Chapter Sixty-Three: Reginald

  And then—thud.

  Out from the darkness, something fell forward, hitting the floor with a wet splat.

  Jace jumped back, nearly tripping over his own feet. Shadow, wide-eyed, stood frozen for half a second, then burst into silent laughter, her face scrunched up as she desperately tried to keep it together.

  There, lying in the middle of the floor, was an old broom... tangled up with a mop... and a bucket that had somehow caught a shoe. The whole mess looked like it had fought a losing battle against a closet shelf.

  “Seriously?” Jace muttered, half annoyed, half relieved.

  But before he could even take a breath, the closet coughed again.

  Jace’s heart skipped a beat. Shadow’s expression shifted, her smirk fading into something more focused. This time, she wasn’t laughing.

  Another cough—a real one, not the mop this time—rumbled from the darkened closet.

  The door creaked open just a little wider.

  Jace swallowed hard. “Uh… hello?”

  Out he burst, a tirade of muttered curses spilling from his mouth as he dusted off his ghostly pants and an oversized jacket that hung off his stout, short frame like a tarp on a mini-fridge. The guy was all bluster and no polish—definitely not what Jace had pictured when he ordered a butler.

  “Alright, alright! I’m up, I’m up. Damn closet’s out to get me. Almost broke my... well, if I had one, it’d be broken.” He huffed, straightening his crooked bow tie, though it did nothing to make him look any more professional.

  Jace blinked, taking in the apparition before him. This was supposed to be the butler?

  “You, uh... don’t look much like the picture,” Jace started, squinting.

  The ghost waved him off with a dismissive hand, already waddling past him toward the common area. “Yeah, well, who does?”

  Jace followed, glancing at Shadow, who was clearly trying not to laugh.

  “Nice place you got here,” the ghost rasped, his voice carrying a rough city drawl. “Real Phantom of the Opera vibes. I like it. Looks like you’ve been sprucing things up, huh? Not bad. Yeah, I can work with this.”

  “Uh, so... you’re the butler?”

  “That’s me. The Butler,” he replied with a shrug, handing Jace a ghostly card. It had his face on it and the words: The Butler. It immediately vanished into a puff of smoke.

  “And you, uh, butler? Sorry, just didn’t expect…”

  “Someone this devastatingly handsome? Yeah, I get that a lot.” He ran a hand over his thinning hair. “Look, if you were expecting something different, maybe you should’ve read the fine print. But here we are. Now you’ve got me. Could always send me back, though... No refunds on the points, by the way. But hey, I’m sure you had a long list of other candidates... right?”

  “Maybe I will,” Jace muttered under his breath. This was not what Jace had wanted, and he already had half a mind to fire this guy, but he hesitated. Something about the guy was... oddly endearing, in a very grumpy kind of way.

  Before Jace could get a word out, the ghost spun around, eyes wide with panic. “Look, kid, don’t fire me. I need this gig, alright? I know I was the only one who applied—the place is new, and the other ghosts are still spooked about you. I get it, I’m not what you pictured, and yeah, I’m a little rough around the edges. But cut me some slack. From where I’m standing, it’s either this or... well, let’s just say what comes next ain’t exactly a vacation in the Bahamas. And lemme tell ya, you don’t wanna know the details.” He shot Jace a pleading look, hands up as if begging for mercy. “Just give me a chance, okay?”

  Jace sighed. “So… are you good at your job?”

  The ghost blinked, then grinned widely, showing off an unsettling number of ghostly teeth. “Terrible at it.”

  “So… what exactly are you good at?”

  “Cards,” he said with a shrug. “And, uh, I know my way around magic contracts. Pacts with devils, stuff like that. Don’t ask me why. Also, I’m great at sarcasm, which I consider a life skill, even if I’m, you know... dead.”

  Jace pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why are you even a butler then?”

  The ghost huffed and put on an exaggerated British accent. “‘Oh, Captain, my Captain! Would you like me to shine your shoes?’ Yeah, yeah, I lied on the resume. What, you’ve never fibbed a little?”

  Jace flinched, the ghost’s words hitting closer to home than he’d like.

  “Look, if you want someone to serve tea and call you ‘sir,’ I ain’t your guy,” the ghost continued. “But if you need someone who knows how to keep a place like this running, handle staff, make sure nobody’s slacking off? I got you.”

