"What if you cast [Fly] on me and we treat it more as target practice plus revenge?" I asked to Gema after taking a quick restroom break and having some food and water.

We had just come back to the doorway outside the testing area and were discussing potential ways to get people to cast more spells.

Gema's smile was mischievous before she returned to her ethereal air.

As we entered, she called to the assembled group, "Before we move on to our final attacking gems, I believe some moving target practice is in order. Flee!"

I understood her meaning: start moving and then we can escalate.

Some of the people put down the Tier 4 wands they were examining, disappointed. But there were at least ten who had a manic gleam in their eye as they rushed to one of the lower-Tier attack spell tables.

I darted off to the right before doubling back. It felt good to both stretch my legs and my taunting skills. I even moved behind Tabita for a second when I saw no one was casting.

Having more mobility to dodge than only moving my hips around a bit while on a pedestal would mean more misses. At least I hoped that would be the case. The prospect of said missed spells annoyed some while it enthralled others. A betting pool quickly emerged as people started aiming very carefully.

At their higher Tier, mostly Tier 3s or 4s, and years of experience with spells, many were quite good.

I decided to see how well I could bait out attacks, almost like a mini training session. Not using [Hasty Retreat], especially as I had no idea what it would do in the facility, my goal was to see how well higher-Tier people could anticipate my moves.

After ten minutes of that, we moved on to casting [Fly] as I zoomed around the room. I didn't go too high, just in case the barrier or spell fizzled. The exhilaration of flight was only slightly marred by the people jeering below me.

Once that had gone on for a few minutes, I saw a huddle of two men and two women out of the corner of my eye. Their nod gave me a bad feeling in my stomach that had nothing to do with the loop-de-loop I'd just done.

As the [Fly] spell was nearing its end again, my speed had dropped. If I could inject my own mana to the spell at that second, it wouldn't have been an issue, but it was an odd quirk of the testing facility.

I was also near to the main cluster of people having gone for a close fly-by. It was the tactic that resulted in the most spells and thus the most potential for me to gain additional cheap purchases.

Three spells flew out from both men and one of the women. The first held me in place while the second made the barrier itself shiver and shake. The third was a beam of plasma, purplish orange in color. I felt the barrier shatter.

Before it could snap back up, the furious but seemingly sober last woman stepped forward.

I had learned to read and anticipate people's movements; she was winding up her arm to thrust the wand at me like a sword. I swooped up to dodge as best as I could, getting my head out of the way, waiting to feel the impact.

Instead, I heard a scream and shouts.

As I looked back down, the woman was on her knees cradling a stump, her hand and wrist lying on the floor in a quickly expanding pool of blood.

Selim Koval stood next to her, glaring down. He kicked the hand away from him.

Before anything more could happen, a stasis field kicked in throughout the facility and only staff were able to move, dragging the four conspirators out.

[Fly running out, help] I sent to Gema as I didn't know what would happen with the spell. Being suspended about twenty feet (6m) in the air made me nervous.

She walked into my eyeline and smiled up at me.

The spell ended.

I lurched towards the floor but with a hand extended, she stopped me Mission Impossible-style a few inches from the ground.

[You can't see but I am rolling my eyes and trying to flip you off.] I sent to her as the bleeding woman's muffled cries faded from the room.

***

There was a short recess but apparently, the vast majority of people still wanted to continue.

Gema looked at me from her stuffed chair. "The spell causes significant pain. It would have been especially potent on a Tier 1. Though no lasting damage."

"Does that make it okay?"

She shook her head. "No, only I think you should know the intention. I do not believe they could have harmed you no matter what. Our facility blocks casts when a barrier falls. Like any good fighting arena."

It didn't make it any better as I was pretty sure the people trying to hurt me didn't know that. Gema hadn't even told me that previously. I continued to glare at her rather than respond.

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"Oh, do not mistake, misunderstand, underestimate me. They are banned. And gave up their deposit. The hand is yours to do with as you see fit." She pulled out the severed hand from spatial storage, the stump still slowly dripping blood to the ground.

"Sell it back to her. 200 gold." I was pissed but saw an opportunity to rub salt in their wounds. "And only if they all give me an AAI-backed guarantee they won't try to harm me or anyone associated with me in any way. Have your contract people look it over for wording and loopholes, I want it ironclad."

Gema smiled and the door to the small room opened, a staff member walking in to collect the appendage with only minor disgust.

"Ready to resume?" she asked.

"Where's my cut of their deposit?"

She lightly slapped my chest and chuckled. "Oh, I do so enjoy, relish, adore working with a professional."

***

After another hour of people testing innumerable spells on me, some of which were quite pleasant – though most weren't – I was headed back to the changing room before my meeting with Selim.

[Eat Your Veggies], a new skill that was rather mana intensive, made it so whatever someone ate over the next few minutes tasted wonderful. It was odd 'breaking bread' by eating raw vegetables with people with a supposed grudge against me, but it was the perfect way to end the odd spell expo.

