“Seraphina,” an older gentleman with distinctly east Asian features begins. “You had mentioned that you believe non-proliferation is not a viable strategy when it comes to Ethertech. But if that’s the case, why not entrust this knowledge to our national security and military apparatuses? The groups responsible for keeping the people safe.”

“Thank you for the question, Professor,” I say, mostly to give myself a few more moments to think about the question. At times like these, I miss the portion of my former [Bullet Time] Skill that wasn’t fully folded into [Angelic Insight]. I can perceive things at superhuman speeds and react based purely on instinct, but I no longer have the ability to slow down time just to give myself more time to think.

“In short, I don’t trust the government,” I start. “The United States has a storied history of misusing its national security apparatus for the interests of the wealthy and powerful, as well as for turning its weapons on its own people from time to time. And not always in a way that affords the supposed protections of due process and judicial oversight. Beyond that, however, how would you suppose the government do such a thing?

“It’s not like the conventional weapons that we build today, that require specialized systems, machines, and thousands of people with classified information to construct. I just built a self-powering glyph array in a matter of minutes, with nothing but a marker and a whiteboard.”

I hold out my hand, Manifesting a simple [Glyphcasting] array of [Lightning] and [Compression], creating something akin to a miniature Tesla coil. They’d seen me generate fire before, but demonstrating other elements helps prove my point that much better.

“And I don’t even need that much if I want to cause problems,” I say as I allow the gathered lightning to subside. In truth, I’m not sure if Manifestation is an ability limited exclusively to me as the inheritor of 「The Anomaly」, or if others can do so as well. [Glyphcasting] by drawing glyphs in midair with [Ether Manipulation] should work for anyone regardless, and still prove my point.

“If I can do this, it stands to reason that there are others who can as well.”

Chloe gives me a knowing look at this, understanding the point I’m making even though my logic is flawed. Thankfully, she nods slightly, almost imperceptibly. She more than anyone else in this room understands firsthand the dangers— and potential— that lies within Ethertech. And I’m glad I have her as a friend, lover, confidante, and moral compass. And so much more, too.

The answer does seem to satisfy the professor, who nods with a conflicted expression on his face. Others are taking notes, and though I could read them, I do my best to maintain the faculty members’ privacy. From time to time, I notice eyes that unfocus, staring blankly for a couple of seconds before returning to the conversation. I’m a bit surprised that people are getting the opportunities for new Skills and higher Skill ranks. But only a bit.

I’ve gained a lot of my Skills not on the battlefield, but in testing and experimentation of my current abilities. I’ve learned how glyphs and [Ether] both work by using my own body as a laboratory, and in doing so, have taken abilities with only nominal effect on their own, and formed them into the core of my fighting style. It stands to reason that being taught the same principles I’ve learned autodidactically can also foment those abilities being realized as Skills.

Another hand goes up, this one from one of the few women in the audience, and a younger one to boot, likely in her early thirties.

“Seraphina, you just mentioned that you believe it isn’t possible to regulate Ethertech. But for me and many others, our highest priority is trying to figure out how we’ll keep ourselves and our families safe. I’ve got a two-year-old with my husband back at home, and I’m scared that if these sorts of weapons become more widespread, it’s going to make it that much harder for me to keep him from harm.”

I close my eyes and pause for a moment to consider her words. I’m not good with trying to assuage emotions; Chloe knows that much. And it’s hard for me to reconcile my mindset of ‘not taking a risk is itself a risk’ with a mother’s concern about eliminating all possible risks that might befall her child. I have no good answer, nor one that will properly alleviate the real concerns that she has. Ultimately, I have to give her an answer that will probably leave her and others in her situation very dissatisfied, and maybe even angry at me.

“Unfortunately, the world is changing, and not in predictable ways. For a good while, I refused to work to build weapons for other people. I was afraid, just as you are, that people would use those weapons for ill. I was scared that our government would use those weapons against we the people. But I’ve been forced to reevaluate my stance on the matter in recent days.”

I pause for a moment for emphasis. “The truth is, many of the things you have mentioned are already happening. Yesterday morning, while Chloe and I were out shopping, we were attacked by a group of ‘armed guards’ with rudimentary Ethertech installed into their handguns. I’m sure the incident isn’t an isolated one, either. We emerged unharmed, but had it been someone else, we might not have been so fortunate.

“I say this not to scare anyone, but to stress that the fears I had mentioned before about proliferation aren’t just conjecture. They are happening even as we speak. And so, what I want to do is to make sure the best possible glyphs I know of are available, free of charge, to everyone. As far as I am concerned, there will be no patent, no trade secrets, and no legal barriers to their use. Because I want to make sure that people like you, people who want to live your life in as much peace and security as this new world will allow, have every opportunity to do so.”

