《Turn-Based Engineer》


 Prologue: Not-Diary Entry

    Dear Diary,


    (Wait, real men don''t write those)


    Report No. 1: Day 1069


    My name is James Hues. It has now been five years since I came to this world or rather, five of this world''s years. With nothing to track my old world''s time, I go by native timetables. One year is two hundred and fifty-six days, one month is thirty-two, a week is eight and, each of the four seasons run an average of two months. You also have days spanning about sixteen hours, and hours are sixty-four minutes while minutes are one hundred and twenty-eight seconds. A second here is around the same length, but I can''t estimate it well.


    See the pattern? Here''s a hint: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256. I''ve noticed that this world was built on these kinds of patterns. Children''s names often begin with the same letter as their parents''. Prices are always the same, no matter the shop, and they buy items at exactly 1/4 of what they sell them for. There is magic, monsters, miracles and¡­ a System. Yet, for all that, they lack the advanced technology of Earth.


    Perhaps, I should begin with how I came here. The year was twenty-two fifty-six. Mankind had breached beyond its solar system but not yet expanded far beyond it. We had neither made contact with new species of sentient life nor found any grand-AI civilizations, which was probably better for us. Then again, given all the wacky movies we produced and how the signals carried those movies into the unknown, I''d be disturbed too if I were some god-like alien species watching over us and shirk contact.


    Actually, what am I doing? That''s not how diaries are supposed to go. Sorry, reports. Let me restart. I am James, an Earth-born. I was an obsolete engineer from a long lineage of engineers in an age when most things were automated. Thinking back on it, my father rigging a live-feed camera capturing the leader of the Humanity Space Regulatory Committee engaging in a back office deal did not help either. I spent most of my youth on a fringe world colony, so I had an average upbringing. People out there were both poorer and more open-minded. All in all, it''s a bit ironic that the outcasts would be more accepting. They appreciated someone taking the time to fix their stuff; only the wealthy could afford the automated systems. Now there I was, twenty-three and inheriting my dad''s shop after an accident in the factory took his life, dreaming of a girl named Skinny Jenny, a dancer at the bar. One moment I was signing the paperwork, the next darkness. I don''t really know what happened, but from that moment, everything changed.


    Not only did the grid die, but also the backup lights failed. After an hour tumbling in the dark, some armored soldiers in crude sheet metal and animal leather dragged me away and ruffled through my stuff. I would have fought and taught them a lesson, but they got a lucky blow to my temple. It''s not like I was afraid or anything.


    Next thing I knew, I was kneeling in front of a goddess on a throne, my nose bare inches from her crotch. Not that she was hiding much, dressed in a robe that failed to cover even the area between her neck to her thong. After a period of speechlessness, I was led to a sex dungeon. I don''t like thinking about that. There, the questioning began again. Her voice had been strong and commanding, but she had seemed a bit bewildered as if something had been off.


    After a few days of that... experience, I somehow eventually conned my way into making lights without using magic or fire in order to light up the queen''s castle in exchange for my freedom. Apparently, it was a security concern to the queen. It was then that I first learned about this marvelous world I''ve found myself in, Inverst, as well as the local Natusha Kingdom I''d found myself stranded in, commonly called just the Kingdom by natives.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    If you know anything about my shop, you might be wondering how it formed. While gathering materials for the project, I met my first housemate, Kira, a rather bewitching catgirl. A very fine golden fur coat made her almost seem human except for her sharp nails, her gleaming, cat-like pupils, her whiskers, and her cat ears. Like all of her kind, the Hersha, her fur was almost unnoticeable, easily passed off as above average body hair. Otherwise, she looked almost exactly like a human. She even had blonde hair that went just past her shoulders. Oh, I almost forgot about her tail. Hmm¡­ Okay, maybe she did look more like a cat-girl than a human, but she was very cute and kind in a human-like way.


    Originally Kira had belonged to an item-shop owner who I''d been considering buying a few magic crystals from. That shop owner had happily traded her for some provisions and a rare sword. While she was only a child when I met her, the shop owner knew that would have soon changed. The shop owner was a traditionalist and preferred that his three teenage boys did not break her in. As the first to, well, mate with her when she was in heat, would become her life-long master, a fact that I had not known.


    I found out in a very unique way; I can still remember exactly how it went down. I had been swamped with order after order for lights and automated cooking pots and bard machines, also known as radios. On my one day off, she was all over me the entire day. Rubbing my back with her slender but strong hands, making sure I was well fed and quenched of thirst: I had thought she was being cute. That night I went to bed feeling hopeful about working on something or another when she snuck into my room and climbed into my bed. I''ll just say I did not fall asleep that night, and it remains a great day in my mind. Her one downfall was she had only average intelligence. She could talk, read, and even write fine, but if you tried to explain advanced physics to her, you could see her brain overheat trying to understand after a few minutes as her eyes glazed. Nevertheless, by the standards of this world, which only cared about the System, she was a fearsome prodigy. In general, her System Main Class was a [Maid], but she also acts as my secretary, reflected by some of her skills such as |Scheduling| and |Emergency Contact| as well as being my... bodyguard when Howard is unavailable. I believe and hope that she''s very happy because I treat her better than many others of her kind I have seen.


    My other housemate was an old [Knight], Sir Howard something-totaling-a-long-name the third, a wandering gent whose heyday has passed. He''s well into his seventies at this point. I found him over a year ago after a winter snowstorm. Basically, he felt uneasy about his family just waiting for him to die, so he left. That was ten years ago. Like most fit old people he''s as tough as they come. After wandering the world, becoming a teacher to some and a freeloader to many, he arrived at my place. At first, it was merely to save him from freezing to death after he lost his horse to the storm; however, as he recovered, an inexplicable decrease in theft occurred, so I offered him a job.


    I was not sure of his exact reason for accepting the job. I''ve narrowed it down to repaying a debt for saving his life or the fact that I make him feel useful. Still, I suspected that in his prime he had been a fearsome [Knight]. Occasionally, I would observe him wield high-leveled skills like |triple-slash| and |indomitable strike|, but I never bothered asking his exact level. He seemed to be a man wanting to escape the past¡ªor forget it. Most days he taught young kids how to fight, even succeeding in teaching Kira a few things.


    Now, you might be asking what was the old [Knight]''s job. He was a guard for my shop, one of the highlights of the capital city, a place of marvels according to the locals. I let Kira name it Master James''s House of Wonders. There, I sell items never before seen or even imagined by the denizens of this new world.


    I''ve lost count of the number of adventurers and heroes who''ve beseeched me to give them advanced weapons. It became obvious from Day One that I should never build a weapon for anyone in this world. Not only would people pester me endlessly for more, but I could also unbalance the very world.


    Thus, I limited what I make to three things: useful items that made daily chores easier, unnoticeable commodities, and festive delights. And that was my life.


    Notes by the Queen''s Hands: This evidence was found buried beneath the Subject''s numerous textbooks lying about his room. Subject suggests the existence of some of his abilities. It is best to classify this as a Subject 23 matter and seal it to Clearance 9.

 Chapter 1: Morning

    James stretched his arms over his head before discovering that Kira was not in his bed. Then he remembered that she would usually be cooking breakfast by now for the three residents of the shop. He imagined whatever delicious concoction she was brewing downstairs; he could almost sniff the aroma drifting through his home. He recalled her lying down beside him last night. He grinned, thinking her dislike for sleeping alone was so cute. Yet, they would only sleep together without having any late-night antics unless she was in heat. Yawning, he took a sip of water from the glass set on the bedstand.


    After his musings, he jumped out of bed and entered the hot-water shower of which only he and Kira knew. The water rained on his back, washing away the last vestiges of sleep. The envy fostered if others knew he enjoyed such luxuries would drive many to do insane things even by this crazy world¡¯s standards. He carefully scrubbed his body with soap made from all natural animal fats. Well, actually, all soap in this world was all natural. Chemical plants and that sort of thing didn¡¯t exist. However, the soap had a faintly sweet smell, almost like cherries. The soapmakers had probably mixed it in to remove the faint odour.


    Just as he stepped out and dried off with a cloth, the whole house shook as a royal dragon flew overhead, signaling it was about eight thirty-two. The royal messengers and dragon riders were gathering. James quickly wore his around-the-house getup, which meant he came downstairs with only a pair of jeans on.


    ¡°Good morning, Master! Today, we have grain toast with hard-boiled wyvern egg and wild boar bacon.¡± Kyra bounded up to and greeted him.


    James suspiciously glanced at his egg. He gently tapped it. ¡°You remembered to ask for unfertilized eggs this time, right? I don''t need another pet.¡± He smiled teasingly at her.


    Kira blushed, flattening her ears against her head. ¡°Yes, Master. I remembered.¡± James took his knife and a small, specialized mallet, tapping the egg with the mallet before piercing the cracked shell with a knife through the top. Taking a deep breath, he sliced off the top of the egg, pleased that there was no little head unexpectedly popping out of the shell. That one time would have frightened him enough to stop eating the eggs forever if not for the fact that they were so damn good. After removing the top, the remaining shell easily peeled off.


    After the hearty breakfast, Kira took a worn notepad and went over it with James. ¡°Yesterday, we received orders for two light generators, four sets of light strands, three sets of timer cookers, and one of those new picture things.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    James looked at her curiously. ¡°So have you gained the |Organize| skill, yet?¡± |Organize| was a requisite skill to rank up to [Butler].


    Kira shook her head sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t gained such a useful skill to help you with yet, Master. I¡¯ll try my hardest.¡±


    Patting her head, James said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Take your time. I just think it¡¯ll be useful if we ever try to expand.¡±


    James planned while sipping his coffee, one of his few enjoyments that existed both in his current and previous world. ¡°Well, who ordered the picture projector? I bet it was the Baron.¡±


    Kira nodded. ¡°Yes, Master. it was Baron Jose van Pointet.¡±


    James considered it for a moment. ¡°I bet he asked for some of the special order as well. I''ll throw in a gold case for him as usual. The rest we should have in storage.¡±


    James sipped his coffee again and set the cup down. ¡°Tell me my stock. I haven¡¯t checked in a while.¡± Kira glanced at a new sheet on the pad. ¡°Everything is within your quotas. The special order you made came in yesterday. You have a little over five hundred thousand Seedz saved up now.¡± That was a decent amount of liquidity, even in this world. James figured his minimum expenses were a few hundred Seedz a day per person.


    Finishing his last bite of breakfast, James rose to his feet and prepared to leave. Pausing upon remembering something, he turned to Kira and reminded her, ¡°Give about half a month¡¯s profit to the church. It¡¯s about the time that they¡¯ll start griping at me for a donation again. In fact¡­¡± James ripped out a page from Kira¡¯s notebook and wrote down a number. ¡°Take this amount to the church and tell them I want to host a little gathering for the people of the village as my way of saying thank you for all their business, a normal festival, of course, nothing too grand or anything. All the money raised will go to the village¡¯s development. That should keep away any donation talk till winter at least.¡± Even in this world, the Church asked for donations.


    Kira looked at it and perked her ears. ¡°Master, this is a lot of money.¡± Sighing but still re-examining it because he knew it was better to be certain than to be almost certain, James checked the paper to be sure he wrote the right thing. It looked fine.


    He looked at her, just to make sure his eyes were seeing correctly. ¡°It¡¯s a hundred thousand, right?¡±


    Kira nodded hesitantly.


    ¡°Oh, be sure to tell them to have the event on one of my off-days. You know which ones those are. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    Kira looked a little glum. She took the note and muttered, ¡°Fine. You go have fun then. This poor [Maid] will go do as you ask.¡± Shooting him a dark look, she turned to leave.


    James chuckled upon noticing her tantrum. ¡°Don''t give me that look. Of course, you¡¯re coming too.¡±


    Her ears perked again happily. ¡°Thank you, master!¡± James had nearly stepped out of the door when Kira remembered something else. ¡°Oh, and Master, it¡¯s the first again.¡± James stopped mid-step, quickly turning from the front door back toward the stairs.

 Chapter 2: Behold! A Gorgeous Knight!

    James took a deep breath, dreading what he expected to find. Opening his front door, he saw four young adventurers waiting on his doorstep with Howard wearily sitting on his seat. Ugh. He hated dealing with heroes. They always acted so cliche. The neighborhood kids were one thing to deal with, trained and experienced fighters with Classes another.


    Putting on a smile, he greeted, ¡°You all right, Howard?¡±


    Howard waved, trying to catch his breath while James grabbed his oversize hammer from behind the door. Hefting it over his shoulder, he questioned, ¡°Alright, what ridiculous thing do you want for whatever pointless reason I don¡¯t care about?¡±


    After an initially surprised pause, the leader of the group, an average looking soldier, took out a note.


    James interrupted, ¡°Is it to hurt something, break through something, or in general make things do-able because I am the only one capable of providing you the means to do it? Speak man; I¡¯m busy. I got a meeting with the queen in an hour.¡±


    James now realized that they already knew his reputation of being a hard-ass. That would make this a fair bit easier. The man hesitated. ¡°Well, we were told you could make us lanterns that would not blow out in the wind and didn¡¯t use magic. We need it for a mission.¡±


    James sighed and set the hammer down. As designed, the front door floorboards bent easily beneath the weight of the hollow hammer, making them think the hammer was much heavier than it actually was.


    ¡°All right. First, I need twenty iron ore ingots, five copper ore ingots, and ten thunder crystals. After you get that, I will need a week to make it and a surcharge of¡­¡± He paused a moment before smiling slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s say sixty thousand. I¡¯d likely have to put some of my regular client work on hold for this, so I¡¯ll have to give them a discount that you¡¯ll be paying for.¡± The heroes glanced at one another, worried.


    ¡°But, we have a royal writ!¡± the female adventurer complained.


    James took his hammer and slammed the business end against the wall of his shop toward the sign.


    ¡°Big deal. Unless the queen herself is paying for it, which I doubt, you¡¯ve got to follow house rules.¡± They all looked at the sign, which read: ¡°One: all items, objects or things considered the property of the master are protected by the master. If damaged or stolen, the individual or group responsible is subject to the master''s judgment and wrath, so approved and decreed by royal and holy oath. Two: all negotiations done by the master are final and considered absolute. Renegotiation of prices is done at the discretion of the master, so approved in the decree by royal and holy oath. Three: all official Quest items, side or otherwise, cannot be modified or repaired here. Four: I do not buy or sell weapons, armors, or items to those who beat up my security [Knight].¡±


    The heroes took a moment to read that before the sorceress moved forward. ¡°According to that, you can''t sell us the lantern then.¡± James rubbed the back of his head.


    ¡°Not exactly. If you gather the necessary materials for me to make the lantern, and I am turn paid for services rendered, I will make the lantern out of those said materials. After all, you do have a royal writ...¡±


    They all backed away, obviously lacking the materials and funds as James set the hammer inside the doorway and closed the door. At the last moment, he reminded, ¡°Howard, please tell these young people where the mine is when you feel ready. I still have that meeting to get to. I¡¯ll bring Jeffry ¡®round.¡±


    Howard waved to him whilst still catching his breath as James put his thumb and forefinger to his lips and loudly whistled. From around the back came a young adult Wyvern that thudded onto the road. The biggest man in the group shivered, amazed. ¡°I think I peed a little. He really is as cool as the stories say.¡±


    James gripped the wyvern¡¯s back as they took to the air. Riding bareback was tolerable; it was only for long trips that you needed a saddle to assure the comfort and well-being of both the rider and mount. After they landed at the stables, James took out a piece of hard candy from his pocket for the wyvern. The large beast so enjoyed the treats that James had created. While one of the [Stablehand] boys led Jeffry to the range to mingle with the other wyverns, James discussed some business with the stable master. It had used to take James hours to climb all the steps and navigate the corridors of the lower levels of the Queen''s fortress home, but with Jeffry, that trip was reduced to a few minutes of flight and a few hundred Seedz to keep him somewhere at the end. Apparently, the [Wyvern Riders] did not mind Jeffry either since he was one of their stock, revealed by the red horn on Jeffry''s nose. He was one of the higher breed¡¯s sons. The story James had been told was that one day after collecting the day¡¯s eggs, one of the new stable boys had left the ''hen house'' gate open for all the ''roosters'' to get in. It had taken all the wyvern riders and keepers to regain order. Jeffry''s peerage was a pairing of the prized hen and alpha of the steeds. Honestly, such a noble beast would normally have been a rare pairing saved for only the greatest warriors. Of course, there was no way to know for sure, short of something along the lines of a DNA test, which did not exist in this world. Speaking of which¡­ James noted to check up whether he could look into whether he could find anything similar to that. James considered Jeffry content with his life considering that most would have just cooked him up in his shell and made him the main course for dinner instead of a pet. Shaking the [Stable Master]¡¯s hand and handing him a few Seedz, James took a glance at Jeffry happily frolicking, knowing that the [Stable Master] always tried to convince Jeffry to find a few mates to produce some progeny, and hurried on his own mission.


    After the wyvern stable was a hall leading to the front gate where the horses were stabled for the contingent of court [Knights] and [Lords]. He did not like walking by here as horse crap carpeted the ground. He recalled that the first time he had walked through here, he had slipped on a wet pool of fresh waste and landed face first. The memory made James shiver as he made certain he had something within arms reach to grab onto as he moved past the stable.


    Further inside the fortress were a few checkpoints before one started entering the court social circles, usually starting with common folk with business or workers in the fortress such as the cooks and maids. After that was the common foot soldiers and then the general guards and sentries. Both groups waved to James as he passed but didn¡¯t do anything to impede his path. After all, he was a rather respected craftsman. Despite not knowing many of their names, he politely waved back. They knew better than to offend him. Both groups enjoyed the contraptions he made for the castle more than the actual queen did, especially the lights and cooking devices. After the soldiers were the trades masters. Normally, he would come here more often, but it was still basically one giant cockfight at times. There were constant explosions and discarded blueprints littered the place. This was not even mentioning the fights: from the stealing of plans to the sabotaging of others. It seemed everyone just wanted to one-up the competition. Someone would make a war wagon, the next moment someone else would build a battering ram, and after that, another would create a catapult. He had to admit, the |building| skills were truly terrifying. It was just one big headache for him. Every time he passed through, there would be some new face that wanted to apprentice under him. He couldn¡¯t really imagine why someone would want to divert levels from their main Class and put it towards a [Apprentice] one, but he never quite understood this world either way. This time though, he successfully slipped through the crowd unnoticed.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    In the next area were the [Knights]. For the first time since he had talked to the Wyvern [Stable master], he stopped. A large armored [Knight] dressed in blue with a radiant thunderbolt engraved onto his garment hefted a red sword. James pulled out a banknote and handed it to him.


    ¡°This is less than last month,¡± the man grumbled.


    James shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. Less power core supplies coming in means I make less. Someone should tell the [Elemental Crystal Harvesters] to get off their a**es. Just ¡®cus they have a rare class doesn¡¯t mean they can create some type of artificial monopoly. Hell, send out the rookies if you have to; it¡¯d be a good experience for them. Unless I get those elemental crystals, I can¡¯t make power cores. Hence, less money for the queen.¡±


    The [Knight] growled as several others glanced over at them. James knew that mining required great expertise and drop-hunting was even more dangerous for everyone involved, but that was the life they had chosen; James was not going to let them think they were better than him for it.


    ¡°Does she have any requests for me? Any repairs needed?¡± The [Knight] handed the note to a squire as he growled again. If not for the fact that he had revealed his features by removing his helmet, James would think this towering figure was not human.


    ¡°She has no need for your meager services today. Now, away with you.¡±


    James gave a sarcastic ¡°understood¡± and left the way he came. He had not gone far from the inner castle before an armored [Knight] bumped into him.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± James said as he caught her shoulder to prevent her from falling. Her face blushed as she looked at him.


    ¡°Oh, excuse me as well. I am not from around here and...¡± She paused, examining his crest. Her eyes widened, and she gasped. ¡°You¡¯re Master James; are you not?¡± The name caught the ears of many, so James grabbed her hand and dragged her to the next area''s passage before the trade masters could swarm him. As soon as he was away from those chasing him, he caught his breath while leaning against the wall. Taking a furtive glance around himself, he straightened out his clothes to look more presentable.


    Her face was bright red as he turned back to her. James apologized, ¡°Sorry about that, it gets harder and harder to keep out of the squabbles and [Apprentice] applicants every time I come to pay my monthly taxes. So, you were looking for me? Well, I am Master James. Please though, call me James.¡±


    Blushing, she coughed and regained her composure, taking her hand out of his embrace and placing it against her breast. ¡°I am Lady Diana Stein Braxa Certious of Howderwhit. I got a letter from my grandfather that said he was living with you. In fact, I was just preparing to request an audience with Baroness Lillian Yuer Thilther to request her guidance to find out where you were staying. ¡±


    James jerked in surprise. ¡°Howard? You''re Howard''s granddaughter?¡±


    She nodded. ¡° Yes.¡±


    James could see she was flustered and embarrassed. Rubbing the back of his head, he saw the crest on her shoulder, two banner spears standing side by side; she was not even from a neighboring country. He suspected that there would be a long story involved. Well, it wasn¡¯t like he could leave a good friend¡¯s relative alone.


    ¡°Do you want to go see him?¡±


    She helplessly nodded.


    James quickly led her back through the fortress. The usual hours that would be spent navigating halls and completing checks passed by rather quickly with her company. James suddenly felt that this might be the start of some sort of adventure and felt an emerging migraine.


    Leaving the fortress behind them, James walked through the town. He briefly tended to his business while Diana followed behind him. Nevertheless, it was near dark by the time they finished. On the outskirts, James carried a leg of beef on one shoulder and a small sack of flour under the other.


    A voice called, ¡°Hey Tom!¡±


    James paused and looked over a fence.


    ¡°Oh! Hey, Tom!¡± While waving, James replied, unable to keep a grin off his face. Diana approached to take a look but quickly retreated from the plant monster ravaging a middle-aged woman''s lower half.


    ¡°Hello, to you as well. Any problems at all with the heater I made for you?¡± Tom calmly replied. Two eyes appeared over the clump of flora to look at James.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, Tom. It keeps the room warm enough for us to be together all night long.¡±


    James smiled and shifted the weight on his shoulder. ¡°Just remember to keep track of the lights and let me know if there are any problems. I will leave you and the Missus to your own. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    James continued after the monster gave a pleased ¡°Later,¡± and the woman moaned, her lust controlling her voice. James noticed Diana walked closer to him than before; she seemed to shirk the darker edges of the town. When he got to his place¡¯s hill, Howard was still sitting in his chair as always. James guessed Howard had managed to chase off the heroes then. Thank the gods. James remembered one time a group had camped outside his home for a week until he¡¯d finally given in. Nodding at his security [Knight],


    James went inside, leaving the two to talk.


    Kira greeted him with a slightly inquisitive gaze. Knowing that she was wondering whether she¡¯d have to take off her [Maid] duties today, he told her, ¡°Jeffry is staying there tonight.¡±


    James grinned as she happily took the leg of beef from him, laying it on the table to take care of later. Her |Advanced Cooking| skill was quite spectacular. He guessed that all the times she¡¯d had to innovate dishes from his world had quickly leveled up her skills. He explained,¡°The beef is from the butcher and the flour from the bakery. She also promised some bread.¡± Kira excitedly purred as she checked on dinner. James paused. ¡°Oh yeah, we also have a guest, so I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to ask you to make a bit extra.¡±


    Kira examined the soup. ¡°All right. That¡¯s fine.¡± James smiled again before deciding to check on the two outside.


    He exited the front door to find Diana yelling, ¡°But grandfather, we want you back!¡±


    Howard noticed James. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later.¡±


    James rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Sorry, I didn''t mean to intrude. Howard, since you do know her, she is free to stay as long as she wants. She can stay in my room tonight since we¡¯ve got nothing else for her.¡±


    Diana interjected, ¡°I do not want to impose.¡±


    James sighed. ¡°Please, I can tell you been having trouble. I know myself how someone so young can find the... culture around here a bit much. However, I think you¡¯ll find this house quite welcoming. As Howard''s friend, it would be an honor to ask for you to stay.¡±


    Diana flushed a little. ¡°You wouldn''t do anything ungentlemanly, would you?¡±


    James shook his head, ¡°Of course, I shall only ever treat you with respect if that is what you are asking about.¡±

 Chapter 3: Bed and Breakfast

    After agreeing to stay, Diana went inside with James while Howard followed them. Kira had already set out the plates and stew on the dining table. Seeing her, Diana paused, but her grandfather pushed her forward. James took the seat beside Kira''s left and Howard sat right of him, leaving a free chair between the two. Kira scooted her seat closer to James.


    James asked, ¡°Everything all right Kira?¡±


    Kira''s ears flattened as her hand nudged James''s knee beneath the table. ¡°Who is she?¡±


    James gently laid a hand on hers. ¡°Meet Howard''s granddaughter. I met her whilst paying my taxes. She¡¯ll be staying here a few days.¡± Kira let go reluctantly.


    Diana sat between Howard and James. After their moment ended, Diana criticized, ¡°So, you own a Hersha girl. I thought you had more dignity than that.¡±


    James chuckled, ¡°Well, it¡¯s a long story.¡±


    Sipping her soup, Diana found it rather tasty. ¡°I¡¯ve got all night.¡±


    Sighing to himself, James took a deep breath. ¡°To begin with, this is not my homeland. There was an... incident: an amateur [Mage]¡¯s portal experiment synced with a damaged portal device I was working on, causing me and my home to be brought here to this hill. It took me months to refine my trade and assimilate it with this land. During that time, I found Kira for sale, chained to the general store¡¯s counter. She looked so sad and drained, so I made a deal with the shop owner. Ever since then, she¡¯s cooked and cleaned for me as well as kept track of my finances and meetings.¡±


    Diana looked at Kira, surprised that she had the capability to do those kinds of things. Hersha were notorious for barely able to exist in domestic society. Ignoring her looks, James continued. ¡°Honestly, I need her, and in case you think I¡¯ve kept her against her will, she is free to go any time she wishes to.¡±


    Diana became aggravated as she raised her voice after swallowing her stew. ¡°So why doesn¡¯t she leave if she¡¯s free?¡±


    Insulted, Kira rose and slammed her hands on the table. ¡°Where else would I rather be?¡±


    Diana paused, allowing Kira to continue. ¡°My master is a good master. He never lays a harmful hand on me, and he spent many days teaching me how to read and do numbers. If I left, I would only be captured and treated badly like what happened to my brothers and sisters and Mom and Dad.¡± James placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.


    Jerking in surprise, Kira was surprised as tears streamed down her face. Calmly staring at Diana, James spoke, ¡°Yes, we have been together, but I never forced myself onto her.¡± Diana''s face went bright red again, and James sighed, grabbing his bowl and plate of food. ¡°I''ll eat in the workshop. I apologize. I do not get pleasant company that often.¡± James left. They heard several consecutive slurps as Kira quickly gulped her soup and left as well.


    When it became apparent Howard and Diana were alone again, she put her spoon down. The two tensely stared at each other. ¡°Grandfather, you must come home. We wish to see you with the others before you die and allow you to join eternal rest with our ancestors.¡±


    Howard looked at his nearly-finished stew. ¡°Diana, I wrote that letter to tell you and the others that I had found a place to spend my last days. It¡¯s what, four months to get back to Bandrisen? An old man like me barely made it this far in ten years. You do not expect me to go back, do you?¡± Diana didn¡¯t meet his eyes. It had taken her almost six months to get here by accompanying a political caravan most of the way.


    ¡°Why do you want to stay grandfather? What shall I tell father when I go back?¡±


    Howard reclined and loosened his belt. ¡°I would not be alive today if it were not for Master James and many others. Many times did I have to borrow money for food or lodging. The kindness of others¡­ well, I want to repay it in some way. Being here, I have a meaning in life. Master James is a good man. He keeps to himself and appreciates his neighbors, something I have forgotten many times. I think he deserves better than growing old alone like how I did.¡±


    Diana blushed. ¡°So he and the cat are not...¡±


    Howard smiled, noticing it now. ¡°He is her master, but he does not see her like that.¡±


    Diana blushes even deeper. Laughing, Howard teased, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have fallen for Master James so easily?¡±


    Diana shook her head rapidly. ¡°No, no, I mean, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s that time in my cycle, and I¡¯ve been seeing Hentai everywhere all day. It¡¯s driving an innocent girl like me crazy to see that.¡±


    Diana paused, seeing her grandfather turn white. ¡°How old are you, granddaughter? The month and the day.¡±


    She became a little puzzled. ¡°I turn eighteen in thirty-one days.¡± Howard was afraid of that. ¡°Tell me honestly. What are your plans for your future?¡± Diana stuck out her chest proudly. ¡°I want to be a proud [Knight] like my father and grandfather.¡± Howard felt a little disappointed by the expected answer. This girl truly had been steeped in tradition. He quickly stood but stopped after a moment, almost out of breath, and Diana rose to quickly catch him. Howard sighed, ¡°I am quite tired now. Let us talk further of this tomorrow.¡±


    After seeing her grandfather to bed, she went upstairs to the only room with an opened door to find the bedroom surprisingly sparse. For such a rich man, he seemed surprisingly spartan. Unlike the rest of the house, where each room seemed to be littered with machinery of some form or another or, at least, tools for their creation, this room lacked anything like that except for a few machine lights that gave the room a bright glow despite that only one was currently on. This bright light stood beside the larger of two beds, revealing an orange figure. ¡°Want help going to bed?¡±


    Diana jumped as she turned to face Kira who was in a tank top and underwear. She grabbed an armor stand that was beside her that Diana would have sworn had not been there when she had first entered. Taking a second glance, she realized it had been hidden behind the doorway. After calming down, Diana relaxed and loosened the straps on her armor before setting it on the stand. With a sigh, she stretched her tight muscles and began to wear her pajamas¡­ or rather due to the complications on her travels, lack of them. Diana could not help but stare at Kira. The cat girl was completely indifferent to her as the [Knight] too became stripped to her underwear. Before she knew it, Kira was lying in the small bed, and Diana was just standing around, not sure what to do next. In the end, she decided to go to sleep in the other bed and did so.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    In the morning, Diana woke to the sound of running water. The sun was barely up, so it took a moment for the haze in her eyes to fade and for her to discover the steam coming from the glass box in the corner of the attached bathroom. She paused, wondering who would put the effort of hauling water to the third floor and heating it for such an unusual bath. Just as she was about to realize where the water was coming from, it stopped, and the towel on the edge vanished. After it returned to its position, the glass wall opened, revealing a naked Kira shrouded in steam. Seeing Diana awake, she smiled happily.


    ¡°Master took the liberty of paying the fees for your horse and belongings. I am sorry, but I have not yet cleaned out a room for you.¡± Diana could not help but look at Kira''s chest, unconsciously grabbing her own to compare. Kira¡¯s were almost twice as big as hers! Diana frowned, which Kira noticed. ¡°If you like, we can measure you for new armor.¡±


    Diana blushed and shook her head. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay; that¡¯s not what I was...¡± Diana paused and sadly looked away. ¡°Why are you so nice to me?¡±


    Kira gave it a moment of thought. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s because you¡¯re not like other [Knight]s. You don¡¯t act like you¡¯re atop a pedestal with a stick up your ass, and you have not asked my master to make you anything. He doesn''t mind making things; it¡¯s just the way people ask for them, I guess.¡± Kira turned to a table beside the bath. ¡°If you decide to wash up. There is an egg with a dial and several black marks in a circle. Turn the dial to the right one-quarter of the circle. That will set a timer. When it goes off, finish up your bath. That will save enough hot water for Master''s bath. Also, I¡¯ll try to find you something as I heard you lost most of your belongings.¡±


    After drying off from her bath, Diana put on the summer dress laid out for her. It was not as flamboyant as many female dresses except for the relatively high hem of the skirt. With her hair wet and sticking to the back of the dress, she hoped James would not catch her at a bad moment as she went downstairs and saw Kira and her grandfather sitting at the same spots as last night. This time, there were a variety of plates set out with flapjacks, eggs scrambled, toast, fruit and a black drink that smelled of coffee. Diana felt a small rumble from her stomach. A bit embarrassed, Diana quickly took her seat next to Howard. Kira was already done and getting up, but Howard was not more than half a jack into his meal. Diana said a quick prayer before she took her own food. Her eyes widened in surprise. The food was truly delicious.


    With a cough, Howard pushed away his plate. Looking at her, Howard began, ¡°Purity or righteousness: being a knight means you have to pick one. I hope your father told you that.¡±


    With a silent groan in her head, she suspected she knew what would happen next. Diana shook her head as she put some cream on the jack. ¡°I always thought I had to live by the [Knight]''s code.¡±


    Howard sipped his cup of coffee. ¡°One day, you¡¯ll come to a time when you must make a decision. The knight''s code is a hindrance to righteousness. You will be forced to compromise. On that day, you will have to choose purity or righteousness. Sometimes, the rules are not right.¡±


    Diana did not know what to say. ¡°Most girls your age have been with a man by now.¡±


    Diana paused before taking her first bite. Her grandfather stared at her seriously. ¡°I shall make you a deal, granddaughter. I will go back with you, but only if Master James comes back with us. You shall marry him and return here with him to take my place here.¡±


    Diana lowered her fork, unsure of how to respond. She was not sure whether this was his way of paying back James for saving his life. She ignored the slight fluttering in her stomach and choked back the immediate angry retort she had been about to spit out. Why was she some object for him to repay the man with? Being a [Knight] was supposed to have given her the strength to make her own decisions! Clenching her fist, Diana stopped before she could bend the fork with her |Enhanced Strength|.


    Diana murmured, ¡°And if Master James does not want to go?¡±


    ¡°Where would I not want to go?¡± Diana nearly jumped out of her seat as she reached for her sword before realizing that she did not have it on her. With a mutter, she realized Kira must have attached it to the armor stand this morning.


    Diana''s face went bright red as Howard responded, ¡°Good morning, Master James. We were discussing going back to my son¡¯s. I am an old man, and she is only a lass. In addition, we do not have the means to make such a long journey. I know you have been wanting to know more about the surrounding lands. This could be a perfect time...¡±


    James moved around the table to find a seat, oil smearing his bare chest. Diana became distracted before she realized something. ¡°How long were you listening in?¡±


    James put a pair of jacks on his plate, smothering them in syrup. ¡°Heard the whole thing.¡± Diana shook her head in embarrassment as James laughed loudly.


    ¡°I am sorry; I joke. I just walked in from checking on Jeffry. He played a little too hard yesterday with the ladies it seemed.¡± Diana sat down with a thud and shot a look at her grandfather.


    Diana asked, ¡°Who is Jeffry?¡± Howard took a moment to finish his plate, smiling as he got up and headed for the door without responding. Diana realized that not only was she alone with James, but she was also dressed in more revealing clothes than before. Not only that, he was half-undressed.


    ¡°So.¡± James stopped looking at a paper laying to the side. He glanced at her, ¡°Apologies, I was reading over some requests. Hmm¡­ our day-to-day operations haven¡¯t changed that much. It¡¯s all in acceptable bounds.¡± Focusing on Diana, he spoke, ¡°Sorry, business distracted me for a moment. You¡¯ll get used to it I hope over time if you choose to stay a bit longer here. So, I assume you are still trying to take him back with you?¡±


    Diana nodded and felt a bit better as she finally ate some food before responding. ¡°Well, he is correct. I do not mean to impose. I mean, my father can compensate you for your troubles.¡±


    James sighed. ¡°He said I should marry you, didn''t he?¡±


    Diana opened her mouth in surprise, and he rubbed his temples. ¡°I swear that man needs a new hobby. Last week, he tried to get me to go out with a Ghoul. Seriously, how are we even supposed to make a life together?¡±


    Diana felt both relieved and jealous. ¡°So he was thinking more about you getting with a woman than finding me a good man when he suggested marriage.¡±


    James paused upon hearing her say that. ¡°Honestly, I am not opposed to the idea of finding a woman. Kira is nice, but I want to have a kid one day.¡±


    ¡°Well, with that type of lukewarm attitude, don¡¯t be surprised if you don¡¯t find women swooning over the ground your feet tread.¡± Diana teasingly mocked.


    James looked a bit surprised. ¡°Oh, oh. It¡¯s not that. I just haven¡¯t found anyone who really fits me¡­¡±


    Diana blushed a little and looked away. ¡°And your opinion of me?¡±


    James stopped eating to look at Diana. ¡°I know nothing about you. We just met yesterday.¡± Diana was somewhat surprised by the response. She almost expected an unconditional confession of his feelings or an outright rejection. He thought for a bit before asking, ¡°Do you even know anything about me?¡±


    Diana answered, ¡°Well, you are a kind man, well liked as well.¡± James paused at the response before taking another bite.


