The Oracle Paths

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947 You Know It's Not A Date, Right?

"How much longer do I have, Xi?" Jake sighed, trying in vain to forget Ulfar's insufferable face.

[Only fifteen minutes. You'd better hurry. I don't know this Oros, but 1 1m not sure you're prepared to face the consequences of keeping an Oracle Overseer waiting.]

"Well... You're right," Jake admitted shamelessly.

"Don't forget you can also bring three people of your choice, as long as they're part of your faction or another organization under your command," Saros, the Oracle Guardian assigned to watch over him, reminded him kindly. "Trusted individuals such as family members or friends are also allowed, but the Oracle will decide beforehand if they are eligible to participate in such a ceremony."

Jake paused, listening to the alien's reminder.

Determining the eligibility of those accompanying him likely referred to their Oracle Rank or the number of Ordeals they had completed.

"Xi, who do you suggest for this graduation... I mean, this ceremony?" Jake coughed quietly.

[Hade and Asfrid. Lucia or Ulfar as a third choice. Will would have been ideal, but he's tied up with the refugees from Quanoth right now. Asfrid is also quite busy. Hade... It's not certain he'll want to leave his lab.]

"They'll come if I insist," Jake commented indifferently, but it was just an empty statement. He had no intention of forcing them to join him at this event.

After sending them the message, thankfully free of charge, their responses arrived without delay.

This confirmed his theory that the Oracle System now charged them based on distance when they communicated via the Faction Chat.

Unsurprisingly, Will and Asfrid were too busy, though they were intrigued by the idea of meeting a real Oracle Overseer. Conversely, Lucia and Ulfar, whose presence he would rather do without, had nothing better to do, as luck would have it.

The only good news was that Hade agreed to come without any fuss. Maybe he wanted to make up for his poor performance at the end of the Ordeal.

As he headed toward the Yellow Cube on his island, Jake repeatedly praised himself on the excellent work of the million Oracle Constructors he had just purchased. They had successfully brought his vision to life, making his investment worthwhile.

The construction project was far from complete, but each of the refugees already had a roof over their heads. To avoid any conflict and to accommodate the customs and characteristics of each species, Jake had borrowed the model from Laudarkvik, dividing his island into pieshaped sections, each representing a district.

This was not due to discrimination or class distinction but because it was necessary. The ideal environment for Kintharians was the polar opposite of that for Throsgenians, just as the course of the sun and the radiation received by the Vampire District needed to be adjusted as well.

Arranged clockwise around his own quarters and Melkree's tree at the heart of the island, the districts in order were now the Kinthar District, Myrmid District, Eltar District, Beskyr District, Beast District, Day District, Night District, Demon District, Astral District, Sky District, and Aqua District.

The Beast District housed both the Werebeings and the Aristocats, but like the Sky District, it required special architectural adaptations and plenty of space to accommodate the gigantic beastly forms of some of them. The Sky District was for avian species and dragons who thrived in three-dimensional environments.

These two districts were by far the largest.

The Day District welcomed all species, human or otherwise, as long as they had no need for specific living conditions and their size was not overly immense. Jake had designed enough diverse biomes to please everyone, from woodland elves and Nawaii to mountain dwarves.

The Night District was reserved for vampires and other nocturnal species abhorring daylight. For them, Jake planned to install a small artificial moon soon. Werebeings also required it for cultivation. Of course, some were considering acquiring their own Floating Island or, like his cousin Kevin, already had one.

The Demon District gathered demons, though it was the only area conceived as a ghetto. Despite their malevolent nature, Jake had no intention of banishing them, as long as they respected his rules. However, allowing them to mingle with ordinary citizens was far too risky, even with the surveillance of Oracle Drones he intended to purchase en masse and an exhaustive Oracle Contract to keep them on a leash.

Jake sought to segregate these inherently disparate souls, each with their own moral compass. Though they were not barred from venturing into other districts, this partition would serve as a bulwark against a cascade of complications.