I raise my hand, forming my signature [Repulsion] barrier, reinforcing it with [Durability] for good measure. A nearly— but not completely— transparent hemispherical barrier envelops my front and sides, shielding me from all attacks.

“And I need to point out that Ethertech has defensive purposes as well. This barrier, for instance. The armor I wear, for another. And yes, this includes the bandana. All enchanted and reinforced to provide added protection to its wearer. There is a [Locking] glyph that I’ve used a few times that will reinforce and protect our existing locks, helping to keep our homes, cars, and offices secure.”

“I say this all because I think that most of you want to live your lives and continue to perform the groundbreaking, world-shaking research that this field promises. And I’m sure we all want to be secure in the knowledge that you and your loved ones are safe. It will be a process. A process that will take all of us, and probably many others besides. But I believe we can— eventually, though not as soon as I’m sure you would prefer— give you and your families the comfort and security that each of them deserves.”

I pause for a moment. And, as expected, the woman doesn’t look entirely convinced. I can’t blame her, either. I don’t know if I would be fully convinced by that either, if it were me asking and I was worried about keeping Chloe safe. Or— and I blush a bit as I think it— a hypothetical child we might raise. I still think it’s the best of all the bad answers I can get.

Another woman, sitting right next to the first, asks another question. “You had mentioned before that you think monster attacks are going to continue to increase. Can you explain why you think that’s going to happen, and what we should do to prepare for that situation?”

“I don’t know if there’s any particular proof I can point to and say ‘here is the evidence that monster attacks will definitely increase’. For all any of us know, they won’t. However, in addition to yesterday’s attack by a wyvern, our city has been besieged by, among other things, eldritch horrors, slimes, dinosaurs, imps that look straight out of hell, and others as well. In that tower that appeared downtown, there are robots with combat parameters so high that I’m not confident in my own ability to fight them off.

“And I’m sorry if I am frightening anyone. That is the last thing I would intend by saying all of this. But I think I would be doing a far greater disservice to everyone here if I were to stand here and sugarcoat the truth of the world in which we now live. Because it is a scary world, and it’s scary in ways which we aren’t as prepared to handle as we might have been had the System not arrived. But I do, genuinely, want to do everything in my power to protect the greatest number of people possible.”

I choke up a bit as I say that last sentence. Because I do. I might not be like Chloe, full of boundless compassion and empathy for my fellow human beings. But I do want to protect people with every fiber of my being. It is what I was put here to do, and I will strive to accomplish that goal, to my dying breath if I must.

Another man raises his hand, standing up and starting before I can even call on him.

“That is a lofty goal to speak of, Seraphina, but lofty goals and a dollar will struggle to buy you a donut in this economy. I think we all here want to know how you plan to accomplish that admittedly laudable goal of yours.”

There is one way I can plausibly accomplish what I set out to do. At least, one path to success that stands out among the sea of possibilities. There’s more knowledge, more gear, more glyphs hidden within that Tower. More power, power with which we collectively can protect people like Mrs. Jacobs and many of the folks in this room, who want to live a life of peace as a civilian, not the path of a warrior as I do.

“I plan to go inside the Tower Gauntlet myself to uncover the secrets that lie within.”

This… understandably sets the room into an uproar.

“Are you daft?” an older man asks. “Heading into there of all places? Have you not heard on the news how that place is a deathtrap? A couple of people have walked in, but…”

He doesn’t finish his statement, but the context tells me all I need to hear. And yes, it is a risk. But that’s part of the reason why I need to do it. Because I’m equipped to take these risks. I’ve got [Seraphina Overlimit] as a failsafe if things get really dicey, and I have my experience in my past life to fall back upon. I’ve risen to the challenges thus far, and with one unfortunate exception, emerged from them without injuries beyond Chloe’s ability to heal.

“I understand the risks involved,” I say after a moment. Probably better than anyone else on Earth. “And I accept them. I accept these risks for myself, to minimize the risks that everyone else has to face.”

“And she won’t be going through that gauntlet alone,” Chloe adds. She stands up and sprouts her own wings for emphasis. “I will be there right alongside her every step of the way.”

“I can’t promise success,” I say. “Because he is right. The challenges are great and perilous. But I believe the threats to our city, both known and unknown, and the potential rewards involved more than justify those risks. For the sake of our homes, our friends, families, and our city, I hope that we can come together and rise to meet and overcome those challenges.”

Because I fear that our city’s, and indeed our world's, continued survival may well rest upon it.