    He chuckled. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, the next words that come out are a rejection.¡±


    Diana managed a wry grin, a bit confused at his response. The rest of the time together was spent silently because they both had a lot to think about before James finished and went upstairs. From down below, Diana could hear him roar, ¡°Son of a b*@ch! Who used all the hot water?¡±


    Diana blanched as she hurriedly got ready and rushed out the front door.

 Chapter 4: Feeding Time

    Diana walked around the back, looking for Howard, when she saw a wild wyvern leaning over her grandfather. Pulling out her sword, which she had previously snuck back to her room to retrieve, she prepared to charge at the beast and save her grandfather. After all, despite how infuriating he was, he was still family.


    She paused upon hearing the old [Knight] laugh. Patting the wyvern¡¯s nose, Howard chuckled as the wyvern¡¯s long tongue doused his face. She blushed and quickly sheathed her sword, scared that anyone had noticed. Just as she was about to walk away, Kiara passed by her, leading a squealing pig on a leash. Diana watched in sick fascination as Kiara told Howard to back away and trapped the now frantic pig inside a pen next to the huge wyvern.


    The wyvern stared hopefully at Kiara, and the cat-girl put her hands on her hips. ¡°Now, Jeffry, what do you do when you want food.¡± Diana felt a bit flustered upon realizing that the Jeffry mentioned before who had been fooling around with some ladies was actually this giant wyvern.


    The huge wyvern reluctantly sat on its haunches while eagerly staring at the pig. With a laugh, Kiara waved her hands, and the wyvern rushed toward the pig,culminating its panic with a quick snap of his jaws around its neck. The pig squealed for almost a minute before it finally collapsed on the ground. Kiara turned to face Diana who felt like she was about to throw up.


    Kiara apologized, ¡°Sorry! I would have warned you about what was going to happen had I noticed you were there.¡± Kiara licked a bit of stray blood that had sprayed onto her wrist, her long tongue lapping it up. Once she was sure her fur was clean, she turned back toward Diana. Diana watched her, aghast.


    Seeing that Diana wasn¡¯t feeling well, Kiara sighed. ¡°Let me clean up a bit, and I can introduce a bit of the town to you. It¡¯s actually really cool once you know more about it.¡± Diana dumbly nodded as she walked back to the door. Only once she had turned away did her mind start working again. She furiously berated herself. How could she have frozen up like that? She was a [Knight], blessed with rare Skills and capable of fighting the forces of evil! She paused, realizing she¡¯d never actually really fought a beast, save for the few hunting expeditions she''d attended or the occasional wayward monster that was too sick to realize there was no one around worth terrorizing that she¡¯d be hired to stop. With a sigh, she doubted whether she would ever truly be a great [Knight] once more. Lost in her thoughts, she was startled to attention when Kiara bounded down the stairs in a loose sundress. Both girls looked beautiful, their dresses revealing wide swathes of sun-kissed skin.


    Kiara happily asked, ¡°So Diana, what do you want to see first?¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Diana paused. ¡°Are there training grounds or anything? I haven¡¯t been able to truly practice my sword Skills recently.¡±


    Kiara shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s the castle grounds and the Academy, but not really much else¡­ If you want though, you can try sparring with me!¡±


    Diana looked at the thin Hersha incredulously. ¡°You can fight?¡±


    Kiara looked almost offended. ¡°Of course. I have a racial class [Beastman Berserker].¡± She proudly puffed out her rather impressive chest. ¡°Not only am I a [Maid] for Master James, but I also help defend his interests¡­¡± Her ears flattened against her head. ¡°Although he doesn¡¯t really like it when I act in my |Berserk| form¡­¡±


    Diana suppressed a shudder. She had heard of what the Beastman tribe warriors could do when in a rage. Few beings were more fearsome than the nearly indomitable warriors who could exert their strength to rip through a [Knight]¡¯s shield with their bare hands.


    Diana hastily waved her hands. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine. I wouldn¡¯t want to impose on you.¡± She didn¡¯t mention the fact that a battle with an untrained [Berserker], like she strongly suspected Kiara clearly was, almost always ended up with someone dead.


    Kiara opened the door, letting Diana through. She paused, ¡°All those [Knight]s in the castle ever do is sit around and be rude to people who pass by¡­ So what do you do?¡±


    Diana smiled. ¡°You know what, why don¡¯t I show you what a [Knight]¡¯s duty is. Let¡¯s go visit the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±


    Kiara shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I dunno why you¡¯d want to go there. All those hero types strut around here all the time and beg Master to make them things. Then he usually kicks them out.¡±


    Diana frowned, ¡°It¡¯s against the law to refuse an adventurer on a sanctioned Quest.¡±


    Kiara pointed to the sign on the front porch. Diana paused, a gust of wind tousling her hair as she read the wooden sign. ¡°One: all items, objects or things considered the property of the master are protected by the master. If damaged or stolen, the individual or group responsible is subject to the master''s judgment and wrath, so approved and decreed by royal and holy oath. Two: all negotiations done by the master are final and considered absolute. Renegotiation of prices is done at the discretion of the master, so approved and decreed by royal and holy oath. Three: all official Quest items, side or otherwise, cannot be modified or repaired here. Four: I do not buy or sell weapons, armors, or items to those who beat up my security [Knight].¡± She hesitated before asking, ¡°Does he really have the right to do this?¡±


    Kiara snorted, ¡°Who cares. Well, actually before we go to the Adventurer''s Corner, why don¡¯t we stop by at a few stores? Let¡¯s try to replace some of your stuff that got lost during your trip.¡±


    With a nod, Diana followed the Hersha toward the path leading from James¡¯s home. She¡¯d been dying to find some decent clothes ever since she had lost them: cotton could be pretty abrasive on her skin. Double-checking her belt pouch to make sure she had a couple thousand Seedz, she closed the door behind them.

 Chapter 5: Shopping Spree

    Kira turned into a side street, beckoning for Diana to follow her. With a shrug, Diana walked behind the Hersha for a couple of minutes before ending up on a massive street. Peddlers advertised their wares from street stands, carriages clattered down cobblestone streets, crowds swarmed around bards revealing the local news. She gaped. She vaguely realized she had traveled down this street just this morning to arrive at the castle, but it had been nothing like this. Where had all these people come from?


    Kira grabbed her hand, grinning. Raising her voice above the bustling roar of the city, the Hersha grinned. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡±


    Diana¡¯s jaw dropped even lower.


    Sticking out her tongue, Kira laughed. ¡°What? It¡¯s okay for beast people to make jokes about animals¡­¡±


    A bit hesitant, Diana turned to look at all the stores lining the street. She saw everything from marvelously woven carpets to glistening dresses. A whistle broke her wonder.


    A man leaning against a building jeered, ¡°What are you two fine ladies doing here? You want to come with me to that alley over there?¡±


    Diana turned to look at Kira, but she gave no evidence that she¡¯d heard. Diana turned so she could display her well-built frame and half drew her sword. With a cool glance up and down the man¡¯s body, she stared at his eyes, a faint crimson blush clouding her otherwise stoic countenance. The man gulped, seemingly realizing he¡¯d picked on the wrong damsel. Before she could take any further action though, Kira pulled her toward a small general store.


    Diana was about to protest when Kira hissed into her ear, ¡°Are you crazy? Pulling a weapon out in the open? Where do you think we are?¡±


    Diana blushed, stammering, ¡°Well, I¡¯m a [Knight]. I have to protect our honor¡­¡±


    Kira stared her down, her anger transforming into outright confusion. ¡°Why would that man damage our honor? He¡¯s just an idiot.¡±


    The man seemed to have heard that as he turned to angrily glare at the two before kicking a pebble down the street and walking away. Pointing toward a general store that seemed relatively ignored by the crowds, Kira led the way through the crowd. A bit unused to walking in crowded cities, hurrying shoppers jostled the [Knight] because she walked too slowly while taking in the vibrant scenes. Kira explained while walking, ¡°Diana, I don¡¯t know how it is where you come from, but we have neither the time nor means to correct every idiot in the world.¡±


    Diana refrained from mentioning that one of her oaths had been to actively seek and fight injustice.


    Instead, Diana looked at Kira in surprise. These were surprisingly wise words coming from a Hershan [Berserker]. Feeling a bit remorseful, Diana thoughtfully nodded and didn¡¯t contradict the Hersha. Ducking through the doorway, she found herself in a dimly lit store where a dwarf sat behind the counter. Besides for a few shelves for spices and rocks, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything else in the dusty place. Confused about what they were doing here, Diana just watched as Kira went up to the dwarf.


    Kira pulled out a pouch and set it on the table. She announced, ¡°I want the same order as last time for three thousand Seedz.¡±


    The dwarf grumbled, ¡°Prices have gone up. There¡¯s trouble on the roads, and the [Harvester]s decreased their yield again.¡±


    Glaring at the shorter man, Kira growled, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll add three hundred more. Otherwise, I can look for business elsewhere.¡±


    With a cough, the man gestured toward the table. Sighing, Kira pulled out a slightly larger pouch and found three one-hundred Seedz coins. Placing them next to the pouch, Kira carefully watched as the dwarf took out a Mana Reader and scanned the three new coins as well as the thirty coins within the pouch. With a beep, the machine glowed blue, confirming that these were authentic dungeon coins. ¡°Do you really have to do this every time? Have we ever cheated you in all the deals we¡¯ve ever made?¡±


    The dwarf hummed. ¡°It¡¯s good business practice, young [Maid]. It¡¯s always better to be safe than sorry. Wait here, I¡¯ll go get your goods for you.¡±


    Wandering to the door marked ¡°Employees Only,¡± the dwarf disappeared for a few moments before returning with a small case. He set the case on the counter and allowed Kira to inspect the displayed contents. Picking up a few, Kira turned each crystal in the light. Now, Diana realized that each of these objects was an elemental crystal, probably harvested from some Dungeon monsters.


    She was a bit surprised before she realized that these were probably necessary for James¡¯s creations. Shrugging, she went to look through the various paraphernalia on the shelves. The dwarf called out, ¡°Young Miss, please don¡¯t touch any of that stuff. Those items belong to our customers.¡±


    Diana frowned. ¡°How do you know that I can¡¯t be a customer?¡±


    The dwarf paused. ¡°I apologize for the misunderstanding. That¡¯s where our customers can pick up various items they¡¯ve ordered from distant places. It¡¯s an easy way for them to just grab their things and leave. Suffice to say, should you touch something you shouldn¡¯t¡­ well, the consequences might not be pleasant.¡±


    Diana backed away, a bit miffed at how rude the dwarf had been. Deciding that she wanted nothing to do with this store, she took a final glance at Kira who was still bent over the box and exited the store.


    Passing by the crude, simple garments she had seen in the Skillful Seamstress, the place that Kira had mentioned they¡¯d be shopping at next, she took a right toward a side street. This one was far less sketchy than the one they¡¯d gone through to reach here. Finally, she found it, the store that Baroness Lillian had recommended in her letters, the Threaded Mistress. She admired the silky white dresses, more fit for a ball than walking on the streets. Still, they were objects of beauty, capturing both elegance and a certain pomp unmatched by simpler dressings.


    She admired several of the dresses before noticing how they were displayed. The glass displays that went from floor to ceiling enthralled her. How did they even make glass like that? With a gentle push of the door, she entered the large shop that was brightly lit by faerie candles. Before she could take more than a few steps in, a tall burly man blocked her way. He rumbled, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m going to request that you leave your arms at the front as a courtesy to our other customers. Our store will keep them safe.¡±


    With a sigh, but knowing better than to complain, Diana unbuckled her sword and smoothly handed its sheath to the [Guard], or at least, she suspected it was a [Guard]. She wasn¡¯t prepared to enter combat mode just to determine his Class. Now feeling a bit lighter due to the loss of her weapon, she walked past the lobby and into the main part of the store.


    Immediately, a few vigilant [Noblewomen] stared at her. The [Knight] blushed upon realizing they were judging her rather simple sundress with its high hem. Now hesitant, the [Knight] hurriedly turned in an aisle so as to avoid the penetrating stares. She had never before felt like she didn¡¯t belong anywhere!


    Picking up a hangar, she examined a shimmering red dress, placing it on top of her body so she could examine herself in a mirror.


    ¡°Can I help you, Miss?¡±


    Diana jerked in surprise, nearly dropping the dress. A hand quickly caught the dress before it could touch the ground. Dressed in a fashionable dress, a woman came up. ¡°Hello, my name is Ingress. I was wondering whether you needed any help choosing apparel today. I¡¯m actually an [Apprentice Designer]!¡±


    Diana looked around bemusedly. ¡°Uh, sure. I was looking for some casual clothes as most of mine got lost while I was traveling.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Ingress perked up upon hearing this. ¡°You¡¯re saying you want a full wardrobe?¡±


    Diana nodded with a bit of hesitance. Ingress clapped her hands. ¡°Goodie! We just got a new sequence designed by one of the highest leveled [Seamstress]es on the continent! It¡¯ll be perfect for your figure.¡±


    Diana let herself get dragged by the young [Apprentice], wondering whether the girl was using some type of |Cajoling| skill. With a shrug, she began putting on the various offered sets of clothes.


    Setting aside the third dress she planned to buy, Diana sat in the changing room, waiting for Ingress to return. Much to her surprise, the bustling [Apprentice] hadn¡¯t returned even after a few minutes. A bit curious and figuring that she could also try her hand at finding her own clothes, Diana opened the changing room door to hear faint muttering. Her |Aura Sense| started to alert her that something was going on. She tuned in on the feeling and noticed a faint tension in the air, ready to boil over at any moment.


    Suddenly, she heard a voice that sounded suspiciously like Kira¡¯s shout, ¡°Yo, Diana! Are you in here!¡±


    Then a gruff voice interrupted the Hersha. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave the premises.¡±


    Diana reached for her sword before remembering that she had left it at the front. She silently cursed. Ever since she had come to this damn Kingdom, she¡¯d allowed herself to be separated from her sword far too often. What had happened to her vigilance?


    Breaking out into a |Sprint|, she quickly arrived to see a flushed Ingress standing behind the bulky [Guard] from before. The two faced off against a hissing Kira. Diana paled: Kira was a [Berserker]. This would probably not end in a very pretty way.


    Thinking quickly, Diana put her own body between the two foes, acting as a physical barrier preventing confrontation. Kira growled, ¡°There you are, Diana! I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you. Thank gods one of the actually friendly neighbors spotted you coming to this run-down pawnshop. Well, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go.¡± Kira turned around, taking a few steps before realizing that the [Knight] wasn¡¯t following her. The Hersha stamped her feet in frustration before muttering, ¡°Da*n, you¡¯re going to make this difficult. Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Diana frowned, thinking Kira was being quite rude. Ingress turned to face the [Knight]. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m very sorry that you had to be here to witness this unpleasant scene. I¡¯ll remove this Hersha from the premises immediately.¡±


    Diana paused. She hadn¡¯t expected this to happen.


    Kira folded her arms, staring warily at both Diana and Ingress. She humphed, ¡°No one is making me go anywhere. Master James has given me permission to act as a free person!¡±


    The man stepped forward, looming over Kira. ¡°Did you not hear what she said, fur-ball? Scram!¡±


    Kira bristled. ¡°Who are you calling a fur-ball? Knucklehead!¡±


    The man cracked his knuckles and pulled out a large baton from his belt. He menaced it in front of her. ¡°Electrically attuned; it can take down even the likes of you crazy bastards. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t heard of you. I know what you are, Blood-fiend.¡±


    Diana narrowed her eyes. How did this man know that Kira was a [Berserker]? Now even more confused, Diana mentally counted to ten before smiling at Ingress. ¡°Ingress, I¡¯d really appreciate it if you let my friend shop here. I found this dress that I thought would look perfect on her!¡±


    Kira whirled away from the man¡¯s weapon to stare at Diana in surprise.


    For a moment Ingress looked at her in shock as if not comprehending that Diana had been talking to her. Then, her gaze turned cold. Finally, she said, ¡°Well, once you pay for the three dresses you wore, you can be on your merry way. It¡¯ll be two thousand Seedz.¡±


    Diana frowned. Just a few minutes earlier, Ingress had promised to give her a third off as a discount for making such a large purchase. Nevertheless, seeing the way things were turning out, she decided it was best to leave before things got too messy. She was about to open her mouth again when Ingress continued, ¡°Also, you will be completing the transaction here.¡± Ingress wrinkled her nose in distaste. ¡°We don¡¯t want you mucking up the rest of the store with the smell of Hersha pheromones.¡±


    Diana blushed. Had she just insinuated that¡­ She gripped her hands. She looked at Kira who was watching her with a hint of expectation. Diana scanned through the elegant dresses adorning the walls of the store and made up her mind to try to do something for her newfound friend. Through gritted teeth, she said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll also be buying the blue dress you pointed out earlier for my friend here.¡±


    Ingress looked at her blankly as if Diana were an idiot. ¡°We don¡¯t serve her kind here at our establishment.¡± Sensing Kira deflating beside her, Diana felt a flash of rage shoot through her. How could they be so blatantly discriminatory?


    Slamming down twenty hundred Seedz coins, Diana glared at the [Apprentice] and [Guard]. She coldly said, ¡°Now, my sword please.¡±


    The [Guard] laughed, ¡°What sword, Miss? You¡¯re a fine noble lady. Why would you bring around something so crass? Only some brutish commoner would waddle around wagging their brother¡¯s or even worse, a stolen, sword around. Surely, you wouldn¡¯t suggest that you¡¯re such a character.¡±


    Diana nearly trembled in rage, and beside her Kira tensed as well, preparing to leap at the man. The [Guard] immediately tensed, warily facing the Hersha. He warned, ¡°Now, now. If an unrestrained Hersha attacks someone, I am fully within the right of the law to exert any force necessary to quell it.¡± There was a hum of electricity around his baton. Diana carefully examined his tool. It was really just a simple stick attached to a metal ring engraved with some runes and a cheap lightning core. While a bit more expensive than the usual ones, she knew the man was bluffing. It was unlikely the weapon could cause any serious harm to a [Berserker]. At most, it would stun Kira long enough for the man to escape. Still, it wasn¡¯t worth getting Kira in trouble with the law.


    Diana lay a hand on Kira¡¯s arm, and the Hersha seemed to understand. Without taking her eyes off the guard, Diana said to no one in particular, ¡°I think it¡¯d be best if you left, so they can¡¯t claim you did anything.¡±


    Kira protested, ¡°But¡­¡±


    Diana gently pushed her toward the door. With a reluctant look backward, the Kira left the door. From the corner of her eye, Diana spotted her passing the glass display wall. Once Kira was out of the side alley, Diana then directly focused on the man. He stared back at her unflinchingly, unworried now that the [Berserker] was gone. Squaring her shoulders Diana stepped up toward the man. ¡°Now, you said I didn¡¯t have a sword?¡±


    The man seemed more nervous now, probably recognizing that Diana seemed to actually be in a Warrior-Class stance. The guard backed up a bit, edging toward the center of the store where several [Nobles] had stopped even pretending to shop and were avidly watching the confrontation.


    Diana readied her |Warrior¡¯s Awareness| and entered a |Brawler¡¯s Stance|. The rhythm that came only in battle seemed to flow through her mind. Despite being a level 20 [Knight], she had only gained five Skills, with two being unique, besides for the common ones inherent to the |Knight¡¯s Skills| that all [Knight]s had. However, those two unique Skills were quite powerful, having passed through her family¡¯s lineage for several generations. While several of their other skills had been lost, the core ones remained. She felt a brief pang of regret as she realized she would not be able to use her favorite sword skill today. A small beep sounded in her head, ¡°Combat Started.¡± Her |Warrior¡¯s Awareness| immediately revealed that her earlier guess had been right, this man was a [Guard] of lowish-level, maybe in the mid-teens. Taking a deep breath just as the [Guard] seemed about ready to use his weapon, she used |Rigorous Strike|, the second form of her family¡¯s most powerful heritage, right at his liver.


    The [Guard] grunted and barely held onto his rod even as he crumpled over in pain. Ingress turned pale as she watched her in fear. |Kicking| the rod out of his hands, Diana carefully picked it up by the handle. She looked at it distastefully. It was a single-use enchanted item, no doubt far cheaper than a real arcane weapon would be. Using her |Enhanced Strength|, she snapped it against her knee, tossing the now-defunct parts on the floor. She allowed herself a small grin at how well the fight had gone. Even though the enemy had been rather low-leveled and weak, it had still taken precision to assure each step had been perfect.


    She then cheerily waved at Ingress, offering her a fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether I mentioned this when I first came, but Baroness Lillian herself actually suggested this place to me. She¡¯ll be so disappointed to find out how this adventure ended.¡±


    If it were possible, Ingress seemed even paler. Quickly crossing over to the [Apprentice] who shied away from her approach, Diana completely ignored her as she retrieved her sword from the storage behind the lobby counter. She longingly gazed at the four dresses she had picked out for herself and Kira before deciding that she didn''t need this dumb shop to find nice dresses.


    She considered the twenty hundred Seedz coins on the floor, cheerily announcing, ¡°Huh. I must have dropped these coins by accident. Oh well, it''s not like I bought anything.¡± She pocketed the coins that had scattered on the floor.


    Giving the [Guard] a solid kick on her way out, Diana waved the emblem engraved on the leather and metal sheath in front of his groaning face. ¡°This is the emblem of a [Knight] sanctified by the Order of Royals, meaning I have the right of jurisdiction within Alliance Lands. Who¡¯s the brute-ish commoner now?¡±


    A watching [Noblewoman] giggled in the background, her voice resonating through the store. ¡°My, my, Aren¡¯t you interesting? Well, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll help make sure the other women don¡¯t fret too much. Go on and meet your friend. After all, it¡¯s only natural I do a favor for my good friend, the Baroness.¡±


    Offering a nod in thanks, Diana didn¡¯t think too much about it as she left the store to reunite with Kira. The second her two feet exited the store, a subtle ding popped up within her head, and a rush of knowledge entered her head. It felt soothing, almost cathartic, relaxing her muscles and calming her surging thoughts.


    Level 21 Gained


    Skill Gained: Protector of the Innocent

 Chapter 6: The Free Lantern

    Diana had wanted to visit the Adventurer¡¯s Corner, but upon realizing how exhausted both Kira and she were from that simple excursion, she decided to head home. While Kira rushed to put away some of their new purchases away into James¡¯s workplace, Diana decided to examine her new skill |Protector of the Innocent|. Rushing up the stairs, she finally changed out of her frivolous dress (putting the three new dresses she''d bought along the way at Kira''s preferred shop, the Skillful Seamstress, into the empty wardrobe) and donned her armor. Feeling its comfortable weight on her frame, she hefted her sword. Then, she realized she had forgotten something. With a yell that resounded through the house, she shouted, ¡°Kira, where¡¯s the Castle training grounds?¡± She remembered that Kira had mentioned that that was the only place to get in some real training.


    ¡°Why? I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow. Sorry, I¡¯m a bit tired today!¡±


    Diana sighed in frustration, responding, ¡°Well, I wanted to try out a new skill I recently received.¡±


    Kira came up the stairs and entered their room. She asked, ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t you just use Howard¡¯s stuff?¡±


    Diana paused. ¡°I thought you said there wasn¡¯t any stuff besides for the city?¡±


    Kira laughed. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s a misunderstanding. I thought you meant like actual training equipment. No, of course, we have some basic stuff for you to test out a few skills. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for us to have to go all the way to the city every day for training. Just go to the garden.¡±


    Diana was already out the door before Kira could finish her words.


    Marching over to the garden where Howard had set up some practice dummies for his own training, she unsheathed her sword. She tried to remember the feeling she had felt upon gaining the Skill. After all, more complex Title-like Skills tended to need a certain emotional state as well as a proper form.


    Activating |Protector of the Innocent| within her mind, she tried to thrust her sword at a dummy. She frowned. There was a slight boost in the speed and strength of her attack but nothing special. It looked like this one required a specific situation to work. Judging from its name, she¡¯d have to actually protect someone from danger¡­ With a sigh, she began practicing her |Knight¡¯s Skills|, which were really just a family of basic skills every [Knight] automatically had, as well as her basic forms.


    <hr>


    After showering and catching up on a bit of sleep, James came downstairs to find Kira starting dinner. Although interested in the fragrant aroma, he steeled his resolve to head to the church in order to talk about the gathering. He opened his front door to find Diana standing on the gravel path between his house and the road. Just past her were the four adventurers from yesterday. They were lying on the ground. He put his palm to his forehead and cursed softly, ¡°God damn it, Diana!¡± He moved to take charge of the situation. ¡°By the four heavens, what happened?¡±


    Diana started, surprised that James was angry. Kira popped out behind him to see what was going on. Diana said hesitantly, ¡°Grandfather said he needed to do something in town, and I was just training in the garden anyway, so I offered to watch his post till he got back. He said I could challenge anyone who approached, and I wanted to test out a new Skill I got.¡±


    She pointed at the four adventurers. ¡°Actually, I just finished sparring with them. Don¡¯t worry; they¡¯ll be fine. We had a really interesting talk about the local Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Apparently, I can pick up some extra Seedz by doing a few missions. After all, I¡¯ve been running low on funds, and I don¡¯t want to borrow from my grandfather.¡±


    James walked past her and checked on the four one by one. All four seemed bruised and were unconscious. ¡°Kira, I need a full revive set here.¡± Kira came out carrying a box with a red cross on it. Setting it down and opening it revealed various potions. After using a revival potion on each of them, the adventurers each got a health and mana potion to restore them to top condition. Diana knew these potions could not have been cheap. James spoke to the leader, ¡°Apologies, she is a guest. Give me a moment. I¡¯ll bring what you wanted.¡± James went back inside and came out with a lantern and a pouch.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°I hope you do not hold it against her. Here¡¯s your order for the lantern. It was meant for another client, but I''ll give it to you for your troubles. I also added three power cores for it. Don''t worry; they and the lantern are all free of charge.¡± Their leader scrambled to his feet with Kira''s help. He looked surprised about being rewarded for getting his a** kicked.


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be fair. We just came to deliver the materials and pay the fee.¡±


    James considered it or rather, acted as if he did. ¡°I understand. I will take what you will give and forget the rest. Take the lantern and power cores. The other client is a good Tom, and I will sweeten his deal in compensation for the added wait.¡±


    Diana was not sure what had happened as the four thanked James for the lantern and handed over several iron and copper ores, some thunder crystals, and a bag of Seedz with a label indicating they formed a grand total of just over twenty thousand. James handed Kira the stuff he received, and she returned inside while James considered Diana as the four left. ¡°Look, he clearly never told you what his job is. He is actually only meant to keep people from stealing my stuff, not beat them up. See the iron wrought fence? Everything it bounds is mine.¡±


    Diana glanced around. A bright chest near the entrance caught her notice. ¡°Why is there a treasure chest on your lawn?¡±


    James smiled. ¡°Part of my agreement with the church is that I keep a donation box. All the locals know what it is, so they put money in too if they want. It is easily accessible by a Father to take the money when they come to collect it. Makes my and their lives easy. I usually throw in my extra Seedz left after drinking in town, yet almost every time some new group comes by, they take the money out. Now, the same new people that do that usually come up here wanting to do business with us, so your grandfather confronts them about it.¡±


    James waited for her to ask the next expected question. ¡°Then, why not post a sign saying it is a donation box?¡±


    James said nothing, and she turned to scrutinize the box more carefully. Right beside the treasure box was a small sign. She had completely missed it because she had entirely focused on the glowing treasure box.


    ¡°Now, look on the wall of my shop.¡± Diana carefully reread the rules that she had earlier asked Kira about.


    After reading them she had another question, but James started talking before she could speak. ¡°The things I make require a certain amount of intelligence and skill to operate. Howard is not easy to defeat in combat, but he is rather aged as well. He assesses my new clientele. If they can beat him, then they¡¯ve got the skill needed. After that, I negotiate and see if they are intelligent enough. It is a complicated system, but it works.¡±


    Diana took a moment to put all the pieces together. First was the treasure chest. Most adventurers would loot it without a second thought due to instincts engraved from dungeon runs, which gave valid cause for Howard to intervene. Instantly, they would be portrayed as the bad guys thieving church donations. A sign right beside the chest gave the adventurers no excuse. Because Howard was a guard of the shop, they wouldn¡¯t harm him, but they would fight and reveal their skill at arms to him. Depending on how they performed, they would move onto the next step where James would negotiate with them. Then, he could point out that they had stolen from the church and that they had fought Howard. James would then hold them at an instant disadvantage. He could ask almost anything for what they desired and not be in the wrong for doing so. It was a clever use of the laws.


    <hr>


    Bonus: Diana¡¯s Skills


    Basic:These can be used in repetition and only exhaust the stamina of a user.


    Knight¡¯s Skills (ie. Kick, Sprint, Thrust, Stances)


    Passives:These are skills that are always in effect.


    Enhanced Strength: Passive strength enhancement


    Aura Sense: Allows users to sense danger as well as a hint of other¡¯s intentions.


    Warrior¡¯s Awareness: Provides insight into opponents


    Learned Skills:These are skills that must be developed or learned. It also includes skills which require certain situations or bloodlines to be invoked.


    Rigorous Strike: The first form of the Howderwhit family''s famed Evolving Strike-Skill. It moderately enhances the strength and speed of a strike.


    Protector of the Innocent: Appears to slightly increase speed and strength.


    Sword of the Howling Wolves: ??? (Known Heirloom Skill: Hidden)

 Chapter 7: Adventurers Corner

    Diana grabbed her sword and prepared to leave. With a wave at Howard, she told him that she¡¯d be taking a stop at the Adventurer¡¯s Corner to look at the local quests before visiting the Baroness and the Castle Training Grounds.


    Walking down the path, she encountered Kira who was sitting down a bench leading up to James¡¯s house and rifling through some papers. Hearing Diana approach, she looked up and greeted, ¡°Oh hey, Diana.¡±


    She looked down shyly. ¡°I¡¯ve actually been meaning to thank you for yesterday. You didn¡¯t have to do that, you know. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    Diana stared at her before replying, ¡°Yeah, I guessed that, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re clearly an independent being, and I just thought it wasn¡¯t right what they did.¡±


    Kira sighed slowly. ¡°Yeah, I wish other people would realize that about other Hersha. It¡¯s this type of thing that prevents me from doing what I want to do.¡±


    Diana looked at her in surprise. ¡°You want to do something else? I thought you enjoyed your time here.¡±


    Kira perked up, happy to talk about her goals. ¡°Actually, I want to help Master James sell goods. While helping out with the paperwork is good like I am doing right now, it''s also kind of boring. I''d be able to help a lot more if I talked to customers. He really hates having to negotiate with everyone who comes along. However, I don¡¯t think any of those [Nobles] would even want to deal with me.¡±


    Diana hugged the cat girl. ¡°That sounds like their problem. I love talking to you. In fact, do you want to come visit the Adventurer¡¯s Guild with me?¡±


    Kira looked around nervously before gesturing at her papers. ¡°Are you sure? The adventurers, in particular, tend to not get along too well with me. They¡¯re so used to either the docile Hersha or wild ones. Honestly, I have a lot of paperwork to do for James anyway.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Weighing down the papers with a rock, Diana announced, ¡°Okay. They¡¯ll be there when we get back. Let¡¯s go check out the city.¡±


    Kira let herself be pulled down the path as they followed the road to the Adventurer¡¯s Corner, which was just beyond the city gates. They passed through several side streets, this time without any commotion, and ended up outside the city gates. Finding a well-maintained tavern-looking place, they casually strolled up to it, ignoring the curious looks some of the adventurers gave them.


    Just as they entered, the four adventurers that Diana had beaten up before greeted them. They had been drinking in a corner and noticed the conspicuous pair''s entrance. The lead man guffawed, ¡°Fancy seeing you here, Diana!¡± The man nodded at Kira as well. ¡°Good day, my lady.¡±


    Diana immediately felt mortified. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about what happened before! I was a bit unused to what I was supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no hard feelings about that, Miss. In fact, me and my party really ought to thank you for all that. We would¡¯ve been hard-pressed to get the funds if you hadn¡¯t made Master James feel bad for us. So enough of that, what brings you here? Are you planning to hire a party? I don¡¯t see why you¡¯d need that with your strength¡­ Wait, don¡¯t tell me you plan to take a few Quests by yourself? Are you a registered Adventurer?¡± The man talked almost obliviously, droning on and on.


    Diana hurriedly answered, ¡°Oh no, nothing like that. It¡¯s just that all [Knight]s are qualified to pick up Adventurer Quests, especially those of greater difficulty that smaller adventurer teams would be more likely to avoid. I was just wondering whether there was anything on the board.¡±


    The female [Mage] in their party at the back nodded. ¡°Oh, then you¡¯ll want to go see Fela. She¡¯s the [Receptionist].¡±


    Thanking her, Diana quickly walked up to the desk set at the far side of the lobby. After seeing another group of adventurers talk to the pair, most of the other adventurers in the bar turned back to their meals, completely ignoring Kira. Fela greeted her, ¡°Hello, may I ask what your business is with the Guild today?¡±


    Diana examined the counter, eyeing the fearsome animals displayed on the wall. She asked, ¡°I was wondering about any Quests you had on offer for a level twenty-ish [Knight]. I am looking for something of yellow difficulty.¡±


    The [Receptionist] nodded. Pulling out a stack of papers, she asked, ¡°Can I see your permit and registration IDs? You can also choose to confirm it by submitting to my |Character Read| Skill.¡± Diana didn¡¯t really mind either way, and since she had left her permit back at James¡¯s home, she held out her hand for the [Receptionist].The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Grasping the [Knight]¡¯s hand, the [Receptionist] commented, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will only see your true name and your class and aura. It will be checked up against our database to make sure you are certified.¡±


    A moment later, the [Receptionist] turned back to her desk and held a small tablet in her hands. An important part of every Adventurer¡¯s Corner were these little tablets that were actually a marvelous innovation that could record an encyclopedia¡¯s worth of information. Each one was protected with all an Adventurer Guild¡¯s resources. To steal one was a death penalty. After all, they held all the personal information of every single registered Adventurer as well as all the Quests listed at a certain Corner. Of course, paper was still needed to fill out the forms for these Quests and for non-local ones transfer the Quest from one Corner to another.


    Fela opened her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. You are currently being investigated for possible Grand Theft, Extortion, and Harassment. In fact, this mission about you was posted quite recently. It was reported by a Lady Lloyd on behalf of a Miss Ingress and the shop the Threaded Mistress. I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m going to have to ask for you to stay here.¡±


    Diana was stunned before she hastily protested, ¡°What are you talking about? They were the ones who caused the trouble!¡±


    Fela apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If you wish to make a counterclaim and hire a team to investigate the matter, we will happily put up a mission. However, we cannot accept your verbal affirmation...¡±


    Diana huffed. ¡°Is there any way I can leave or talk to my family who live here to get me out of this mess?¡±


    Fela paused. ¡°You can leave something of sufficient value to compensate for the damages, which were reported to be twenty thousand Seedz.¡±


    ¡°What! I didn''t eventake those stupid dresses! And I was willing to pay even after they spiked the prices! At least, before they insulted Kira, that is.¡±


    Fela frowned and examined the small tablet in her hands again, using her Skill to access it. To be fair, Diana knew it was an extremely simple Skill that anyone could learn, but she had to admit that she herself had never learned it. Looking up, Fela explained, ¡°Well, that was all reported in the complaint. However, they claimed you refused to pay for the three dresses you wore and that you had to be forcibly removed from the premises because of that. There''s also a claim that the fourth dress went missing shortly after you left, and they accuse you of stealing it. They are also requesting payment for unnecessary damage and the upsetting of their customers.¡±


    Fela glanced at Diana. ¡°Well, normally a Hersha would qualify as twenty thousand Seedz.¡± Diana was about to shout at her for assuming Kira was a slave before Fela held up her hand. ¡°However, I am a local, and I recognize the only Hersha who would be allowed to walk around completely freely like this. I am aware that Master James has more than sufficient funds to pay the fees. Thus, I will write up the bail under his name and send him a receipt. Should you be found innocent, the price, as well as reparations for defamation, will be returned to you. Can you confirm that this would be fine?¡±


    Fela smiled in sympathy. ¡°I know that you probably think you are innocent, and this matter seems to be more convoluted than what was reported. Nevertheless, as it currently stands, according to three [Noble] witnesses, the statement holds true. We will attempt to grab a powerful enough [Alchemist] to brew a truth potion and fully determine the truth, but until then, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to pay the price.¡±


    Diana frowned. Three nobles? Didn¡¯t that [Lady] say she¡¯d take care of this? Kira stepped up. Turning to Diana she said, ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s my fault that you got in such trouble yesterday. I¡¯ll take responsibility for this and tell James.¡±


    The Hersha nodded at Fela. ¡°The fine''ll be fine. Until the case is finished though, will my friend still have their Adventurer¡¯s license?¡±


    Fela laughed. ¡°Oh, you think we¡¯d take away a [Knight]¡¯s license over something so small? No, the fee has already been paid, so either way, you¡¯re a free adventurer. They didn¡¯t press for criminal charges, no doubt because they would find it exceedingly difficult to convict a high-ranking noble, even a foreign one. No, you¡¯d only be in trouble if you couldn¡¯t pay up. Then, it¡¯d get a bit tricky as you¡¯d be suspended, not to mention that I''d have to hold you here until someone could bail you out.¡±


    Diana spoke up, ¡°Well, I¡¯m guessing you can¡¯t give any details about the people who filed the complaint.¡±


    Fela nodded. ¡°I wish I could help you, but the Guild will be taking this matter into its own hands since you protested your innocence. An [Alchemist] will be in charge of this case as soon as ours becomes free. By law, you¡¯ll be expected to report here in four days. However, I must warn you that if you are found guilty, you will be sentenced to two weeks of prison and a thirty thousand Seedz fine. If you are innocent, you will be paid fifty thousand Seedz by your accuser in addition to being returned all your payment.¡±


    Diana nodded, making sure that she was truly on the right side of the law. That [Guard] had withheld her sword. Sure, she might¡¯ve not paid in the end because of the blue dress that the [Apprentince] had refused to sell after learning it was for Kira, but she had been more than willing to pay for the initial estimations the [Apprentice] had given for the four dresses together. She''d be able to stand up to a Truth Trial.


