TLB-ch1
My first crack at a story of the isekai genre... which happened to be a genre that I rather dislike somewhat for reasons... but enough of my butthurt.
Original story (as far as I'm aware, parallel development is a thing I acknowledge)
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"Congratulations on your induction into the Bureau of Exoitc Affairs!"
It might as well be a death sentence for all intents and purposes. After all, the untimely end of the last guys who ran the bueure is a mute testament to how safe the job is…
"May I enquire what happened to my predecessor?"
"Gunpowder accident, new experimental cannon didn't work out as intended." Major Ekim always had a flair for understatement. "His death was quick though, chunk of the cannon took his head cleanly off-"
"Nope, didn't need to hear that much." He replied, already regretting a large number of life choices that lead him to this situation here and now. Maybe there was a reason why most people in the world are content with their lot in life, not caring too much as to what's on the other side of the hill, or what can be gleaned with a rearrangement of the natural order. But the world is changing, and the new order need suicidal idiots like him. "What exactly are my duties?"
"Oh, the same as always. Find strangers stranded in our lands, grab as much knowledge as possible, guide society to a glorious future in a way as to minimize suffering." He paused, stared at the slack jawed face in front of him, laughed, and continued "Though far more likely you'll be spending your days reading bizarre tomes in First Library, with the occasional outing to the weirdest places for no good reason. If really lucky, perhaps you'll stumble upon a beautiful outwardly human maiden that may take a fancy upon you."
"Okay enough of your sick fantasies and jokes." He said, a bit too quickly, then realize who he is talking to. "Sorry." He mumbled.
"No offense taken." He smiled "In fact, I see that the selection board is right in picking you. The Bureau needs outspoken minds, given the weird nature of the things they're expected to do on a daily basis. Ever since the gates had opened."
Archon has merely a vague idea of what Major Ekim is talking about, having lived his entire life in the 'new natural order'. The legends he been told in school (in which itself, being a government funded institution, is a very new thing, as the teachers reminded all the young spawns almost weekly) was that it was mere generations ago when they first appeared: human being from strange worlds. Many of them possessed great powers and their deeds reshaped the landscape. Of course most of them went to serve various human kingdoms, but a few visionaries among them decided to bring civilization to the orcs, and thus for the first time in known (and probably unknown history too come to think of it) a orc civilization begin to bloom.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, however. Many of these 'Lost' humans' were bloodthirsty, warmongering, bigoted, greedy, and generally partaken in the worst excess of the human kingdoms. Despite their great powers many only brought pain and suffering to the inhabited lands. Thus the Bureau of Exoitc Affairs, or the 'Lost Bureau' was formed, its mission: to gather these 'lost' humans and apply their gifts, knowledge, and skills for betterment of the orc society (or at least just the Oligarchy of Kosk) as well as pathing out the optimal future as far as outwardly matters are concerned.
Or so the intention goes. In fact usually nothing of the sort happens. The bureau was perpetually underfunded to the point where personnel have to camp out on the grounds of the First Library, and speaking of personnel they usually came from the crazies that tend to get thrown out of the other parts of government (and society). About the only people who doesn't see them as useless are the Academy of Knowledge Arts, but as the saying goes like minded crazies attract, and someone has to do the really dangerous experiments.
And now he, Archon, who only recently finished his education, is the head, and sole personnel, of this bureau.
"At least I can delude myself that I'm useful" He thought to himself, in what appears to be a dead end career (in more than one sense of the term)...
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"Are you interested in a job?" Archon asked his former school friend Klunk, the two of them were at the Scorpion's Sting, a somewhat rundown and place of questionable repute, but the ale is cheap, if somewhat resembling of stale urine.
"As long as it's not a shitty one like in the fertilizer business" Klunk replied, laughing at his own lame joke. Archon chuckled along, before dropping the bombshell:
"Well, you see, I'm now the head of the Lost Bureau"
"Congratulations on your job, though I didn't know janitors could offer jobs."
"I'm not joking, and I need help. It's insane for them to expect one being to handle all that duties."
"I don't think anyone expects anything out of you, or anyone who's in your position. That thing is a joke, and redundant given the size of the Lost community these days."
"I know, but I want to make something of myself, and even in my current lot in life I still see potential."
"Not gonna lie, I see a dead body in your future." Klunk retorted, the alcohol starting to get into him. "But I'll be more than happy to watch what will most likely be your horrifying and painful death."
"So you accept?" Archon dared to hope.
"Why of course! After all, what are friends for?"
"The fall guy?" They both laughed, genuinely this time.
"Cheers to a life of excitement and adventure!" Klunk shouted
"Just make sure you don't burn the library down." Archon said, joining in the alcohol fueled good mood.