As for the Astral District, it only housed Haynt for now, who also planned to acquire his own Floating Island in the future. Jake had created it for ethereal and spectral species not requiring a physical body to exist. It was impossible to let creatures capable of passing through walls haunt other districts without restriction.

The Aqua District was a small ocean to the north of his island, connected to rivers and lakes established in each district. Jake had filled it with all kinds of fish, but for now, aside from a few amphibious races like the Water Elf Tribe or Asfrid l s, nobody had any reason to call it home. It was merely anticipation for the future.

Finally, besides the 11 undefined border districts, there was the Flora District, a vast forest and gardens planted overnight around Melkree, forming a security belt between the future Oracle City where the Oracle Cubes were located, Jake's private quarters, and the rest of the island.

As the artificial sun dipped slowly toward the horizon, casting an ethereal glow across the sky despite it only being mid-afternoon, Jake, en route to the Yellow Cube, found himself wandering the newly planted gardens, the scent of blooming flowers filling the air.

He had hoped to clear his thoughts, but the serenity of the moment was shattered when he caught sight of Lucia, standing beneath a canopy of roses, the Yellow Cube floating slightly behind her.

Apparently, as soon as she had heard about the ceremony, she had hurried to come.

Adorned in her most exquisite sundress, its rich fabric shimmering in the twilight, Lucia had transformed into a vision of pure elegance. Her makeup, skillfully applied, accentuated her already enchanting features and made her dark golden eyes sparkle like stars in the night. It was evident that she had dressed with a singular intention - to captivate Jake's heart.

As Jake approached, he couldn't help but be captivated by the sight before him. Lucia's dark golden hair cascaded like a waterfall down her back, the delicate scent of her perfume teasing his senses. The way she moved towards him, with the grace of a swan and the confidence of a queen, made his heart race.

"Jake," Lucia murmured, her voice as melodious as a symphony, "I've been waiting for you."

Her eyes locked with his, and in that instant, Jake felt a magnetic pull, drawing him closer to the woman who stood before him. She reached out, her hand trembling ever so slightly, and touched his arm. The warmth of her skin against his sent a shiver down his spine.

"I wanted you to see me like this," Lucia confessed, her cheeks flushed coyly, "because I want you to know the depth of my affection for you."

As she spoke, her words wove an irresistible spell around Jake, ensnaring him in her web of seduction. He was mesmerized by her beauty and captivated by the raw emotion in her voice. In that moment, he knew that Lucia had dressed to impress, and her efforts had not been in vain. The tide of his heart was turning, and he could feel himself being drawn deeper into the allure of her embrace.

Still, Jake wouldn't be himself if he didn't have a well-honed defense mechanism to defuse such an ambiguous situation.

"You know it's not a date, right?" He blurted out casually.

Lucia's face immediately stiffened, and letting go of his arm, she kicked his shin in vexation instead.

[What a moron...] Xi facepalmed in his head. [Kiss her! At least give her a compliment, you idiot... How dense can you be?]

Fortunately, Lucia was not the vindictive type.

Seeing Jake disoriented and dumbstruck by her beauty was more than enough for her. She didn't expect a compliment, but couldn't he just keep quiet instead of ruining everything?

'I'll conquer your heart,' she reaffirmed with determination in her mind.

Different from her thoughts, she replied with a broad smile, "Of course, I know it's not a date. But we're going to meet an Oracle Overseer and a slew of new Oracle Knights. Among them are likely your future rivals. Don't you think it's best to make a strong impression by presenting ourselves in our finest form?"

Jake froze, realizing that Lucia's excuse made perfect sense. Still... Wouldn't sparkling armor made of precious magical alloys have made an even greater impact than a pretty dress?

When Hade and Ulfar appeared in front of the Yellow Cube dressed to the nines, Jake realized he was the one who was off the mark. They weren't going to Thelma to fight. Moreover, Ulfar didn't miss the opportunity to tease him. Gazing at him with a regal stare, he snickered, "Do you really plan to meet the Oracle Overseer dressed like that?"