this unit should delay engagement.”

“Are they in the Imperial farms?! Are they farming?!”

“Answer: Location is within walled facility just ahead. Unknown if undead are currently engaged in agriculture. Engaging scout protocols.”

NSLICE-00P moved up the nearest hill where she could get a look over the walls, with the group running after her. Once on the hill, NSLICE-00P focused her sight, zooming in on the detected hostiles. She saw bone white skeletons standing in the fields, tending to the crops. Skeletal birds flew across the fields, darting at insects and warding away their living counterparts. Skeletal oxen carried carts and plows. A small handful of men and women in farming clothes sat in the shade, forming magic circles of eerie purple light as they guided their fell laborers.

By all indications, it appeared the undead were, in fact, farming.

“Scout Report: It appears detected undead are engaging in agriculture.”

“Then don’t attack them! That’s the Imperial Necrotorum!”

“Requesting Clarification: Friendly Taog is stating detected undead are affiliated with entity ‘Empire’?”

“Yes! They help run the Imperial farms that provide food for the Legion and Imperial citizens!”

NSLICE-00P’s robotic eye flickered.

“Requesting Clarification: So detected undead are not hostile?”

Ateia shook her head.

“Ah, right, that’s probably different where you’re from. Here, the Empire strictly manages the necromancers, especially after Sisenna the Black. Anyone in the Necrotorum will never risk hurting someone with their undead, unless they’re attacked first. We hear about rogues every now and then, but the Necrotorum normally handles them pretty quickly.”

In fact, foreign visitors being spooked by the Imperial Necrotorum’s ‘employees’ was the main reason for the walls around Imperial farms, and the excessive amount of Imperial banners hung around them, and the presence of Legion soldiers patrolling the perimeter.

Taog nodded repeatedly.

“And attacking an Imperial farm or a member of the Necrotorum is a very serious crime! Treason, even! So don’t do it, Seero!”

NSLICE-00P’s robotic eye flickered. Upon review, she concluded her original designation of undead as hostile was premised on the necromancers’ opposition to her original organization. An organization she no longer belonged to, and that had no relations with the Empire here that she was aware of. And so…she concluded relations with the organization the necromancers were affiliated with superseded any hostility with the undead themselves.

And so…these undead were not, in fact, subject to on-sight termination.

“Acknowledgement: Understood. Updating designations, detected undead set as ‘Empire-affiliated assets’. Disengaging re-termination protocols.”

Taog heaved a sigh of relief as NSLICE-00P stood down. It looked like they wouldn’t be starting a war with the Empire today.