  Shadow, thoroughly entertained, nodded in approval, eyes gleaming with amusement. Jace, meanwhile, felt a headache coming on.

  The ghost crossed his arms, staring Jace down. “So, what do ya say? Keep me around, and I’ll make sure this place doesn’t fall apart?”

  Jace groaned. “Fine. What’s your name anyway?”

  “Call me... uh, Reginald.” He threw in a wink. “Fancy, right? Totally fake.”

  “Where are you staying?” Jace asked, not quite sure he wanted to know the answer.

  “Rank Two, baby. That means I get quarters. But honestly?” Reginald scratched his head. “Hate the staff area. Probably just bunk with you.”

  “Wait, what? In the dorms?”

  “Yeah, why not? You sleep in the buff? Don’t worry about it, me too. And, uh, I sleepwalk. You’ll get used to it.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Jace stared at him, slack-jawed. Shadow, on the other hand, was on the verge of bursting into silent laughter.

  “I need to… go spend my EXP,” Jace muttered, edging away.

  “Good call. What’s your Focus?” Reginald asked, already sauntering toward the fireplace like he owned the place.

  “Alchemy,” Jace replied cautiously.

  “Ah, excellent! You go off, tinker with your potions, and play with your aether. I’ll just be over here, getting settled in.” Reginald flopped into a plush armchair. His feet, clad in ghostly shoes, rested on a matching ottoman that seemed to appear just in time.

  “Don’t mind me,” he added, stretching luxuriously. Within seconds, the soft sound of snoring filled the room, his head lolling back as if he’d just finished a day of hard labor. “Ahhh, exhausting...” he muttered through the snores.

  Jace rubbed his temples. This was going to be… interesting.

  Jace tried, unsuccessfully, to shove Reginald into a mental box labeled 'Deal with this later'. But Shadow was right beside him, and her silent smirk was slightly frustrating. Together, they made their way to the alchemy lab, the space humming with possibilities.

  The lab had transformed, no longer the cramped, dusty nook it had once been. Now, it was a sleek, sprawling workshop—a testament to his progress, standing at the peak of Bronze Rank and nearly brushing Silver. The scent of rare herbs and potent brews hung thick in the air, while shelves brimmed with ingredients gathered from across the realms. Potions bubbled and glowed, casting a soft, ethereal light across the polished stone floor.

  Jace’s heart raced with excitement, his fingers itching to dive in. But then, a soft chime echoed from the far end of the lab, pulling his attention. The walls rippled like liquid silver, merging and reshaping before his eyes. An arched opening appeared, connecting the lab with the Fields Below, as a notification pinged in his mind.

  Unique Upgrade Available

  Alchemy Labs can be merged with Kitchen

  The Fields Below, sensing your needs, has improvised a new station: Rank 6 Alchemy Kitchen.

  Why make potions or food when you can make both? Why choose?

  Would you like to merge both spaces to create a new space?

  Accept | Reject

  A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as the transformation unfolded. He shot a glance at Shadow. Her eyes gleamed with interest, that rare spark of curiosity shining through her usual mask of silence. She trailed behind him, watching as the room seamlessly merged, sleek fridges and pantries forming out of nothing.

  Another prompt hovered in his thoughts.

  The Alchemy Kitchen senses ingredients in your inventory.

  Would you like them sorted and prepared?

  Accept | Reject

  The little pouch icon in his mind pulsed gently, as if urging him to say yes.

  Jace didn’t hesitate. He mentally accepted the prompt, and instantly the air crackled with magic. Ingredients began flying out of his inventory, swirling in a mesmerizing dance of color and texture. Herbs, spices, rare extracts—all whirling around the room like they had a mind of their own, settling into jars and vials with a precision that made him blink in awe. It wasn’t just efficient; it was art.

  “Okay,” he muttered, mostly to himself, “this is awesome.”

  He glanced over at Shadow, who raised an eyebrow as if to say, Not bad, but the small curve of her lips told him she was impressed, too.

  As if the room wasn’t cool enough already, a large tome materialized on a central pedestal. Its cover was worn, but it hummed with untapped knowledge. Jace approached, heart thudding, and flipped it open. The pages turned themselves, revealing recipe after recipe, each more complex and fascinating than the last.