It really was one of the best meals of my life, at least food-wise.

Most of the conversation was actually relatively genial and I was included far more than I would have expected. It was almost like I was part of the group after they'd removed 'the rabble'.

Gema barged into the room a second before I was going to change out of the shorts. I turned to look at her, clearly nonplussed.

She said, "It's not like I haven't seen it before." My angry and confused look made her chuckle. "I had more than one encounter with Cornelius." Gema shrugged.

Not wanting to touch that can of worms, I moved behind the changing screen. "So, is my meeting with Selim Koval set?" There was silence. "If you're nodding, I can't hear you."

"His companion was rather friendly with the attackers prior to the incident. However, Selim did not follow him out. You should know he is not pleased but he'll see you. As promised."

I stepped back around in one of my more formal outfits. While I greatly disliked the man, I figured it was like heading into a meeting with someone who 'demanded respect' that they hadn't earned.

Isekonsultant Tip to Thriving #78: Sometimes you have to dress to the occasion to have a productive conversation. Some people are just assholes like that. There are battles worth fighting. But never compromising on anything, especially things that don't matter much to you, just leads to unnecessary confrontation.

Rather than one of the richly appointed sitting rooms, Gema walked me into a small conference room. Selim was seated with his back to the door, not even moving when the door opened, likely trying to signal he didn't see me as a threat.

Great, we're playing games already.

I walked around to the far side of the ovoid table, nodding to Gema that she could leave.

With a short awkward silence, I decided to start. "First off, thank you. I am not sure of the exact details but you might have saved my life." It wasn't the exact truth but I figured it would make my further asks more palatable.

"We both know that is not true," he said. He looked far sadder and more drained than angry or arrogant, which surprised me.

"Either way, I appreciate you stepping in."

"Terry, I do not like you. I want to make that clear. I think you are some oddly upjumped incompetent idiot from another world. But you're a Tier 1. I won't allow someone to attack basically a harmless, idiotic child."

Is doing the right thing for kinda the right reasons but still being an absolute dick good or bad?

Not being able to help it, I burst out laughing. The rage came back to his face. I stammered, "It's just you know nothing about me. Some of what you say is actually not that false. I don't know much about this world. And I've been fighting for at most a few months, so I am still learning there. Though I, much like I suspect Cornelius, am not a child. Nor am I an idiot."

My comment about being a child seemed to take him aback. After blanching on hearing my body twin's name, Selim's bewildered face settled over the next 30 seconds back into a haughty sneer. "I thought you brought me here to apologize for your behavior. And your appearance. If that's not what's going on here, I'll take my leave."

"I think you'll find the door is locked," I replied calmly.

He tried the handle a few times then sat back down. "You play dangerous games," he spat, though gave me more of a considering look, like he was seeing me as an actual opponent for the first time.

"That's just it. I don't want to be playing any games. At least not these kinds. I don't see any reason for us to be on opposite sides. Should we be friends? Hell no. Should we be allies? Hell no. But I have a proposition for you."

Selim looked disgusted. "How dare you! I am a respected—"

I yelled quickly, "Not THAT kind of proposition. Jesus Christ dude…"

He tilted his head and I realized 'Jesus Christ' probably was translated oddly. I'd figure that one out later.

I put my hands out on the table palms up. "I am coming to you with an opportunity. Cornelius has fuc— he has caused me more harm than you, I am sure. And I want to pay him back for that." Selim had reacted slightly again at hearing the man's name but sat back.

"Spit it out. I can't stand the sight of you."

"I actually know the feeling oddly. Looking into a mirror and seeing a face that isn't your own is… well, it's not great."

That seemed to soften him up, which was my plan. It was a tactic that worked well in many situations: humanize the opponent.

As he didn't reply, I continued with my planned points. "I don't really care much what he did to you. I don't know and I don't care to know. What I do know is he sucks incredibly and I want some payback. But I also need information from him. So I plan to trick him. The exact details are still coming together."

He sneered at me. "Far smarter people have tried. As much as he's a smooth talker, he's also very politically adept."

"Yeah, I figured it wasn't just about the bedroom capabilities…" I said.

It was something that had been weighing heavily on my thoughts. Someone that was quite good looking and talented in the bedroom seemed like a walking red flag for people who wanted to avoid complications. I knew there were arrogant and horny nobles with little sense but he had entrapped so many powerful people in his spider web, it didn't track that he was just a gigolo. The old 'yeah, sex is great but' jokes came to mind.

"Is he doing some kind of spying on people? Or something to do with blackmail?" I asked, unable to help myself.

Selim looked at me sharply before a sneer returned to his face. "Not even close." I couldn't read him but thought maybe I was on to something.

But it didn't matter to me.

Looking him dead in the eye, I said, "Selim, I want to hit this guy where it's going to hurt. He's caused so much damage, I want it to stop. You and I, we can work together. We'll clean the slate. We don't have to like each other, we don't have to be friends. But will you help me take him down?"

After a short pause, he returned my gaze. "I think you've got yourself a deal."

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