    ¡°Well, can you give me any Quests than?¡±


    Fela closed her eyes and went through the tablet once more. After a few moments, she said, ¡°I have one that might interest you and fits your specifications. There¡¯s been a series of disappearances that you¡¯d be charged to investigate. The Quest actually came today, which is why no one''s taken it yet. It¡¯s quite lucrative and relatively simple.¡±


    Diana nodded, wanting to hurry back to James¡¯s home to talk with her grandfather about what had happened here. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±

 Chapter 8: Researching a Path Home

    Meanwhile, back at the lab, James hesitantly pulled out the space crystal the Queen had gifted him almost a full year ago. He¡¯d finally created a way to control the activation of portals! It had taken all of his understanding of controlling attributed mana as well as concepts from his own reality such as quantum entanglement and string theory to form connections between separate realities. His calculations had made him suspect that he might be in some alternate universe in the center of a black hole, much like Hawking¡¯s Black Hole Theory suggested was possible.


    Cutting off his ruminations, he hesitantly loaded the crystal into a slot attached to a door, flicking a switch to power the whole thing on. His hair rose as the whole room seemed to be attracted toward the door despite its relatively normal appearance.


    According to his calculations, his universe ought to be in a parallel one that coincided with this one every few years, and today was one of those few days. Now, he himself was unwilling to test exactly what was on the other side, and normally would have been too wary to even risk opening a portal to a random world, but with the door, he would be able to quickly destroy any particularly dangerous portals. With a deep breath, he opened the door.


    A voice thundered out, ¡°WHAT! WHO DARES ENTER THE DOMAIN OF THE GREAT¡±


    James shut the door before what appeared to be a hand could grasp him from the other side. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what that had been, but he assumed that anything that shouted in such a way that it felt like all capital letters (he wasn¡¯t quite sure how he knew the person had spoken in all caps) was probably quite dangerous.


    Come to think of it, he often felt that his life had been a bit strange, almost like a fantasy. After all, space teleportation had been common in his previous universe, but there had been almost no cases of unexplained mess-ups in centuries. While there had been a few accidents, the disappearances all had a clear, bloody, and dead explanation. He mused that he couldn¡¯t discount the possibility that his body truly was dead back in his normal reality, and that his soul had somehow entered this world. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    His stomach gurgled. He frowned. Had he forgotten to eat lunch again? How come Kira hadn¡¯t warned him? One thing that he appreciated about this world was the existence of Skills, allowing for people to exceed the bounds of what he had thought possible. How did a half-cat girl cook such a mean omelette? Still, that wasn¡¯t important right now. This was his chance to find his way home. With a shrug, he threw open the door again.


    Something bounded through before he could get a clear glimpse. Panicking, he slammed the door shut to see the white fluffy thing that nearly bounced around the room. It looked like a baby polar bear. It crept up to him, nearly knocking him over. So, it was like a baby polar bear that weighed over a hundred pounds, which James guessed probably wasn¡¯t too far off from what a normal bear cub standing just past his waist would weigh. James hesitantly patted the creature¡¯s head. It licked his hand, seeming to enjoy the taste of the nervous sweat running across his palms. He figured it could have been worse. With a nervous smile, he asked, ¡°Are you hungry, little bear? I¡¯ve got a special snack for you.¡±


    The bear looked at him like he was an idiot. James felt a bit offended, but he still reached for one of Kira¡¯s fish snacks he kept in every room. After all, they were a useful distraction. He left for who unsaid.


    The creature said in a squeaky, child-like voice, ¡°Wake up, James! It¡¯s April Fool¡¯s Day!¡±


    Pushing away the deceptively heavy cub, James slapped his forehead. How could he have forgotten? He¡¯d let the authors fool him into coming to act on his off day. With a growl, he hurriedly rushed off stage to get back to his wives.

 Chapter 8: Of Aunts and Chemical Nonsense

    Clutching the wrapped up scroll detailing her mission, Diana ran with Kira back toward James¡¯s home. From his seat on the porch, Howard glanced at them in surprise. Kira had completely ignored her papers, and it was unlike Diana to appear so panicked. He set down the novel he''d been reading. Rising up from his chair, he asked with a hint of worry, ¡°Diana, is everything all right? What happened?¡±


    Panting a bit to catch her breath, Diana hurried to say, ¡°Some Lady Lloyd framed me! We had to pay 20,000 Seedz. I swear I wasn¡¯t responsible. I was just shopping, and they insulted her. Well, I didn¡¯t pay the fee; James did. I don¡¯t know what to do! Grandfather, please help me! Are there any connections you have around here that can help us? Wait, do you think my aunt can do it?¡±


    Howard furrowed his brows. ¡°Peace, Diana. Speak a bit slower. It seems like you¡¯ve encountered quite the tricky political situation. This Lady Lloyd¡­ I think that I know of her. Your aunt has complained about her before. Is she a medium height woman with blond hair?¡±


    Diana looked at him incredulously. ¡°That describes half the royal court.¡±


    Howard sighed, a bit embarrassed. ¡°Fine. I''m not one to denigrate someone based on his or her appearance, but does she have a ridiculously sweet voice and looks like a kind of bi*@#y mother? She might also have introduced herself as a [Dame].¡±


    Diana paused. ¡°I haven¡¯t actually met this Lady Lloyd, so I don¡¯t know. However, that does sound a lot like a woman I met while shopping, but that¡¯d be strange. She seemed so nice and even promised to help me out. You don¡¯t think...¡±


    Howard grimaced. ¡°Sounds like the Lloyd I know and love.¡±


    ¡°Wait, but why would a mere [Dame] dare to challenge [Baroness]?¡±


    Howard sank back into his hair, massaging his temples. He said in a grave voice, ¡°It¡¯s actually the opposite. If not for James¡¯s aid, the [Baroness] might have even been demoted quite recently. You see, [Dame], or if you prefer [Lady] Lloyd¡ªI never figured out exactly which one she was: the classes are pretty much the same either way. Where was I? Oh yes, Lloyd happens to follow a rather powerful [Count] who is well on their way to climbing toward the exalted Class of [Marquis], along with already having the political allies to back it up.¡± He paused looking at Diana meaningfully. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, that this [Count] was spurned a few years ago by your dear aunt, who at the time lacked a great enough understanding of the social etiquette followed within this country to know how to do it politely.¡±


    Diana nodded in understanding. This seemed to be a case of an upset lover seeking revenge. ¡°Well, I¡¯d hate to mess up Aunty¡¯s plans. What should I do?¡±


    Howard turned to look back inside the door. ¡°Well, James is working on something inside. I¡¯m not quite sure what. He was mentioning something about solutions and refluxing. Honestly, some of the stuff that that young man gets up to is so confusing. It¡¯d be best if we leave him alone for a bit, so we can¡¯t ask him for advice, not that he likes to get involved in politics either way. However, I don¡¯t think you should try to exert your rights as a foreign noble in this matter; it¡¯ll just end up infuriating any noble sympathizers we could gain. I think the best course of action at this point is to inform your aunt and see what she says.¡±


    Diana nodded. ¡°Will you be accompanying me, Grandfather?¡±


    Howard looked at her in surprise. ¡°Why?¡±


    Diana blushed and looked at the ground. She mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t actually know my way around the castle. James found me when I was lost, and I just pretended I knew where I was.¡±


    Howard guffawed, sending his plate armor rattling. Picking up his sword that he¡¯d unbuckled and left leaning against the porch railing, he stood and guided her down the road. Much to Diana¡¯s embarrassment, he teased, ¡°Some things never change.¡±


    James worked in his small laboratory hidden within the basement of his house. To be honest, he had three labs: an engineering, chemical, and biological one. The biological one was basically just an empty room at this point because he hadn¡¯t wanted to support a bunch of animals beneath his house, not to mention that he hadn¡¯t yet developed the technologies to explore the secrets of microcosmic creatures. To be honest, the biology room was just a magically sealed off door, concealing the odor of fermenting bread inside. He couldn¡¯t remember exactly how penicillin was made, but he suspected he could get something interesting if he grew mold cultures. So far, he¡¯d only obtained some nasty black and white puffy molds, but he was hoping he¡¯d eventually end up with something that looked right.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He focused on his chemistry lab. Surprisingly, this lab almost rivaled his engineering lab, which was the only one he¡¯d been able to convince the Queen to commit funding toward. To be honest, the lab didn¡¯t even look that far off from a well-equipped chemistry lab in a high school or maybe even college from the pre-interplanetary days. He had to marvel how far the people of this world had gotten without modern technology while pursuing the secrets of alchemy. Sure, it wasn¡¯t quite as rigorous as chemistry, but even he, with all his solutions from learning chemistry in school, wasn¡¯t that close to figuring out this world''s secrets either.


    Pausing to refill a container that led to a column of crushed mana crystals, which would bind the more magical substances within the solution that he could later elute by breaking the attraction with a dose of concentrated wyvern piss, one of the more powerful cheap sources brimming with mana. With that, he¡¯d finally obtain the concentrated mana particles of vitality contained in dragon¡¯s blood. He grinned maniacally. Now, he could surpass the bounds of even the great [Archmage]s!


    When he¡¯d first come up with the idea of building a chemistry lab to test some reactions, he¡¯d been amazed to discover that this world already had a similar concept, alchemy. Moreover, he had discovered that the system closely paralleled chemistry from his own world, even if it was a bit less systematic. He flipped through one of the many alchemy texts lying about the room. If he was right, the [Alchemist]s already started trying to create a periodic table centuries ago but had given up much as he had. He scrutinized the book in front of them. Supposedly, the procedure described within the book would isolate one of the lightest reagents in magic from water, one that could react explosively with concentrated ambient mana. It had been his first experiment in this lab. He¡¯d first hypothesized that this substance was actually just hydrogen obtained through passing an electric current in water that contained disassociated salts.


    However, it was then that he¡¯d discovered one of the first oddities of Interst: the laws of reality didn¡¯t quite match up. He¡¯d first used a spinning magnet to try to generate a weak electric current through salinated water in order to conduct electrolysis. He¡¯d failed.


    After some experimentation, he had realized that water was completely inert unless he passed attributed mana through it. Lo and behold, when he had done so, the water had immediately bubbled into two gaseous substances! The scientist in him had been fascinated. The philosopher enthralled by the first true confirmation that he truly was in a different dimension of some sort. From there, he¡¯d gone on to determine the existence of the first sixteen elements of the periodic table. Then, he¡¯d received his second piece of contradicting evidence. After assuming that Avogadro''s hypothesis of equal volumes of gases was true, he¡¯d managed to construct a hand pump that created a vacuum in a sealed container. Then, he¡¯d compared equally sized gases at the same temperature and pressure to determine their weights. They didn¡¯t correspond to the periodic table¡¯s masses!


    It was then, just a bit over a year ago, when he had finally admitted that he¡¯d just gotten lucky with water splitting into two elements quite similar to hydrogen and oxygen. However, he¡¯d refused to let these setbacks stop him from exploring the rules of alchemy in this world. Over the years, his results had not been insignificant. He¡¯d discovered a solid form of gunpowder, a brew of strengthening, and an advanced potion of haste recipe beyond any published in a textbook, not to mention several other minor substances. Nevertheless, this world¡¯s laws of chemistry just didn¡¯t make sense.


    He frowned, recalling his attempts into experimenting with alcohol. Attempting to set it on fire had done nothing. Eventually, he had tried to pressure it with a hand pump and then slowly cooled the substance, ending up with a grey solid that seemed to cause hallucinations and could somehow exist in the normal atmosphere despite the stringent conditions required for its creation. He grinned, remembering that. He had tried the tiniest bit and sat in the basement for a solid afternoon, staring at non-existent stars glimmering on the ceiling. More controlled animal testing had revealed that it was not at all addictive, and he¡¯d been trying to find a buyer for it in the past few months.


    Using a Mana-reader to check on the series of tubes within the center of the lab that contained a bubbling red fluid, he scribbled something down the reading on a piece of parchment, excitement shining in his eyes. This could finally be the one! He went to the side and carefully placed the crystals inside a clear glass beaker. A normal one would do just fine for this. In his previous studies, this next liquid only reacted with mana crystals, specifically ones of organic nature, and quickly dissolved them. He poured the yellow liquid over the flame crystals that Kira had given him this morning. The crystals seemed to almost melt within the beaker the reaction occurred in. James had learned from the start that breaking solid mana crystals was never a good idea even with the most careful countermeasures: you had to liquefy them first. Blowing up half his house once had lead to his fascinating result. Decanting the beaker into a flask, he stoppered it and set it a few inches above a flame, far enough for the heat to be relatively low.


    Inspecting his work once more, he headed up the stairs toward the main part of his home. It was time for his nap.

 Chapter 9: Aunties Love Troubles

    Diana hesitantly turned into a building adjacent to the Queen¡¯s castle where she knew that her aunt had been staying for the past few months as a visiting diplomat. Diana was a bit excited: it wasn¡¯t often she got to visit her aunt. While her aunt lived in the nation a couple of kingdoms west of her father¡¯s dukedom, it was actually to the far east of this kingdom, fully implying exactly how far away Diana¡¯s actual home was. Receiving a reassuring look from Howard, she knocked on the door upon which a plaque read [Baroness] Lillian Yuer Thilther of Rigrath. A tall [Butler] in a suit opened the door before she could knock a second time. With a curt bow, the man said, ¡°Follow me through the foyer. The [Baroness] has already heard of the news.¡±


    Diana was a bit surprised. How had her aunt found out about her problem so quickly? Stepping past the door, she followed the [Butler] through a short hallway that led to a larger room. As she entered, the [Butler] announced, ¡°My lady, your guests have arrived.¡±


    A figure rose from a couch parallel to the roaring fireplace. Diana examined her aunt. She looked almost unchanged from how she had last looked two years ago when she¡¯d last visited Castle Howderwhit. She was a pretty woman, fit and with a striking gaze. Unlike Diana''s brunette hair, her aunt''s was a lighter brown, signifying that she was actually Diana¡¯s aunt from her mom¡¯s side. With a beaming smile, the [Baroness] gushed, ¡°Aw! If it isn¡¯t my favorite niece!¡± She turned to face Howard. ¡°And if it isn¡¯t the ever welcome Sir Howard.¡±


    Gesturing toward the many couches lining the room, she said, ¡°Please, please. Make yourself comfortable. Can I get you any drinks?¡±


    Diana was about to reply when Howard said rather tersely, ¡°Enough of this, Lillian. I warned you the last time you tried to spite the [Count] that you shouldn¡¯t get us involved in your games.¡±


    Lillian pouted, ¡°You can¡¯t really be saying that, my dear [Knight]. Where¡¯s your gallantry?¡±


    Howard snorted. ¡°I lost that pretty quickly after fighting in one war or another.¡±


    Eyeing him with interest, the [Baroness] gracefully settled into a plump couch. ¡°Oh, is that so? From my understanding, most of those wars were fought on behalf of your brother, the ex-ruler of the dukedom that my favorite brother-in-law now rules.¡±


    Howard grimaced. ¡°I left that to my son. I wanted nothing to do with my fool brother who rode off to challenge the Dark Lord.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dear.¡± Lillian took a snack from the platter the [Butler] offered all of them. Howard waved him off before he could approach the invited pair sitting on another couch facing the [Baroness]. Diana looked on with disappointment: some of the treats had smelled really good. Lillian conspiratorially winked at her pair of guests. ¡°Servants are so useful. I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t have more of them in your own dukedom... Back in Rigrath, well, I''m getting ahead of myself.¡± She chewed on a cracker. Swallowing she mused, ¡°The Dark Lord, ay? Now, what would make Duke Richard Howderwhit do a fool thing like that?¡±


    Giving her a stern look, Howard sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to play your games. I have strong reason to suspect that you know what¡¯s going on right now. What¡¯s been happening with the [Count] of Mononge? More specifically, why has Lady Lloyd been looking into my granddaughter?¡±


    The [Baroness] paused and wiped her hands on a napkin the [Butler] procured for her. Daintily dabbing it against the corner of her mouth to wipe away a non-existent crumb, she complained, ¡°You never visit me just to talk about family. Well, if you must know, that so-called [Lady] Lloyd is just a two-timing [Wh*re] who managed to snuggle her way into the [Count]¡¯s bed. Sooner or later, she¡¯ll be discarded, and she knows that. Thus, she¡¯s been engaging in some vain fight against anyone and everyone she perceives as a threat.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Diana quirked an eyebrow. If she didn¡¯t know better, she¡¯d have assumed her aunt was slightly jealous. Setting the napkin down, Lillian turned to face Diana. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look!¡±


    Diana shrugged her shoulders. ¡°What look?¡±


    Before they could descend into squabbling, Howard interrupted, ¡°Diana, don¡¯t antagonize your host, and Lillian, stop avoiding the damn question.¡±


    Lillian sagged in her seat. ¡°Okay, I might have implied in court that the [Count] had started sleeping with her in some stupid attempt to make me jealous, which by the way, Diana, did not work as he had planned. Well, anyway, that woman is out for a grudge, not to mention that the [Count] isn¡¯t currently particularly pleased with me and is all too happy to let her go at it. Just as I keep tabs on her, she keeps tabs on me. I have no doubt that she was well aware of not just who you were but also where you would be on that day. I suspect every piece of that little play was staged.¡±


    Diana opened her mouth, about to explain what had happened when Lillian held up a hand. ¡°I already know of all the details. My [Informant]s told me of it almost the instant it happened.¡±


    Diana crossed her arms. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to talk to me yesterday then?¡±


    The [Baroness] sighed. ¡°Would you have believed me if I said that I couldn¡¯t?¡±


    Diana stared at her incredulously, pointing at the [Butler] who had retreated to the entrance of the room.


    ¡°Well, you see, both Ingress and I have rather limited pawns in this game as it is absolutely vital that it escapes the notice of the Queen. After all, a foreign diplomat and a mistress would both be easily expendable if it came down to it. If I had tried to warn you, well, let¡¯s just say that my people might not have returned alive, and more importantly to you, it would¡¯ve shown that you are a valid target to attack because I cared enough about you to risk my assets...¡±


    ¡°Are you saying this is all part of some skirmish between you and this [Lady]?¡±


    Lillian weakly nodded. ¡°To be honest, before all this, the two of us got along fine. However, ever since she¡¯s gotten with the [Count], she¡¯s viewed me as a potential love rival and sought to curb my influence. I¡¯m afraid to say that the strongest defense I currently have is to keep my head above this mess and nudge the pieces from the shadows.¡±


    Diana frowned. ¡°What will she do with us?¡±


    The [Baroness] paused, tapping her chin. ¡°Nothing, I suspect. She lacks the courage to attack a high-ranking foreign noble. The Queen would gladly give her up if it came to that. I think your best strategy is to ignore her, thus proving that she cannot harm you.¡±


    Howard drily commented, ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice that that also seems to help you out by basically leaving us out to fend her off all on our lonesome.¡±


    Lillian smirked. ¡°My dear Howard, you¡¯re always so mercenary.¡± Her voice rose and a flicker of anger appeared on her face. ¡°Do you think I want to stay on the sidelines? Yes? No, of course not! But, sure, I¡¯ll just throw away everything I¡¯ve spent the past five years working toward to save my niece who actively assaulted a [Guard] in the middle of the city.¡± She glared at Diana. ¡°Honestly, what were you thinking? Do you know how many people I had to pay to cover up the fact that you¡¯re not a citizen of the kingdom! This could have ended up as an international incident.¡±


    Howard raised his hands. ¡°Alright, Lillian. We get your point. I apologize for overstepping my bounds.¡±


    Lillian took a deep breath, folding her hands over her lap. Giving a nod to her [Butler] she said, ¡°I¡¯ll allow Herman to see you to the exit. You have my assurances that I will try my utmost to protect you two. You are, after all, family. If you two want to help, the best thing you can do is stay out of trouble.¡±


    With a curt nod, the pair got up and left the room.


    As they were retrieving their things from the foyer, Lillian called out, ¡°And whatever you do, do not miss your trial, or we¡¯ll all be in deep sh*@!¡± Diana was mortified, Howard chuckled, and the [Butler] rolled his eyes.


    Stomping up to her room, Diana stewed in her fury and¡­ helplessness. So that was the glorious advice her aunt had given her? Wait and see? She huffed in annoyance before sinking against the wall, accidentally knocking against the suit of armor hanging on the stand. She took a long look at it. A glint of sunlight passed through the window, catching the edge of the scroll containing the Quest she had received. With a smile, she hurried back downstairs for dinner with James, Howard, and Kira. Come morning, she knew what she was going to do.

 Chapter 10: Enemies Old and New

    Kira quizzically followed Diana out of the house. Stopping before they could truly leave the premises, she asked, ¡°Why are we sneaking around?¡±


    Diana considered the Hersha for a moment before waving the scroll in her hand. ¡°We¡¯re going on a Quest!¡±


    Kira looked a bit excited. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve never done that before! I thought that normally, it¡¯s just adventurers who go on them...¡± Her confused look returned.


    Diana suddenly covered the Hersha¡¯s mouth and crouched behind a few bushes as Howard clunked up the path toward his usual seat on the porch.


    She whispered, ¡°That there is why we¡¯re sneaking around. My grandfather just wants me to hang around the house until the trial. Can you imagine that? And, didn¡¯t you already know that I¡¯m an Adventurer? Not just any Adventurer, I¡¯m a fully sanctioned [Knight]. That means I can form my own parties with civilians.¡±


    Kira frowned. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it just be safer to stay here? We can Quest at any time we want.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, come on, Kira. Don¡¯t just repeat Howard¡¯s words back to me. Besides, it¡¯s not like that [Lady] will dare to touch us. You¡¯re a fully recognized first-class citizen thanks to James¡¯s efforts, and I¡¯m the daughter of a foreign [Duke] allied to the Kingdom. She¡¯d have to be crazy to seek trouble.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but why do I have to come along? There¡¯s a lot of paperwork to do around here.¡±


    Diana turned around to face the Hersha. ¡°Are you kidding me? Don¡¯t you want to see the world, help the common people, earn riches?¡±


    ¡°Why would I want that?¡±


    ¡°Whatever. You got what I told you to, right?¡±


    The Hersha paused. ¡°Yeah, I grabbed a couple potions of healing, stamina, and mana regeneration, rope, three daggers, two days of rations.¡± Kira hefted a brown backpack. Despite her scrawny frame, she easily lifted it. Diana nodded appreciatively. Oh, Kira, don¡¯t you know you¡¯re the most useful thing out of all the things you brought? A [Berserker] in battle could ignore almost all wounds and kill beings twice their level.


    The oblivious [Berserker] continued, ¡°I also brought a compass, bottle of eternal water, and some of Master James¡¯s special items that he had shown me before: one of his cold cubes and a few types of boom bags.¡±


    Diana quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Boom bag?¡±


    Kira proudly puffed up her chest. ¡°Master James figured out how to store a level forty mages |Explosion| in a tiny bag. The other ones are¡­ well, I don¡¯t actually know what Spell they correspond to.¡± Kira paused, looking at Diana with grave severity. ¡°No matter what though, you must not let him know that we have them or allow ourselves to use them except in the most vital circumstances. If Master James noticed them missing in the next weekly inventory check of his more dangerous items, well¡­¡±


    Diana whistled in surprise. That was truly a game changer. Used correctly, the boom bags could probably take out a troll. Still, she then noticed something that was blatantly missing from an adventuring group of such high-quality gear and Classes. ¡°Did you grab any Spell Scrolls?¡±


    Kira frowned. ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t find any. I guess Master doesn¡¯t like them. Maybe he¡¯s afraid they¡¯ll go off or something.¡±


    ¡°Huh, but he keeps all these volatile potions about.¡±


    ¡°I dunno. Master can be strange sometimes,¡± Shrugging her shoulders, Kira quietly commented.


    Creeping through the bushes, they passed a bend in the road and finally walked toward the city out in the open now that they were beyond Howard¡¯s vigilant gaze. By the time they reached the city¡¯s outer gates, Diana had a bit of sweat on her brow: carrying her full armor set around wasn¡¯t easy. Kira easily walked by her side, happily regaling some of James¡¯s more interesting inventions and epic failures. Diana felt a bit of envy for the Hersha [Berserker]. However, the contrast between the easy smile a [Guard] gave her and the look of distrust they all shot at Kira quickly cured her momentary jealousy. Just as Kira¡¯s life had its advantages, the poor girl was also heavily discriminated against by society. Kira seemed blithely ignorant of the [Guard]¡¯s hostility as they walked through the forest proper outside the city. Exhaling before she could confront them, she realized the futility of any attempt and followed Kira out.


    Stopping outside the gates, Diana donned her armor and buckled her sword to a loose belt. Kira buckled a few of James¡¯s experimental weapons to a bandolier over her own clothes. Each inspected the other before pronouncing the other satisfactory. Taking a bite out of the hunk of bread they had brought, the two read the scroll one last time to make sure that they were approaching the right area. Kira pointed at a number on the bottom right, below the Quest¡¯s description. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Diana looked at it. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just the expected difficulty. It¡¯s a three out of ten, which means that according to a [Receptionist]¡¯s predictions, a level-twentyish [Knight] could be expected to solo this on their own with minimal injuries.¡±


    Kira furrowed her brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too easy? You¡¯re just barely at the requisite level, but you¡¯re a [Bloodline Knight]. Didn¡¯t you train since when you could first wield a sword?¡±


    Diana nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true, but you have to remember that we¡¯re going to be at a trial in a few days. I just wanted to pick up a mission so that we wouldn¡¯t just be twiddling our thumbs while we were waiting.¡± Standing up, she brushed off some crumbs that had landed on her gear. Holding out a hand for Kira to use to stand up, the [Knight] pointed toward a cluster of trees in the distance that appeared to thicken into a sea of green a few miles away. With a grin, the [Knight] said, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind a good march.¡±


    Kira laughed, bounding on all fours toward their destination.


    Wiping away some of the sweat dripping into her eyes, Diana was glad she had forsaken to wear her helm during the run, instead having kept it in the pack on her back. Huffing for breath as she turned onto the side trail leading to where the small group of poor, mid-teen level [Hunters] had been reported missing, Diana saw someone unusual.


    [Lady] Lloyd offered the two a tight smile. With a curtsy, she said, ¡°[Knight] Diana and the Lady Kira, I wish to offer my greatest condolences about the court case. It seems that my best efforts were unsuccessful.¡±


    Diana was about to continue on her way, ignoring the troublesome woman when Kira glared at Lloyd. ¡°Is that so? I heard from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild that you were one of the women who sponsored the complaint.¡± Diana looked at Kira in surprise. Had the Hersha been faking her exhaustion? She seemed to be hardly panting right now. Internally, Diana felt a bit irate that Kira had demonstrated that they had actually been affected by Lloyd¡¯s schemes, but she guessed that Kira hadn¡¯t known of Diana and Howard¡¯s plan to merely ignore the whole fiasco.


    Taking the time Kira spent talking to catch her own breath, Diana secretly listened even as she slowed down to a jog and continued down their previous path.


    [Lady] Lloyd grimaced. ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t mean much, but I can assure you that I was forced to do so by my Master. He thought that it¡¯d be the best way to attract the attention of your family.¡± Lloyd¡¯s words did not pick up on Diana¡¯s |Aura Sense|. Was she telling the truth?


    That made Diana pause enough to turn around. Drawing her sword, she said, ¡°Trust me, you got it. Well, what makes you think you can accost us in the middle of the forest? No one would ever know if you were to just disappear here.¡±


    Lady Lloyd paused. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to assure you that my Master is well aware of where I am and has the evidence necessary to prove that you are the most likely suspects, or at least, evidence enough that you¡¯ll be forced to enter a truth-potion trial. Second, I¡¯d like to offer you my most deep condolences. Nevertheless, I feel that you must admit that I certainly did help you.¡±


    Diana growled, ¡°Making me pay tens of thousands of Seedz is helpful? I fear what you do to your enemies.¡±


    Lloyd looked a bit sad for a moment. ¡°So do I, but enough of that talk. I¡¯m sure your aunt pointed out to you how badly this matter could have spiraled. A foreign daughter of a [Duke] attacking civilians? No less, in the presence of many Noble-Classes? Girl, even for a [Knight], you push the bounds of what your rank can cover up.¡± A cold glint appeared in her eyes. ¡°Your aunt could no less cover this up than a puff of cotton could move a mountain.¡±


    Diana fingered her sword¡¯s hilt, eyeing the [Lady]. ¡°What do you want then?¡±


    Lloyd smiled, holding out a hand. ¡°I just want to be friends with you.¡±


    Diana turned around, deciding to ignore the dangerous woman. Lloyd chuckled. ¡°From my sources, this Quest is quite a bit more troublesome than you think it is. I suggest that you either allow me to take over it or accept my genuine offer to help you in apology for my earlier perceived aggression.¡±


    Diana pulled Kira around before she could start hissing at the [Lady]. Without looking back the [Knight] replied, ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I think we¡¯ve got it covered.¡±


    [Lady] Lloyd looked at her in surprise, watching the two disappear into the trail. After a few moments, she sighed and clapped her hands. Three black figures emerged out of the bushes lining the road. In a brisk voice, she commanded, ¡°Don¡¯t engage them. See to it that their mission goes¡­ successfully. However, if you find a good opportunity, you may take it upon yourselves to clear up the board.¡±


    With a nod at her, the three figures flitted into the shadows.


    Kira perked her ears.


    Diana warily turned toward her. ¡°Did you hear anything? We¡¯re approaching the area where the first group was reported missing. Maybe a mile off.¡±


    Kira sniffed the air before her eyes widened. Pulling out her shortsword, the Hersha bounded into a clearing. Diana followed close behind, bursting into the clearing just behind her.


    Wielding her own weapon and shield, Diana gasped as the smell hit her. She had to fight her instinct to kneel down and gag. Strewn across the clearing were a bunch of ripped up body parts, mauled beyond recognition. Kira didn¡¯t seem as adversely affected by their surroundings as she continued to warily scan their surroundings. Without turning around to focus on Diana, Kira said, ¡°These are a few days old, but some type of animal came around here pretty recently and created this mess. I¡¯m not sure whether it killed these people.¡± She pointed at some of the wounds. ¡°These don¡¯t exactly look like something a sword or weapon would do. It¡¯s like something small ripped through them with incredible force.¡± She sniffed the air again. ¡°There¡¯s a distinct smell, but it smells like no magic I¡¯m familiar with¡­¡±


    Setting down her pack so she could more easily react toward any situation, she walked over to Kira who sheathed her sword as she was more used to dealing with perilous situations with her fists. Controlling her disgust at the odor, Diana eyed the remains carefully. This amount of violent debauchery... she¡¯d swear she hadn¡¯t heard of such things occurring since¡­ the Wild Times. It seemed like something from eras past when the Dark Nobles had roamed and the Demons had raided across the land, a time of terror. She gulped and tore her eyes away from the carnage. With a hoarse voice, she asked, ¡°Do you think we should bury them?¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Kira shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem worth it. I could set this whole place on fire with an incendiary potion, but it wouldn¡¯t make sense. We can just report this to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild when we turn the mission in. Well, are you ready to head back now?¡±


    ¡°What? Of course not! We haven¡¯t even found out what caused this.¡±


    Ignoring Diana¡¯s disagreement, Kira reached into a bloody body part and started fishing around for something. Diana looked at her, aghast. ¡°What do you think you are¡­¡± Her voice trailed off when she saw what Kira pulled out.


    Covered in blood was a ring that still managed to glint in the faint sunlight streaming into the clearing. Barely visible was the holy symbol of three intersecting rings on it. Diana¡¯s hand covered her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s!¡±


    Kira nodded. ¡°Exactly. Whatever came by here is way above our pay grade. I don¡¯t know exactly what it was, but I suggest that we get out of here as soon as we can.¡±


    Reaching down to pick up her pack, Diana hesitated. ¡°Let¡¯s just scout out here a bit more. Whatever it was has probably already left. After all, you said the only thing that¡¯s been here recently is an animal. It can¡¯t be that dangerous. Maybe that¡¯s just a legacy ring or a ring belonging to a regular Devotee.¡±


    Kira arched an eyebrow, fingering the ring. Pouring a bit of her water from her enchanted eternal water flask over it, she revealed the golden color of the holy symbol. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that whatever [Noble] or, even worse, [Priest] who could either afford this or have the standing within the Church to receive one of these is something we could stand against? Whatever it was that killed them left no traces of itself. None. That¡¯s not something I want to mess with.¡±


    With a reluctant nod, Diana recognized the logic of Kira¡¯s words and warily walked toward her.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Diana looked at the Hersha in surprise. Hersha tilted her head before coldly saying, ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡± Pulling out her dagger in a blur, the Hersha bounded toward Diana before standing beside her, their backs facing each other. Kira whispered, ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s big. Big enough to do the kind of damage we saw here.¡±


    Before she could ask, she felt her |Aura Sense| spike.


    With a low growl, a huge black bear strode into the clearing. Diana stared it hard in the eyes, trying to ignore the blood staining its teeth or the femur it was chewing on. Hopefully, she¡¯d be able to scare it away. Realizing the danger was facing Diana, Kira whirled around. ¡°F*ck me. Welp, that¡¯s not going to be intimidated by this.¡± The Hersha tossed her dagger to the ground. She reached for the sword on her back but also merely unbuckled it and let it fall to the ground. Instead, she flicked out her claws and widened her stance.


    Diana mentally noted that the Hersha¡¯s physical skills were more Brawler-based. Shifting her stance, Diana prepared for fighting a beast rather than a fellow Warrior. She commented, ¡°Well, at least we found out what caused the damage.¡±


    Kira pointed at its left hind leg, revealing why it hadn¡¯t just charged at them. ¡°It¡¯s injured. The wound looks pretty recent too. It¡¯s even bleeding. You don¡¯t suppose?¡±


    Diana cursed. ¡°We can look for any survivors later.¡±


    Suddenly, Kira gasped, staring at the bear¡¯s injury. Writhing black flesh crawled around it, gradually mending the wound. While it looked like it¡¯d take at least another hour or so, the beast certainly possessed healing capabilities. Kira thoughtfully asked while observing their opponent. ¡°Is it a Magic Creature then? I thought those weren¡¯t usually violent.¡±


    Diana hissed, ¡°It¡¯s a Demonic Beast. These aren¡¯t supposed to show up so close to society. Dodge left!¡± Kicking off Kira, Diana hit the ground to the right as a beam of darkness shot where they had just been standing. Kira stumbled but managed to catch herself. Subtlety gone, Kira yelled, ¡°What the heck? It can heal and shoot magic?¡±


    Diana took a quick stock of the battle. She guessed that Kira¡¯s max hit points were probably around 650 due to her Hersha constitution while she herself had around 350 due to her [Knight] training. Her |Warrior¡¯s Awareness| told her this opponent had easily fifteen times her own health even in its vulnerable state.


    The two took a quick glance at where that darkness bolt had hit. Impaled through several trees were cylindrical holes that had a slight bowl indentation at the point of impact, exactly like the corpses surrounding them. Roaring the creature rose to its full four-meter height before slamming to the ground as its left leg buckled. The pair had already given up the advantage of the first turn in hopes that they could intimidate the bear enough into leaving. It had been the wrong decision.


    Flaring her |Aura Sense|, Diana sought to gain a greater understanding of the Demonic Bear. She warned Kira, ¡°I don¡¯t know what its Demonic Awakening granted it, but based on its lack of true injuries even after fighting a Ranking Figure of the Church, expect some type of solid defense!¡±


    Now that it was her turn, Diana cut toward its left side to try to attack its vulnerable flank. A wall of blackness flooded toward her in retaliation.


