Gathering Wives with a System

He paused, then added, ”Also, I want all previous guilds dissolved. Mix their members randomly into new teams under the city’s command. They’ll handle public security in the new sectors.”

Vale frowned slightly. ”And their payment?”

”They’ll receive compensation and one mana potion vial per month, along with benefits.”

Vale blinked. ”One vial each month? Most awakeners can’t afford even one in a year.”

Isaac nodded. ”Exactly. It’ll keep them loyal. Once word spreads, we’ll have more volunteers than we can count.”

Vale couldn’t argue with that logic.

Isaac turned to Ruby, who had just entered from the side door.

”Ruby, I want you to monitor these awakeners. Some will abuse their power if left unchecked. If anyone uses their strength to harm civilians, report them directly to me.”

”Understood,” she said.

Back in Professor Catherine’s office, Isaac sat down again and began sorting through reports.

The room was filled with quiet mechanical sounds from the floating drones that recorded everything for documentation.

A short while later, Freya entered.

She looked quite pleased.

”The reaction is changing in real time,” she said, placing a data tablet on the desk. ”Public sentiment’s improving. People are putting up banners with your name already.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. ”That quick?”

”Yeah,” Ruby said, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. ”The lower districts barely managed to survive day by day. Word about your new crops and their quality has been spreading for some time already. And now that you are giving it for free along with housing, and jobs, it’s more than they ever got under the governor.”

Isaac nodded slowly. ”That’s good. Keep watching the situation. I want updates every few hours.”

Freya left soon after, and for a while, silence filled the office again.

Then, without warning, a dark mist began swirling in the middle of the room.

It grew, expanding outward until two figures stepped through: Celia and Leora.

”Why are they making so dramatic entrance? They could’ve teleported outside,” Ruby muttered under her breath.

Celia ignored the comment and placed a document folder on Isaac’s desk.

”All the top guilds have been transported at the entrance of the tutorial dungeon. They’re waiting for your command to begin. As for the potential rewards, these are the main ones,” she said.

Isaac opened the folder.

The names gleamed in neat script: Aether Glass, Binding Crystals, Titan Metal Shards, Arcane Bricks, Administrative Core.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

”Almost half the materials we need can be obtained from this dungeon alone.”

Leora nodded but then spoke up. ”There’s a level limit. Only awakeners up to level forty can enter. The Champion rankers won’t be able to join.”

”That’s fine,” Isaac said. ”We don’t have many Champions anyway. Most of our forces will still qualify.”

He paused.

”But there’s another problem. It’s a hell-difficulty dungeon. The odds of the entire team being wiped out are... almost guaranteed.”

”That’s right,” Leora agreed quietly.

Isaac leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment. Then he stood. ”Celia, you’re coming with me.”

She blinked, taken aback. ”Huh? Me? Where are we going?”

”I am going to clear the dungeon. That’s where you are coming,” he said, then explained. ”We’ll enter the dungeon ourselves first. I’ll take a small group of awakeners with us.

”They will map the dungeon and observe my run. Once they’ve seen the layout and understand the mechanics of the tutorial dungeon, they’ll build a strategy for the rest of the teams.”

He glanced at the others.

”That way, we can minimize the casualties. The first attempt from me will set the foundation.”

Vale frowned. ”You’re taking my sister into a hell difficulty dungeon? Do you even know how dangerous those are?”

Isaac turned to him. ”Vale, I know what you’re thinking. Come with me for a second. I’ll show you something.”

The way he said it left no room for argument.

Vale looked at him for a second, then nodded to let Isaac show him what he wanted.