Symbiotic: Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“Ok. Back to the initial paperwork prompts. Anything we missed?”

[Territory Ownership Options Available]

• View Build, Expand, or Reinforce options?

• Configure taxation, trade routes, and challenger rewards?

• Enable automatic resource harvesting?

• Enable Territory administration Spirit

• Link to System Shop for Territory upgrades?

• Authorize requested Territory Alliance with Territory: Lifewheat Fields

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“Building options… What’s that, Future Sara? You want to read all about the buildings available? Ok, fine. You can take that one.”

“Configure taxation, trade routes, and challenger rewards? Tax for what? Trade with who? What Challengers?”

[System Notification: Standard Taxation Protocols]

Territory: Haven Village / Haven Valley Standard Tax Evaluation

• Tax Rate: 10% of resource yield (food, crystal, crafted goods).

• Trade Levy: 5% on external trade passing through Territory.

• Dungeon Challenger Tribute: 10% of System Credits earned by challengers within local dungeons.

• Adjustable Range: Owner may set rates between 1%–20% depending on policy.

• Distribution: Taxes collected are converted into Territorial Authority Points (TAP) and System Credits (SC).

Note: Excessive taxation (>20%) risks lowering morale and productivity; minimal taxation (<5%) reduces TAP/SC income and can hamper valley growth.

“Um, ok. Set to standard rates please. But let’s set Dungeon Challenger Tribute down to 5%. As a fellow Challenger, seeing that makes me groan.”

[System Notification: Standard Taxation Protocols Assigned]

“Next. I’m almost afraid to ask. Trade Routes?”

[System Notification: Trade Route Options]

Haven Valley has no applicable Trade Routes. Please see Territory Alliance: Lifewheat Fields for more options.

“Ok. Territory Alliance: Lifewheat Fields… Wait. Glory. That’s Glory!”

[System Notification: Territory Alliances]

Lifewheat Fields Controller Baron The Glorious Lion Who Roars at the Sun has requested an Open Trade Alliance with Haven Valley Owner Viscount Sara Bloom. Open Trade Alliance will allow for trade with Lifewheat Fields as well as the establishment of Trade Routes through Lifewheat Fields Territory to other Territories as Trade Agreements are approved. Open Trade Alliance does not include or require Military Support Agreement.

Authorize requested Territory Alliance with Territory: Lifewheat Fields? Y/N?

“Yes. Absolutely yes. Authorize. And request, um, Mutual Defense Pact Military Support Agreement with Baron The Glorious Lion Who Roars at the Sun?”, Sara added, wanting very much to get those beautiful terrifying Lions on her side.

Mutual Defense Pact Military Support Agreement with Baron The Glorious Lion Who Roars at the Sun: Pending

“Well… It’s better than declined?”

“What comes next… Enable Automatic Resource Harvesting? Yes, No, or Unclaimed?

System. Automatic Resource Harvesting additional information please.”

[Automatic Resource Harvesting]

Automatic Resource Harvesting options are: No Harvesting, Yes Harvest All. Or Yes Harvest All not already claimed and being harvested. It is recommended that you allow any skilled harvesters to harvest manually, as skilled bonuses will yield greater harvest values. But do not leave unclaimed Resources go unharvested or yield can be lost or stolen.

“Well, OK then. Yes, all Unclaimed Resources”

[Automatic Resource Harvesting: Unclaimed Only]

Note: Claimed Resources will continue to be harvested by current Valley personnel.

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“Gods. Are we almost done… What’s nex…. No. No no no. You’ve got to be kidding me. God’s Damn It System. Administration Spirit? I swear, if I could have enabled an administration spirit to make changes for me I swear I will…. I don’t know what I will do… But you won’t like it!”

“System. Territory administration Spirit options.”, she sighed.

[System Notification: Territory Administration Spirit]

The Territory Administration Spirit is a System tool designed to assist and simplify Territory administration for the Territory Owners.

• Enables standardized settings for one or more Territories.

• Automatically administers routine functions and configurations.

• Owner intervention is only required when non‑standard or custom choices are needed.

Temporarily forgetting her enhanced abilities, Sara’s Facepalm echoed throughout the bunker like a thunder storm.

“Yes. Enable. Territory Administration Spirit. Please.”, she growled through clenched teeth.

The Control Crystal pulsed as Sara confirmed the prompt. A low hum filled the bunker, resonating through the crystalline conduits in the walls. The glow intensified, green light spiraling upward like mist before condensing into a shape.

From the shimmer stepped a figure. Small, luminous, and unmistakably familiar. A two foot tall glowing green spirit, shaped like a miniature version of Sara herself, spores trailing like wisps of light as she stood in the air before Sara, eyes glowing with blue and purple radiance.

The spirit bowed deeply, its movements graceful and precise, as though rehearsed countless times. When it spoke, its voice was soft but carried the same cadence as Sara’s own, layered with the System’s resonance:

[Territory Administration Spirit Activated]

“Greetings, Viscount Sara Bloom.

I am the Administration Spirit assigned to Haven Valley and linked Territories.

My role is to maintain standardized settings, oversee routine functions, and ensure stability.

You will only be required when custom or non-standard decisions arise and, if you allow, I will be able to contact you remotely should your Authority be required.”

Sara blinked, half amused, half frustrated almost beyond words. “So… a little green me. Guess that makes as much sense as anything.”

The spirit tilted its head, a faint smile flickering across its luminous face. “I am your extension, Viscount Sara. Your will, carried out in your absence.”

“Great timing, Territory Administration Spirit. Top notch. But that’s way too long a name. I’ll call you Tas.”

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“Tas. Send me back to the surface please. That’s all the paperwork I can handle.”

Tas, her Assistant Spirit, nodded and Sara, with a lurching half step as she regained her balance, found herself back in town square, with a cheering crowd of townsfolk ready to celebrate.

“Viscount. There are still the matters of identifying plans for new Buildings, Reinforcing Defenses, and areas of Expansion to map out. As well as linking the System Store to the Territory Crystal to allow for your Territory to buy and sell on the System Market.”

Sara nodded at Tas’ voice in her head as a villager handed her a mug of ale. “Enable the System Store. But what was the rest? I can’t hear you. Are you going through a tunnel?”

“You know very well that I am stationary and In. Your. Head. You cannot lose me in a Tunnel, Viscount.”, Tas replied already exasperated with Sara in under 2 minutes. That’s got to be a record, right?

“Definitely soun… a… unel… I… try back…. ter. Goo…eye!” Sara stutter talked and pretended to be staticky. “Thcthchthchthch”, as she gulped down her Ale.

“I… Oh. Very well Viscount Bloom. System Store Enabled.”

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Sara laughed to herself, well aware that she hadn’t tricked Tas, but had made her unwillingness to spend the entire night doing Admin tasks sufficiently known. "Man. Future Sara's job really sucks sometimes!"

Instead, she sat near a warm fireplace, good food and drink all around, and listened to stories and songs as the village celebrated its newfound sense of safety and a brighter future.

She laughed along with the funny stories and even joined in on the easy songs. And, all too soon, the warmth of the fire, belly full of good food, and the exhaustion of her day of battles overtook her and she was, happily, led to an offered room at the Tavern and conked out for the night.

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