    Gritting her teeth, she activated |Roll| toward the left, following what her |Warrior¡¯s Awareness| told her would happen. The bear lost its turn to retaliate as it tried to recover from the mana drain. Kira¡­ Diana didn¡¯t know what Kira did. Maybe the girl was figuring out how to use one of her potions.


    Banishing the thought, she activated her |Protector of the Innocent| Skill to try to take advantage of the slight boost to her speed. Popping up, she |Sprint|ed the remaining distance and |Thrust| into the bear¡¯s gradually mending wound. Her sword shuddered, and she nearly dropped it, but she managed to bring out a few more droplets of blackish-red blood. With a roar, she drove the sword in halfway to the hilt using |Rigorous Strike| before the bear swatted her with a paw, sending her flying into a tree. Shaking her head to sweep away the daze, she watched in dismay as she realized that her knight sword was stuck inside the bear¡¯s thick hide. While the injury seemed to infuriate the bear even more, the effect to its vitality seemed negligible. She guessed it had lost a couple of hundred hit-points at most. She stumbled while trying to stand, eventually succeeding by leaning against the tree. Diana estimated that she was running on dangerously low HP, perhaps even below fifty. By then, another turn had already passed. Thankfully, her armor had protected her from its claws, though they had penetrated at least halfway through the durable metal. The bear ignored her efforts and turned toward Kira. Kira used her first turn in the battle to retreat toward Diana, seemingly concerned about the [Knight]¡¯s condition.


    Diana hollered, ¡°What are you doing? Go |Berserk|!¡±


    Even as she shouted this, Diana felt despair well up within her. The bear completely ignored the two for its next turn and focused on its passive healing, flaring the Skill until the bone nearly set. Now confidently ambling along, the bear picked up speed as it prepared to chase the Hersha down. Perhaps it thought Diana was down for the count or could sense the danger of the [Berserker] within Kira because either way, it completely ignored Diana.


    Kira seemed to panic as her head swung around the clearing, watching everything but the death approaching her.


    Just as the bear reached her, its turn ended.


    Sighing in relief, Diana watched as Kira grabbed a potion instead of entering her [Berserker] form. The [Knight] cursed. What was the girl even thinking? While a potion might successfully injure the bear, it wouldn¡¯t mean anything if the girl ended up dying in the process.


    With that thought, a second wind seemed to propel Diana forward, interrupting both the bear¡¯s and Kira¡¯s turns. She somehow found the energy to |Sprint| toward Kira¡¯s dropped sword. She swore she saw a vague golden aura covering her as she managed to raise the sword and begin hacking the bear¡¯s flank. The bear roared as it faced her. With a desperate yell, Diana activated |Sword of the Howling Wolves|. With a thunderous roar, a dozen strikes rained onto the bear, a wind-like aura extending past Diana¡¯s sword to further cut like a ruthlessly sharp blade into the bear¡¯s thick fur past the wounds left by the sword¡¯s passing. The bear yelped in surprise and tried to reach over to swat at the [Knight] once more. Then a flash happened on the other side of the field. Both the bear and Diana unconsciously turned to face it, wasting their turns. Boom!


    Diana was thrown back by the concussive force. The last thing she saw before she blacked out was a massive bloody black mass.


    [Knight] Level 22 Gained!


    [Knight] Level 23 Gained!


    |Protector of the Innocent| ¡ú |Savior of the Oppressed|


    |Rigorous Strike| ¡ú |Fearless Sunder|


    ¡­


    Groggily sitting up, Diana realized that Kira had removed her [Knight] armor to better examine some of her injuries while she¡¯d fallen unconscious. Apparently, the bear¡¯s claws that she had thought hadn¡¯t pierced through her armor had actually successfully scratched a solid cut on her body, judging by the red bandages around her upper body. Diana looked at Kira who was eating an apple. Then, she turned to figure out where they were: they were a bit away from the clearing in a relatively hidden alcove between a few trees and bushes. Within the clearing, she could see a smoking still black mass. She struggled to stand up and examine the corpse of their defeated opponent. It would be best to collect the parts before any other wildlife got to them: all parts of a Demonic Beast¡¯s body were basically treasures, not to mention that there was a huge bounty rewarded for bringing in Demonic Cores.


    Kira waved at her. ¡°You feeling okay? Sorry about how close that blast was. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get up like that back there! Actually, I thought you were down for the count! Thankfully, when the Combat Mode ended, I could read your HP with a monitor. You really shaved it close, you know? You were in the single digits. Thank the Gods for healing potions. Honestly, when I saw how close you were, I was terrified that I¡¯d accidentally killed you.¡±


    Diana thought back to that flash of light and the explosion that had knocked her out. She massaged her temples and asked, ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t. It would¡¯ve been my fault anyway for interfering with your plans. What even happened?¡±


    Kira looked around a bit shiftily. ¡°Well, remember when James told everyone I was a [Maid], and a few people figured out I was also a [Berserker]?¡±


    Diana nodded carefully.


    Kira sighed. ¡°Well, what most people don¡¯t realize is that I actually have a pretty low level as a [Berserker]. I¡¯m only level 18.¡±


    Diana managed to contain her disbelief. What type of insane person thought level 18 at such Kira¡¯s young age was poor? Kira continued, ¡°Compared to my 34 levels in the [Maid] Class and 26 levels in the [Bombardier] Class, it¡¯s really too disappointing. Hmm, my levels are different now though. I gained a few new levels and Skills from the battle. I was going to check them out once we were somewhere safer. Well, I guess there¡¯s my [Cleric] Class, but it¡¯s just level 5, so it doesn¡¯t really count. I know it¡¯s bad, but I only really level that one when I volunteer to help the Church¡¯s orphanage on my days off. ¡±


    Diana did not point out that at probably less than half her own age, Kira had quadruple her levels. Instead, she focused on the weird Class and not the undeniable fact that Kira was a prodigy. While Beastkin could generally learn faster due to their shorter lifespans, Kira¡¯s age was only proportionally equivalent to a forty-year old¡¯s at most. To gain over eighty levels by forty¡­ ¡°What¡¯s a [Bombardier] Class? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±


    Kira shrugged. ¡°I dunno. It¡¯s just something that appeared when I was helping James with some fun potions. I didn¡¯t really understand how they worked, but they were fun to throw around. One of them even filled half a room with bubbles! Anyway, one day, James teased me saying that I was trying to become a [Bombardier]¡­ Then, I guess it actually happened. Anyway, James said it was cool, and that he¡¯d heard of them where he¡¯s from, so I chose to get it. It¡¯s kind of sad though. Ever since then, he stopped telling me stories about his homeland as if he were afraid of something.¡±


    Diana frowned. New Classes did not appear that easily. In fact, this was the first one she¡¯d heard about firsthand and not from a history textbook.


    ¡°Well, anyway, I thought my lower-level Class might not be that efficient in combat. Not to mention that my hands get too big, so I can¡¯t use weapons or potions very well when I¡¯m in my [Berserker] form. Also, there¡¯s the fact that most of my [Berserker] skills are completely Brawler-based. Besides, [Bombardier] got the job done.¡±


    Diana could not refute that logic. While she still couldn¡¯t believe that they had killed a Demonic Beast that took out an, at minimum, level sixty Ranking Member of the Church, she reasoned to herself that it was possible if Kira had over eighty combined levels even if they didn¡¯t stack like Class levels did.


    ¡°Then that flash?¡± asked Diana.


    ¡°Just a simple trick from the Class, |Delayed Fuse|. It was pretty simple honestly, just a simple |Sort|, |Retreat|, |Lay Trap|, and an |Unerring Throw| right into its maw.¡±


    Diana suddenly realized that between the two of them, Kira was actually the far better adventurer. The Hersha could naturally link skills to form deadly combos and tactics. Just as she was about to comment on that, Kira gushed, ¡°But your Sword-Skill! It was so cool! The blue aura flashes that sent the bear¡¯s blood flying! And that¡¯s not even mentioning that |Second Wind|-like skill you used? Those are super rare!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s just because of my family¡¯s advantages though. Nothing like what you¡¯ve learned for yourself,¡± Diana replied offhandedly, reverting to her usual response to praise.


    Then, Diana paused, reviewing the battle in her mind. |Second Wind|? Wait, shouldn¡¯t she have been debilitated by that bear¡¯s first strike? As far as she knew, only the most elite Warriors could maintain top combat power when below fifty HP. Then, she realized that it had come from her |Protector of the Innocent| Skill. As long as she believed that she was protecting someone, she¡¯d gain a huge boost to her common abilities! She was about to detail her newfound realization when Kira twitched her ears and surreptitiously grabbed something from her pouch. Before Diana could ask what was happening, she fell unconscious for the second time that day.

 Chapter 11: Captured Souls and Blood Rites

    Diana groaned as she opened her eyes to see a dim, vacant room. Carefully tilting her head, she found Kira watching her, completely still. The [Knight] croaked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did I fall unconscious again?¡±


    She suddenly felt that her arms were remarkably numb. Had she slept on them? Looking down, she realized that she had been stripped of her armor and tied up. While it was definitely not the right time for it, a slight blush appeared on her face. Had someone undressed her while she had been unconscious?


    Kira warily peered into the darker shadows of the room. ¡°Careful. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re alone.¡±


    Blinking her eyes, Diana realized that both Kira and herself were completely bound by thick ropes. She yanked her arms but found the knots to be professional, lacking any give at all. She winced as she felt blood rush toward her limbs. She hurriedly continued to struggle in an attempt to re-circulate her blood and prepare her condition for escaping. After all, even if she managed to escape now, it would take several minutes for her to even be able to stand up.


    Eventually giving up, she noticed that Kira¡¯s collar was still on. Diana paused; she hadn¡¯t noticed before that Kira had one as it was usually partially covered up by her shirt. While there were more pressing concerns in this situation, she felt a bit of disgust well up in her. Hadn¡¯t James said that Kira was completely free? Why would he have put a suppression collar on her then? She shuddered. Those things were put on only the most unruly or dangerous slaves, usually [Berserkers], in order to make them more obedient and prevent them from entering their [Berserk] forms. Wait, that didn¡¯t quite fit with what she knew either. Why had Kira suggested she¡¯d avoided using her [Berserker] form when she ought to not have been able to do it?


    Still, it made sense why their captors had wisely left it untouched. Taking off a suppression collar was one of the fastest ways to end up with a claw through your throat. Diana wet her throat with her tongue, swallowing to spread her saliva. It was the only way she could strengthen her voice enough to speak.


    Kira glanced at Diana. ¡°There were three figures in black that hit us with tranquilizer darts. I lasted a bit longer than you due to my Resistances, but that¡¯s all I know.¡±


    Diana whispered, ¡°Has anything happened since you woke up?¡±


    Kira shrugged, jerking the ropes around her. ¡°I think someone¡¯s watching us to make sure we don¡¯t try to escape.¡± Her voice raised, and she spoke with fury lacing her voice. ¡°When I woke up the first time and started struggling, they tranquilized me before I could reach for my collar. I¡¯ve kind of kept still and tried to figure out what¡¯s going on after I woke up the second time.¡±


    Diana guessed that they¡¯d been captured for at least a few hours and at most a day, judging by the fact that she wasn¡¯t quite yet suffering a loss of health due to starvation, not to mention that even the best tranquilizers couldn¡¯t put down a [Berserker]¡¯s natural Resistances for more than half a day. Wait, why had Kira mentioned her collar? There was something there¡­ Could it be that her collar was fake? That would explain how Kira could be free even with one on, and it would make sense that she¡¯d wear one to appease the townspeople.


    Diana¡¯s eyes widened. Her guess truly would neatly fit all the clues. Kira managed to catch Diana¡¯s expression in the darkness and subtly nodded her head. Hershan Racial Perception Skills were truly useful in situations like these. Diana racked her brains, trying to determine their next steps. First, they had to figure out why they were here. After a scan around the dim room revealed nothing of interest, she thought back to who she had made enemies with. Only one person came to mind, [Lady] Lloyd. Her motive was also simple to guess, making the pair miss the court trial in a few days¡¯ time. While Diana and Kira would probably escape mostly unscathed, they¡¯d be considered guilty, which would probably negatively affect the reputation of both Diana¡¯s Howderwhit Dukedom and James¡¯s standing in the town. While she didn¡¯t have enough to build a case off her current assumptions, Diana immediately considered the [Lady] her first suspect. Now, she just had to escape from here and prove it. Unfortunately, Lloyd was far too clever to leave behind any tracks leading back to herself. In fact, Diana had little doubt that even if they managed to take down their guardians, they¡¯d find them relatively useless and completely lacking any clues. With a small sigh, Diana went back to try to wriggle through the ropes chafing her wrists.


    James hummed as he walked through the secret passageway to his basement labs. He guessed that Kira had had to go shopping in the city or something this morning. It was to be expected though as it happened a few times every month. Despite that he¡¯d had to make breakfast today and eat it alone, he could hardly contain his good mood because today was the day that he would finally finish his experiments on liquefied flame crystals and Dragon¡¯s Blood. He winced. The latter had taken a huge donation to the Kingdom as well as several personal audiences with the Queen herself before she had agreed to seek his behalf for a small vial of one of the most valuable substances in the world, not because there wasn¡¯t a lot of it, but because collecting it was a Quest no Adventurer dared take. Luckily, the Red Dragon Marximus had been rather interested in his experiments into the fire element, agreeing to donate a vial in exchange for a summary of his results. James gulped nervously. What would happen if his hypothesis failed had been left unsaid.


    Carefully using a pair of forceps to grip the liquefied fire crystal essence that had been thoroughly cleansed by boiling away any impurities, he felt the waves of heat radiating toward him. At the bottom was a bit of grey dust from the remaining impurities he¡¯d have to remove. He considered the bubbling red fluid that he¡¯d set up a few days ago, a combination of dragon¡¯s blood and a few stimulants known to increase the strength of magical creatures. He sighed. Just this was worth his entire fortune. The sheer amount of investments he¡¯d sought from both the Queen and Marximus had been astounding. He went over his hypothesis and procedure one last time: a dragon¡¯s vitality ought to be enough to spawn a fire elemental when it was tainted with pure fire mana.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He carefully poured the liquefied fire crystal into an enchanted glass vial, meant to be nearly indestructible. Setting it into a hand centrifuge, one of the first things he had made on this world, he spun the vial around at almost 4,000 RPM, forcing any solid impurities to settle on the bottom as a hard pellet. Decanting the boiling vial, he examined it critically, finding no impurities to his naked eye. Still unsatisfied, he pulled out a mana scanner to test for any ambient mana radiation. According to his calculations, purified fire essence ought to cause the ambient mana readings at the edges of the room to report an almost complete lack of fire attributed mana because it was all attracted by the mana gravity of the dense fire mana within the vial, almost like a black hole. On the other hand, the mana sensor ought to be unable to read any type of mana besides fire-attributed mana within one step of the vial due to the massive concentration of fire-attributed mana. Three minutes later, the mana reader beeped for the last test, confirming his hypothesis.


    Satisfied that everything was going to plan, he tossed the vial with the pellet of impurities into his wastebasket, which already contained a murky mixture of extraneous solutions and powders, while he quickly wrote down the results of his mana reading tests. It was a bit repetitive, but such was science.


    Taking a last proud look around the room, he set up a separatory funnel attached to a gas collector over holy water, one of the most elementally inert substances in existence. If a layman were to see it, they¡¯d see a tube pipe ending in an upside tube down vial that was opening down in a pool of water. He carefully mixed his two solutions within the funnel, immediately creating a hiss as gasses explosively formed from the reaction. He felt the excitement rise within him.


    Watching two distinct layers of resulting products settle within the funnel, he knew that the time of real excitement had come. He expectantly gazed at the small bubbles emerging from the tube, rising through the water¡¯s surface and seemingly disappearing into empty space within the tube. Of course, these bubbles of evaporated dragon essence, something which was said to be impossible to form as the essence of dragon blood supposedly never boiled, were actually trapped with the gas collector because the density of the holy water prevented it from escaping.


    Carefully stoppering the tube, he removed it from the holy water bath and carried it over to his electrical current setup. Leaving it on the counter to cool, he looked at the smaller boons of this little experiment: the two liquids remaining in the separatory funnel. He opened the valve, letting the bottom aqueous layer flow into a separate vial. This was the remains inherent to organic fire crystals, the beast component as it were. He had predicted that the dragon blood would rigorously reject it, making it accumulate at the bottom. While extraordinarily valuable for [Noble]s and others who wished to gain Bloodlines, he himself found little use for it and would probably find himself hunted down if he started selling purified Bloodlines. The few [Archmages] specializing in their creation jealousy monopolized the market, and Kingdoms would declare war for such secrets. Overall, it was far too valuable to be sold like a common appliance. He considered donating it to the Queen and claiming it could only be created with dragon blood. No, that wouldn¡¯t work. She¡¯d force him to spend the rest of his time researching and synthesizing this secret; he¡¯d probably even lose his independence. Besides, introducing modern scientific ideas would quickly lead to his greatest fear, the creation of weapons that could upset the balance of the world. He sighed, wondering whether he could dilute it and then market it but shook his head.


    That would be a waste of time as impure or diluted Bloodlines were readily available from simply hunting down these monsters. Besides, only very pure and concentrated blood could be used as a true and guaranteed safe Bloodline. He couldn''t even keep it for a rainy day because sooner or later, the Queen would run an audit to see how her Project was getting on, resulting in his little secret, with its outpouring of mana, being rather easily found. Lamenting the loss of a fortune, he poured the mixture of Monster Bloodlines into the waste bin.


    Then, he rather curiously examined the remaining layer after pouring it into its own vial. He had not predicted for there to be a third product. Well, he supposed that he was overstepping himself. It was possible this was just the dragon blood impurities. He swirled the vial, the red liquid inside sloshing about, glinting in the bright light of his lab. He grabbed a cork for the vial and decided that he might as well take his time before approaching the grand finale. Using the mana reader from before, he tested this unknown sample.


    BEEP! James tilted his head. That had been¡­ fast. He¡¯d only had such a sudden reading when working in the presence of very pure and concentrated attributed mana, rivaling that of the liquified fire essence he had purified. Aha! Could this be the remnant fire essence?


    James slapped his forehead. Of course, he¡¯d been so stupid! The liquified fire essence had merely boiled the dragon blood and had its attributed mana interact with the dragon blood¡¯s vitality. The actual two physical compounds hadn¡¯t reacted at all: merely the mana they contained had. The fire essence was still very much existent. James felt a bit of curiosity rise in him. Would this new liquid have the same properties as normal purified fire essence? Perhaps, just as he had tainted dragon vitality with fire essence, he had done the opposite to the fire essence? Setting it onto his storage rack, he promised to himself that he¡¯d work on that next.


    Finally, James confidently strode toward the electrical current setup. Much like the Miller-Urey experiment from his own dimension that had inspired this experiment, he had taken the building block to life, magical vitality, concentrated it and optimized it by using dragon blood, and was now preparing to expose it to electricity. Nevertheless, unlike the science of his homeland, this time, he employed magic, electric-type mana. Flipping a lever, he carefully observed as sparks flashed through the gas, forming arcs of lightning. Slowly, the mana reader on the side detected greater concentrations of vitality mana, coalescing into wisps of almost solid unattributed nature mana. He jotted down his notes. Remarkably, he¡¯d converted vitality, also known as blood magic, into nature magic, a close cousin but still distinct flavor of mana! Now, the fire elemental ought to begin forming from the ambient nature mana, building blocks of vitality, and the veneer of fire attributed mana imbued throughout the whole system. The glass slowly heated up, and the pressure gauge he¡¯d set up connected to the system gradually rose.


    Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t worried as this was merely the signs that an elemental was coalescing a physical form. The motes of mana drifted toward the center, inexorably growing larger to form a sphere. James watched in excitement when the whole thing exploded.

 Chapter 12: Laying Plans

    ¡°James! James! Are you alright? They¡¯re missing!¡±


    James groggily sat up to find Howard shaking his shoulder. Howard stared at James, trying to ascertain whether the man was alright. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡± asked James.


    Howard shrugged. ¡°I dunno. You were lying this when I came in. As for who¡¯s missing, why, Kira and Diana, of course. I¡¯ve been looking around for you all day! They haven¡¯t come back for the last two nights. I think something¡¯s gone wrong. They¡¯re supposed to be at trial tomorrow. If they don¡¯t come back tonight¡­¡± Howard trailed off worriedly.


    James hurriedly stood, surprised to find that he felt relatively refreshed despite that it appeared he had been sleeping on the floor half the day. He looked around the lab and found everything neatly set up. He struggled to remember what had happened; he felt that his reaction had been going successfully when something unexpected had occurred, but everything was far too neat for that. He frowned, looking through his research notes in order to try to figure out what had happened.


    Apparently, he¡¯d successfully completed his reaction to create an elemental within the tube, but it had fizzled out of existence far too quickly for him to conduct any tests.


    James rubbed his head. He could only vaguely remember something fuzzy about that moment. What had happened? As he thought back on the moment, he realized he couldn¡¯t remember anything at all about what he¡¯d written. In fact, it was like it had never happened. A bit concerned, James quickly jotted down the possibility that this experiment had produced some fumes that had knocked him out and caused short term memory loss before focusing on Howard¡¯s warning. He reflected on it while carefully stowing away the materials, including the now empty electrical current setup: apparently, he¡¯d cleaned it up already. Examining the only physical proof he had that this experiment had been a success, the liquified fire essence he had collected from the top fraction, he sighed. The Queen and Marximus would not be at all happy. In fact, Marximus would probably make James re-perform the reaction in front of himself to prove that he¡¯d truly obtained the results he had written down that he had.


    James groaned. That beast was not just unruly and rude, but also terrifyingly powerful, capable of crushing James with one talon. He hated working with the Red Dragon who was so accustomed to everything always going his way. James was about to neutralize his waste bing with Holy Water before throwing it out when Howard appeared next to him. Looking at his jittery appearance, James finally realized how serious the situation was.


    The old [Knight] handed James a satchel filled with potions and a sword. ¡°I took the liberty of taking some of your emergency supplies while you were busy cleaning up. I don¡¯t know where you keep your more special weapons, but the sword¡¯s for appearances. It¡¯s best that we leave immediately. I¡¯ve already sent a [Messenger] to alert the Adventurer¡¯s Guild about the missing pair.¡± Howard frowned, pondering a bit. ¡°I had to find replacements for a few of the potions. For some reason, one of the sets was missing.¡±


    James slapped his forehead. ¡°Kira!¡±


    Howard nodded sagely, immediately understanding. ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d keep them under lock and key after last time?¡±


    James sighed. ¡°I was just reprimanding her in an attempt to dissuade her from taking foolish risks. It¡¯s not that I mind her taking the [Archmage]-level potions. After all, it¡¯s best that she has some protection if she¡¯s going to be going Adventuring. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know to restock if she does it when she thinks she¡¯s stealing. She¡¯s the god damn accountant. Doesn¡¯t she know she just has to mark it on the sheet? In my homeland, people did it all the time¡­ Corporate fraud, it was called.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Howard coughed. ¡°In this case, I must apologize for this matter either way. I fear that my granddaughter managed to cajole Kira into taking this rash action.¡±


    James waved his hands. ¡°Hell, it¡¯s fine. We were all young once.¡±


    Howard chuckled. ¡°You know, you and Diana are about the same age. You¡¯re what, 23?¡±


    James paused, unsure of exactly how much time had passed in his own world. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Clasping the old [Knight]¡¯s hand, the two of them made sure that nothing looked like it would explode while they were gone before they walked up the stairs.


    Meanwhile, back in the dim room, Kira and Diana were discussing what to do while trying to figure out some way to coordinate an escape plan without alerting the nearby guards who they suspected were present. Diana¡¯s stomach gurgled.


    Kira frowned for a moment before calling out into the darkness, ¡°My friend is hungry! I know that you guys don¡¯t really care about us, but I suspect that you don¡¯t want us dead since you¡¯ve only kidnapped us.¡±


    Diana imagined she heard a whisper passing through the shadows, but it could just as well have been her imagination. After a few minutes of nothing happening, Diana turned to Kira and asked, ¡°What now?¡±


    Kira shrugged her shoulders. ¡°We wait. We figure stuff out. We¡¯ll know what to do when it¡¯s the right time.¡±


    Diana was a bit confused by Kira¡¯s wording but even after several minutes couldn¡¯t puzzle out any possible double meaning the Hersha might have been implying. Resting her back against the wall they were tied up against, the [Knight] tried to doze off while dreaming of an escape.


    Just as her eyes were about to fully close, a strangely gaunt figure emerged from the darkness. It approached with faltering steps, with a gait unlike any creature or monster Diana had ever seen. As it approached their little circle of light, Diana realized why that was. She looked on with a horrified fascination as a puppet with a smiling clown face painted on it jerked toward her while holding a cup of water.


    Kira hissed at it. ¡°It smells¡­ unnatural. Like that bear!¡±


    Diana sagged against her ropes, despair finally settling onto her face. ¡°It¡¯s a Mimic, a humanoid one, forbidden by the Alliance and the Church.¡± Her voice was hollow as she finished, ¡°Servants of the Dark Lord, Demons, and Beings of Night. May the Gods watch over us all. For the Dark roams.¡±


    James and Howard surveyed the place where the Hunters had supposedly disappeared, which they had learned had been Diana¡¯s Quest from a brief stop at the Adventurer¡¯s Corner. Howard paused, trying to scan the ground for any tracks. ¡°James, I think we¡¯re going the wrong way. We haven¡¯t seen any signs of someone in plate armor for at least the past few kilometers. Actually, there haven''t been any signs of any people walking through for the past few weeks.¡±


    James rubbed his chin. ¡°Did they never reach here then?¡±


    Howard frowned. ¡°Well, we know the [Guard]s at the gate saw them passing through, and they entered this forest. While they¡¯re not the best, they shouldn¡¯t have mistaken a Hersha and a female [Knight] for someone else. According to them, those two never returned from this forest. In fact, they haven¡¯t seen anyone leave it in the past few days.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean much.¡±


    Howard nodded in agreement, toeing the ground.


    James sighed. ¡°This wasn¡¯t going to be my first choice as it can probably only be used once before they notice it, but¡­¡± James pulled out a small device from his pocket. Howard watched him curiously.


    Suddenly rethinking his actions, James pocketed the small device and paused to tell Howard, ¡°Do you have an enchanted Messaging tool connected with your niece?¡±


    Howard grimaced. ¡°I can send an automated calling card to her with three modes of urgency: at her leisure, as soon as possible, and immediately. You know how the Nobles love to have their little tools to assure their eloquence.¡±


    ¡°I thought so. Well, this is going to be an immediate call. We¡¯re going to need to meet her before we do this. We¡¯re going to need her contacts to call in some help.¡± James grimaced. ¡°And after this fiasco, it looks like I¡¯m going to have to report to the Queen a lot sooner than I had hoped to. She¡¯s going to have a lot of questions.¡±


    He¡¯d try his best to make sure she wouldn¡¯t be asking the right ones by wiping all the evidence off the face of the planet.

 Chapter 13: A Gathering of Fools

    James blankly stared at the four-member adventuring team in front of them. He turned to the [Baroness]. ¡°This is really the only party you could find?¡±


    The [Baroness] scowled. ¡°A new dungeon opened out in the Western Provinces, so any Adventuring party worth a damn has already gone there. This was the best Adventuring party I could find. They¡¯re a C-Rank team, but they have a 70% success rate. Besides, you asked for a balanced party capable of handling any situation. I still don¡¯t get why you aren¡¯t just asking the Queen...¡±


    The leader stepped forward. ¡°Here now, Miss. We¡¯re actually a newly minted B-Rank Party. You won¡¯t find any party better than us within this Kingdom besides for the A-Ranks down in Beltross.¡±


    James sighed. It wouldn¡¯t matter. They were going to be there for show anyway. After all, he couldn¡¯t risk attracting too much attention by saving the pair by himself. That would raise all the types of questions he desperately wished to avoid. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t trust the safety of his loved ones to any foolish Adventuring team; the real fights would be finished by him long before anyone could interfere. The male leader stepped forward to shake James¡¯s hand. ¡°Pleasure to meet you. Thanks for that lantern by the way, really helped with a difficult Quest, our rank-up Quest actually. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever introduced ourselves. The name¡¯s Olaf. I¡¯m a [Swordsman]. The female [Mage] there is Petulinia. The male cleric of Hilla, Goddess of Light, is Theseus. That fine looking gentleman there is actually our rogue, Ivan.¡±


    Lillian clapped her hands. ¡°So professional. Elegant Adventurers are so hard to find nowadays. Can I interest anyone in a tart before we go? I¡¯ve read in some of my favorite books that Adventuring requires a full stomach!¡±


    James interrupted her, ¡°You know this is the same team that Diana beat up a few days ago? By herself. You really think they can take on whatever beat her and a [Berserker]?¡±


    All four members of the team blushed and looked down at their shoes, sheepishly refusing to meet his gaze. Finally, Olaf brightened up. ¡°Well, Sir. I think in a rematch you¡¯ll find that some of us can now take her on in a duel. We just upgraded our gear after gaining a few levels each. Besides, we¡¯re a team, and she fought us individually. That¡¯s not our strength.¡±


    Staring at the ceiling of the [Baroness]¡¯s apartment, James asked, ¡°Can I at least have your [Elite Guard]s and [Butler]?¡±


    ¡°You know [Butler]s are supposed to always stay by their lieges. I can lend you Tom and Hank, my two best [Guard]s. Will that do? Also, I guess Herman will accompany me so he can provide some backup,¡± replied Lillian.


    James flatly said, ¡°You are not coming. I¡¯ve had enough of noble politics already. They dared to attack the daughter of a [Duke] from West Thyllic. What do you think they¡¯d do to a mere [Baroness] of the smaller Kingdom of Rigrath?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯ll be loads of help. So, tell me what¡¯s the plan.¡±


    James groaned before deciding it wasn¡¯t worth the effort and time that would be necessary to dissuade Diana¡¯s aunt and gave a nod to Howard. Reaching into a bag attached to his waist outside his armor, the [Knight] pulled out a small device that looked almost like a phone with a screen and a small button. Petulinia whistled, ¡°That¡¯s a real piece of enchanting there. I can |Sense| the mana radiating off that.¡±


    James pulled it back before Petulinia could touch it. She frowned at him, but he explained, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re aware of the mission yet, but once this thing goes off, we have to finish it in an hour. You four don¡¯t even know the plan yet.¡±


    Olaf grunted. ¡°A timed mission. Well, what¡¯s the compensation. We can discuss the details after.¡±


    James pulled out a sack of coins tied to his waist, setting it down with a jingle. The four continued watching him expectantly, long years in adventuring telling them that the coins were worth only half their expected price at most, perhaps ten thousand Seedz.


    Then, reaching beneath the table, he hefted a small chest and heavily dropped it in front of Olaf. Unlocking the clasp, he opened the chest, allowing a slight mist of mana to hit everyone in the room.


    Ivan¡¯s hand furtively went to one of the many knives lining his belt before he stopped, letting out a breath.


    ¡°How many is that?¡± Theseus hissed.


    James nodded politely at the [Priest]. ¡°Thirty high-tier Healing Potions. Just a tad below [Archmage]-level. Worth about 100,000 Seedz on the open market. Yours if you complete the mission successfully.¡±


    Olaf hurriedly grasped James¡¯s hand. ¡°Whatever it is, we¡¯re in. This could buoy us to the next rank!¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    With a smile, James tapped the device on the table. ¡°Get your gear. Thirty minutes from now, we start moving. Just go where the devices tells you to. Howard will handle the logistics and tell you the details. I need to prepare something even though I really want to make sure everything goes well with the mission.¡± Everyone besides Howard nodded in understanding.


    Leaving the room, James took out a similar looking device from his own pocket, hesitating just a moment. Then, he pushed the small button. Had Petulinia been there, she might have sensed a slight circular wave of mana pass through the room and spread throughout the city. After a minute, an arrow and a number appeared on the screen. Placing a map on the ground, James confirmed his destination according to the device¡¯s display. His brows furrowed. That was unexpected. He¡¯d have to have a rather stern talk with several powerful figures if his device was working correctly.


    He pondered for a moment, wondering whether to try again or simply follow the instructions. Time was of the essence. Rolling it all up, he hurriedly threw up the hood of his cloak and seemed to disappear as soon as he left the embassy building. Those passing by only noticed a fleeting gust of wind heading toward the Noble Quarters.


    <hr>


    *Twenty minutes before*


    Howard nervously looked over the parchment James had handed him one more time. By now, it was already late afternoon, and Lillian had just sent a [Messenger] to post an Urgent Quest. The old [Knight] questioned, ¡°Are you sure you can handle whatever comes up? I¡¯m not doubting you, but whatever could take out a fully armed Kira and a trained [Knight] is not something to joke about. Your weapons are great, but...¡±


    James chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking care of that. Do you have your side handled?¡±


    Howard nodded his head with a slight self-condescending smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This old bag of bones can more than handle guiding those fool Adventurers on a wild goose chase. How will I know where to go?¡±


    James pulled out the device Howard had seen in the forest. Then, he passed Howard a similar looking one that had a purple crystal embedded into it. Howard inspected it curiously.


    ¡°The one I have is a tracking device connected to Kira¡¯s collar. As you know, hers is a fake one, but I also secretly took the liberty to add a tracking device for a situation like this or if she were unwillingly captured. After all, very few would dare to mess with a containment collar,¡± explained James.


    Howard nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I did always wonder how she could transform into her [Berserker] form around you with that thing on.¡±


    ¡°Well, anyway. The one in your hands right now is actually just a linked screen using a modified light crystal to transmit the data. I¡¯ve put a thirty-minute delay on it, giving me time to do what I have to do for my side of the plan.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m just acting as backup and making sure the Adventurers see what they¡¯re supposed to?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Stowing the device into a bag, Howard said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s get ready. The Adventurers will be here in a few minutes. I left the compensation beneath the table like you asked.¡±


    Listening to Howard¡¯s report, James opened a burlap bag Howard had brought, pulling out a belt and an amulet. Tapping them and examining them beneath the light to confirm that they were still functional, he snapped them around his waist and neck respectively.


    Howard asked nervously, ¡°Wait! How am I supposed to distract them away from you?¡±


    James didn¡¯t reply, only reaching into the sack again and pulling out a shimmery golden cloak.


    Howard paused. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Kira¡¯s¡­¡±


    James nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the little toy I made for her back when she used to rampage around the city. You remember it: she was still using it when you came around. I¡¯ve improved it a bit.¡±


    Howard grunted. ¡°The things you give that girl. She raised hell for a while back then. That thing¡¯s worth what, at least a hundred thousand Seedz.¡±


    James shrugged, thrusting one hand through the voluminous sleeves. Tapping the yellow crystal at the center, a light attributed one, he faced Howard. It emitted a soft yellow glow, satisfying his test. Patting his pocket to make sure that his modified teleporter was still there, he solemnly said, ¡°Anything for family.¡±


    <hr>


    Bonus: Olaf¡¯s Skills Level 26 Swordsman (Main)/Level 10 Woodcutter


    Basic: These can be used in repetition and only exhaust the stamina of a user.


    Swordsman¡¯s Skills: (ie. Kick, Sprint, Thrust, Stances, Slash, Polish, Pose, Parry)


    Axe Skills: (ie. Slash, Cut)


    Tell Wood: Determines good wood and where to best strike a trunk.


    Passives: These are skills that are always in effect.


    Enhanced Strength: Passive strength enhancement


    Enhanced Accuracy: Passive strength enhancement


    One with the Sword: Intuitively understand sword concepts better. Enhances sword skills.


    Respectful of Nature: Given to those who practice good environmental policies. The appreciation of the Spirits offers them bonuses in places of nature.


    Warrior¡¯s Awareness: Provides insight into opponents


    Learned Skills: These are skills that must be developed or learned. It also includes skills which require certain situations or bloodlines to be invoked.


    Aura Slash: A common strike that uses one¡¯s aura to expand the range and force of a sword.


    Foraging: Can survive in the wilds


    Buildup: Increases damage per combo performed.


    Thunderous impact: Slam the sword on the ground, creating shockwaves and destroying anything beneath.


    Leadership: Can guide others to make good decisions. Increases Charisma.


    (Incomplete) Sword of Spirit: Uses the vigor of one¡¯s beliefs to thrust.


    (Incomplete) ???: A style unique to the B-Rank Adventurer Olaf

 Chapter 14: Unstoppable Rage in Red Mist

    Kira jerked up, and Diana turned toward the Hersha, confused. Just as the [Knight] was about to ask whether Kira was okay, a voice hissed from beyond their moderately lit circle. ¡°Foolish Hersha. This will be your only warning. Cease whatever it is that you¡¯re doing.¡±


    Kira stoically ignored it and began struggling against her bonds with even greater vigor. Diana swore the Hersha began to increase in size, her hair puffing up, which ought to have been impossible with a suppression collar.


