"Thank you?"

The woman, hands still outstretched, looked at him, then pouted. "You have no idea what that means," she stated with a disappointed sigh.

She put down her arms, turned around, and motioned for Sam to follow her. "Come. I shall explain."

Sam looked around the foyer, not seeing any other option, he shrugged and began to ascend up the stairs, careful not to look straight ahead. He didn't want to offend his host before anything happened…

The next floor was designed and set up just like the foyer, light colored wood paneling, soft carpets, brass fixings, a few abstract paintings that reminded him of the churning void outside, with a few cat paintings here and there, and a massive number of plants.

There were pots and boxes everywhere, filled with greenery and a few flowers dotting the vista as they walked through corridors silently.

Then his host, gliding elegantly forward, turned sharply and led Sam through a small corridor toward a glass door. It was lightly fogged, and Sam saw a few droplets of water sliding down one side.

The door opened automatically upon their approach, and as Sam followed her through, it closed behind them. Not that Sam paid attention to it, as behind the door, and now around him, was a giant greenhouse-slash-conservatory filled to the brim with flowers, grass, shrubs, trees, vines, and everything he could imagine. The space not occupied by the flora was tiled with white tiles, allowing one to traverse the entirety of the greenhouse. In the middle, reminding him of every anime ever, was a small circular spot, filled with a small kitchenette and an elegant glass table, filled with a porcelain tea set and books, while surrounded by three comfortable-looking chairs.

The lady walked over, sat down, placing one leg over another, flashing an indecent amount of ankle, and rested her chin on her palm, which in turn was resting on her knee, and looked Sam over.

He stared back awkwardly, giving a small wave.

She smirked and then motioned with her hand toward one of the chairs around the glass table. "Sit, please."

Sam did so, trying to move elegantly.

Based on the twinkle in her eyes, he didn't really succeed.

But as he found himself across from the lady, he couldn't help but clear his throat. "Erm, yes. Hello there! My name is Samuel, but my friends call me Sam," he introduced himself. The old Sam, whose memories he inherited, always used Solar as his name, no matter what, trying to protect his identity, no matter what. Sam didn't really care. He knew that those with power could discover who he was within seconds if they so desired. Thus, he only had the nickname because the game forced him to get one.

"Well met, young man," she replied, blinking slowly. "I'm called the Void Lady by those who don't know me. However, you may rejoice, because you have come to know me, so you may – and shall – call me, Miss Void."

"Nice to meet you… Miss Void?" he answered while inwardly sighing with exasperation. 'Why do I always have to find the weird ones?'

She smiled before continuing. "Good boy. Now, I'm sure you may be wondering the purpose of this facility, correct?" she asked and waited until Sam nodded before continuing. "Simple, really. It was established to study the void in all its forms without the constraints of the material plane a long time ago. Ever since then, there have been at least one or two people here, studying the shadows between planes, while simultaneously protecting the world from unwanted…guests.

And as I'm sure you're not some kind of halfwit, you would have deduced that I'm one of those people. However, we also have taken upon another solemn duty," she explained, her voice even, void of any highs or lows.

Sam stayed silent. She waited a few seconds, as if expecting questions, but seeing the unmoving Sam, she continued her explanation.

"We greet and educate those who have touched the void. Or erase them from existence if necessary," she stated coldly, before tilting her head sideways and looking at Sam quizzically. "Is it?"

"What are the criteria?" Sam asked, suddenly even more nervous.

She straightened out in her seat and crossed her arms in front of her. "Have you ever sacrificed sentient beings to seek out communication with the void?"

"Does giving snacks to my friend's cat count?"

"Have you ever used the void to shape the thoughts of another sentient being?"

"Does causing fear in the enemy by intimidating them via a giant fuck-off laser count?"

"Have you ever used the void to set into motion events that would lead to the crumbling of the aetherical wall between material and immaterial, thus causing a cataclysmic crash of matter and anti-matter, leading to the creation of a new plane?" she finally asked, ignoring his smart-alec replies.

'That seems oddly specific…' he mused. 'Was that what that guy tried when the fracture happened?'

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Um, I didn't cause the fracture if that's what you're asking…" he answered hesitantly.

Her smile grew a few sizes. "Good looking, smart, and not irredeemably evil. Why, it seems I have struck gold!"

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome, my dear boy!" she exclaimed. Then she reached for the teacup and began pouring steaming liquid into two cups before offering one to Sam. He accepted, blew on it, then took a sip, waiting for Miss Void (and definitely not the Void Lady) to continue.

She uncrossed her arms and put her fingers together, forming a pyramid while fixing her gaze on Sam.

"Now, young man, please inform me of the name of the entity who granted you the knowledge of utilizing the void!"

Sam blinked. "You want to know who taught me void magic?"

"Exactly."

"Nobody. I figured it out on my own."