And thus the most interesting times of the Lost Bureau begins...
Original story (as far as I'm aware, parallel development is a thing I acknowledge)
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The Lost Bureau
Chapter 1: Welcome to the Crazy
"Congratulations on your induction into the Bureau of Exoitc Affairs!"
It might as well be a death sentence for all intents and purposes. After all, the untimely end of the last guys who ran the bueure is a mute testament to how safe the job is…
"May I enquire what happened to my predecessor?"
"Gunpowder accident, new experimental cannon didn't work out as intended." Major Ekim always had a flair for understatement. "His death was quick though, chunk of the cannon took his head cleanly off-"
"Nope, didn't need to hear that much." He replied, already regretting a large number of life choices that lead him to this situation here and now. Maybe there was a reason why most people in the world are content with their lot in life, not caring too much as to what's on the other side of the hill, or what can be gleaned with a rearrangement of the natural order. But the world is changing, and the new order need suicidal idiots like him. "What exactly are my duties?"
"Oh, the same as always. Find strangers stranded in our lands, grab as much knowledge as possible, guide society to a glorious future in a way as to minimize suffering." He paused, stared at the slack jawed face in front of him, laughed, and continued "Though far more likely you'll be spending your days reading bizarre tomes in First Library, with the occasional outing to the weirdest places for no good reason. If really lucky, perhaps you'll stumble upon a beautiful outwardly human maiden that may take a fancy upon you."
"Okay enough of your sick fantasies and jokes." He said, a bit too quickly, then realize who he is talking to. "Sorry." He mumbled.
"No offense taken." He smiled "In fact, I see that the selection board is right in picking you. The Bureau needs outspoken minds, given the weird nature of the things they're expected to do on a daily basis. Ever since the gates had opened."
Archon has merely a vague idea of what Major Ekim is talking about, having lived his entire life in the 'new natural order'. The legends he been told in school (in which itself, being a government funded institution, is a very new thing, as the teachers reminded all the young spawns almost weekly) was that it was mere generations ago when they first appeared: human being from strange worlds. Many of them possessed great powers and their deeds reshaped the landscape. Of course most of them went to serve various human kingdoms, but a few visionaries among them decided to bring civilization to the orcs, and thus for the first time in known (and probably unknown history too come to think of it) a orc civilization begin to bloom.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, however. Many of these 'Lost' humans' were bloodthirsty, warmongering, bigoted, greedy, and generally partaken in the worst excess of the human kingdoms. Despite their great powers many only brought pain and suffering to the inhabited lands. Thus the Bureau of Exoitc Affairs, or the 'Lost Bureau' was formed, its mission: to gather these 'lost' humans and apply their gifts, knowledge, and skills for betterment of the orc society (or at least just the Oligarchy of Kosk) as well as pathing out the optimal future as far as outwardly matters are concerned.
Or so the intention goes. In fact usually nothing of the sort happens. The bureau was perpetually underfunded to the point where personnel have to camp out on the grounds of the First Library, and speaking of personnel they usually came from the crazies that tend to get thrown out of the other parts of government (and society). About the only people who doesn't see them as useless are the Academy of Knowledge Arts, but as the saying goes like minded crazies attract, and someone has to do the really dangerous experiments.
And now he, Archon, who only recently finished his education, is the head, and sole personnel, of this bureau.
"At least I can delude myself that I'm useful" He thought to himself, in what appears to be a dead end career (in more than one sense of the term)...
---------
"Are you interested in a job?" Archon asked his former school friend Klunk, the two of them were at the Scorpion's Sting, a somewhat rundown and place of questionable repute, but the ale is cheap, if somewhat resembling of stale urine.
"As long as it's not a shitty one like in the fertilizer business" Klunk replied, laughing at his own lame joke. Archon chuckled along, before dropping the bombshell:
"Well, you see, I'm now the head of the Lost Bureau"
"Congratulations on your job, though I didn't know janitors could offer jobs."
"I'm not joking, and I need help. It's insane for them to expect one being to handle all that duties."
"I don't think anyone expects anything out of you, or anyone who's in your position. That thing is a joke, and redundant given the size of the Lost community these days."
"I know, but I want to make something of myself, and even in my current lot in life I still see potential."
"Not gonna lie, I see a dead body in your future." Klunk retorted, the alcohol starting to get into him. "But I'll be more than happy to watch what will most likely be your horrifying and painful death."
"So you accept?" Archon dared to hope.
"Why of course! After all, what are friends for?"
"The fall guy?" They both laughed, genuinely this time.
"Cheers to a life of excitement and adventure!" Klunk shouted
"Just make sure you don't burn the library down." Archon said, joining in the alcohol fueled good mood.
And thus the most interesting times of the Lost Bureau begins...