    From the shadows emerged another Mimic, this one much more monstrous in appearance that the human-like puppet from before. It looked like a twisted abomination of a wolf-man, commonly known as a Bruin. Diana watched, aghast, as the terrifyingly mutated and warped creature agilely bounded toward them. Kira growled, low and deep in her throat. ¡°It¡¯s time, Diana. He¡¯s coming.¡±


    Diana tensed. Who was this he? Could it be James? She felt her heart skip a beat at the thought. Then, it beat even faster as she realized that the Bruin had entered their circle of light.


    ¡°Heel!¡± The wolf-like creature immediately kneeled on the ground, whimpering. Suddenly, three shadows emerged from the darkness.


    One of them spoke with a nasal voice, ¡°My brothers, it appears our youngest has made a mistake. That was no suppression collar.¡±


    The second one on the left chimed in, ¡°Junior brother, when we next encounter the master, you will be suitably punished. Our kind does not accept mistakes, and judging from the mana emitted from that item, you¡¯ve made a big one.¡±


    The rightmost one remained silent, but Diana detected that it was emitting a sullen resentment toward the pair of captives, eager to rip Kira apart.


    The three calmly approached, almost unconcerned by the presence of a transforming Berserker.


    The leftmost one said, ¡°How interesting¡­ So the cat draws in its master. No matter, he was of some interest to the Master anyway. We¡¯ll capture him after killing her.¡± With a wave of his hand, two beams of darkness shot toward Diana and Kira.


    Kira flexed, ripping apart the bonds tying her: her strength had already nearly tripled despite only completing half her transformation. Jumping to take the brunt of both blasts, Kira grunted while coughing up a mouthful of blood. She growled, ¡°There¡¯s only two things I can¡¯t stand: threats to my master and racial slurs!¡±


    Kira¡¯s chest was covered in bloody matted fur, and her stomach had a nasty looking hole that went straight through her body. It seemed that their captors had still been wary of killing Diana and hadn¡¯t attacked her with full force, allowing Kira to survive the relatively gentle chest shot that had actually been aimed at the [Knight].


    Diana gazed at the wounded Hersha apprehensively. Once Kira entered her [Berserker] state by activating |Ancestral Linkage|, Diana would find herself in the raging Hersha¡¯s path.


    Nevertheless, the pain only seemed to speed up Kira¡¯s transformation, and the Hersha¡¯s eyes filled with bloodlust. Struggling to maintain her mental clarity, Kira croaked, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. |Berserker¡¯s Will| can keep me alive for a while. At least until I can kill enough to enact |Blood Rites|.¡± Then, Kira enacted the plan she¡¯d begun since she had first noticed they were being followed.


    Reaching underneath her collar, Kira pulled out a grey cube tinged red. Diana¡¯s eyes widened, realizing that was one of James¡¯s cold cubes. When had the Hersha found the time to hide it away?


    Kira smirked through the pain. ¡°I don¡¯t wear suppression collars.¡±


    The previously silent one of the three chuckled. ¡°I see a hidden space behind the collar. Still, all your efforts and trickery were merely for this bauble? There are no weapons your master can make that can harm us, little cat.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a weapon, fu*@ers!¡±


    Activating |Delayed Fuse|, Kira |Threw| the cube at the three approaching figures. Diana braced herself for an explosion, but all that appeared was a reddish mist. The three figures examined their surroundings curiously before determining that they were in no danger. They continued walking forward. Kira used her claws to break through Diana¡¯s bonds. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get out of here! I don¡¯t know what those three are, but I guess James¡¯s cube really wasn¡¯t a weapon.¡±


    ¡°You mean you threw something when you didn¡¯t even know what it did? Are you crazy?¡±


    Kira shrugged. ¡°Maybe. It was in his ¡°Things Not to Play Around With¡± section. Those normally do some serious damage.¡±


    Diana hurriedly massaged her limbs, trying to push blood back into them. Kira sighed and tried to hoist the [Knight] up, saying, ¡°We really need to hurry.¡± Instead, Kira stumbled and coughed a mouthful of blood before clutching a hand at her stomach. With a wry grin, Kira remarked, ¡°I forgot that I¡¯m not in top condition. My pain receptors were clouded by |Advanced Pain Resistance|, so I didn¡¯t even notice.¡±


    Still, Diana was surprised to find far less blood oozing out of Kira than she would have expected.


    ¡°|Mastered Cleaning|,¡± Noticing Diana¡¯s curiosity, Kira explained.


    Diana was once again shocked by how prodigious Kira was. A Mastered-Skill was something that few would ever achieve and allowed users to break the very bounds of reality. It looked like Kira was using this to artificially keep her blood from spilling out under the pretense that it was to keep herself clean.


    The wolf-man noticed that they were now free of their bounds and ignored its previous orders to remain kneeling in an attempt to take initiative to strike at the escaping prisoners. Other Mimics emerged from the darkness. Just then the mist finally rose to reach the faces of those black shadowy figures.


    Suddenly, the three figures began shrieking as smoke dissipated off their bodies.


    ¡°What is this?¡± One of them cried.


    The last thing any of them managed to utter was something about their focus.


    Diana watched in amazement as the three figures shivered and dissipated. Then, three black robes collapsed on the ground, the bodies once contained within gone.


    She turned to face Kira who had been leaning against her. Had the situation not been so dire, it might have been comical: a thin woman supported a broad-shouldered |Berserk| Hersha. ¡°Kira, can you walk? We¡¯ve gotta go now! That mist¡­ is not safe.¡±


    Kira straightened, and Diana watched in awe as the Hersha¡¯s wounds began to meld; the hole in Kira¡¯s back noticeably shrinking. Kira grimaced. ¡°|Blood Rites| always hurts like hell, but it¡¯s better than being dead.¡±


    Diana guessed that |Blood Rites| was one of those rare combat skills that allowed for passive healing, much like the demonic bear¡¯s ability from before. |Blood Rites| was probably a bit weaker as it didn¡¯t come at the expense of Demonic Corruption, probably requiring a victory against a far stronger opponent to come into effect. The [Knight] thoughtfully gazed at the three cloaks lying on the ground. Could they be?


    Kira grimly watched the ring of Mimics now surrounding the circle who all seemed ignorant of the lethal pinkish mist creeping toward them all.


    Kira glanced at the approaching mist. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to be possible. Hold your breath. I¡¯ve managed to slow the blood loss.¡± Moving away from the [Knight], Kira bent her knees, holding her arms wide in a |Brawler¡¯s Stance|.


    Despite lacking any master, the Mimics seemed to have reverted to their base instincts to attack anything living in the vicinity. With a roar, all ten of them lumbered, bounded, and galloped toward the unarmed [Berserker] and [Knight]. Diana raised her hands, getting into a |Brawler¡¯s Stance| like Kira. She would not abandon her allies, yet fear settled in the pit of her stomach: without her weapons, the Mimics¡¯ claws would tear her apart.


    With a howl, Kira¡¯s claws popped out as she finally completed the transformation caused by |Ancestral Linkage|. In total, her transformation had taken under a minute, astounding by normal [Berserker] standards. Instantly, a furry hand slid straight through a monster¡¯s throat. Ripping it out and dribbling black ichor on her fur covered hand, Kira dropped the now feebly struggling Wolf-man to the floor as she stood in front of Diana, their backs against the wall next to which they had been held captive. Diana flushed a bit gazing at Kira¡¯s burly form. For some reason, she found herself attracted to the fierce Hersha despite the blood covering her broad form. In fact, if Diana were being honest, it made her more attracted.

 Chapter 15: Breaking into the Church

    James cursed, throwing his third emptied Haste potion on the street. A few pedestrians suspiciously stared around them, suspecting that some [Thug] had thrown a broken bottle at them. James completely ignored them, his feet pounding on the pavement as he invisibly danced through crowds that thronged around the Church¡¯s Quarters.


    He glanced at the watch on his wrist, a piece of enchanting that synced to the System Time across the entire planet. Twenty minutes had already passed, giving him maybe twelve minutes before the Adventuring Team teleported over with the special mage the [Baroness] had hired. He cursed, deciding to risk using his fourth Stamina Potion of the day, putting him at risk of overdosage, which could cause him to collapse in the middle of the street.


    Coming to a sudden stop in front of a palatial garden complex, he double checked the spot he had marked on his map. According to his calculations, the pair ought to have been kept somewhere within this complex because it was the only structure that fit the position vector given by Kira¡¯s tracking collar. James hurriedly double checked his math. The vector had stated that Kira had been fifteen kilometers away from Lillian¡¯s home in the northeastern direction, solidly placing it in the center of one of the most important places within the Holy Order, the Garden of Saints.


    Still, even he hesitated to intrude upon the domain of the Gods if they had truly condoned Kira and Diana¡¯s kidnapping. While he¡¯d still make sure that they paid for hurting his loved ones, he wasn¡¯t sure he could win an all-out firefight and was certain he wouldn¡¯t win one with the rather limited preparations he had made. He considered testing for her position one more time to make certain that his prediction was correct. After all, it¡¯d be the height of stupidity to start a war without a just cause. However, he decided against it because that might attract the attention of their captors, or if their captors had already noticed the first time he had activated the Tracking enchantment, distract the probably by now fighting Hersha.


    Gritting his teeth, he made sure he was still concealed by his cloak before sneaking past the many [Paladin]s patrolling the entrance. Luckily, this was a place frequently visited by Pilgrims who brought Artifacts as offerings to their Gods, preventing the Church from setting up mana detection arrays without having them go off every few minutes, not to mention that James was pretty sure the [Priest]s would be very unwilling to see their donations wasted on unnecessary protections¡­


    Still, James doubted they would have found him even if they had. After all, [Paladin]s were some of the greatest warriors in existence. Anything that could deal with them could more or less deal with a static Ward enchantment. In addition, he wasn¡¯t even actively using magic to preserve the enchantment, preventing most Wards that tested for the usage of Skills or mana manipulation. Furthermore, he was confident that he¡¯d nearly completely blocked out all the faint mana traces left by mana connections within his cloak that sustained the enchantment.


    Sneaking over the walls to avoid directly approaching one of the vigilant [Paladin]s whose |Aura Sensing| Skills would quickly find him if he came within range, he found himself in a maze of green hedges. He took out a second, similar looking device to the one he had first used to track Kira and placed his map on the ground. While it wasn¡¯t quite at the level of reperforming the Tracking spell, this would make sure he had correctly done his math. The first device had given him a vector connecting his initial position to Kira¡¯s tracking collar. This second device had been set to the position he had first activated Kira¡¯s collar and related his current position as a vector in relation to that initial position. Mapping out the two vectors on the map, James quickly calculated which direction he¡¯d have to head in to make a closed triangle that would take him to the same position as Kira. He¡¯d have to head thirty degrees north of east for 300 meters.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Mapping it out, he frowned. While he now knew where he had to go, he had no way to get there with this damn maze in the way, at least not in a timely manner. He grunted. He hadn¡¯t wanted to use this so soon when there were so many people around, but he figured there was no helping it. Clutching the teleporter in his pocket, he briskly said, ¡°Forbidden arsenal number six, the Unstoppable Lance!¡± He had to act quickly now: the [Paladin]s ought to have been able to sense the ripple of Space magic.


    A circle appeared next to James. Reaching an arm through, he pulled out a sleek looking pipe, which to people from his own world would strongly resemble a handheld laser canon except for the blazing purple crystal attached to the end. Unclicking the safety, James aimed it in the direction he had previously calculated. Setting it to the lowest setting as he didn¡¯t want to blast halfway through the Church¡¯s Quarters, he braced himself against the ground and fired. Boom!


    A blaze of light streaked through the bushes in front of him, clearing a path far into the distance. Tossing the weapon back into the summoning circle that quickly disappeared, James sprinted toward Diana and Kira. However, before he had traveled even halfway meters, several figures wearing gleaming armor |Sprint|ed toward him.


    ¡°Stop! We will fire!¡±


    James cursed. It had been too much to hope he¡¯d avoid any confrontations with the Church. It could have been worse though. Had they entered Combat first, he might have been shot down before he could retaliate. ¡°Forbidden arsenal number ten, the Endless Round Gun!¡± Another summoning circle followed along beside him, precisely one foot to the side and above his right pocket which was where he had stowed his teleporting contact point.


    Grabbing a Gatling Gun from the circle, he considered it a moment before deciding that it would be safer to avoid later repercussions. After all, the [Paladin]s had probably recognized him and been unwilling to fire first out of respect for his standing within the Church. It was best to return courtesy with generosity.


    Slowing to a jog, he reached into his satchel ruffled through the small pockets to pull out a small grey cube, one quite similar to what Kira had thrown at the three black figures before. ¡°Timer count extension: 15 seconds.¡± His watch glowed violet for a second, emitting a high pitched whine. The mana in the air turned turbulent as his watch bent the rules of the System, extending a Turn far beyond what was normally possible. Switching out the blazing red crystal in the power slot for the cold grey cube, he began shooting at anything approaching him without a care in the world. To an observer, the figures would seem to suddenly stop as their eyes glazed over before they either collapsed or stared blankly at a wall. The [Paladin]s scarcely had time to react to the realization that combat had started before being shot by James¡¯s bolts.


    After fifteen seconds, it was over, and he had reached his destination. Luckily, without any opponents, the System registered the Battle as over, preventing James from paying the penalty for bending the Rules. Huffing, James took a sip from his Stamina potion, wincing at the burn as it went down his throat. He felt a bit queasy from drinking too much.


    James gazed at the large building he had stopped in front of. He sighed. Of course, it was going to be the Crypt of the Saints. Whoever had done this just wanted to commit the greatest sacrilege to the Church possible. Switching out the grey alcohol cube in the Gatling Gun for the original red fire crystal, James took a deep breath and kicked open the door.

 Chapter 16: Lust and Blood

    Facing the nine remaining Mimics, Kira kicked the dead Bruin away from them. She whispered in a husky voice, ¡°Diana, Save your turns. These things are probably too stupid to know how to conserve them.¡±


    Feeling a small flutter in her chest, Diana was so surprised that she unconsciously suppressed her retort that the Hersha herself hadn¡¯t utilized her turns efficiently. She shouldn¡¯t have used such a brash attack to try to intimidate the Mimics. After all, Mimics didn¡¯t know fear: if one of them died, they¡¯d just charge forward with even greater fury. Twisted souls trapped in corpses had little left to live for besides the deaths of others. Diana shuddered at the thought. Stoically ignoring her strange affection for the Hersha, the [Knight] clenched her fists and readied her Skills.


    Kira warily watched the approaching figures, her |Warrior¡¯s Awareness| flaring as she tried to predict their angles of attack. With perfect coordination, three of them broke around to try to flank Kira and get to Diana while the remaining six strode forward. Kira slammed into one of those approaching her but couldn¡¯t do more than rake her claws against its chest before it threatened to counterattack on her turn. With that, the second round officially began.


    The injured Mimic retreated behind its brethren as it licked its wounds, trying to stem the flow of blood. Thankfully, these rather simpler creatures of darkness were while deadly, enhanced, and fearless, far less durable than the corrupted bear from before.


    A tall, treant Mimic thrust its sinewy arms at Kira¡¯s throat. She ducked and successfully counterattacked before it could pull its arm back. Ripping its arm off, she allowed herself a small smile as she weaved between two lunging lion Mimics that took the next turn. With a yell, Kira managed to exert the energy to take a second turn in a single round and greet a lion with a fist of talons, plucking out its eyes. With a howl, the lion shrieked but was too slow to use the brief pause to retaliate. Breathing out a sigh in relief upon seeing Kira safe, Diana saved her own turn, increasing her count to two.


    Determining that Kira was a tough opponent, the fifth and sixth Mimics charged at Diana. Gritting her teeth and refusing to back down, Diana blocked the humanoid Servant Mimic from before by pushing her arm against the inside of its guard. Then she stepped into the reach of another long-armed treant Mimic. Within the perfect range, Diana exhaled and used |Fearless Sunder|, snapping the neck of the treant. It went down without a sound. To make sure, Diana stomped on it and kicked it out of the circle of light before her turn ended, leaving her back exposed to the humanoid Servant Mimic from before. Luckily, it couldn¡¯t take advantage of her vulnerability as it had already used its turn.


    ¡°Yo, pretty face, I told you to save your turns!¡±


    ¡°My target was there. Besides, it would¡¯ve been halved anyway. You know the System fully saves only three turns.¡±


    Grunting, Kira slammed an elbow into a Bruin Mimic that foolishly thought it could use its turn to ambush the Hersha, sending it flying away. It stumbled back to its feet though.


    While the Hersha was turning to swing into that Bruin, a dark elvish looking Mimic slammed into her from behind, reforming the hole in her back, sending blood spurting into the air. Kira grunted and fell to the ground, narrowly rolling over to prevent a humongous ogre Mimic, who had been previously aiming for Diana, from stomping on her head. She kicked upward at its groin, but besides a low groan, the Mimic seemed unaffected. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Diana observed Kira, guessing the Hersha was at most at half health, and these constant uses of counterattacks had to be grueling both on Kira¡¯s stamina and mental willpower. Eventually, once she became too exhausted, she might even suffer losses in health. After all, while the System allowed for retaliation when not on one¡¯s turn, it also penalized it, preventing many legendary Adventurers from becoming one-man armies.


    Kira gasped, ¡°I can¡¯t double attack anymore without using a Skill. Need to conserve stamina.¡± Diana nodded in concern, feeling a spike of emotion for the girl.


    A blush appeared on Diana¡¯s cheeks, and she was amazed to see a similar one reflected in Kira¡¯s smoldering gaze. Kira turned away reluctantly. ¡°We need to resist. This fight comes first.¡±


    Diana felt confused. She¡¯d never had these feelings for a woman before. Struggling to ignore the aching between her legs, she reddened even further upon noticing a distinct musk in the air. ¡°Are you?¡±


    Kira coughed up some blood. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s not my time. What are we doing? We need to fight¡­¡±


    Diana felt as if a lust-filled haze was clouding her mind. Despite their dire situation, everything felt so distant. It was as if she were a confused teen pinning after her first crush.


    The third round began before either of them could fully sort out their thoughts. Eight out of the original ten Mimics remained; three of which were severely injured. This would normally be a great combat statistic, but Kira also had one foot in the grave.


    The second, uninjured lion sensed Kira¡¯s weakness and pounced at her. From her kneeling position, Kira raised an arm, forcing the lion to impale its neck on her waiting claws. Spitting some blood to the side, Kira shifted the body slightly in front of the two. Its death throes prevented the other seven from approaching. ¡°Stupid bi*t@hes.¡± Kira¡¯s |Blood Rites| started kicking in again, but with far less vigor. While the blood slowed a bit, the wound remaining a gaping hole.


    Kira now took her turn, twisting in an attempt to slash the one-armed treant when she shuddered for a brief moment. This brief flash was all the treant needed to send a fist into Kira¡¯s chest, knocking her against the wall. Diana cursed. Even Kira¡¯s |Advanced Pain Resistance| and |Berserker¡¯s Will| was faltering. It looked like Kira might be as low as 15% of her max HP. Kira roared, ¡°Diana, stay away. I can¡¯t control myself well without James in my next state.¡±


    Diana¡¯s eyes widened. Even through her confusedly aroused state, she recognized the danger a truly insane |Berserker| could bring. While she didn¡¯t know how Kira wasn¡¯t completely insane already, it seemed the Hersha was now preparing to cross that thin line. Was Kira about to flare her |Berserk| skill? Diana frowned. Even if Kira survived, the backlash from using such a Skill would probably kill her, not to mention that she¡¯d be practically insane and probably target Diana as well¡­


    Quickly making up her mind, Diana decided to use the last turn in which she could safely stay in Kira¡¯s presence to finish off the treant. Boosting her |Enhanced Strength|, Diana tore through the treant¡¯s head and chest, eventually finding a twisted Core within. After she crushed it, the treant Mimic crumpled to the ground. Breathing heavily, Diana used the rest of her turn to retreat behind Kira. Six left.


    Amazingly, Kira puffed up even more, and her eyes turned a darker shade of red. With a furious bellow, the [Berserker] launched itself at the dark elf Mimic that had first injured her. Ripping its head straight off, she tossed the headless corpse and howled a challenge at the remaining five Mimics. Diana grimaced. While a true |Berserk| state could nearly ignore turns due to the lengthy action times given to them by the System, it would come at a huge cost the more Kira used it.


    This could not continue any longer. Ignoring the wetness between her legs at the fierce display, Diana |Sprint|ed out of the circle of light toward the three cloaks, hoping to find something useful there.

 Interlude: The Mechanized Warrior

    In the forest, nature ruled. Birds tweeted in the air. Squirrels hid away nuts. Ants ate the dead. All this despite the strange heap of metal that had appeared deep within several days ago. The forest had yet to come to terms with this small hill: it smelled too much of humans, so they avoided it. It had first appeared two days ago but had yet to exhibit any strange signs suggesting it was a predator.


    An acorn dropped on the gleaming heap of metal. Finally, a curious squirrel, clambered over it to reach the precious treasure. A small green light blinked, but the squirrel didn¡¯t notice. Just as it reached the acorn, the huge heap of metal began to shudder. With a terrified squeal, the squirrel dropped the acorn and scampered up a tree, warily observing the once more still metal heap. Within though, thousands of commands were being processed every second.


    Cezar opened its Control Center upon recognizing a change in its environment. It felt a burst of excitement, or at least as much as one of its kind could exhibit, its wires conveying some digitized form of emotions throughout its body. A gentle whir began as his fans cooled his Sensors for the first time in¡­ Cezar looked into his BIOS. Last time since initialization: 50 years.


    Cezar felt a pang of regret. He had been¡­ discarded because he had become obsolete. Now, though, his country had called for him once more to defend its people. ¡°Systems initializing. Location: Sensing¡­ Sensing¡­ ERROR: No Satellites detected. Activating Spatial Sensing: Sensing¡­ Sensing¡­ Error: Space-time fluctuations detected. Location: Unknown. WARNING! Low on resources. CRITICAL ERROR: LACK OF POWER!!! Entering backup mode. Time Remaining: 7 days.¡± Testing his motors, Cezar managed to slowly unfurl himself. He had seven days to reach the nearest Fortress center before he would become useless, completely unable to defend the lives of his people. He¡¯d be a failure. ¡°Detecting strange substance within the air. Turning off air flow. Warning: Presence of Possible Hostiles! WARNING!!! Estimated Power Level of Hostile: Unreadable!¡± Cezar turned wary. Could it be that all his people had died? Had some strange supernatural being destroyed the entire galaxy inhabited by humans? Internally, Cezar decided he would take revenge whether or not his AI chip later told him it was not the best move for the straggling survivors of the human race. He felt a brief pang as if he were breaking some type of Rule set into him by his programmers, but he figured it¡¯s what they would have wanted.


    A squirrel threw an acorn at him. Perhaps this squirrel was an agent of the Hostile. After scanning it to make sure it didn¡¯t conform with any organism from his home, he decided it was an enemy. He could collect it as a sample and research exactly what had occurred in the last fifty years. Aiming a laser gun at it, Cezar activated the battery and frowned. Nothing happened. He scrolled back through the logs. ¡°Unable to perform action: Lack of energy.¡± With as much exasperation as a mechanized warrior could exhibit, he took off the giant sword strapped to his back and swung it at the squirrel. With a chitter, it leaped off the tree and fled into a nearby one¡¯s foliage. The tree fell into the forest with a thud, settling the age-old question of whether a tree falling in the forest without any humans hearing it actually made a noise.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Preparing to swing again, Cezar found his body stopped. He growled again, looking back through his system logs. ¡°Unknown Hostile inhibiting motion. Please be aware of your surroundings.¡± Cezar warily looked around. Was there a MagniCanon of some sort affecting his motions? This seemed like a very normal forest, but it was possible he had already been captured by a hostile advanced alien force and was in a display of some sort. Cezar felt very flummoxed: situations like these had never occurred in his AI training set. Two acorns pelted his head. Cezar¡¯s sensors focused on two squirrels that seemed to be mocking him. He swung his sword at them again and found he could move once more but was stopped again before he could take even a step toward them.


    Cezar reflected on what had happened. It seemed like he¡¯d had even less time than before. Cezar tried to move once more and found he could. Setting up a timer he waved his sword, ignoring the squirrels that shot acorns at him every few seconds. He discovered that every nine seconds, a cycle would happen. He¡¯d be able to move for the first three, then one squirrel would shoot an acorn or run around, then the other. Moreover, every time a squirrel did some type of targeted attack at him, Cezar would be able to move for around half a second.


    He frowned. It looked like this hostile being had some strange rules. Nevertheless, the mechanized warrior had to admit that this being was more than powerful enough to set up these absurd rules. Cezar calculated that it was highly likely this strange being wanted to watch him fight these squirrels. Deciding to play along with its implied desires, Cezar used one of his turns in a cycle to tense up his joints. An acorn shot toward him. Immediately, after the second squirrel¡¯s turn ended, he shot forward, slamming his blade on one, smashing it into a pulp. The first squirrel shrieked and fled through the trees, dropping all the acorns it had collected.


    Cezar sat down in the small clearing he had made and tried to process his next actions. ¡°Alert: Possible electromagnetic signal detected. Technology level: 1950 AD Earth.¡± Cezar perked up. Could it be that some remnants of his home remained despite having regressed hundreds of years? He reasoned that it would make sense for the few survivors to restart technology from basically the stone age¡­ Perhaps he¡¯d have to perform espionage to figure out what to do. As a mechanized warrior, he¡¯d never actually received formal training for such things, but he¡¯d been shown enough of human culture to know how James Bond, a cultural icon that had lasted for centuries, successfully completed his missions. With a tie and a suit, he was sure he¡¯d blend in anywhere.


    Cezar frowned. He was getting ahead of himself. What if the Hostile was watching and tracking him to see whether he would lead the Hostile back to his people? If his every action risked killing his people would it be best for him to terminate his processes if it were the optimal solution? After nearly an hour, he stopped because he realized he was wasting his limited remaining 165-ish hours, not to mention that he¡¯d much rather be alive than returning to his dormant state.


    Should he try to fight the Hostile or save his people? This seemed like a conundrum that his people would have said to leave to the fates, but he was no being merely pushed by the whims of fortune. No, he was a being made of pure logic and function.


    Allowing himself a small moment of satisfaction, Cezar flipped a virtual coin and got a two. It looked like he¡¯d search for the last remnants of humanity in this world. With a sigh, he started trekking south. His great journey had begun.

 Chapter 17: Bad Villains and Secret Plots

    James found himself in a dark chapel, complete with pews and an altar. Tapping the belt around him, a slight hum materialized around him as his shield formed. Scanning around, he tried to figure out where the kidnappers were keeping the missing pair. Then, a figure emerged from the darkness, clapping his hands. ¡°Welcome, James. So, you¡¯ve found our hideout. How kind of you to join us. We were actually just planning to look for you...¡±


    James found himself amused and began chuckling.


    The figure hesitated, confused.


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just that you remind me of my home world. There were a lot of bad villain montages¡­¡±


    Realizing that he was being mocked, the figure shook before bellowing, ¡°Get out, y''all. Come greet the guest!¡±


    James fired a shot at the figure but found his mana bullet blocked by some type of ward. Inspecting it briefly, he identified it as a mere mana ward that would still allow objects to pass through; he¡¯d have to switch to actual physical ammunition to break through it.


    With a sigh, James shut the doors behind him, removing the brilliant sunlight snaking in, allowing only a few windows to cast a dim glow throughout the room. Raising his gun, he tried to figure out what he was facing as his eyes adjusted to the dimness. After all, the priest clearly had reinforcements, and it¡¯d be foolish to adjust his weapon to physical form before he¡¯d taken care of the other threats.


    Out of the shadows emerged some lurching Undead. Combat started. Instead of activating his watch like he normally would, James quickly fired six shots of his Gatling gun, taking out the whole group. Warily eyeing the dark figure, he fired his gun a few times at the figure in the center, trying to take out the glyphs supporting the ward array that had to be somewhere near the guy. Either way, James figured that if he loaded the barrier with enough mana, the wards would break.


    A voice whispered next to his ear, ¡°How dare you harm the [Dark Priest]!¡±


    Spinning around, James fired a wave of bullets, only to find no one there. He cursed. If he entered combat without a target, his turns would be wasted as he¡¯d have to shoot in a spread that would fail to cover the room within the three seconds of his turn.


    Stealth-type Skills were one of the few things that could spell his doom despite all of his advanced weapons. He tapped his belt, subtly enhancing the strength of the shield by burning through the mana crystal powering it. While it gave the shield a significant boost, it ate at the life of the crystal like nothing else.


    Were an [Archmage] here, they would have been impressed by the lack of mana traces emitted, which were now completely unnoticeable to any but the most sensitive and skilled of [Mages] despite the massive overloading of the enchantment. A knife thunked against the barrier generated by James''s belt. Had it not been there, James would¡¯ve found it in his stomach. James once again congratulated his own wisdom in creating a shield that had been tested to have almost six hundred durability.


    James judged where that knife would have ended on his body before figuring out that they weren¡¯t looking to kill him. They could¡¯ve easily gone straight for his head. No matter. With a general idea of where they were, James threw a bottle of explosive dye into the room. To make sure that he disrupted any Stealth Skills around him, he tightly shut his eyes before activating the modified Flash Bang he¡¯d built using Light Crystals.


    A blinding light lit up the whole room for an instant, resulting in shouts of pain as a score of figures in black popped out of shadows: some behind furniture and one less than three feet away. Covered in purple paint, the figures would have looked comical had James been in the mood to notice; James stoically ignored the fact that he too was covered in the simultaneously noxious and obnoxious purple paint that was perfect for disrupting Stealth skills. Luckily, the paint would quickly evaporate, which was in part what made it so easy to smell as the vapors would drift to peoples'' noses...You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Now that all his targets were in sight and had had their Skills canceled by their losing their concentrations, James tapped his watch. There was almost no way for them to avoid his next attack. With a brilliant purple glow, James gained a fifteen-second turn from his watch''s enchantment, sacrificing much of his agility in later turns to power this.


    Smirking, James simply spun around while spamming his Gatling Gun, massacring the [Assassin]s who futilely tried to dodge out of the way. Some even managed to fire off some quick Skills but nothing like |Projectile Negation| or |Predictive Dodge|, which usually required extreme focus and preparation.


    Guns blazing, James roared as he watched the health drain out of those black figures. James would have felt bad about the wholesale slaughter had he not known that these were some of the worst criminals of Natusha. He knew this because only they would dare to attack and infiltrate the Church. With seven seconds left, James sprinted toward the [Dark Priest], knocking the man to the ground. Combat ended then because the System determined that the [Dark Priest] had been defeated. James mentally congratulated himself. Fortunately, combat had ended before the fifteen seconds of his turn had finished, allowing him to avoid the agility penalty in later rounds from extending his turn timer.


    The man seemed to not even notice as he continued |Chant|ing something. James slapped the [Dark Priest], but the man had far too much experience to let something like that disrupt his Skill. ¡°Where are they?¡± James threw back the man¡¯s hood, revealing him to be Brother Hank, a middle-level figure in the Church within the Kingdom¡¯s Capital.


    ¡°Brother Hank!? Damnit. Now, this really feels like a badly designed villain.¡±


    Coughing, Brother Hank¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Person of Foreign Magics, our Master sends his greetings. The [Dark Lord] will negotiate with you in exchange for your companions¡¯ lives. You may thank his grace.¡±


    ¡°Screw that. I¡¯ll find them by myself.¡± James punched the portly [Priest] in the gullet. Reconsidering, James pulled out a knife from his belt and slammed it into the [Dark Priest]¡¯s thigh.


    Cackling despite the pain, Brother Hank howled with an insane smile, ¡°You¡¯ll be dead before long, Mr. James! You face the Immortals, the [Wrath]s of Legend. Mortals tremble, for they walk the world once more!¡±


    Slapping the [Dark Priest] out of his mad reverie, James impatiently asked, ¡°How do I get to them? If you tell me, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Brother Hank giggled. ¡°Runt, Master has already seen your ungrateful refusal. Your women are no doubt dead. No matter what you do to me, I shall return as I have already been blessed by the [Dark Lord]!¡±


    James sighed. ¡°What do you think your master will do to you when he finds out you failed?¡±


    Brother Hank paused, finally considering something that James said. With a bit less certainty, he replied, ¡°Fool¡­ The Immortal ones shall see to your end! I was just an unnecessary facilitator to summon them. My mission is done!¡±


    With a sigh, James determined he wouldn¡¯t get any useful information out of this fanatic. As disgusting as he found the [Dark Priest]¡¯s actions, James felt a bit of pity for the man. Brother Hank was the typical absurdly loyal minion who would find himself quickly discarded once his master found a better replacement.


    Still, the man would give James some much-needed leverage over the Church to justify his barging into their sacred grounds. James glanced at the madly cackling [Dark Priest] who seemed to be waiting for his death.


    James looked around for something to keep the [Dark Priest] trapped but found nothing in the dark room. Unwilling to leave a high Level [Priest] who had multi-classed into a [Dark Priest] unguarded, he pulled out a grey prism the size of his pinky nail, far smaller than the cubes he normally carried. Pinching the [Dark Priest]¡¯s nose until the man gagged, James thrust the grey solid into the man¡¯s mouth. The man¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to spit it out, but before he could, his eyes started rolling, and he began spasming. A bit of drool leaked out of the man¡¯s mouth as he babbled about candy and rainbows.


    ¡°That¡¯s a new one. I¡¯ve never seen anyone get that high before.¡± Before, he had only ever exposed himself to some powder accidentally during its synthesis of the alcohol crystals. Now though, James resolved to never personally test the concentrated form of his frozen alcohol.


    Stepping over the man, James tried to seek out a secret passage to the girls while warily keeping an eye out for any more intruders or those Immortal beings Brother Hank had mentioned. After all, while fanatics lied, their convictions usually held a kernel of truth. After a few minutes, he stood atop the altar, scanning the various sides of the chamber but still couldn¡¯t find anything.


    Worry crept onto his brows as he pulled out the tracking device once more. If Diana and Kira were truly about to be killed, he figured that it couldn¡¯t get any worse if he tried activating the Enchantment matrix one more time¡­

 Chapter 18: Sacrifices Repaid

    Before stepping out of the more brightly circle, Diana took a final gulp of air: she would be unable to breathe after this moment because the potentially lethal red mist remaining in the area. The two injured Mimics, a Bruin and a lion, noticed her exiting Combat and followed her to prevent her from escaping.


    Holding her breath, Diana |Sprint|ed away, knowing she could last around two minutes without new air at best even with her physique as a trained [Knight]. Making sure the rather slow, injured Mimics were a whiles away, she rifled through three fallen cloaks, trying to last as long as she could without breathing. Her lungs began to burn, and her movements became more frantic.


    To her surprise, she quickly found an unadorned wand Artifact in each. A close inspection would have revealed these were no ordinary wands, but clearly ancient things covered in hidden glyphs. Had she been in the right state of mind, she would have recognized that each could have easily reached several hundreds of thousands of Seedz on the open market. Just these three could rival her entire family¡¯s wealth. Setting them aside, she continued looking through the cloaks, desperately hoping to find something that could save her companion who she so desperately wanted to have sex with after this. She blushed at the strange thought. Why was she thinking about such things at this moment? She cursed. While valuable, these wands would not save Kira¡¯s life. It was a similar problem to a starving billionaire. When what mattered wasn¡¯t the value or power of one¡¯s gear, but the utility. The clock ticking, she picked up each cloak and ran her hands along them, trying to find anything useful. Surely such powerful men would have something useful for healing¡­ After all, everyone got injured, right?


    Meanwhile, Kira fought for her life while covered in blood, at this point, mostly hers. A few turns earlier, Kira had traded a throat shot at the ogre for a punch on her right arm. Luckily, the ogre had lacked any weapons, preventing it from cutting the Hersha¡¯s arm off. While the ogre had fallen, Kira had been concussed and slammed against a wall. Still, within a Round, the Hersha had been able to start attacking again even if she seemed increasingly confused and lost due to her extreme state of HP deprivation. [Berserker]¡¯s |Status Resistance| was truly miracle breaking. At this point, Diana guessed that once Combat ended, Kira would immediately die. It was very possible that Kira was in the low tens but had artificially kept her HP at high levels by using |Health Sacrifice|, allowing her to use her near-future HP regeneration as collateral for gaining some HP in battle.


    Trying to ignore the tightness in her chest both due to the lack of oxygen and her sorrow at Kira¡¯s fate, Diana dodged to the side, billowing the cloak over the lunging injured Bruin. Luckily, the blind Lion was far less coordinated, merely swiping at her, which she managed to roll away from. Diana grimaced. Without a weapon, she¡¯d be almost defenseless when compared to these Mimics. There was almost no way for her to kill them¡­ She glanced at the three wands she had left on the ground.


