Monster hunting is all about anima efficiency. The best monster hunters never use more anima than they must. Who knows when a new monster might appear on the horizon? You never want to be in the wilderness with insufficient anima reserves.

― Monster Hunter Weekly, vol. 89, no. 27

Asteria

Party time!

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. I was determined to do my work properly, but also enjoy the second chance I’ve been given. After all, what was the point of being reborn into a world of magic and technology if you couldn’t enjoy yourself?

Work has been going well.

True, there was a small setback when Uriel was reinfected, but I managed to cure him and his lover. Israfel and his team, including Oren, weren’t infected. The monsters that were probably the vector for Uriel’s infection were burned to ashes. I found no trace of the virus in the sewers where their nest had been.

The first part of my plan has been going well. Oren, Katja, and I have become friends, and I think they trust me. They were shocked when I moved back into my apartment. It seems they thought I’d moved in with Seraphiel permanently. We’ve resumed our bi-weekly monster hunts.

The second part of my plan, preparing caches for the hero, has likewise been going well. I thought that learning how to pilot a helicopter would take months, but it only took Seraphiel, Uriel, and Sariel two weeks to get a license. This has made travel a breeze. I’ve finished placing the items in five out of seven major sites. The last two ones were the most problematic since they were in remote and dangerous areas.

I plan to secretly go to Skjoldhojkilen swamp alone using my teleportation skill. I fear that if I asked the three S-class ELs to go with me, they would encounter the Jotun. The hero should be the one who slays the legendary giant, therefore, I’ll have to sneak into the swamp alone.

The truth is that I could simply teleport into all the sites, but I would prefer not to. Teleportation using Spirit Incarnate hurts. There’s also the possibility of encountering monsters while I’m still recovering from the pain.

Even so, I would teleport for the sake of efficiency, but I’m worried about Uriel. He’s been showing signs of depression ever since he got reinfected. His work hasn’t suffered but he’s been drinking a lot more. Sariel told me that he’s stopped going to his favorite bars. Instead, he’s been drinking in his apartment. Most ominously, Uriel has slowed down on his womanizing.

Our weekly jaunts have given Uriel and the others a good opportunity to help me and feel useful. Uriel has been more cheerful lately because of it. It’s a win-win situation for everyone since I feel safer knowing that they’re there with me.

We’ll be going to Bornholm Pass next week after my coming-of-age party. The place where I needed to place the hidden cache of artifacts and weapons was deep inside a natural cave system full of monsters. Seraphiel, Sariel, and Uriel are there right now to scout the place for me.

That left me free to do whatever I wanted today. Or so I thought. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two black-suited men approach me as I exited the front door of my apartment building.

“Miss, please come with us,” said the older Lifer.

“Right now?” I asked. Magnus had said he would send a Lifer to escort me to the party, but I must have forgotten that it was today.

“Yes, miss.”

This time they didn’t use a van but, rather, a luxurious car with windows tinted so dark that one couldn’t see who was inside. To my surprise, the two Lifers didn’t take me to the Kraej Company headquarters. Instead, they took me to Volendam, a famous part of the city where the old money families lived. It was the most prestigious part of what people call the “Old Town'' or the original core of Kraej City before it became a megalopolis.

It would have taken a plebe like me hours to get there, but the Lifers were able to access the not-so-secret tunnels under Kraej City that were supposedly for military use only. Even Seraphiel and the others couldn’t use the tunnels unless they were on a top priority mission.

In less than an hour, we arrived at a historic neoclassical mansion that must have been a prestigious location when Volendam was at the center of the political and social life of the city. Of course, these days the action has mostly moved nearer to the Kraej Company headquarters.

A black-clad Lifer opened the doors to this impressive residence. The Lifers who had escorted me here left me in his care. The front hall was dominated by a majestic sweeping staircase and gilded balustrade. The ornate ceiling, marble walls, and beautiful frescoes were fit for a king. The Lifer led me to a beautiful suite of rooms.

“Magnus is here?” I asked.

“No, miss. He’ll be here at the party tonight,” said the Lifer who had opened the door to the mansion.

“Tonight?” It wasn’t even nine in the morning. Magnus expected me to wait twelve hours here?

“Yes, miss,” said the Lifer.

A door opened and a bevy of female Lifers entered. At least, I assumed they were Lifers. They were all wearing dark suits but, unlike all the Lifers I had seen before, the expressions on their faces were lively. Five of them were wheeling in racks of clothes, shoes, and accessories. Three more were carrying boxes. The Lifers put down the boxes, and I saw that inside them were a portable sewing machine and sewing tools.

I could see a room with a massage table through the open door. The room to the right of that one was a shower and steam room while the room on the left was a home beauty salon.

“Miss, we’re here to get you ready for the party,” said the Lifer who seemed to be in charge.

“Oh my gosh,” I said. This was like something out of a movie. They were going to give me a makeover!

“I think choosing an outfit should be our first priority, miss,” said the Lifer in charge.

“If I say no, can I go home?” I asked.

“The young master said you agreed to attend,” she said.

“I could have gotten ready by myself,” I said.

“I’m sure we can find something you’ll like just as much,” said the Lifer.

With those words, she sealed my fate. It was time for a real-life makeover montage!