Contribution Points

Jack and Hermia had their golden tickets to the Eye, thanks to personal connections. But then came Daniel, Dylan, and the rest – not exactly the easiest to justify.

Turns out, Bradley, not only effortlessly resolved the issue but also paved the way for Dylan, Daniel, and the crew to officially become part of the club. 

Now, that's not your typical Eye member move.

With a hunch about Bradley's behind-the-scenes prowess, Jack had a little chat with him beforehand. No formalities, just a casual desire to dabble in some magic.

Bradley, despite saying no to cutting corners, took Jack on a less conventional route.

"You've got to understand, magicians despise magic revealers, and, well, I'm one of them," Bradley declared with a touch of sarcasm, relishing his chance to shine. "So, guess my standing in the Eye?"

"Everyone's favorite target? The magic punching bag?" Jack quipped.

"Damn, I'm the supervisor!" Bradley retorted, rolling his eyes. "My gig is to keep an eye on those abusing magic and tarnishing the Eye's name. Be it posing as illusionists or using shady magic to deceive folks, it's my duty to expose them and make sure they get the punishment they deserve."

"High-ranking, huh?" Jack nodded, his suspicions confirmed. Pulling off such feats requires some serious influence.

"Not super high, but I can smooth out personnel and magic teaching issues with ease," Bradley boasted.

"Got it," Jack mused, making up his mind.

Bradley sensed trouble brewing and scanned the room cautiously. He knew Jack too well – the guy always had something up his sleeve.

"What's cooking in that brain of yours?" Jack asked, mischief glinting in his eyes.

"I might have an inkling, but nothing concrete yet. Do you still have some tricks up your sleeve?"

"No matter what I'm thinking, I promise not to stir up trouble. Cross my heart," Jack chuckled.

Eventually, Bradley led Jack to a highly secured spot – an attic.

Walking into the seemingly ordinary attic, it transformed into a magical library wonderland, shelves stacked with books as far as the eye could see. What baffled Jack was the apparent spatial distortion, the attic appearing much larger inside than it did outside.

"The size difference is due to space structure magic, but sadly, it's not something anyone can learn," Bradley explained, catching Jack's inquisitive gaze.

"No one can learn it?" Jack queried. "Why not?"

"Because some legacies are like a severed cable, and there are... well, other reasons," Bradley gestured upwards, "As we plunge deeper into industrialized societies, the magic in nature demishes."

"Is that so?" Jack seemed oblivious to this development.

"The rate at which you soak up magical energy is unparalleled, and your storage capacity is off the charts. So, you basically don't notice these things," Bradley explained, a tinge of envy in his tone. "Not everyone has your talents, Jack. Cherish them."

"I will," Jack affirmed, "So... is there no one tending to this place?"

"This place is shielded by potent magic. To access a corresponding magic book from the shelf, you need to cough up a matching number of contribution points – it's like a magical key." Bradley clarified. "So, how many contribution points do you have now?"

Jack glanced at the array of books around him, sensing the concealed magic circle guarding them. He abandoned his initial idea.

Originally, Jack had planned to whisk away all the books in an instant using his storage space, then travel the world and study them at his leisure. When he returned, he'd simply put the books back, eliminating any theft concerns. But now, that plan fizzled out before it even began. Jack assessed the mana strength in the vicinity and found the place somewhat formidable.

Deciding to play it fair, he opted to see how much he could learn based on his earned contribution points before making a decision.

"Contribution points come from tasks or money," Bradley explained. "Task points depend on the difficulty and manner of completion, and the exchange rate with money earned. Remember I mentioned donating money?"

"Why don't you tell me how much I earned from my missions and how much I can exchange?" Jack suggested.

"Okay..." Bradley sighed, "You've got 50,000 contribution points."

"That sounds like a lot," Jack acknowledged, "What can I get with it?"

"Aren't you curious why you have so many contribution points?" Bradley expected Jack to express surprise before explaining, but Jack didn't play along, leaving Bradley slightly miffed.

"Does asking increase my contribution points?" Jack questioned.

"No."

"Then why bother asking?"

"..." Bradley fell silent.

"Fuck! That does make sense!" He thought.

.....

Read ahead on my Pa*treon! 

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