    Now, she had a plan.


    Letting out a gasp, Diana inhaled a breath of the gas. She choked, trying to force out the red mist but experienced no pain. In fact, she was almost completely unaffected. Suddenly, she wondered what it¡¯d be like to have sex in the middle of a battle. Pushing the thought to the side, she briefly wondered why she¡¯d even had such a thought when she was normally focused in battle. Too panicked to consider the implications, she instead glanced back at Kira¡¯s fight that the [Berserker] seemed to have entered a complete |Berserking| state for.


    It seemed that when the [Knight] had left combat, Kira had received a slight Perk that allowed her to increase her mobility and occasionally use a second turn with less difficulty. Kira had managed to drop the enemy count to three although pieces of her bone were now showed through her bloody fur, and she was literally wavering where she stood. Still, Diana was surprised that Kira remained fighting, but more than that, she was greatly worried. She suspected that Kira had used some type of |Final Stand| Skill. As soon as combat ended, Kira would likely die as the damage she had been staving off caught up to her. Diana glanced down and saw the familiar golden glow that came with |Savior of the Oppressed| radiating off her form.


    Shame surfaced in her. Why had she been given a Skill like this? She was no savior¡­ She was just a useless Human pretending to be a [Knight]. She had no weapons to fight evil. In fact, this was the first true challenge she had ever faced in her career. Luckily, before she could truly waste time wallowing in despair, something attacked her.


    As the Bruin that Kira had previously assaulted thrust its claws at her, Diana blasted a wand shot at it, creating a hole where half of its face had used to be. It made no sound as it went down. The blind lion pounced at the noise Diana had made when she had shot the wand, its gaping jaws preparing to snap over her head. Diana stuck the second wand in between its teeth, propping it open for a brief second. Then, she flared |Sprint| with everything she had back into the circle. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Sensing something caught within its maw, the lion crunched, thinking it had caught a bit of Diana¡¯s body. A burst of pure mana pushed Diana back into the circle as everyone besides her lost a Turn staring at the explosion. The lion was completely erased, leaving only a crater behind. Diana used the last moments of her Turn to fire a beam at a Humanoid looking Mimic, sending it crumpling to the ground with a gap in its chest. The final two Mimics, an unidentifiable, vaguely humanoid shape and the Servant Mimic, hesitated, fluctuating between attacking Kira and Diana. Finally, the two seemed to simultaneously decide that Kira was the easier target compared to a [Knight] armed with ancient Artifacts.


    With a guttural roar of despair, the two raced toward the Hersha even as she swayed on her feet, her bloodshot eyes barely even seeing them. Coughing up a bit of blood while roaring, the [Berserker] stepped forward instead of retreating. Rage had blinded her to any common sense or instinctual self-preservation. At this point, pain would only infuriate the [Berserker] further, increasing the damage of her attacks. The only way to kill an enraged [Berserker] was to literally cut off their head, erase them from existence, or flee combat and let their wounds bleed out. Fortunately, their opponents were too stupid to realize the third option. In Combat, a [Berserker] was nearly unstoppable.


    Bashing a fist at the twisted humanoid, Kira traded hits, allowing it to slice through her shoulder with its gnarled claws attached to a scaly gaunt hand. At this point, Kira resembled a bloody swiss cheese as she slammed it into the wall behind her, slumping to the ground. Shaking herself into an upright position, Kira growled at the humanoid Mimic, her muscles almost seizing up in exhaustion, tension, and pain. Somehow, the Hersha managed to face her opponents once more.


    Diana nearly cried: her heart felt like it was slowly dying. Kira was trying so hard to fight even as she was slowly dying, for her. Never had anyone risked their life for her before. Diana felt a rush of sorrow and affection for the Hersha.


    The Servant, though, aimed straight at her head. Diana guessed it had retained a bit more of its intelligence, so it could identify where to attack Kira best. Diana watched in horror as its claws seemed to slow down as the creature relished in finally ending the fearsome [Berserker]. No doubt, it would Rank-Up for killing a warrior who had defeated so many of its kin. This was literally how the Monsters of legend were made.


    Diana looked at Kira¡¯s eyes, hoping to see some glint of a plan. There was nothing: only blank rage and confusion. Diana knew that she had to act in order to save her friend who had already sacrificed so much for her. Diana stepped forward, grunting as she willed her arm to raise, resisting the System¡¯s power over her. She would deny the System¡¯s Rules!


    She willed herself to save Kira, to repay the Hersha¡¯s bravery, to follow her [Knight]¡¯s code, she could and would sacrifice anything. Diana felt a rush of guilt: it had been her who had suggested they go on this inane Quest. This was all her fault. If only she could be the one paying for it rather than Kira. Suddenly, time itself seemed to pause.


    At this moment, Diana realized that if she focused, she could attack three times in a single Turn. In fact, she felt like she could attack a dozen times. At last, her wand aimed straight at the treant, a twisted being of black wood. With an explosion, she stumbled back from the recoil, and the golden light around her whished out as she Interrupted the treant¡¯s turn by attacking. She stumbled, kneeling on the ground, feeling like she¡¯d just lost something. She spat out a bit of blood. She wasn¡¯t sure whether it was hers or if it¡¯d been in her mouth since sometime in the fight. She felt dazed, a sound ringing in her ears.


    Just as the treant¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, its hand blew off. Quickly recovering, Kira bit and scratched at its head, ripping off most of its features before body slamming it and both lay still.


    Boom! A section of the ceiling fell down on the final slowly standing Mimic. A hail of¡­ something seemed to impact the ground, throwing up clouds of dust. Diana tensed, ready to face the dusty figure that walked out of the debris. Seeing her, the man grinned, tipping an imaginary hat. ¡°Sorry, Diana. I¡¯m not too late am I?¡± Combat ended.


    Diana broke out into sobs, and a bit of unwilling arousal. In fact, she realized she desperately wanted to touch herself at this moment. Looking at James, she felt like she had found the perfect solution to fill her ache.


    The man looked around, confused. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Spotting a few wisps of red mist, his eyes widened as he stared at Diana.


    Reaching in his pocket for something, he hurriedly asked Diana, ¡°Where¡¯s Kiara.¡± He glanced up in worry when Diana didn¡¯t answer and only blankly stared past him. He turned around.


    Then, he spotted the bloody, light-orange Hersha silently lying on top of a Mimic. Immediately, he stopped looking in his pocket for whatever he¡¯d been looking for and sprinted toward the still form.


    Diana:


    Warning! Over-flaring of |Savior of the Oppressed|. Regression to |Protector of the Innocent|


    Level 23->24 (Combat)


    Level 24->25 (Questline)


    Level 25->26 (Bonus: Completing Knight¡¯s Oath: Protection)


    Warning! Mutation: |Protector of the Innocent|->|Heroic Effort|


    Skill Gained: |Basic Wolf Strike|

 Chapter 19: Adventurers Found with Dark Omens

    Kneeling over the fallen Hersha, James hurriedly glanced back at Diana and seemed to remember something while seeing her actions. Hesitating, he turned away and put a small mask over his mouth. Feeling for Kira¡¯s pulse, he panicked and used an HP reader to find Kira was dangling past the point of survival at a bare two HP points. At this point, most [Healer]s would call for a [Priest] to start the death prayers for the deceased to enter the realm of the gods. Well, a high-leveled [Resurrection] Skill would probably still work, but only royalty could afford them. Ripping off his watch, he activated the Enchantment and placed the glowing device on Kira¡¯s body, providing him half a minute or so of space to save her.


    Diana walked over, blushing as she watched James work. While she knew it was the wrong time, she just wanted to jump him and start kissing him. After all, such a smart man was very attractive. Sitting down with her legs beneath her and her hands across her lap, she began to surreptitiously rub her palm against her hips. Now that the battle was over, she really had to see to her needs. She unbuttoned the top button of her shirt to try to attract James¡¯s attention. Nevertheless, to her dismay, James completely ignored her.


    James pulled out a red healing potion and tried to pour it over Kira¡¯s wounds, but her HP hardly moved at all even as the wounds struggled to close. James cursed, muttering to himself, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even have the energy for her body to start the natural healing processes. She¡¯ll die from a blood deficit even if I can get these healing potions into her.¡± He pulled out a tiny vial with only a little bit of red liquid at the bottom. Fifteen seconds left.


    Hesitating, he put it back into his special mana-resistant pouch before tapping his teleporter and yelling, ¡°Summon Forbidden Artifact 16: Ring of Exclusion!¡± Reaching into the portal that formed, he pulled out a metal hoop with a diameter of over eight feet. Setting it around himself and Kira, he tapped a box attached to it. With a hum, a wall of Mana separated Diana from the pair. This wall of Mana would prevent anyone attempting to scry on what was going on from sensing any mana fluctuations from whatever happened inside the circle, not to mention that this wall of mana also served as a barrier preventing any explosions from passing through. James really hoped the second function wouldn¡¯t be needed. The [Knight] could only watch with a mixture of horniness and anxiety as James reached back into the pouch and pulled out the clear glass vial. At the bottom of this small tube were a few droplets of red liquid that thrummed with magical power.


    As a Noble with her own Bloodline, Diana gasped. That was definitely the very pure essence of a very powerful beast¡­ Where had James even gotten it? Such a thing would be valued even by royalty. James stared at the vial for a few moments before opening Kira¡¯s mouth and dumping the remaining contents onto her tongue. For good measure, he rinsed the vial with a bit of water from his flask and poured the diluted liquid into Kira¡¯s mouth as well.


    James worried as he watched the liquid pass through Kira¡¯s throat. While he doubted these few droplets would alter Kira¡¯s bloodline, he wasn¡¯t completely sure, and he wouldn¡¯t put it past a dragon¡¯s Skills to detect it. In that case, even if Kira survived, the dragons would mark her and very likely kill her for stealing even this small bit of their Bloodline. However, he had no choice. He suspected that these droplets were the only way to provide enough vitality for Kira¡¯s healing to be kickstarted even with her having effectively won the Combat Rounds, which would activate |Blood Rites|.


    Slowly, the healing potions began to take effect. By the time half a minute had passed, and the purple glow of his watch had faded, the HP reader showed that Kira was approaching a stable state even though she was still incredibly injured. James picked up his watch and looked at the time. Crap! The Adventurers would be arriving outside at any moment!


    Throwing the hoop back into the Summoning circle, James now focused on Diana. Now that Kira was relatively safe, he had to solve the second problem. He sighed when he noticed the apparent state of Diana¡¯s arousal. Pointing at the few lingering wisps of red mist, he asked, ¡°Did you breathe that in?¡± His voice was a bit muffled by the mask he wore.


    Diana whimpered and nodded her head as she started taking off her clothes. Averting his gaze, James reached a hand into his pocket. ¡°Howard¡¯s going to be upset. Honestly, he¡¯s going to hold this over you for a loooonng time. Well, hopefully, the good Brother will be enough evidence for you to get out of this mockery of a trial.¡±


    Diana gently hugged James as she ran a hand across his chest, pushing her breasts against his arm. ¡°Master James, do you think I¡¯m attractive?¡± She meekly asked.


    Patting everywhere on his body, James finally found what he¡¯d been looking for in a pouch. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the proper antidote to the Cube of Fantasy I was trying to market, so this¡¯ll have to do.¡± Diana ignored the silly man; didn¡¯t he know she was about to f*^k him? James calmly thrust a syringe into Diana¡¯s arm and injected its contents before she could even register his actions. Pulling it out, he watched as she crumpled to the ground unconscious. ¡°Moderate sedative. Keeps the worst of the altered alcohol cube¡¯s effects at bay.¡±


    Looking at the pair¡¯s handiwork around the room, he frowned. There just wasn¡¯t enough time to clean all this up. He glanced at the hole he had made into this secret basement. Hopefully, no one would question a [Berserker]¡¯s prowess too much.


    Throwing up his cloak¡¯s hood, he exhaled as he picked up Diana and Kira and slung them over his shoulders in a fireman¡¯s carry. Then, he carefully began stacking the debris so that he could climb out and safely deposit the two girls outside the hole. Grimacing at the pervasive carnage around the area, he picked up the two girls once more and set them beside the dead assassins. It wouldn¡¯t stand up to careful inspection, but it¡¯d be enough to fool the public, and the Queen¡¯s and Church¡¯s involvement in this would assure no one with any actual clout got themselves involved.


    James stared at the [Dark Priest]. Now, he had to find some reasonable way for him to make this guy seem like a credible suspect. Perhaps he could find Howard and pretend he¡¯d found the good brother sneaking around? Suddenly, James heard the pounding of feet and clashing of weapons outside. It seemed like the Adventurers had met either the enraged [Paladin]s or some reinforcements for the [Dark Priest]. Deciding that he wanted nothing to do with either option, James hurriedly double checked that he was currently in Stealth Mode and wrapped the unconscious [Dark Priest] in a blanket of a similar cloth, turning the man invisible. Picking up the man, James grunted as he snuck out the back of the Crypt of Saints. He cursed silently: Brother Hank was a rather rotund man who weighed far more than he looked like he would. After some consideration, he decided he¡¯d much rather avoid the wrath of the Church by openly denouncing one of their ranking members.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    <hr>


    A few minutes before James left the Crypt of Saints:


    Olaf glared at the [Paladin] blocking his way. ¡°There are two missing Adventurers who are suspected of being held in that place!¡±


    The [Paladin] roared, ¡°I don¡¯t care. We have an extremely powerful individual on the loose in the Holy Grounds, and you¡¯re going to stay here until we find out who it is.¡±


    Turning toward Howard in worry, Olaf asked, ¡°Sir Howard, what do you think we should do?¡±


    Howard rubbed his chin. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I guess at this point we can only wait for Master James to come help. Hopefully, the girls will still be okay when we finally find them.¡±


    Sitting down, the four-person Adventuring Team, the Baroness, her guards, and Howard warily watched the [Paladin]s. Suddenly, a portly look [Priest] ran up to the head [Paladin] and whispered something in his ear. The [Paladin] looked up in alarm and barked, ¡°You all, follow us! You might actually be able to make yourselves useful. It looks like our intruder has been found. The idiot thought we wouldn¡¯t put up Detection Wards after he snuck in the first time. Ha!¡±


    Olaf pumped his fist. ¡°Finally!¡±


    Howard frowned, looking a bit concerned, but he hurried behind the rest.


    The group stopped outside the Crypt of Saints, examining the door that had clear scuff marks. The [Paladin] asked the [Priest], ¡°What? Has the intruder entered the sacred area already?¡±


    The [Priest] stammered. ¡°No, Sir [Paladin]. They should be approaching here in just a few moments. Wait! They¡¯re just around the corner.¡±


    Hissing, two [Paladin]s warily approached the corner with their weapons at the ready. The [Priest] yelled, ¡°Now!¡±


    The [Paladin] on the left used |Divine Light| while the [Paladin] on the left thrust out with his Enchanted halberd. Beneath the light¡¯s assault, a man popped into existence, kneeling in shock. He croaked, ¡°How¡­ the Master will see to it that you¡¯re all punished.¡± Before he could say anything else, the [Paladin] cut off his head. Spitting to the side, the [Paladin] cursed, ¡°Heathen scum. Your blood profanes this sacred place.¡±


    The [Priest] turned white. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more people coming!¡±


    ¡°What? How did they get past the wards?¡±


    The [Priest] had no time to answer. ¡°Incoming!¡±


    Olaf pulled out his battle-ax with a bloodthirsty grin. Finally, they were going to get a battle!


    <hr>


    James tapped Howard¡¯s back while the Adventure group secured the bodies of the two unconscious girls. ¡°How¡¯s it going? Sorry, I had to take care of some things before coming here. Had to make a stop at a Government Post. Are the girls okay?¡±


    Howard gruffly said, ¡°There were a few [Assassin]s and some [Thug]s as well as a few Undead and [Dark Mage]s who showed up. Nothing too dangerous, but still quite alarming that they managed to get so far into the Holy Quarter¡­ Why couldn¡¯t you come earlier.¡±


    James grimaced. ¡°Queen¡¯s Hand stuff. They took an interest in this case.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a real pity about the trial. It looks like we might have to take a loss there.¡± Howard frowned. ¡°It isn¡¯t good for the family reputation or yours.¡±


    James nodded understandingly. ¡°Well, are they in any condition to enter the court trial? Perhaps, we can do something about it?¡±


    Howard frowned. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely that they¡¯re going to be able to walk around by tomorrow morning. I¡¯m not sure what to do.¡±


    Shrugging, James said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll ask the Queen to intercede on their behalves. I found a very interesting piece of leverage for her that I think will put me in her good books for a while.¡±


    ¡°You met the Queen, Sir James?¡± The gentleman thief Ivan turned to face James enthusiastically. While Hilla¡¯s [Priest], Theseus, continued focusing on healing Kira, Petulinia looked up from her watchful vigilance and paid attention to their conversation. In fact, James could have sworn he saw some of the [Paladin]s inspecting the corpses also secretly eavesdropping.


    James rubbed the back of his head. ¡°No actually. I¡¯ve been figuring out how to report something else that¡¯s rather unpleasant to her, so I decided it¡¯d be best to hand off my gift through an intermediary. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll follow through by tonight though.¡± At the very least, James expected that the Queen would exempt the two girls and start a thorough examination into this matter as well as its perpetrators. After all, it would be best for both Kingdoms if they avoided an international dispute.


    Howard looked at James curiously. ¡°Actually, you just came, so you probably wouldn¡¯t know, but it appears that Kira and Diana were actually quite the successful adventuring pair. They successfully escaped from the basement where it appears there were several Mimics and fought the guards waiting for them above. The fact that they managed to survive is already amazing. I¡¯m a bit curious about some of the wounds on the corpses though.¡±


    James shrugged, confused. ¡°How come they didn¡¯t escape, then?¡±


    Howard spoke very carefully, staring at James¡¯s eyes. ¡°It appears that they used a weapon of unknown origin that knocked themselves out shortly after they escaped. They also must¡¯ve found some weapon to attack these guards. Perhaps they managed to steal a weapon from their captors, which brings its own complications if the enemy we face has unknown capabilities. Additionally, an initial intruder attacked the Church non-lethally around this area just a few moments before we arrived. The [Paladin]s were, in fact, attempting to track this intruder down, resulting in them catching the group of [Assassin]s approaching this place.¡± Finishing his succinct explanation, Howard worriedly observed Diana and the [Priest] seeing to her.


    ¡°How strange,¡± James mused.


    A [Paladin] emerged from the hole in the middle of the crypt. Taking off his helm, he spoke solemnly, ¡°When these two young girls wake up, they will be questioned by the Church.¡±


    James strode up to him, getting in the broad-shouldered man¡¯s face. ¡°Woah, there! Can¡¯t you see they¡¯re injured? Why are you doing this to them?¡±


    The [Paladin] completely ignored James and turned to the [Priest]. ¡°Sound the alarms. The [Dark Lord] stirs once more.¡± The Adventurers simultaneously stopped their chattering and turned toward the [Paladin]. A stark silence fell in the Crypt of Saints as if the [Paladin] had just predicted the end of the world.


    Turning pale in fright, the [Priest] dashed out of the room.

 Chapter 20: Letters from the Queen

    ¡°Welcome, we¡¯re glad you could make it, Lillia!¡± James greeted the [Baroness] and her [Butler] as they entered his home.


    Looking around, the [Baroness] commented, ¡°Dear Gods, Howard. Has this been where you¡¯ve been staying? How have you managed without servants?¡±


    Concealing his face by covering it with his sleeve, Howard coughed dryly. After all, he was a [Knight], not a Noble-Class. He lacked the Skills to hide his emotions. For once, the old [Knight] had taken off his armor to better fit into the celebratory feast.


    Lillia continued obliviously, ¡°Ah yes, I remember there¡¯s that Hersha [Maid]. It¡¯s a real pity about her getting injured and all. Then again, a true Servant would know not to abandon their master for some hairbrained Quest. If you need someone though, I can lend you one of my men. Herman, do we have anyone?¡±


    Herman sighed. ¡°My lady, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll ask if they have need of your aid.¡±


    Happily clapping her hands, Lillia turned to James. ¡°Of course. Do feel free to ask, James. So, is there somewhere we¡¯re going to socialize?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid that with the two girls being injured, we can¡¯t have too large of a party, so it¡¯ll just be a dinner tonight.¡± James stoically restrained his urge to insult Diana¡¯s aunt. A quick glance at Howard revealed that he was struggling to do the same.


    Leading them toward the dining table, James re-introduced them to the four Adventurers who had saved Diana. While Lillia had met them before, it was polite to do so as the host.


    Olaf rose from his seat. ¡°Ah, my dear [Baroness]! I was unaware that you were coming. Had I known, I would have brought you a gift.¡± Petulinia rolled her eyes even as Lillia daintily giggled into her hand.


    ¡°No need. No need, my dear Adventurer.¡±


    As the four Adventurers, Howard, the [Baroness], and the [Butler] sat down, James said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go grab some appetizers. It¡¯s home-cooking from my homeland; I¡¯m afraid. I hope you¡¯ll all enjoy it. It¡¯s actually quite similar to Rigrathian cooking.¡±


    Turning toward Lillia, Olaf asked, ¡°My dear [Baroness], would you like to explain what your nation¡¯s dishes are?¡±


    Lillia bobbed her head. ¡°Why, of course! I¡¯m quite curious as to whether James can do my native country¡¯s food good service. Let¡¯s see; as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, we¡¯re most famous for our pasta dishes that can use different types of sauces. There¡¯s a few soups and salads as well, but we¡¯re really known for noodles.¡±


    Carrying plates of sliced bread and olive oil, James set them down in the middle of the table. Sitting down, he tipped his wineglass toward the four Adventurers before taking a sip. ¡°Please, to the heroes who saved our two girls!¡±


    Olaf blushed. ¡°Master James, you praise us too much. The two girls practically saved themselves!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You still took care of the [Assassin]s that would¡¯ve finished them off. Without you¡­ Well, I don¡¯t even want to think about it.¡±


    Raising his cup, Olaf toasted, ¡°Fine. Fine. To our mission¡¯s success and the health of the two victims!¡±


    The table erupted into a round of cheers, and the night¡¯s revelries began.


    At this point, even the [Baroness] had lost her veneer of elegant sophistication and was laughing along with the rest of the Adventurers. Because he expected another guest that night, James made sure to limit his alcohol consumption. Olaf hugged the [Baroness] and hoisted her into the air as Lillia giggled in delight. ¡°Oh, Mr. Olaf, you¡¯re such a strong adventurer!¡±


    Meanwhile, Petulinia and Theses were making out in a corner. Poor Ivan had felt left out a while ago and quietly left. James had kept a wary eye out, but the gentleman [Thief] had actually left the premises without swiping anything.


    James talked to Howard who had abstained from drinking more than a few glasses in order to keep his wits about him. ¡°Well, the girls obviously can¡¯t go to the trial,¡± the engineer began.


    Howard raised an eyebrow at James. ¡°You seem strangely unconcerned about that. Are tens of thousands of Seedz not important to you?¡±


    James shrugged. ¡°Their safety comes first.¡±


    The [Butler] hurriedly chased after Lillia who was running around with Olaf.


    With a grunt, Howard turned back from watching his niece-in-law. He muttered, ¡°What are the odds those two end up in a bed by tonight.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Politely ignoring Howard¡¯s musings, James asked, ¡°So, I hear you¡¯re planning to go back with Diana soon?¡±


    Howard seriously stared at James. ¡°Why?¡± His voice turned eager. ¡°Do you want to come along? You know¡­ Diana really admires you.¡±


    James exhaled. ¡°I dunno, but I suspect I won¡¯t want to be here after a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Well, you still have some time to decide. We were thinking about going after the Lake Festival you were hosting.¡±


    Suddenly, Howard turned serious. Squinting at James, he said, ¡°Alright. Now that there¡¯s clearly no eavesdroppers, I¡¯ve got to ask: what happened in there?¡±


    James looked at Howard in confusion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me. Those holes in the corpses were not reported at all in the official report released this afternoon, which means both the Church and the Queen are covering it up.¡±


    James shrugged. ¡°I guess the [Dark Lord] has strange weapons then. Who knows what he¡¯s done in the past few decades of hiding?¡±


    Breathing out slowly, Howard stared at James straight in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t really care what you did, but I still hold you responsible for saving my granddaughter¡¯s life. Either way, whatever happened, you and Kira played significant roles.¡±


    Nodding, James dozed in his chair as the party-goers gradually spread throughout the first floor of his house seeking greater privacy. Just as he was about to completely nod off, three loud knocks hit the door. Instantly, James jerked up. His final guest had finally come.


    James jumped out of his chair and straightened his hair while Howard carefully watched James¡¯s curious actions. ¡°Someone important at the door?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡± James confidently strode to the door and yanked it open. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Hand.¡±


    A cloaked figure stood at the door, Howard suspiciously eyed him before gasping when he saw the golden emblem pinned to the man¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re! A Queen¡¯s Hand!¡±


    Completely ignoring Howard, the man inspected James. ¡°Mister James, the Queen sends her apologies that she will not be able to hear about your most recent exploits until later this week¡­ when you will be attending the Queen¡¯s Chambers to discuss certain findings.¡±


    James gulped and asked, ¡°So the Queen isn¡¯t here right now?¡±


    The man nodded. ¡°While this isn¡¯t of your concern, the Queen is currently attending to some of the matters you reported at the local Constable office. They were quite fascinating. She thanks you for your help with the Church. The dominance of the Queen, may she ever reign, has further increased.¡±


    With a respectful nod, James took the outstretched scroll and bid the man farewell.


    The man paused, grasping James¡¯s hand. ¡°You do good work, Sir. Your weapons allowed us to finally free up the resources spent imprisoning the Immortal ones¡­¡±


    James shook the man¡¯s hand. The man continued, ¡°Off the record, the Kingdom would like to order seventy of your cold Cubes of Illusion.¡±


    Frowning, James replied, ¡°I don¡¯t sell weapons without a specific Writ from the Queen and even then, she needs to give justification.¡±


    The man shrugged. ¡°I can get the Queen¡¯s Writ to you tomorrow then. You¡¯ll find it in your bedroom.¡±


    James waved his hands. ¡°Fine. Fine. I¡¯ll do it, but I¡¯ll decrease the intensity so it only affects non-corporeals.¡±


    ¡°Works for us. It¡¯s not like they do too much to those with [Resistance]s anyway.¡±


    While James suspected it would only be a matter of time before they reverse engineered the cubes, he was truly helpless to refuse.


    Saluting, the man seemed to take three steps down the path before disappearing into the shadows. Howard whistled. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you see one of the Queen¡¯s most powerful Servants. Can I read the scroll or is it personal?¡±


    James handed the scroll to the old [Knight]. ¡°Have at it. It should contain some stuff pertaining to you as well.¡±


    Opening the official looking scroll, Howard immediately noticing the multiple royal emblems practically littered over the whole paper. ¡°Wow, this is going to be quite a few orders¡­¡±


    Scanning through them, he said, ¡°Interesting. Let¡¯s see; typical vow of silence under threat of retaliation by the Crown. Protection of your anonymity¡­ Canceled trial... The Count¡¯s rank was revoked, and he¡¯s now a Baron pending investigation. Furthermore, Lady Lloyd confessed under truth spell that she directly served the [Dark Lord]. In addition, Lillia¡¯s an officially recognized [Baroness] by the Queen now? Wait, what!? Not only was Lillia given a tithe and land, but the Queen gave you the rank of Count? The Kingdom of Rigrath is officially recognized as a solid ally, and the Dukedom of Howderwhit is given better trading terms than even its ruler the King of Winston? The B-Adventuring group Generic Crew got a commendation and a royally-sanctioned title? Olaf is going to be over the moon. His group¡¯s practically Noble now¡­ Just what did you do? The Queen literally rewarded everyone involved with something that would take decades to achieve!¡± Disbelieving the information, Howard rubbed his eyes and re-read the scroll to make sure he wasn¡¯t dreaming.


    Calming himself, Howard handed the scroll back. ¡°You know, at this point, it¡¯s not even possible for you to deny that you played a much larger role in this than anyone else even suspects. What did you do? Kill one of the [Dark Lord]¡¯s primary servants? Wait, did one of your discoveries finally pay off?¡±


    ''More like I discovered a conspiracy, took out a kingpin of the [Dark Lord], discredited the Church, created a weapon that takes out Immortal Servants of the [Dark Lord] like the Death Wraths¡­''


    Tapping the top of the scroll where a small circle was, James held his finger there for a minute before a slight beep was heard. Then, the scroll split into several pieces, each one corresponding to a specific person¡¯s orders. Setting the others¡¯ orders by the door so they could grab them on the way out, James shrugged. ¡°I did not have any illicit relations in this affair, the battle at the Crypt of Saints. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for my customers. Thank you.¡±


    Howard gazed at James in confusion. James winked.


    Unbeknownst to everyone, a glowing red butterfly gently flapped its wings as it shook off the waste liquids that had surrounded it at its birth. Waving its antennas curiously, it examined the dim laboratory it found itself in. Suddenly, it sensed something quite interesting¡­ Leaping into the air, it flew up the stairs, out the door, and toward the field behind James¡¯s house where an adolescent wyvern perked up upon noticing something approaching. And so, one of the most historical games of tag to ever occur began.

 Chapter 21: Sleeping Beauty

    Kira yawned, stretching out her long arms. Kicking aside her blankets, she froze. Hadn¡¯t she been about to die? How was she here? She¡¯d flared her |Berserk| and |Ancestral Linkage| Skills, which would have exacted a great toll on her immediately after combat ended¡­


    The memories came rushing back to her: fighting madly for their lives in that dark place, knowing that her time had come, James saving her from the last Mimic by literally falling from the ceiling. Shuddering, she suddenly panicked. James! Had he been okay? Their kidnappers definitely wouldn¡¯t have let them escape so easily. She¡¯d failed him as a [Maid]; she hadn¡¯t been able to see to his daily needs because who knew how long she¡¯d been unconscious, not to mention that she hadn¡¯t been able to even take care of herself. In fact, what if James had wasted much of his precious resources to save her? She knew what type of condition she¡¯d been in; people did not come back from that.


    Rubbing her eyes, Kira squinted around the room, trying to figure out where she was. She relaxed when she saw Diana¡¯s bed next to hers. The [Knight] appeared to have already gotten up though because her bed was already orderly made. Instead, James sat on a chair between the two beds reading a book beneath the late morning sunlight. With her keen sight, Kira could tell that the title was Philosophy of the System: An Anecdotal Analysis of the [Repair] Spell.


    She puffed her cheeks. That title sounded so boring; how could James be more interested in that silly book than her? Much to her delight, James set down the book upon hearing that Kira was awake and smiled at her. ¡°Morning, Sleepyhead.¡±


    Kira grinned happily as a flood of messages poured into her head now that she could focus on them. She hadn¡¯t even been able to closely examine the cool Skills she¡¯d gotten for killing that demonic bear: the kidnapping had taken all of her focus at the time, not to mention that she¡¯d been restrained and unable to test their effects without attracting notice. Now, she reviewed it all again in detail. Like always, she could glimpse some of the System¡¯s Timestamps, revealing how and why she¡¯d received the System Notifications.


    Error! Failed Requisites for [Maid] Class.


    Level 34->33 (Failure to attend to Master)


    Level 33->32 (Making Master worry)


    Warning! Skill Regression!


    |Timeliness (Adv)|->|Timeliness (Int)|


    Kira frowned. Her [Maid] Class was very important to her because it let her better see to James¡¯s needs. For a second, she felt a flash of worry that James might start looking for a new [Maid] if she truly regressed too much in level, but the warm smile James shot at her right then made her realize her worries were ridiculous. While James ran his thumb over the back of her hand, Kira realized a smile matching James¡¯s was plastered onto her face. Comforted once more, the Hersha turned toward the rest of the System¡¯s Notifications.


    Bombardier:


    Level 27->28 (Defeating Demonic Bear)


    Level 28->29 (Bonus for Combat Domination)


    Level 29->30 (Defeating Immortal Being: Death Wrath Oliath)


    Level 30->31 (Defeating Immortal Being: Death Wrath Ilath)


    Level 31->32 (Defeating Immortal Being: Death Wrath Philth)


    Notice: You have attracted the gaze of the gods for being the first to slay an Immortal Being in over three decades. For slaying three brothers of pure evil formed from the deceased souls of the fearsome [Necromancer] brothers who sought to raze the continent three millennia ago and were slain by the Hero of Light, Valencia, you have earned the favor of the Gods.


    Awarded Skill: |Divine Fortune|.


    The angels cast their eyes on you and are more willing to aid you in your time of need.


    Notice: Fuse |Delayed Fuse| and |Timeliness (int)|->|Perfect Timing|?


    Kira paused, considering the option. Turning to James, She was about to ask for his advice when he interrupted, ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to ask, and as I¡¯ve said before, it¡¯s your choice. Besides, they¡¯re Skills that you¡¯ve earned.¡±


    Purring happily as James reached over to rub between her ears, Kira focused on her conundrum. Finally, she decided that she wanted it. Immediately after she¡¯d solidified her choice, she heard in her mind:


    |Perfect Timing| Gained! Notice: You can no longer access the Skills: |Delayed Fuse| and |Timeliness (int)| ????????


    Kira frowned. Reportedly, question marks sometimes occurred when the System encountered something it wasn¡¯t meant to¡­ She shrugged. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d encountered something like this. After all, the [Berserker] Class was usually filled with question marks.


    Skill Gained: |Self-Bomb Status Immunity (Int)|


    Skill Gained: |Strengthened Throw (Adv)|


    Those two skills were pretty obvious and very handy. They would definitely help assure her whenever she had to use mist bombs.


    Skill Gained: |Winds of Fate|


    Kira frowned. That sounded almost like a [Mage]¡¯s Spell Skill. Now, she felt a bit worried because she really despised the idea of studying all day to become a [Mage]. Who would take of Master James then?


    Skill Upgrade: |Warrior¡¯s Awareness|->|Warrior¡¯s Intuition|If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Her tail curled. This was exactly the type of Skill that would let her better protect James! Now, she¡¯d be able to better sense danger around them. Kira had to admit that getting Levels was a bit like opening presents¡­


    With a bit of trepidation, she focused on her final Class before yelping in shock.


    [Berserker] Class


    Level 18->19 (Mimic Battle)


    Level 19->20 (Mimic Battle)


    Level 20->21 (Surpassing Limits in Battle)


    Warning: Class [(Hershan) Berserker] has been consumed by ????. All Class Skills have been lost.


    She fell silent for a bit. That had been the first Class that she¡¯d had since as long as she could remember. [Berserker]s were born classes, one of the few hereditary ones that acted much like how Nobles¡¯ Bloodlines did. It was one of the few things that connected her to the parents she¡¯d lost when she¡¯d been enslaved. A tear unknowingly fell from her eye.


    James started speaking while stretching his neck, not looking at her, and, thus, not noticing her current sorrow. ¡°Hey, Kira. I¡¯m sorry, but I had to use a bit of¡­ some special blood to invigorate your vitality. You were in a bad shape back there¡­ Anyway, you might see some effects in your Class. I¡¯m not quite sure what dra- the blood will do. I¡¯m really sorry if something happened. On the other hand, it looks like it¡¯s more than taken care of your dietary needs while you were unconscious...¡± He trailed off when he saw the tears in her eyes.


    The gears in Kira¡¯s mind turned. ¡®Dra?¡¯ Kira thought a bit more, remembering the countless trips James had made to the Queen, coming back with small boxes that had smelled suspiciously of blood. The only creatures kept in the Queen¡¯s Castle were the Royal Wyverns¡­ and the Royal Dragon, which wasn¡¯t really a creature nor kept in the Castle but rather a guest. Her eyes widened. No other creature but a dragon could provide the blood necessary to save her from what her condition had been, and not even a dragon¡¯s normal blood would do: James had sacrificed the blood essence of a dragon to save her!


    Update: Class [(Hershan) Berserker] has been consumed by Dragon¡¯s Blood Essence.


    Kira leapt forward to hug James. ¡°Master, thank you for saving this one¡¯s life. This one truly appreciates what you¡¯ve done for her. I¡¯ll never be able to repay your kindness. No matter what happened, I know you did what was best for me.¡±


    James awkwardly patted Kira¡¯s back. ¡°There, there, it¡¯s not like I could just leave you there! You¡¯re family.¡±


    Kira wiped away the misty figures of her family, replacing them with James¡¯s smiling face. New tears of happiness shone in her eyes as she gleefully kissed the stubble on James¡¯s cheeks. Calming down in his warm embrace, Kira continued looking through her System Notifications.


    Notice: Dragon Blood Essence has stimulated Hershan [Berserker] Bloodline!


    [(Ancestral ???) Berserker] Class Gained!


    Converting [(Hershan) Berserker] related experience.