  He let out a low whistle. “Alice would die if she saw this,” he muttered, scanning the intricate diagrams and notations.

  Shadow’s expression flickered, a brief tightening of her lips, a shadow passing over her face. But before he could read too much into it, she was back to her usual self, calm and composed, watching him with quiet intensity.

  Jace refocused on the tome, which now listed about fifty potion recipes—all possible with the ingredients he had on hand. His eyes widened as he skimmed the options. “I had no idea I could make so many things,” he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief.

  Stored in a Chronospace Vault your foods and ingredients are preserved out of time and space, maintaining freshness near-indefinitely.

  Increases shelf life by 10,000%.

  Jace let out a low whistle, marveling at the convenience. Near-infinite storage, and everything fresh no matter where he was? That was game-changing. He couldn’t help but smirk. “Alice would be so jealous.”

  His thoughts flicked back to the task at hand, and he decided to stick with something familiar. He selected recipes for minor healing potions and flavor-enhancing potions—solid choices that wouldn’t blow up in his face. As always, Shadow stood nearby, her eyes gleaming with silent curiosity.

  Jace got to work, methodically mixing ingredients, heating them with precision, and channeling his mana into the concoctions. The lab seemed to sense his intent, tools floating into place as if they had their own little personalities, eager to help.

  The first batch? A success. He poured a bit of the shimmering food-enhancing potion into a vial, grabbed a stale baguette he had stashed earlier, and handed them to Shadow. Her eyes flickered with interest as she raised the vial to her lips.

  “Wait—no, don’t drink it!” Jace said quickly, laughing. He gestured to the bread. “It’s for food. You put it on the food and then eat it.”

  Shadow’s lips twitched, but she complied, drizzling a little potion over the bread. For a moment, he wondered what would happen if someone did drink it. Would they just get super gourmet taste buds? Or, y’know... die? Hard to say.

  She took a bite of the potion-infused baguette, and the change in her expression was immediate. Her usual stoic face lit up with a rare, genuine smile, bright and unmistakable. Jace grinned. Shadow enjoying herself? That was a win.

  Encouraged by their success, they continued for hours, brewing potions and working in sync. His experience points ticked upward steadily, and he could feel his skills sharpening with each batch. Shadow, once so engaged, eventually curled up like a dark, tired cat on the couch in the corner, drifting off into sleep. The earlier gleam of excitement in her eyes had been replaced by peaceful exhaustion.

  Jace, standing at the workbench, glanced over at her with a small smile. He turned back to his progress, reviewing the steady rise of his skill meter. He was this close to pushing through to the third rank of Bronze. He could feel the energy buzzing under his skin, so close he could almost taste it. But not quite yet. He’d save a few of the potions for the market, see what they’d fetch. Things were starting to look up.

  He sighed, but it was the good kind of sigh—the kind that comes from hard work paying off. The night had been long, productive, and surprisingly satisfying. Jace looked at the sleeping Shadow, her form relaxed and soft in the dim light, and he couldn’t help but feel content. There was always more to learn, more to create, more to uncover in this ever-expanding world. But for tonight, this was enough.

  As the hours slipped by, Jace felt the shift take root deep within him. His EXP Focus activated with a familiar, yet potent pull, guiding the flow of aether through his veins. It was subtle at first—a quiet recalibration of his energy, like an intricate machine fine-tuning itself. Spent power settled into his core, the hum of potential woven into the fabric of his being. There was always more to chase, more to strive for, but in this moment, this quiet pulse of growth felt like home.

  A near twenty-point surge spread across his attributes, finely attuned to how he’d been pushing his limits. He could sense the threshold of Bronze Three just beyond his reach, like the horizon teasing the dawn. Not quite there, but closer. Still, the gains were undeniable. Respectable, even. Each point earned through sweat and strategy. He skimmed over the basics of his Character Sheet, skipping the sections with no major changes or updates.

  Character Sheet

  Name: Jace

  Speaker Rank: Bronze Two - Apprentice Perceptor

  Class Title: Twilight Guardian

  EXP Capacity: 0 / 5000

  Attributes:

  ? Strength: 20

  ? Dexterity: 24

  ? Intelligence: 30

  ? Wisdom: 34

  ? Constitution: 18

  ? Charisma: 14

  ? Spirit Constitution: 22

  ? Karmic Balance: 4