Having seen some other doors which couldn’t be opened, or could only be opened at specific times, Nero assumed that the Administrator door was also like that. When he tried to open the door, and it actually opened, he was surprised, but he didn’t pause, or stop.
He was not worrying about his appearance being revealed. In the room which recorded his details, there was a mirror which showed that all his features were blurred.
In fact, there was also an option to use merits to change even the other details about how he appeared, meaning that he could make himself appear taller, shorter, fatter, or even change his gender. Considering that all these changes would only be limited to the illusory realm of the Unity Network, most of it seemed like Nero to be a great waste of merit, but he supposed there were some advantages to it.
As long as one did not intend to meet in person, or through dreams like Flintlock, changing the appearance of the alias avatar might better help his identity. Nero made up his mind to alter his physique when he had merits to make him appear more like one would expect from a scholar.
The point, for now, was that Nero was not afraid of appearing in front of anyone, so he opened the door without worry.
It led to a cozy office, filled with wooden cabinets, rugs, a fireplace and countless stacks of files and papers. Behind a massive, rectangular wooden table, which sat right in the center of the room, sat someone studying something.
His appearance - not that such things mattered in the Unity Network - was not one that Nero would have expected upon thinking of an administrator. He was wearing a full sleeve, white linen shirt with a grey, tweed blazer. Black gloves covered his hands, a scarf hid his neck, and a mask and goggles hid his face and eyes, revealing not a speck of skin. A bowler hat ensured that even his hair was not visible.
When Nero entered, the Administrator seemed to be reading through some kind of ledger, and hadn’t noticed Nero’s arrival at all.
Taking advantage of that, Nero took his time looking around the room. The shelves contained endless files and books, but also decorations. There was an old, silver monoscope placed in front of a stack of books that probably wouldn’t be getting much use, and an old, wooden smokers pipe in front of another stack.
The room was completely filled, yet it was not messy. Everything was arranged perfectly, giving the office a very homely, and even lived-in feeling.
Besides that, Nero was impressed with the amount of knowledge that was packed into this room. The books were not mere decorations, for he could read their names on their spines. Encyclopedias on various topics, historical records, books on philosophy, psychology, literature and so many more filled the room, giving one the impression that the Administrator spent all his time reading.
Eventually, once Nero took everything in, he knocked on the door, finally attracting the Administrators attention.
"Ah, pardon my manners," the Administrator said, closing the book with a relaxed hand and standing up. "I was engrossed in my work and didn’t notice your arrival. Please, come in."
The Administrator actually moved from behind the desk, revealing thick, brown boots and pants matching his blazer. The man came up and firmly shook Nero’s hand before welcoming him to sit on a sofa that seemed to materialise out of thin air.
"Not at all. Please excuse me for arriving without prior notification," Nero responded, talking in a soft and relaxed voice. Since he was going to create a divide between himself and his alias, then even their talking habits and styles would be different.
"Nonsense, my door is always open, there is no notification needed," the Administrator said as he took a seat opposite to Nero. "I don’t get many guests so I often even forget that members can come in here. It’s usually just new members, like yourself I’m imagining."
The Administrator’s tone did not betray any disappointment or reluctance at the lack of guests, and instead he seemed like a man entirely content with his situation.
"What makes you think I am a new member?" Nero asked, not giving away any actual information. He wanted to see if this Administrator could see his details.
"Oh? Are you not?" he asked with mild surprise. "I just assumed you were. It is quite common for many new members to venture in here while exploring the network the first few times. In most cases, that is usually their last visit as well. Since this is our first meeting, and I am not sure if you know about me, allow me to introduce myself properly.
"As you can probably tell from my title, I am the administrator of the Unity Network. I keep it running, fix any issues, and make sure that no one manages to interfere with the network’s functions. Some people dream of interfering with the network and stealing some merits or intel, but such things are all but impossible while I am here.
"I do not , however, grant user requests or give anyone special privileges, so over time most people stop visiting. Since there is nothing to gain by coming here, and nothing to lose by skipping, many users of the network eventually stop coming. That allows me to continue working in peace."
Nero nodded slightly while listening. If what the man was saying was true, he could see how it would be pointless to visit, however Nero didn’t think so just yet. Even if the Administrator could not grant any special requests, chatting with him alone might be a good way to learn about Unity. Even if he might be conservative about what he did or did not reveal, it couldn’t hurt to try.
"I go by the name Historian," Nero said, introducing himself. "As you can probably tell by the name, my primary interest lies in history. I like to study the world, and how we came to the situation we are in today, and so I have great interest in history. Unfortunately, so much of the history that is actually taught is unreliable, or altered to suit the purposes of the powers that be."
The Administrator seemed most pleased to hear Nero’s introduction.
"Ah, a fellow academic," the Administrator said. "There are few who join Unity for such noble purposes, unfortunately. With the wealth of knowledge we have accumulated, Unity could serve as a fine educational institute. Unfortunately, the state of the world does not really allow for such things."
"Are you also interested in academic subjects?" Nero asked. In truth, this was a calculated question. If he asked things like how long the Administrator had been working there, or anything else that might reveal more than the question suggested, their newfound relationship might come to an end. Instead, Nero would probe slowly, taking his time with such things. There was no need to be impatient, nor was there any need to jump the gun.
"A few of them, not just one," the Administrator said. "My favourite subject is the relationship between aether and cursed energy. I’ve also been studying the nature of the mists that surround our small countries. But, as it happens, ancient history is also one of the subjects I enjoy studying, but for that I’ve had to study so many languages. Truly the pleasure of acquiring knowledge is never ending."
"Ancient history? Really? Do you have any recommendations for any books I should read? Or maybe some pieces of intel I should redeem? Excuse me if I seem forward - it’s rare to find someone who shares my interests."
The Administrator only chuckled, as if he understood Historians struggles.
"My suggestion is The Study and Speculation of Eldrim Society by Baron Harriot. Although much of that book is filled with speculation and conjecture, the supporting evidence is great, and it’s a good place to get started. Through it, you will be able to understand the relationships between the Eldrim and the other races that used to inhabit this world of ours."
"Is there really enough evidence to speculate the relationship between Eldrim and others..."
Nero sat and had a long conversation with the Administrator about history, as if it truly was the most interesting subject in the world. In truth, Nero really was curious about such things, especially considering his encounter with the Primal Exarch. But they didn’t take priority since such things were already ancient history, and he needed to deal with the current reality of the world.
While the Administrator did not reveal anything about himself, nor did Nero ask, he seemed like a genuinely knowledgeable person about every topic Nero touched upon. He was also surprisingly amenable, which made Nero wonder if there was more than one Administrator, and if not, then what was the relationship between the Administrator and the founders of Unity.