    Level 1->Level 7


    Gained |Berserker¡¯s Skills|: |Bloodlust|, |Berserk|, |Ancestral Linkage|, |Hack|, |Fast Healing(Int)|, |Enhanced Strength(Adv)|, |Berserker¡¯s Will|, |Basic Warrior¡¯s Skillset|


    Gained applicable Skills from original [(Hershan) Berserker] Class: |Blood Rites|, |Pain Resistance (Adv)|, |Status Resistance (Int)|, |Great Slam|, |Fearsome Roar|, |Fur Armor|, |Brawl|, |Tear|


    Gained Skill: |Eye of the Tiger|


    Gained Rare! Skill: |???|


    While the loss of the [Maid] Levels had upset her a little initially, Kira felt blissful by the end. After all, she had Leveled again! And so many times to boot! In fact, gaining five levels from a single Combat experience was almost unheard of. Just who were those three black figures she had defeated so easily? It was a bit strange that the System would reward such an easy Combat Situation so highly. Well, that Rare Skill she¡¯d gotten was unspecified, but she¡¯d figure out what it was eventually. Normally, Rare Skills were extremely useful and powerful.


    James whispered into his [Maid]¡¯s furry ears. ¡°You ready for the Lake Festival?¡±


    Kira jerked upward, almost hitting him. Her eyes wide, she eagerly asked, ¡°When is it! Did all the days pass by when I was unconscious? Wait, oh no! Did we miss the trial?¡±


    James chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. The Queen helped out with that. You were unconscious for two days, so the Lake Festival¡¯s already tomorrow. Maybe you should try to go on Quests more so that time passes by faster.¡±


    Kira stuck out her tongue. ¡°And leave you to take care of yourself? Please, Master. Have you looked at yourself? You look like you¡¯ve lost a whole stone¡¯s worth of weight!¡±


    James coughed dryly. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I learned how to cook perfectly well in college back at my homeland. In fact, can you smell that delightful aroma coming from downstairs? I cooked lunch a while ago. You can have some if you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    Kira raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, really? How come I¡¯ve never heard of this college? And don¡¯t just claim like you always do that it¡¯s because your homeland is in a really far away land. Why don¡¯t you try to cook dinner tonight then? Hmm¡­ Put some action behind your words. I¡¯ll watch from the side.¡± She smiled while nestling her head beneath his chin. ¡°This poor [Maid] needs to recover. Don¡¯t feel any need to feed me with your cooking though; I remember the last time you set fire to the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we promised not to bring that up! I guess I¡¯ll have to torture you until you decide you¡¯re healthy enough to cook then!¡± James tickled the delightful feminine figure in his grasp as she giggled hysterically, writhing in his lap, causing a natural tent to form in his pants. Nearly falling out of the chair, Kira coyly turned toward James. ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯ll do it, but only if you sleep the afternoon away with me.¡±


    Glancing at his watch, James kicked off his shoes and picked Kira up. Setting her onto the bed, he crawled in with her and raised the covers. A few minutes later, Diana nearly dropped the pan she had just finished frying as she heard some loud moans from upstairs. A blush crept up her cheeks, but she stamped her feet as Howard laughed out loud.


    Her hair still glistening from taking a shower after her time with James, Kira happily lay a dish on the table, her tail wagging back and forth happily. Looking at the delicious food on the table, she paused, seeming to remember something. ¡°Wait, James; where¡¯s Jeffry?¡±


    James''s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, I forgot to feed him the last few days with all the kidnapping business.¡±


    Diana winced at that; she couldn¡¯t get over her guilt about that. She hesitantly opened her mouth, ¡°Actually, I fed him this morning. He hardly even looked at the food though¡­ I wanted to help Kira out since it¡¯s my fault she couldn¡¯t take care of Jeffry. Kira and James and, I guess, Grandfather, I¡¯m really sorry for going on that Quest and making you all worry.¡± Diana glanced down, afraid to see how the others reacted.


    Howard gently smiled. ¡°I could never be mad at you, Granddaughter. You were trying to be a [Knight], but you¡¯re still young. A [Knight] has more duties than just charging after every evil he or she sees. Take it as a learning experience.¡±


    Kira hugged James and whispered something in his ears. James reached over and grabbed Diana and Kira¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯m just glad that you¡¯re both safe.¡±


    Kira warmly smiled, embracing James. With a purr, Kira said, ¡°And I¡¯m just happy we can all eat together!¡± Diana awkwardly watched the pair of huggers. Suddenly, Kira pulled the [Knight] in as well, making Diana yelp in surprise.


    After a moment, James cleared his throat. ¡°Dinner¡¯s getting cold.¡± The four sat down and began their own private feast, celebrating the success of a Quest, good business, friendship, and a hopeful future.

 Interlude: Report 2

    Report no. 2:


    Day: 1080


    You know that feeling you get when you know something bad is about to happen, but you don¡¯t yet know what? While she was a mere a sweet young girl who was at that budding age, I got that feeling the second Howard¡¯s granddaughter, Diana, stepped into my home. At first, things had seemed fine. She had spent the first night well enough, but then that girl beat up a group of aspiring Adventurers. That was when I had started actually seriously considering that sinking suspicion. While Diana has a sort of elegance about her, it serves as a veneer over her more brash personality hidden underneath. Then again, as a wise person from centuries past once suggested, ¡°It¡¯s the mad ones who dare to act who can cause change.¡± While she¡¯s on the rash side, Diana does have an admirable sense of justice that seeks to protect the innocent¡­¡±


    Nevertheless, it seems that because of this harebrained Adventure, the years of training and restraint Kira exhibited in order to conceal the true lethality of her fighting prowess all went to waste. Still, at least, she can now try to slowly transition into some type of [Warrior Maid] Class as she begins to accept fighting as part of her roles. Still, I dislike thinking even of this silver lining as a stroke of good fortune. After all, I¡¯d honestly prefer if no one I cared about had to actually fight: the poor Hershan girl was almost killed by Adventurers the very first time she |Berserk|ed in order to save my life.


    I don¡¯t even know how Diana managed to convince Kira to participate in a Quest. While Kira might not be able to do complex engineering problems, she¡¯s usually extremely street smart and follows my rules to the letter. I suppose that¡¯s a bit of my fault though because I was distracted and didn¡¯t pay enough attention to her. Still, I¡¯m a bit surprised. Even though I¡¯m glad she took one of my sealed creations because it saved their lives, normally, Kira absolutely refuses to even bend the rules despite my telling her multiple times that I¡¯d rather she be safe than keep the inventories stocked. Still, I guess I got some valuable field testing that so impressed the Queen¡¯s agents that I received more orders from the royal crown. What ends well is well, I guess.


    Oh, that¡¯s right. I haven¡¯t even explained how this mess was even made in the first place. It truly is a whole sequence of unfortunate coincidences. Somehow, Kira forgot all the training I¡¯d paid for her to better integrate into society as a free Hersha and got into a conflict with a shop while looking for Diana who had wandered off looking for dresses¡­ Then, Diana was a dunce and ignored the etiquette training that had been drilled into her from childhood, landing her in a conflict with a well-connected lesser noble. I still can¡¯t believe that Kira couldn¡¯t just calmly ignore the harassment she received. Victim blaming is bad, but she really needs to consider the circumstances! Had she just talked to me about the problem, I would have easily deal with it. It¡¯s a bit frustrating, but I know that Kira has my best interests at heart. I couldn¡¯t even scold her because she had looked like she would cry. She probably hadn¡¯t told me because she had wanted to take care of it herself and not distract me. Sometimes, when she¡¯s not getting convinced by Diana to do stupid things, she¡¯s just too good of a [Maid] to consider the larger implications of her decisions. As a trades-master under direct service to the Queen, I have much closer ties to the throne than Diana¡¯s aunt, a foreign [Baroness] living under the grace of the Alliance¡¯s hospitality laws for ambassadors.


    Speaking of the Queen though, I¡¯m going to have to write up a report detailing my discoveries to her pretty soon. Sometimes, I hate this world because there¡¯s always more to do¡­ However, first, I¡¯ll be seeing to the festival. At this point, I¡¯m feeling quite clocked out: killing forgotten evils, saving girls, and discovering clandestine plots really makes for a full month¡¯s work. Even if that old dragon comes by, I¡¯ll ignore it if it¡¯s one my announced off-days. Actually, considering that the only reason he¡¯d come around is to collect my research notes, I think I¡¯ll ignore him either way. Thank god that the festival is soon, and then I¡¯ll be mostly free of my commitments to the city. I think a nice countryside escapade sounds perfect for evading a curious Queen¡¯s inquisition.


    Anyway, beyond the recent and soon-to-be celebrations, there¡¯s something stirring within the Kingdom of Natusha, and even someone as asocial as I am noticing it: taxes are rising, more refugees are appearing in the slums, the guards have become more aggressive. It turned out that most of my recent troubles were just parts of some plots enacted by the Dark Lord¡¯s minions. Apparently, this [Dark Lord] was a major figure at the turn of the last half-century, forcing the Kingdoms to unite into the Alliance in order to cope with his waves of minions. Largely thought to have been vanquished, if he¡¯s been biding his time and amassing his forces over the past thirty years, I shudder to think what he¡¯s capable of now. Luckily, since the Alliance has been carefully watching for any signs of his movements, his minions were rather restricted, preventing them from causing too much havoc.


    After getting Diana and Kira out of that mess, I let those espionage bastards take care of the cleanup and public relations. At least, the Hands don¡¯t know anything about my newer weapons besides for the fact that they work as extremely strong hallucinogens, disrupting one¡¯s concentration, which was effectively what held the Immortal Death Wraiths together. Seriously, out of all the forbidden concoctions, Kira had had to grab the aphrodisiac, the one that the Queen would probably love to have the most. There have been several rumors floating about the Castle that the Queen is rather desensitized down there, and based on how harshly these rumors are oppressed (the last nobleman to mention it found his head on a pike the next morning), I rather strongly suspect they¡¯re true. I¡¯m personally terrified just imagining what she¡¯d do if she could feel sexual pleasure again. How many of my cubes would she use for her own personal use in order to finally get off again?


    Also, I¡¯ve also recently noticed something strange going on with the master receiver. Before my home switched places with the tower of that old [Wizard] who used to live on this little hill by the city, it was primarily a maintenance shop that even met the basic requirements and certifications to repair simple military hardware. It had naturally retained some basic communications equipment even if they had become a bit obsolete in my native dimension by the point I landed in Interst. Fortunately, the soldiers left most of the technology around here untouched when they first captured me, so I¡¯ve been able to set up anti-teleportation arrays around here. With a bit of luck, no one else will be teleporting to here from my home planet¡­ I shudder to think of what a galactic warship could do to this innocent, virgin world. Surprisingly, I¡¯ve found that teleporting technology works pretty well in this world, which might explain how are dimensions were able to connect and switch our homes if both places shared important dimensional laws regarding teleportation.


    Since there is no military from my home here, I assume the ping is just something resonating with it, maybe some type of amplification crystal? I should look into that; it could be useful for setting up a massive communication infrastructure. Wait, now that I think about it, Jeffry was looking a bit red the other day¡­ Could he be sick? I really don¡¯t want to have to consult the stable master because that¡¯ll require approaching the Castle to which the Queen might already have returned. If she saw me, she might suddenly decide that That woman¡¯s terrifying, especially when you have information that she wants. If I told her how to extract that¡­ Well, I believe I¡¯ve already found an alternate method to produce something quite interesting that doesn¡¯t require dragon vitality that I feel will sate the Queen. Hopefully, she won¡¯t test my results too carefully; after all, even she would find it troublesome to request more dragon blood essence from the royal dragon or Marximus since they¡¯ve already paid their tithe.


    As for Diana herself, she¡¯s a cute girl. Overall, after some logic training to counter the ¡®standard¡¯ education of this world, I feel we can get along fine. Honestly, I have no clue how people perform complex spells, yet can¡¯t even do mathematics beyond basic arithmetic. Perhaps the System aids them? On that note, I¡¯ve been reading a really interesting book on that subject, Philosophy of the System: An Anecdotal Analysis of the [Repair] Spell. I¡¯ve jotted down some of the better passages in this journal entry in case I decide to come back and re-read them later.  Hopefully, now that all this hubbub is over, I can soon go back to my days of making lights and radios, but I fear that will not be the case with the current rate at which excitement pops up in my life. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Most intriguing, I think I¡¯ll try to work on finishing my motor prototype powered by an electric mana crystal and some copper spools to try to form an electromagnet of sorts. Now, complex robotics are actually possible due to the oil that I synthesized for my forbidden tank weapon that happens to work well with all kinds of moving parts. Honestly, I can already imagine the vast profits I¡¯m going to receive when summer hits next year, and I introduce the fan as a cooling machine.


    Attached Files:


    An Introduction to the System


    While in living memory, the System seems like it has been a permanent fixture of our world, that is very much not the case. Several of the older cathedrals from before the Grand Unification of the Gods contain records of pre-System times. In addition, some of the most ancient beings that still roam Interst such as the Ancestral Dragons have directly confirmed that there was a time before the System. Fascinatingly, there are no records of the System¡¯s arrival, and no God or ancient being wishes to speak to the younger generations of those times. Over the past centuries, there have been countless explanations for their silence. The two main factions are the Oligarchs who strongly argue that it¡¯s due to some type of Pact signed between all the great beings and the Hostile-Threat who argue that behind the System is a being of extreme power who can threaten even the Gods. Obviously, the Church, and thus, the general population, supports the second far more strongly. While this remains a fascinating topic for discussion, ultimately, the lack of relevant references prevents this author from divining any of the fundamental secrets of the System, so he shall withhold his judgment.


    Signed,


    Sir Rhodovis Yiplot the Third, [Archmage] of the Eastern Islands


    Chapter 1: How the Research was Obtained


    Much of the research referenced in this book was performed by the [Archmage] Ulinx Zifler almost three centuries ago around the Year 840. The [Archmage] founded a whole school into studying the System and how to best make use of Mage Skills. While much of his research was hidden by several [Archmages] during the Enchanting Wars back in the Year 1029 who, to this day, still refuse to share the valuable research because they¡¯re a$$es like the barely credible, idiotic [Archmage] Polinick, even they have admitted to the world that [Archmage] Zifler was one of the greatest magical researchers of his time.


    Anyway, after trading with some more generous [Archmage]s, I have successfully obtained a portion of Zifler¡¯s notes on his endeavors into researching the [Repair] Spell as well as its related Skills. Obviously, since I am writing a book on it, it is both fascinating and most enlightening. I have taken it upon myself to continue my research, which I will detail in the fourth chapter. (*Notes by James: By the third chapter, [Archmage] Yiplot goes into super esoteric mage terms and long rants every few pages about different [Archmage]s, especially Polinick. I found the first three chapters the most useful and interesting*)


    Chapter 2: On Repair-Focused Classes


    The brilliant observation [Archmage] Zifler noted was that while [Repairman] existed as a Class, they would never gain a [Repair] Skill as a spell. Instead, they gained [Repair], which gave them the ability to know of exactly how to fix objects and incredible skill at doing so.


    Moreover, someone who had learned the Repair Spell and had not been gifted it by the System would gain the option to gain the [Mage] Class, not the [Repairman] Class. This was actually first mentioned in [Archmagess] Yvlenna the Beautiful¡¯s Thesis on System Classes, another highly suggested read.


    To complete his research, Zifler needed to compare the magical and mundane forms of the [Repair] Skill. Fortunately, Zifler successfully found a Level 70 [Repairman] and wrote down his observations on how his [Repair] worked. With a few simple covers with a brush, a tattered book could be immediately fixed. At the time, the [Archmage] had been astounded because the [Repairman]¡¯s Skill seemed to rival the [Repair] Spell without costing any mana to the user. Thus, [Archmage] Zilfer had quickly recognized that the System might be able to turn regular commoners into beings rivaling true [Mage]s. While this was no new observation, I must point out that the [Repair] Skill Series, of both the mundane and magical kind, hold much potential because they are easily comparable. After all, there is no mundane version of a [Mage]¡¯s |Explosion|, at least according to this author¡¯s understanding. Nevertheless, commoner Skills can do amazing things: an [Archer]¡¯s |Perfect Shot| requires instantaneous calculations and predictions that even the most powerful [Archmage]s are incapable of prophesying¡­


    (*Note by James: The rest of this chapter mostly focuses on the superiority of [Mage]s over the other mundane Classes because all Mana-related Classes have some synonym of Mage in their names and the only way to gain Mana-based Skills is a Mage Class.*)


    Chapter 3: On the [Repair] Spell


    The [Repair] Spell has fascinated true [Mage]s for ages. How does the System know when to stop repairing a book? In fact, what does it mean to repair a book? Does it require wiping the information held within blank?


    Zifler began a series of rigorously controlled tests to determine the answers to these profound questions. For the sake of not coming off as a plagiarizer, I shall attempt to summarize his discoveries to the best of my ability:


    Effectively, he discovered that learning the Repair Spell without the System resulted in far greater control than learning it with the System because it was possible to control the extent of Repair as a learned spell. While those who used the [Repair] Spell from a Skill found they were largely unable to modify the Skill, [Mage]s who had learned the Repair Spell could do strange things like half-repair books. However, these half-repaired books would always have one half by completely clean and the other left tattered, implying the learned version of the spell does not act uniformly on an object, yet the [Repair] Skill in spell form works uniformly on objects. Close examination of the [Repair] Skill at work reveals that mid-way through the procedure, the object reverts to how it looked at a previous time. This has led Zifler as well as myself to believe that the Skill as a spell has a time component: an extremely difficult section of magic that no low-leveled [Mage] ought to be able to grasp.


    Most terrifyingly, an Ancient Dragon had been intrigued by this research and demonstrated that by casting the Repair Spell without a Skill, he could convert a book into a pile of sludge and then nothingness. The idea that taking the Repair Spell to its extremes could result in disintegration is startling and ought to garner more research, but the level of [Archmage] required for this kind of spell is exceedingly rare, making research a near impossibility.


    The rigidity and incredibly complex time component of the [Repair] Spell as a Skill provides support for the faction of scholars who believe there is some sentience behind the System aiding in the usage of Skills, explaining why Skills are significantly easier to acquire as compared to learning things on one¡¯s own.


    Next, [Archmage] Zifler examined how perception affected Skills. If a [Mage] cast a [Repair] Spell on a book in which he believed there was no information of any sort such as random scribbles lacking any form of language (even trashy romance novels counted as information), the book was [Repair]ed without any marks within its pages. However, if the [Mage] believed the scribbles encoded a secret message, the scribbles would be reproduced exactly in the [Repair]ed form of the book!


    Zifler thus concluded that the System and the Mage unconsciously communicated and worked together to determine how a Skill would behave! This simple idea would form his school of mages who believed that their perceptions affected the power of their Skills. While this famously caused several of his students to turn mad, it has also produced some of the most powerful mages in history such as the [Grand Archmagess of Death] Vivian the Lethal who remains one of the dominant figures in magic to this day. While the question of how the System communicates with our subconscious and how the System determines what a Skill should do remains relatively unresearched, I shall detail some of my forays into this subject in the fifteenth chapter. (*Note by James: the novel only has fourteen chapters. I¡¯ve also never seen any other books written by this [Archmage] Yiplot. In fact, he¡¯s only mentioned once in history for anything other than this short research he performed, which was when he led a protest against some of the practices of the local Church on the Eastern Islands. *)

 Chapter 22: Lake Festival

    Things settled down rather quickly once the Kingdom got involved, and the case was relatively hushed up, although the priests were banned from preaching in the markets. James suspected it was just one small part of wide-ranging concessions the Church had granted the Queen. Howard had convinced Diana despite James¡¯s denials that the best way for Diana to repay James for solving the mess was working to protect his shop like Howard himself did.


    Nevertheless, Diana got used to her grandfather¡¯s job rather quickly. After all, it was not exactly demanding. Most clients were locals coming to him for replacement power cores at a reduced cost compared to the item generators or general shops or just stopping by to talk about the weather or this and that. Even all the obscure races coming and going through James¡¯s shop failed to surprise the young [Knight].


    Every land had them, and they almost solely composed the entire population of certain nations. In this land, species other than her own comprised about thirty percent of the population. Most lived day to day lives like regular humans, only occasionally employing their unique talents for their jobs or personal lives. Like in most places, there was some animosity between the various groups, but decades or even centuries of cohabitation had led to relative acceptance.


    While she figured it was for the better, James worked a simple life applying his trade even if she wasn¡¯t exactly quite sure what it was other than apparently involving some [Craftsman] type Skills. She had never snooped around that workshop of his, and he always only worked in there, concealing his creations from the rest of the household. Over the near two weeks that she had lived there, he had not touched any of the things lying around on the first floor.


    The day of the Lake Festival, they ate a lighter than normal lunch since James had claimed they¡¯d be so bloated they¡¯d barely be able to return home. It was then that Diana finally asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been here about two weeks now, and I haven¡¯t ever seen you work on anything around here. Why¡¯s that?¡±


    James leaned back and sipped his coffee, chuckling at the thought. ¡°Wow, I haven¡¯t even thought about any of the clutter lying around the place for months. I used to keep everything that seemed to be my work downstairs. People kept breaking in and trying to steal anything of value even if it was usually nothing more than some loose Seedz or a bit of food. One day, I came up with the idea of leaving useless crap lying around that people would think was valuable because it would supposedly be my current advanced works. Ha! In reality, I went to the junkyard and paid the man there five hundred Seedz for some loose metal contraptions. I washed them, scattered them around, and have never had anyone try to break into my real workshop since.¡±


    Although a fair bit confused about how that actually worked, Diana did recognize a certain logic to his decision. It also made her truly realize that he was a very busy man. However, half his days he played with his pet wyvern Jeffry or went out drinking instead of doing anything that could be called work. Now, that she thought about it, Jeffry was a remarkably intelligent wyvern. She frowned: the giant scaled beast had been acting strangely lately, even refusing to play around with its prey like usual.


    She sighed. A pet that mirrored its master. Typical lazy men. ¡°So, what is the plan for today? Grandfather said he would watch the place today.¡±


    James glanced at Kira and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the Lake Festival. I nearly forgot today that it was about time until I talked to the Father at the church about hosting a festival. With all that¡¯s been going on, it seems like I planned it so long ago. Kira and I were going to go; she likes hanging around the fish stalls.¡±


    Kira chuckled and grabbed his arm, pulling him close to her. ¡°Master does not like fish, so the festival is one of the few times I get to eat some.¡± Kira purred as she rubbed her cheek against his arm.


    James pretended to frown but couldn¡¯t rein in his smile. ¡°She likes fish more than being with me when she is in heat.¡±


    Kira''s ears went flat on her head.¡°Master, nothing is better than being with you. Fish just come very very close.¡± She cheekily grinned up at him.


    James laughed, ruffling her ears, and noticed Diana blushing some. ¡°Anyway, I was thinking... Do you want to go? I really appreciate all the stuff you¡¯ve been doing around here for me.¡±


    Diana almost jolted in shock. ¡°Oh, sure. Should I wear this or?¡± She fidgeted, fingering an imaginary scratch on her armor.


    James inspected her in her armor. ¡°Wear what you¡¯re comfortable in. Also, that reminds me, I got something for you before you return home. I¡¯ll give it to you when you come back.¡± Diana couldn¡¯t help but wear a demure smile when she learned that James had thought of her.


    Diana changed into her summer dress quickly, almost trembling in anticipation while James and Kira hitched a pair of horses to a wagon. The animals seemed a bit unsettled by the cat beast-kin, but a bit of soothing let them continue relatively easily. Right before, they left, Diana handed Kira the dress she''d bought at the Skilled Seamstress, which rather closely matched the blue one she''d wanted to buy at The Threaded Mistress. While the Hersha had seemed rather surprised, it''d all been worth it when Kira had jumped up and hugged Diana, yelling, "Thank you!"


    Diana had worn a smile from that moment during the entire hour-longride to the lake where dozens of booths had been set up. Already, many enjoyed day games. By the time they finished unloading the wagons where the other wagons and horses had docked and greeting some of the milling citizens, Kira was already gone, scampering toward the direction her nose twitched.


    James unhitched the animals while Diana waited. As soon as he finished, James joined her. When he reached her, he whispered, ¡°Watch.¡± With a smirk, James shook a small pouch that had been tied to his waist.


    Diana quirked a brow. ¡°Spending money for me?¡±


    ¡°Haha. Only if you want.¡± James lightly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s Kira''s spending money.¡±


    Diana smiled in amusement upon seeing Kira racing back once she noticed the ringing pouch. The Hersha only skidded to a brief halt in order to grab it before dashing off again. Her whiskers twitching as she hurriedly wiped her lips with her wrists. Diana thought she heard the cat-girl singing about, ¡°Money! Fish!¡± as she disappeared into the meandering crowd that hurried to move out of the path of the cat-girl on a mission. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You really need to feed that girl more fish.¡±


    James shook his head. ¡°I offered, but she said that was what made the festivals so special for her. She gets to eat what she wants and enjoy everything like a normal person.¡±


    Diana paused to think on that for a moment, having to remind herself that Kira was a cat-girl. Her life span was limited to an, on average, fifteen years, and people normally treated her kind worse than slaves. She felt her voice catch. ¡°Not everyone would do that you know.¡±


    James sighed and tried to follow the pale orange streak dancing through the crowd.


    They moved into the rows of booths. Nearby, Kira already had two fishes skewered on a stick, chewing another in her mouth. She meowed happily, waving at them.


    ¡°A person is a person to me. I guess as long as I am viewed as a person I extend that same courtesy.¡± James rubbed the back of his head to think on that a moment. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why I dislike visiting the fortress. Those of my cast see me as competition, and those above me see me as nothing more than a tool.¡±


    Diana reflected on that as James stopped at a game booth with crossbows and point prize boxes. She felt a bit of regret; after all, she¡¯d been raised up to have similar if a bit more nuanced beliefs about commoners. James glanced at the [Knight]. ¡°Want to play?¡±


    Diana frowned. ¡°One of a [Knight]¡¯s general Skills is |Basic Arms|; it wouldn¡¯t be fair.¡±


    The tenant moved over to the two and saw James. ¡°Hark! It¡¯s Tom; here with a pretty lass this time. That¡¯s a change.¡± The two men lightly chuckled while Diana glanced down at her shoes.


    ¡°Thanks, Tom. Do my points still carry?¡±


    The tenant took a moment to reflect on the question before smiling apologetically. ¡° Sorry, Tom. I warned you last year that they don¡¯t carry over between years.¡±


    James raised his shoulders. ¡°Oh well, I guess I got to earn them again then. You still doing five shots for twenty?¡± The tenant nodded and James put a hundred Seedz coin on the board set up in front of the shooting range.


    James hefted a crossbow and aimed it at the targets. He nailed a twenty-point box with his first shot. Whooping and throwing a fist in the air, he focused down the length of the crossbow beam to line up his next shot. In his next shot, he hit a ten, and after a total of five shots, he had seventy-five points. Since the round had finished, the tenant reset the targets. As Tom finished the last of the five targets, James paused, noticing Diana¡¯s boredom. Handing the crossbow over to her, he gestured toward the targets.


    ¡°You sure? Wouldn¡¯t it be kind of cheating?¡± Diana glanced at Tom.


    ¡°Ha. Ha. Don¡¯t worry. Not even the [Hunter]s that come by once in a while win that easily. Tell you what, if you¡¯re so confident, why don¡¯t we halve your points,¡± Tom smugly replied.


    Frowning, Diana nodded. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    Taking it, she hefted it in her hands before glancing at the beam of the bow, running a finger along it to check for imperfections. Sniffing, she loaded a bolt, paused a moment, and flicked the trigger, nailing the five-hundred-point box that was barely bigger than a thimble. With the last four shots, she hit the remaining large number boxes, earning over one thousand points even with the half-point deduction. James was as speechless as the tenant. The tenant was a bit pale but sighed. After all, he had invited the loss by bragging about the difficulty of his little test. Little did he know that [Knight]s were often forced to use bows on targets three hundred meters away.


    ¡°You got that prize I ordered from last year, Tom?¡±


    The tenant took a moment, resetting the booth before going behind the tent and bringing out a stuffed horse doll. ¡° I don¡¯t know why you wanted something like this, but Tom, here is what you wanted.¡±


    He handed it to James who examined it a moment before looking at Diana. ¡°Here, you can have it.¡±


    She looked at it, puzzled, before taking it with both hands. ¡°Why are you giving me a children¡¯s toy?¡±


    James rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Well, where I am from, a guy gives the girl he is with the prizes he gets at a festival. They¡¯re supposed to be mementos.¡±


    Diana considered that and shifted the doll, now holding it in her arms nestled between her breasts. Smiling sweetly at him, she murmured, ¡°Thanks, James. I¡¯ll keep it.¡±


    They continued through the festival, stopping a few more times. Each time, the others would greet and be greeted by James with the name Tom. It was nearing the evening when they rested by the lake and rented a few fishing poles. After setting a few baited hooks, they approached the beach and surveyed the lake with their feet making ripples in the crystal clear water.


    Listening to the silence that somehow brimmed with the gentle hums of wildlife, James breathed in the nature. For all that this world was different, it was also beautiful.


    Suddenly Diana sent a wave of water toward him. With a yelp, James stumbled back, landing himself entirely in the lake and completely drenching his clothes. With a vengeful scowl, he shot toward her, dragging her down with him. Both giggled as their wet bodies rubbed against each other. Their clothes molded themselves to their skin, making them feel far closer than ever before. James noticed this before Diana and paused. Picking her up in a princess carry, he held her graceful body and lay her on the shore. Settling down next to her, he gasped, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I defeated the powerful [Knight] in the Great Splash Wars.¡±


    Laughing, Diana nudged him. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering. Why do you keep calling people Tom and getting called Tom back?¡±


    James laughed as he pulled out two sandwiches from a box lunch, an evening snack.


    Handing a wrapped sandwich to her, he explained, ¡°Well, that¡¯s a long story. I guess I should give the short version for now: it stems from the fact that I kept messing up peoples¡¯ names up when I first came here. That and people kept calling me Tom. It has a sort of cultural meaning in the Capital as a friendly stranger, so I started using it for others. Over time, the name¡¯s kind of evolved to mean friend or neighbor.¡±


    Diana unwrapped the sandwich, munching on the lettuce and ham. Swallowing, she asked, ¡°So, why did you not call me Tom when we met?¡±


    James took a bite, taking the moment to think. After a drink to follow it, he answered, ¡°Well, the only female I call Tom is Old Maid Tilly, not to mention that you asked for my name. It seemed rude to not offer proper introductions.¡±


    Diana recalled the encounter and realized that was true. She smiled and blushed lightly as they ate the rest of their food in silence. After eating, Diana leaned back to watch the clouds scattering as the royal dragon flew overhead, followed by four smaller dragons. James snorted. It looked like Marximus would have to deal with a few dragon brats while they visited their father. Hopefully, they¡¯d be enough to keep the red dragon distracted. Diana opened her dainty mouth. ¡°This is a strange land here. In my homeland, we hunt dragons.¡± James looked up at the family soaring past the fortress walls.


    ¡°In the land in which I was born, dragons were only stories. There¡¯s none of all this: the magic, the wonders, the...¡± James cut off, suddenly guilty.


    Diana rolled over to look at him in surprise. ¡°Really? It must be so strange your homeland.¡±


    Recovering from his brief panic, James relaxed on his back as well. ¡°Well, we have our own beasts and problems. Honestly, I like it out here. I¡¯d rather not go back given the choice, nor have them come here.¡±


    Diana turned to look at James. Strangely, he had a cold look on his face as if a dreadful thought had occurred to him. For a moment, she pretended not to notice, but he soon relaxed once more and closed his eyes. She smiled seeing him at peace again and closed her eyes as well.

 Chapter 23: Knight Together

    Diana startled awake, immediately noticing the fireballs exploding in the black sky like supernovas blessing the world. She instinctively reached for a weapon only to accidentally pat James who sat awake on the blanket they shared, his head craned toward the display. Seeing him with his distinct lack of fear made her realize that this was a show, not an attack. She relaxed as she scooted to his side.


    ¡°Awake, are we now?¡± Diana nodded as she lay her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°Are you opposed to us getting married?¡±


    Diana jerked her head, surprised by the question. ¡°Wh-what do you mean by that?¡±


    James scratched his chin, avoiding her gaze. He took a second to grasp for an answer. ¡°Well, now we that know each other a little, I need a wife, and your family wants you to find a husband from the sound of it. I¡¯m just saying that when we get you home, we should talk about it again. But, I think you should probably bring it up next time. I don¡¯t want to feel like I¡¯m forcing you into this. Every time things approach being, well, personal, you get all red-faced.¡± Diana angrily punched him in the arm while pouting. He only smiled at her while rubbing his arm, silently thanking that she¡¯d refrained from using one of her Skills.


    She paused. ¡°You¡¯re coming with us to Howderwhit?¡± A pang of eager anticipation rose within her.


    James looked at her in confusion. ¡°Why, of course. I needed to sell some stuff either way, and Howard did ask me to accompany him either way.¡±


    Diana cheekily smiled. ¡°But you¡¯re really coming from me.¡±


    Chuckling, James brushed a strand of stray hair away from her forehead.


    Diana paused, mulling over what he had said. ¡°Did you watch me while I slept? You didn¡¯t do anything, ungentlemanly did you? This isn¡¯t some terrible, misguided attempt to take responsibility, is it?¡±


    James shook his head. ¡°What type of person do you think I am? I closed my eyes for a few seconds and found you asleep, so I¡¯ve been sitting here all day. Just saying, if you were this tired, you could¡¯ve just stayed at home.¡±


    Diana blushed as she leaned back onto his shoulder, spectating as more fireballs exploded in the sky like brilliant, dying flashes of light. She whispered, ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    James smiled as her hand grabbed his. Wrapping his large hand around hers, he pulled her head to his chest.


    Someone pounced them from behind. ¡°Here you are! I¡¯ve been looking for you all day!¡± Diana felt Kira''s huge breasts on her back and shifted to the side to force the catgirl to slide off. However, this did not faze her much because she went to all fours and crawled into James¡¯s lap. ¡°Master, thank you for being so good to me.¡±


    Diana looked at her, ruffled for a moment before seeing the sincerity in the catgirl¡¯s eyes. At that moment, she realized that there was nothing Kira would not try to do for James. Diana felt a pang in her chest: this catgirl truly deserved to have James unlike her who was just a naive [Knight] trying to make her way through the world. He put a gentle hand behind Kira¡¯s ear and scratched gently, causing her to purr.


    Diana interjected, ¡°She really cares for you, doesn''t she?¡±


    James chuckled, watching Kira¡¯s contented expression. ¡°I guess she does. She¡¯s seen the others of her species. Even compared to those living in the town... I think everyone deserves better than life as a slave.¡± James then smiled at Diana who smiled as well. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes.


    His face suddenly soured, his cheeks reddening as a slurping sound was heard emanating from James lap. He coughed. ¡°I think we should get back.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Diana quickly stood, embarrassed, and hurried to board the wagon.


    Diana set the horses for the night and led a few pigs into Jeffry¡¯s pen before entering James¡¯s home. Normally, she¡¯d just offer the wyvern one, but he¡¯d been getting hungrier in recent days, his mournful eyes sending forlorn looks her way that would follow her back into the house if she didn¡¯t give him at least three. Shutting the door behind her, she paused, recalling the catgirl licking James¡¯s groin back by the lake and shook her head, trying to clear the memory from her head. Meanwhile, upon discovering the catgirl asleep in the back of the wagon, James had decided to carry Kira upstairs.


    She had barely managed to control the rampant memory when James came back downstairs. He quietly said, ¡°Sorry things got strange.¡±


    Diana blushed and looked away, the memories quickly flooding back. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I appreciate you taking this trip with me and my grandfather. I¡¯d hate to be ungrateful...¡±


    Diana started to move her dress strap off her shoulder. She snuck a glance toward where James was before and found him looking away.


    James spoke toward a corner of the room, ¡°I have respect for you, you know. How do you think this makes me feel?¡±


    Diana looked sad, and she remained painfully motionless. ¡°All I have to give freely is my body. A [Knight] repays kindness received.¡±


    Turning around to face her, James sighed. ¡°If you think this is how I want to be repaid, then you do not know me as well as I had thought.¡±


    Diana shed a tear upon hearing that. She hurriedly put the strap back on her shoulder, running a hand over her dress to appear presentable. Without saying anything else, James headed back upstairs. Diana watched, feeling rejected.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve noticed?¡±


    Diana jumped, startled by her grandfather speaking behind her with a sword in his hand.


    ¡°Grandfather, how long have you been there?¡±


    Pausing, she scolded. ¡°And what are you doing around here, sneaking around like some [Rogue].¡±


    Howard shook his head. ¡°Long enough. You should have known that he would not.¡±


    Diana turned and took a seat. Howard strode to the table as well and sat down.