She frowned, and Sam felt the air becoming heavier. Nothing really changed in the mana around them – it was still calm and fresh from all the plants – but he knew the woman in front of him was ready to strike him down, and there was nothing he could realistically do to prevent that. It kinda felt like when he met Lara's grandfather. Both the older man and this lady in the game had the same aura…

"Young man, I understand loyalty, I truly do, but I would like to reiterate that I have the authority to erase you from existence. Or turn you into a plant…"

Sam nervously looked around, looking at the greenhouse in a new light, then swallowed before slightly shaking his head.

"But I did…" he repeated nervously.

Her eyes narrowed. "Prove it."

Not seeing any other choice, he began to talk. And do demonstrations…

Hours later, with several blackboards filled, copious notes taken, the Void Lady, once prim and proper, sat on her chair, hair disheveled, clothing slightly rumpled (though the ankles were still covered), and looked at the notes she was holding.

"I'm sitting here and seeing it but it still feels impossible…" she muttered to himself, though Sam still heard it.

"Sorry?"

Her head snapped back. "You should be. What you have done is impossible. Void energy is antithetical to human existence. Grasping the concept is simply not done. Like a fire, a human, or almost any other race, needs a catalyst to become able to wield the void. This usually takes the form of an entity or being reaching out and making contact. Yet you…just did it? What a cosmic joke…"

Not knowing what to say, Sam simply called out. "Lucky, play time!"

His wolf, hiding in his shadows, occasionally snacking on something, emerged from it, his size closer to a full-grown border collie, looking delighted at Sam's call. Instantly, his eyes zeroed onto the new person, and with tongue lolling out, tail wagging, he walked closer and began sniffing at her.

"Try petting him. It usually helps me calm down…"

"I don't know…" she replied nervously while reaching out with one hand hesitantly to touch Lucky's head. The animal sensing her hesitation simply grew a little and used that to push his sinfully soft, furred head into her hand. "Oh…he is so soft…"

After that, it only took the smart wolf a few minutes to completely disarm the dangerous lady in the middle of the void, and to convince her to rub his belly and to feed him jerky (graciously provided by Sam), all the while.

Watching all this happen, Sam let out a shaky breath of relief as the ever-present pressure of imminent destruction vanished.

"Right. We shall never talk about what happened back there," the Void Lady stated, straightening out her clothes and making sure her hair was all set, before fixing her gaze on Sam, completely ignoring the panting Lucky sitting right next to her. Even though one of her hands was still on the wolf's head.

"Indeed, young miss. Nobody here spent time rolling around with a wolf on grass. Whoever would do such an uncouth thing?"

"Exactly!" she agreed with him, a brief pulse of pressure punctuating her words. Then she began to move toward the exit.

"Come, young man. I wish to see your skills in action!"

Sam nodded and followed her with an eager Lucky circling around the two of them, occasionally rushing away to smell or examine something interesting.

The rest of the day – with the lack of sunlight, or actual sun, Sam had to rely on the system clock – was spent in the training room, which had one wall open to the churning void, separated by the same defenses he saw on his arrival, demonstrating his skills.

They went over his spells, one by one, demonstrating them on stone targets, then on masses of void summoned by waves of the woman's hand through the magical wall separating them from the chaos.

Which was a good thing, because the chaos really wanted to get them. The occasional void entity dressed in a bib and holding up a fork and a knife was disturbing, but after a while, easy to ignore.

The rest, pressing their 'faces' against the transparent magical protections and drenching it with their 'saliva', were much harder to ignore.

The salsa dancing ones were simply just part of the scenery…

Spell after spell, he showed the dangerous lady everything he knew, until his already low knowledge ran out. Usually, players would learn many more spells. Basically, a spell for every occasion, as one may never know when something may come in useful, but his philosophy of going for quality instead of quantity meant that he didn't have the breadth of selection other players at his level had.

Then, as the last whatever from the void was disintegrated, and his last clone made from shadow mana vanished, the Void Lady turned back to him, her hand still on Lucky's head.

"So, I have never asked, but why did you come to the tower?" she asked, somewhat sheepishly.

Sam had to chuckle at that. 'What an odd woman…'

"I sought instructions at the Mage Tower for some more impressive magics, as there is an army of blood mages and cultists that are soon going to besiege my country. That led me to a room with an old man who threw me into a portal," he explained plainly.

"And by impressive, you mean to summon cosmic forces to erase your enemies and to hear the lamentations of their women?" she asked drily.

"I rather lack in that area, so yes. Though I'm not very hung up on the lamentation…"

"It is… an acquired taste…" she agreed with him. Then she raised a delicate hand that could crush him with no trouble (the other naturally still running through Lucky's fur) and began to caress her chin.

"Let's start then!" she declared, and Sam saw a notification screen pop up in front of him.

[New quest acquired!]

[Where are you?]

[You somehow managed to find a way to the enigmatic Void Tower, where the ever-youthful Void Lady has taken an interest in you and agreed to aid your attempt to craft great magics. Don't disappoint her or unsummon the wolf.]

[Time Limit: None]

[Penalty: Disintegration, Light mockery]

[Reward: ???]

He accepted the quest and then turned back to the woman.

"Where do we start?"

Based on the smile that appeared on her face, Sam suspected that he may be in for a tough time.

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