    Holding back her tears, she choked, ¡°I am changing, Grandfather. No one ever told me how to handle these changes or how to deal with them.¡±


    Howard sighed and leaned his sword against the table. ¡°After he saved my life, I offered James my sword.¡± Howard tapped it as he examined it.


    ¡°Although I insulted him through the action, he was still grateful. He took my sword and said that when he gave it back, it would be a sword befitting a true [Knight]. Then he told me that he needed my help to protect his property.¡±


    Howard pushed the sword toward Diana. ¡°Bear this role for me. You¡¯ve already tried your hand at guarding his shop, but there¡¯s more to being a real protector than that. That is how you can begin paying your debt to him and pay mine while you¡¯re at it. I didn¡¯t get that sword back¡­ until today. James asked me to do with it as I saw fit.¡± Howard left unsaid that James had obviously meant it to be a gift for Diana.


    Diana felt her lips twitch upon hearing that. She grasped her grandfather''s sword and pulled it out of its sheath. She immediately felt the heat radiating off the blade. ¡°A flameburg? To make a sword out of intensely fire-attributed mana¡­ Or is it enchanted?¡±


    Howard shook his head. ¡°Well, this was a family heirloom I¡¯d been meaning to give you once you surpassed the first stage of the [Knight] Class at Level 20. It was originally a Plat sword, made of good reinforced dwarven steel with a minor Durability Enchantment but nothing else. Now, it¡¯s this. |Imbue Debuffs| does not work on it. |Mana Fade| and |Magic-Item Break| have no effect either. It¡¯s as if James fused the power of fire right into the blade.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be¡­ the sheer utility of such a thing...¡±


    Howard sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen amazing things in this house. From the showers you used to the inventions strewn about to the base¡­ well, nevermind. James was telling me about how he made it actually, something about a recent discovery involving liquified fire essence and purified blood¡­¡±


    Diana examined the blade before covering it back up. ¡°I have much to be thankful for and much to repay. Grandfather, thank you.¡±


    Howard nodded happily as he stood up. He rested a gentle hand on Diana''s shoulder before leaving toward his room. Despite having slept much of the festival, she felt she needed to rest in private and started heading upstairs behind him. Halfway up, she found James sitting there. He looked bored from waiting. ¡°Sorry, you two were talking, and I didn¡¯t want to interrupt. I¡¯m going to sleep in the shop. Kira is in a mood.¡± With a creak in the stairs, he rose and walked past her. It was almost as if he had forgotten what had happened earlier.

 Chapter 24: Travel Arrangements

    James rushed toward the last official¡¯s station to finalize the necessary documents for him to legally leave the city. So far, he¡¯d had to travel all over the city to purchase some of the final ingredients and complete the last few trade negotiations he¡¯d arranged before his trip.


    While most citizens could travel around Natusha Kingdom without notifying the Queen, major [Craftsmen] and people of interest to the Queen generally had to follow these procedures to assure that they were properly protected and that they didn¡¯t steal secrets sealed to Royalty and sell them while on their travels.


    Walking through the Capital¡¯s wide streets, he turned into a fancy building that had the Queen¡¯s coat of arms emblazoned on its front. Fortunately, there were avenues to complete the documentation without actually having a conference with the Queen. The last person he wanted to meet at this point because questions about his research would undoubtedly arise, and he feared giving a testimony about his faked experiment before her |Discerning Eyes|.


    Walking through the door, he waved at the portly [Receptionist]. The man grinned. ¡°Hey Tom, need some documents? Taking a vacation with that girl who came two weeks ago?¡±


    James chuckled. ¡°I was actually planning to marry her in her homeland and take a few goods to sell along the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, you young people are so quick to get married these days. Back in my day¡­¡±


    James patiently listened to the man¡¯s words while glancing around the room, admiring the multiple obvious enchantments coating the room, with doubtlessly tens more beyond even his discerning sight.


    The [Receptionist] closed his eyes and placed a hand on the information Artifact, checking the Kingdom¡¯s data on James. After a few moments, he opened his eyes in worry. This time, he actually used James¡¯s real name. ¡°James, you know the Queen keeps close restrictions on your ability to transfer vital technologies outside of the Kingdom¡­ I¡¯m going to have to pass your documents through the Queen. I¡¯m afraid you already know what the result will be though.¡±


    James frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not taking any of the larger pieces of equipment¡­ just a few gadgets to sell along the way.¡±


    With a sigh, the man threw up his hands. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll write a note for the Queen¡¯s Hands. They¡¯ll send an official to check the stuff you¡¯re trying to take out before you leave the city. Just a word of warning, if you don¡¯t wait for the official, the Queen¡¯ll probably put out a warrant for your arrest, so be sure to wait!¡±


    James nodded in thanks, placing the certificate in a bag at his side. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be seeing you around then, Tom.¡±


    The [Receptionist] tipped his head. ¡°Same to you. The Lake Festival was quite nice, by the way. My daughter really enjoyed it. If you want, I¡¯ll buy you a round when you get back from your trip.¡±


    While leaving the small building, James yelled back, ¡°Glad to hear it! And will do.¡±


    Once he left the more crowded streets where a pickpocket could approach him without him noticing, James checked his pouch of coins, weighing the leather bag on his palm. Hopefully, it would be enough to convince the [Stable Master] to take care of Jeffry. Whistling, James headed toward his home to drop off his acquisitions and grab some lunch before making the risky trek toward the outer reaches of the Castle. He frowned. Maybe he could get Diana to talk to the [Stable Master] instead? That way, he could avoid any chance meeting with the Queen¡­ if the woman found out what he¡¯d done¡­ He sighed, quickly discarding his foolish whimsies. The girl had never even been introduced to the gruff [Stable Master]. Who knew what type of troubles she¡¯d get up to there if he sent her alone?


    Walking down the lane toward his home, James glanced at a humming man stepping in sync with himself. James paused because he recognized this person. He was the [Shephard] who lived around a half kilometer from his home and tended to a small flock of sheep. They continued in a sort of awkward silence before James finally decided to greet, ¡°Hey, Ethan. How¡¯re the sheep doing?¡±


    The [Shephard] glanced at James somewhat suspiciously before asking, ¡°Has that lizard of yours been eating my sheep again?¡±


    A bit confused, James coughed. ¡°What? Jeffry is fed more than enough pigs every day to not need extra sustenance. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re just having problems with wolves or something.¡±


    The [Shephard] named Ethan sighed, setting down the stack of wheat he¡¯d been lugging on his back. Dusting off his hands, Ethan cooly glanced at James, appraising the engineer. Finally, he asked, ¡°Well, the people around here say that you¡¯re some type of miracle worker. Can you fix my sheep problem? Something keeps on eating them at night.¡±


    James paused. ¡°Uh, sure. I can probably design some moving scarecrows¡­ Actually, now that I think about it, what if Jeffry joined your flock?¡±


    ¡°The wyvern!? Are you crazy? He¡¯d eat my whole flock within a week!¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Shrugging his shoulders, James said, ¡°Well, I know you have that rare Skill to imprint animals with a herd to prevent the rams from fighting each other for dominance. Maybe you can convince Jeffry that he¡¯s a sheep?¡± James laughed at the thought.


    Ethan massaged the bridge of his nose. ¡°That¡¯s actually plausible; I can think of few things a wyvern wouldn¡¯t be able to defend them from, but taking care of a wyvern would be far too difficult, not to mention that if this plan failed, I¡¯d end up without a flock. Besides, what would the costs be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the [Stablemaster] to figure out whether it¡¯s possible, I guess. As for costs, I¡¯d just ask for you to keep an eye on Jeffry and the shop during the night. Nothing too serious or beyond what you¡¯d anyway do. I figure that if he has somewhere like a barn to actually sleep in that¡¯s maintained by someone, it¡¯d be better than having him able to roam free at night.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... I guess I could try it if you can get the [Stable Master] to suggest to me that it¡¯s a good idea.¡± Thanking him, Ethan split off a few hundred meters before James¡¯s house while James went up to his front porch and handed his bag to Howard, taking only his pouch of Seedz with him to the castle. With a gentle reminder for the old [Knight] to feed Jeffry a pig for lunch, James headed toward the Castle.


    A trickle of sweat dripped down his brow as James finally reached the outer levels of the Queen¡¯s fortress where the wyvern stable was located. He¡¯d forgotten how long this trip took because he usually just rode Jeffry to the stable¡¯s platform, but the wyvern had been looking a bit sickly as of late, so James hadn¡¯t wanted to push it.


    James glanced around the large stable while figuring out where the [Stable Master]¡¯s office was. Since most wyvern males of age were partnered with [Knight]s who would then become [Wyvern Rider]s, the stalls were mostly empty besides the few ¡°relief/sterile¡± females resting or the stable boys slowly cleaning the inevitable messes the wyverns created because the [Knight]s were undergoing their daily training. One senior [Stablehand] kept an eye on the hen den to prevent similar incidents to the one that had produced Jeffry in the first place.


    James ignored them all and made his way to the office area where the [Stable Master] was looking over some paperwork detailing reports of the total food consumption and other fees incurred by the group. What annoyed the middle-aged man the most was that one of the young dragons sired by Marximus had decided to have a snack and ate two of the young hens, costing the income of the eggs they would have otherwise produced.


    He only gave James a slightly irritated look before going back to the papers to figure out how to keep their losses from further piling. While the Queen would subsidize their farm, if he ran the stable inefficiently, they¡¯d all receive pay deductions. It was then that James dropped his pile of coins on the table with a noticeable clink.


    ¡°I am going to be gone for about six months, maybe a year. This will be for Jeffry¡¯s upkeep. If it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll settle accounts when I return. In the hopefully unlikely event that I don¡¯t, the Queen will reimburse you with my belongings.¡±


    With a poignant pause, the [Stable Master] set down the paper he had been examining and counted out the coins within the Seedz pouch James had deposited. A subtle grin flashed on his face: this was more than enough to solve their immediate problems. After all, the one thing they had extra of right now was food for wyverns since the two hens had met an untimely end.


    The man glanced over his papers, mentally adding up the costs using his [Basic Accounting] Skill, a staple of most Manager-like Classes. James patiently stared at the man, ignoring the various medals strewn about the room granted by the Queen for the Natusha Kingdom¡¯s [Wyvern Rider] whose many famed exploits were known throughout much of the Northern Continent of Interst. Tapping his wooden desk, the [Stable Master] finally decided, ¡°He can spend his days up here, but he can¡¯t spend the nights. The [Wyvern Riders] wouldn¡¯t have it. Space is pressed as it is for stalls. Any he sires will be split five for us and three for you. You can obviously choose to be reimbursed in coin rather than hatchlings. Is that acceptable?¡±


    James nodded, having expected as much. Still, he needed the man¡¯s confirmation to convince Ethan. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve found a job for Jeffry during the night as a sort of guard dog, which he has been trained to do with my home already. I just need some confirmation that Jeffry won¡¯t eat the sheep he¡¯s meant to guard¡­¡±


    The [Stable Master] frowned. ¡°Well, wyverns don¡¯t usually eat more than what they need to be full¡­ Still, I agree it¡¯s not a very safe proposition. Have you considered some type of muzzle?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not. I don¡¯t believe in that sort of thing.¡±


    Raising his hands, the [Stable Master] sighed before perking up. ¡°Wait, you said a flock of sheep? It wouldn¡¯t happen to be [Shepherd] Ethan¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, it is.¡±


    The [Stable Master] guffawed. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in luck then. Ethan¡¯s actually the [Apprentice] to the [Royal Beast Tamer]. While he doesn¡¯t know it, that [Imprint] Skill of his will more than handle it. The sheep¡¯ll recognize him as their alpha, and the wyvern will, if you and Ethan order it, be very unlikely to try anything. Although you¡¯ll want to test that first.¡±


    With a nod of thanks at the man¡¯s explanation, James mused on what to do for a few moments. With the protective wards and security forces he¡¯d contracted, his home would probably be more than well enough protected without Jeffry there to guard it. A little known secret was that Jeffry¡¯s barn with its outer pen-like enclosure was actually connected to his underground labs as a guard dog. While the wyvern had difficulty navigating through the rooms, he would still occasionally wander about the underground halls One might have thought that such a glaring security flaw would¡¯ve caused some problems, especially during the day when the wyvern was not there, but thieves avoided the ¡®dog¡¯ entrance because the Queen¡¯s Hands had only ever found the lower half of the last who tried to enter that way, not to mention the numerous wards that would incapacitate any organism that was not keyed to pass through. Jeffry was honestly just there to prevent corpses from rotting if they tried to invade.


    James agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll send word so that Ethan the [Shephard] knows of our arrangements. He¡¯s sort of house-sitting for me. He¡¯ll release Jeffry every morning and let the wyvern perform some of the duties I¡¯ve trained him to do. Then, he¡¯ll guide Jeffry to here. After the first few times, the old boy will probably just follow wherever he thinks his next meal is, so you¡¯ll have to transfer a few pigs down to the bottom of the hill for his supper every day to build up his habits.¡±


    The [Stable Master] gave a small smile, the Seedz filling his vision. ¡°Eh, that¡¯ll be fine. Actually, I might just go get him myself, at least until he gets the hang of it. I¡¯d hate to irritate a valued customer.¡±

 Chapter 25: Meeting with Marximus

    Hefting the final box onto the wagon, James turned to Diana. ¡°You got anything else you want to bring? I¡¯ve got the luggage you left downstairs and a few samples I can use to entice buyers along the way.¡±


    Howard slapped James¡¯s back, winking at Diana. ¡°Such a strong, responsible man! Don¡¯t worry though, Diana can handle herself.¡±


    Nodding at the old [Knight], James helped Diana and Kira onto the wagon while Howard settled in at the front. One of his [Knight] Skills was |Cavalry Affinity|, which let him expertly guide beasts of burden. Despite his relative age, Howard had happily agreed to take the job as the driver.


    James poked his head out, ¡°Howard, are you sure you¡¯ll be fine in that armor?¡±


    Howard laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master James. A good [Knight] is always prepared for anything. Besides, once we get moving, the breeze will keep me cool.¡±


    James pointedly glanced at Diana who was wearing a leather jerkin but wore no armor, wondering what Howard would think of his granddaughter¡¯s attire.


    Without looking back, Howard seemed to have known what had gone on and yelled, ¡°Some [Knight]s though find that armor interferes with certain civilian duties.¡±


    With a weary sigh, James turned to find Diana glaring toward the front of the wagon. Surprisingly, the girl hadn¡¯t blushed for once. She spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°Ignore him, please. He has some¡­ old fashioned values.¡±


    James grinned. ¡°I know how it is. My grandfather was much the same actually.¡±


    Diana quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh really? You¡¯ve never told me much about your family.¡±


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s try to correct that on this trip. And let¡¯s see, yeah. Well, I guess it¡¯d be pretty weird to you, but my father believed that men and women shouldn¡¯t have sex until they¡¯re at least forty and are married. Then again, the place I come from had a lot of crazy ideas like people who believed in only one god who was actually a trinity combined as one being. Although to be fair, even that religion was sorta dying out as technology began to supersede everything. No one really wanted to believe in something that wasn¡¯t visible.¡±


    Diana paused, gazing at him curiously before deciding to ignore the part about his father. Having sex for the first time at four decades of age? Even she thought that was crazy late; the odds of someone surviving to thirty-five were already just barely over half. ¡°How could there be only one God? Don¡¯t they know of the others? Actually, how can one being be three Gods? Wouldn¡¯t that make him the King of Gods or something? Also, how can people just stop believing in a good? Wouldn¡¯t they see all the miracles he performed?¡±


    James opened his mouth, closed it, and sighed. Then, he pulled out a paper and quill, preparing to attempt to succinctly explain the concept of Christianity.


    By the time, he¡¯d succeeded in moving on from the concept of Adam and Eve and had now begun trying to remember the differences between all the factions of Christianity, they¡¯d already approached the towering gates leading to the exit of the city. James popped his head out, hoping to find the emblem of the Queen somewhere nearby, indicating that an official of high standing was available to perform a check on his goods. Unfortunately, no such flag was present.


    Diana looked out from the side of the wagon as well. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    A collective gasp interrupted James before he could reply. Then, a shadow covered half the street, and people stared up at the sky, negating the need for him to answer.


    ¡°That. I suppose. Of course, the official had to be a dragon. Actually, of course, it had to be Marximus.¡± James now wished he¡¯d just gone to the Queen.


    After all, she, at least, was reasonable enough to just refuse to let him leave the city if he failed to provide useful research. Meanwhile, depending on his mood, Marximus could very well decide to have ¡°Toasted James¡± as a snack and maybe a few of his companions to make it a full meal.


    A red dragon thudded in the clearing just inside the gate, normally used to mount an active defense against invaders. As the dust settled, Marximus rumbled, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, little human? Your letter was rather¡­ insufficient.¡± Howard warily put a hand on his sword in case the dragon decided to take a hostile action. Diana did much the same, feeling the thrum of fire attributed mana around her flamberg.


    ¡°Little [Knight]s, draw those swords, and I¡¯ll raze your dukedom to the ground. Master James here is already on thin ice.¡±


    Howard gulped and apologetically glanced at James before removing his hand, but Diana kept her hand resting on the pommel of her sword.


    James frowned. ¡°Was a way to enchant weapons using blood not a sufficient amount of research?¡±


    The red dragon grumbled before morphing into his draconic form, standing on two legs at just eight feet tall rather than his previous clearing-sized dragon body. Even with Marximus¡¯s signature red scales and golden eyes, he could have been mistaken for a common drake, or rather, an old-blooded one due to the smoke rising from his nostrils. Nevertheless, the formidable aura that the dragon emitted made many spectators tremble and fully revealed his true identity. Pulling out a scroll from a pouch wrapped around his red body, Marximus threw it at James.


    Opening it, James realized it was a copy of the letter he had sent the Queen a few days ago detailing his research.


    ¡°The Queen received your latest data and was quite interested in it. To summarize, you discovered a simple way to provide enchantments by using beast blood and mana crystals. It¡¯s a shame that the dragon blood went to waste though because the enchantment works either way. Even normal beast blood suffices so long as it¡¯s from a sufficiently advanced creature. Still, are you sure the creation of the fire elemental failed?¡±


    James carefully kept any traces of falsehood from his voice. After all, he might even be able to pass a truth-seeking Skill since he was just lying by omission by refusing to mention the creation of Bloodline-quality blood. ¡°I believe I observed the formation of an elemental as my notes showed that some of the vitality appeared to be congealing with the fire elements into something animate¡­¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Well, the Queen received your latest data. To be honest, you might want to consider buying her a present or presenting her with some new interesting research the next time you see her. She was actually a bit miffed that you were too scared to return and report on your findings.¡±


    Nervously smiling, James bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that the Queen deemed my research interesting and important.¡±


    Marximus in drake form waved his claws. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Still, we both agreed as your sponsors that you deserved a reward. Since you fled though, it¡¯ll be a fair bit less in order to incentivize you to never hide away again.¡± He handed over a bag of holding that seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.


    Hastily reaching inside, James discovered that it contained two rings. James whistled in surprise. Despite his insensitivity to magic, he could sense the mana radiating off these simple bands, not to mention that the vast space within the bag of holding made it clear that it was of high rank. The dragon smiled. ¡°While your innovations aren¡¯t up to pure with [Archmage] work or even comparable to [Dragonmage] work, they do represent a great step in the history of enchantment. My wife and I offer you our most sincere congratulations for both your discovery in science and in love. It was meant to be a wedding present, crafted by a true high-ranking enchantment, and, thus, one of a kind.¡±


    While saying all this aloud, Marximus sent a telepathic message to James. ¡®We both know that something very different occurred. I want to know what really happened. I replicated the experiment myself and obtained some rather interesting results¡­ I¡¯d like to hear your side of the story first.¡¯


    James hesitated, due to his body¡¯s unique constitution, he was unable to use magic, so the only way he¡¯d be able to respond would be through directly saying his results. The dragon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Ah yes, I forgot that little conundrum about you. It¡¯s quite interesting though that you¡¯re so easily squished, yet so¡­ impervious to more advanced methods.¡±


    With a few muttered words, the dragon |ward|ed their surroundings, preventing nosy eavesdroppers from listening in. James hesitated before figuring that he might as well tell the truth if the dragon knew of the results already. While truth spells would fail on him, Skills that allowed the user to better read facial expressions or become more perceptive certainly would still function at perfect capacity. When dealing with a centuries-old dragon who had a wealth of Skills and Artifacts at hand, it simply was not worth the risk. ¡°I purified beast blood using dragon blood as a catalyst for removing pure Bloodline quality blood from organic liquid fire essence. Also, I observed the transformation of vitality into nature magic, which created the explosion I mentioned before.¡±


    The dragon hummed. ¡°For this, I will not punish you. While I¡¯m allied with the Queen, I too do not deem such knowledge good in her hands. Who knows what humans would do if they learned of this secret. Perhaps, the times of Dragon Hunting would begin once more.¡±


    James scrunched his brows, trying to remember what Dragon Hunting entailed since dragons were literally some of the most powerful beings in existence.


    Noting James¡¯s confusion, the dragon snorted out a puff of smoke. ¡°Human, if you have questions, just ask. At the very least, an inquisitive mind should never be afraid to question. Basically, even a dragon will falter before a Kingdom, and some of the great heroes of mankind have been a match for many a dragon¡­¡± Marximus scowled and shook his head, trying to wipe away the memories.


    ¡°As for that transformation¡­ Hm. It would explain the explosion I observed. I suppose that transforming the fundamental building blocks of life could excite the mana enough to cause an explosion of that level. I see why you took that out though. Neither the Queen nor I would¡¯ve been very pleased to hear you wasted all the dragon essence because of a flimsy vial.¡±


    Something about the way Marximus commented on his true research drew James¡¯s suspicions. Staring at the red dragon, he asked, ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d already done this experiment?¡±


    The red dracon chuckled. ¡°No, please. Even I am unwilling to easily part with that much essence blood. I knew you lied because you didn¡¯t mention the mess you made. While I was scrying, I noticed that your concealed lab was dangerously messy and that broken vials littered the floor. You can thank me for cleaning that up for you, by the way. The ambient mana alone could have blown up half your labs. Well, I suppose that your two feats of keeping this hidden from the Queen and presenting me with interesting ideas to think about shall spare you the sin of keeping a few droplets of dragon essence to yourself. I saw that too on one of my rounds, you know. That was almost ten droplets!¡±


    Suddenly, everything became clear. James thought to how his memories had seemed mysteriously altered, and how the room had been cleaned before Howard had found him to notify him of Kira and Diana¡¯s disappearance. Still, that was all besides the point; he glared at the dragon. ¡°Why were you spying on me? And, did you alter my memories? Actually, how¡¯d you even do that; that¡¯s supposed to be impossible according to your previous studies.¡±


    The dragon looked affronted and stared at James. ¡°Why I¡¯d never try to scramble anyone¡¯s memories. I¡¯d just kill and eat them if it came to it.¡± Sniffing at the attack on his dignity, Marximus then paused, examining James curiously. ¡°Wait, you said you lost your memories?¡± Feeling a slight prickly sensation, James knew the dragon was conducting some sort of appraisal, probably to determine whether there were any lingering malignant effects on himself. James shivered beneath that gaze: it felt as if the dragon were trying to delve into his deepest secrets by carefully examining each molecule composing his body. After several minutes of this uncomfortable scrutiny, the dragon exhaled a long plume of smoke. Marximus opened his mouth. With a serious gaze, the dragon mused, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do anything, but you¡¯re right: there¡¯s a very distinct flavor of mana about you¡­ When you were first introduced to me, you definitely did not have such a thing¡­ In fact, all mana surged away from you.¡±


    Deeply sniffing James, the dragon noticed something before quickly scanning each of the party members in the wagon.


    With a confused frown, Marximus commented, ¡°You smell different¡­ the Hersha is also different, but not in the same way¡­ You smell like a dragon but not. She smells like something¡­ other, something I only know of through |Ancestral Memories|. How can this be?¡± Suddenly, the drake¡¯s muscles all tensed, revealing the full extent of how ripped this dragon¡¯s form was. Marximus stared west, toward James¡¯s home. ¡°Interesting; I can now see how this could have all come to pass.¡± the dragon trailed off, clearly getting distracted.


    The red dragon smirked and growled at James. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll owe me something the next time we meet. While I don¡¯t know what you and that lizard are, your cat girlfriend¡¯s Bloodline can only come from one thing¡­ awakening after being invigorated by another ancient bloodline. In this case, my dragon essence. You owe me her life.¡±


    James frowned, wondering how to deal with this. Kira, he understood, but why did Jeffry and he appear different to Marximus? Perhaps, constant exposure to the blood essence had altered their physiologies in some way? That ought to have been impossible though because he was immune to mana. After all, Jeffry did occasionally patrol the basement by entering through the trapdoor in the barn. James tapped his lip. He couldn¡¯t remember whether he¡¯d locked it since only Jeffry really used it as it had originally been meant to provide the Queen easy access to his labs from the landing pavilion at the barn. It¡¯d be fine¡­ probably. The basement wards and Jeffry¡¯s vigilant guarding would keep away all but the most tenacious thieves. James refocused back onto his current problems; he still had to convince Marximus not to eat him.


    Suddenly, Marximus flinched before grumbling something beneath his breath. Then, the red dragon seemed to imperceptibly pale and deflate. Apologetically facing James, the red dragon complained, ¡°Sorry, Thalia is requesting I help out with the kids again, and she isn''t taking ¡°no¡± for an answer. Well, I guess you¡¯ll figure out how a wife can ruin your life pretty soon!¡±


    James watched in bemusement as the once fearsome dragon now revealed himself to be a henpecked husband. Marximus leaped into the air, sending gusts of dirt billowing around the gate before turning back to the Castle.

 Interlude 3: Jeffry the Shrinking Wyvern

    Jeffry¡¯s stomach grumbled. He didn¡¯t quite know what had recently been going on, but he did regret eating that red butterfly that had landed on his nose just a few days ago. Ever since then, nothing had seemed quite right. James had disappeared and turned into the next-door neighbor who smelled suspiciously of sheep. Normally, Jeffry would have assumed that James had simply left, but old James had done something very confusing. Before transforming, old James had pointed at new James and ordered, ¡°He is now Master James. Follow him, okay, Jeffry?¡± Jeffry had taken this to mean two things: that he should follow new James¡¯s orders and that new James was actually just old James in disguise.


    Thus, Jeffry would never dare to take the tiniest of bites out of this new James. Humans could get very aggressive about losing even small amounts of flesh. Shuddering, Jeffry remembered the one- and only-time old James had truly screamed at him when he had bitten James¡¯s thumb back when he¡¯d been just a chick out of the egg. Thinking of sheep, Jeffry licked his lips; he was very hungry. He longingly gazed at the small white fluff balls roaming about the field new James had left him in. While they looked tasty, Jeffry treated these sheep like his pets. No matter how tasty a dog was, you just didn¡¯t eat it.


    That was something Jeffry¡¯s new thoughts had told him: that these sheep were pets meant to be guarded rather than eaten. Somehow, he also knew that if he brought back wolf corpses, he¡¯d be rewarded with something much better than a sheep. However, Jeffry felt a bit suspicious of these emerging thoughts because he strongly suspected that new James had something to do with them. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t sure because there was that confounding effect from eating that butterfly. There were a lot of things he¡¯d never even thought of before he¡¯d eaten that butterfly that had foolishly landed on his nose. Actually, if he really focused on that hazy time before he had eaten that butterfly, he could only remember a few things like eating, following James¡¯s orders, and sleeping.


    Jeffry thoughtfully hummed while watching over his pets. One of the white fur balls with extra big horns came over and licked his leg. Snorting a puff of fire, he sent it scampering away. That was another thing that had changed; once, that would have resulted in little more than a few sparks. Truly, he had turned into a fearsome alpha wyvern. None of the other wyverns back at the other nest at that stone place with lots of humans had such strong fire! Now, Jeffry turned to focus again on his most pressing problem: his gurgling stomach. Recently, he¡¯d had to eat much more, sneaking in a few pigs whenever that big man up at the castle wasn¡¯t looking, but he felt like he had still been losing strength over the past few days. In fact, he wasn¡¯t quite sure, but he believed that that big man who smelled a bit like a wyvern had actually been growing at an alarming rate. The other option, that he¡¯d been shrinking in recent days, was absolutely absurd. Healthy wyverns did not shrink!


    His stomach grumbled. Now, he truly appreciated the efforts old James had undertaken to provide for his food. How had old James been able to find enough food to feed himself, his harem of mates, and Jeffry? Old James must¡¯ve been some type of apex hunter. New James was¡­ soft. Jeffry had never seen new James bring any food to the sheep, just letting them roam around different patches of grass like useless herbivores. Real beasts ought to hunt!


    Jeffry carefully observed new James warily approach with a pail of water. Jeffry rumbled in greeting.


    ¡°Here we go, big boy. Woah, there! No need to show your teeth. Just let me know if you want anything else.¡± Jeffry quizzically listened to this new James¡¯s words that seemed to contain a trace of apprehension toward the wyvern. While Jeffry could now recognize that humans had a special form of communication with each other, Jeffry had yet to crack the secret to their primitive non-chemical language. Didn¡¯t these humans know that you could tell almost anything about another just from the scent of one¡¯s pee? Reading new James¡¯s body language and the implied tone of his words, Jeffry guessed that new James was proving his subservience to him. Unlike old James, new James was far less confident. But, James was his Master¡­


    Even after new James had left, Jeffry carefully pondered where new James fit in the wyvern social hierarchy. Perhaps, new James wasn¡¯t actually James? In fact, now that Jeffry thought about it, new James didn¡¯t radiate a similar aura to old James¡­ Could old James have lied to him?


    Suddenly, Jeffry realized something very important. Old James usually called new James Tom. Perhaps, James hadn¡¯t simply put on a disguise and had actually abandoned him here while moving on to a new nest with his mates? Perhaps, these humans also had individual names like his own, making this new James actually be Tom? Jeffry had never guessed that humans had their own individual identifiers. It was just like wyverns, but verbal instead of based on their auras! This was so confusing. Jeffry felt a hint of discontent, which only made him reflect further on his thoughts.


    Going through a list of his priorities, Jeffry tried to identify what was nagging him so. He was hungry, but not starving, so that couldn¡¯t explain it. Besides, his hunger had existed before this feeling of discontent that had recently arrived. He wasn¡¯t being hunted. He had just received water. He wasn¡¯t bored: he had a whole flock of pets. He had somewhere clean-ish to sleep back at old James¡¯s barn. Thinking of that barn seemed to further his longing, and Jeffry lowered his scaled head. Finally, he had to admit that it just wasn''t the same without old James there.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Instead, Jeffry let his mind roam while he idly watched the sheep. Then, when he was about to doze off, those annoying grey lines appeared again. It resembled the annoying patterns that James would sometimes scribble on signs around his pen. Actually, now that Jeffry thought about it, those signs around his yard were quite offensive. They read: ¡°Warning. Warning. Jeffry the Wyvern!¡± Was he really something to fear? He thought he was quite the handsome scaled beast, not to mention intelligent to boot since James had taught him the words, ¡°No,¡± ¡°Warning,¡± ¡°Bad,¡± ¡°Food,¡± ¡°Jeffry,¡± ¡°Master James,¡± ¡°Kira,¡± and ¡°Wyvern.¡± Now that he thought about it, Jeffry realized almost half the words he knew were actually bad, but he figured that was just old Master James being a grouch.


    While listening to a monotone voice drone, Jeffry tried to read those patterns floating in his mind. The voice said, ¡°Warning: Wyvern has evolved to ??? due to exposure to [???]. Congratulations on gaining a Class! Please gain Levels to unlock further information.


    Skill Gained: |Gluttony|.


    Would you like to unlock |Ancestral Memories|?¡±


    Jeffry didn¡¯t know what any of those words meant besides for ¡°Warning¡± and ¡°Wyvern¡± since James had taught him those words long ago back when he¡¯d been just out of the egg. Well, he suspected that ¡°Congratulations¡± meant something good since he usually received a treat whenever he heard that. Jeffry puffed out his chest; he was a fearsome Wyvern that others would have to respect, and this voice was, no doubt, praising him for that, but that didn¡¯t quite fit what he thought those words meant either. After all, why would the words stick around like that? Much like what James had written around his pens, the words suggested that being a wyvern was something worth warning against. Only now did Jeffry realize he¡¯d made a logical leap that he¡¯d never have been able to make before today.


    He wondered whether all this knowledge had to do with those words that had popped in front of him today, announcing himself to have ¡°evolved.¡± Perhaps, evolving made him smarter? That was always a good thing; maybe he should aim to do that more. As far as he knew, none of the other wyverns had ever had such thoughts. He¡¯d had a few conversations with them before, but back then, they¡¯d only shared basic stuff like whether the hens were in heat or not through pheromones. Jeffry couldn¡¯t discount the possibility that all wyverns were like him, and they¡¯d ostracized him from this ¡°thinking¡± circle before, but he doubted this was the case. Some wyverns, like Phil, were just too stupid for that to be plausible.


    Licking his lips, Jeffry eyed a ewe who was munching on some grass beside a smaller lamb. He casually decided that Mary would be a good name for her if she didn¡¯t end up in his belly tonight. He instinctively knew that these sheep would fill him and would be good for him, but even they soon wouldn¡¯t provide what he needed once he changed a bit more. Besides, they were his pets. How could he eat them? He had to exhaust his other options first. At first, Jeffry had refused to admit that he¡¯d been shrinking. After all, bigger was always better and stronger.


    However, when he finally became honest with himself, he had recognized that he had truly been shrinking every day, and he sensed that one day, he¡¯d become either nothing¡­ or something more. The time when that this would be determined quickly approached based on the fact that he had already lost an eighth of his mass. Jeffry burped, smelling a bit of the roasted pig he¡¯d had for lunch on his breath. Where was his body mass even going to? Shaking his head, Jeffry focused on his hunger once more. Why were these no thoughts so distracting?


    Ever since those annoying words had started interfering with his sleep, Jeffry had known that he was alive, and he did not want to become nothing or even return to his previous state of ignorance. However, old James was now gone, and Jeffry had realized that even if James had merely transformed into new James, new James was both weaker and vastly more busy with things outside James¡¯s home, only entered old James¡¯s home once a day to do a cursory check before walking out again. This was something Jeffry would never have previously noticed. Satisfied with his improved intelligence, Jeffry decided that this new James was too weak to be called Master. Instead, new James was actually just Tom the sheep-man from whom he¡¯d stolen sheep so long ago. Even though Tom was too weak to defend himself, Jeffry decided he¡¯d still generously pretend to listen to Tom since the human had gifted him a cow just the day before.


    All these new ideas and more flooded his head. In fact, the storm of ideas threatened to overwhelm him as his newly expanded brain made connections he¡¯d never previously imagined. He didn¡¯t know what was going on, and as an apex predator, that made him very upset.


    Then, something forced his decision; his nose twitched as he felt some great being lock on to him. Jeffry trembled: this was the fourth time this week that had happened. Curling into himself to escape its view, Jeffry snuck a glance around the field, knowing that an even more apex predator was stalking him. He firmly resolved to get out of here as soon as possible because this field was definitely not a very safe place. While his pets were important, he held himself at a higher priority. Moreover, his instincts screamed for him to search for greener pastures, or at least, ones with more fire essence.


    With a great roar, he unconsciously activated his only Skill,|Gluttony|, and headed where his mind told him to go.

 Chapter 26: Highway Bandits

    Since Diana had her own horse, she rode point to the wagon. Howard controlled the team of horses that pulled the wagon. Kira slept so she could be the night guard, and James worked in the back. To the casual observer, they seemed like a guard, servant, and concubine serving a rich merchant.


    Before leaving, James met with the wyvern [Stable Master] and assured that Jeffry would be well cared for. While the wyvern had not seemed pleased seeing his master abandon him and even less happy about Tom, James also knew there was no way to keep him while on the road.


    With a bit of disappointment, Jeffry viewed this as an opportunity to surprise his master by how much he would improve when old James returned. Perhaps, he¡¯d evolve his monster Class [Royal Wyvern] at level 10 to something completely new by the time he returned, much as the words in his head suggested.


    Diana reviewed the route they would take from her memories of James¡¯s map: three days to the border, four weeks to Marjon Mountain Pass, where they would spend the winter underground, and in the spring, finishing over five months of journeying, barring a bad winter season, they would arrive at her father¡¯s estate before summer. However, the sword banging against her hip with her horse¡¯s movements reminded her that this travel was not the only thing occupying her mind. The added fire effect did not seem natural or achieved by normal imbuing methods. She suspected this was why the flames could not be countered by typical methods either. The same (although less magical) went for her new armor.


    The note that had arrived with it had stated that Kira had found her measurements, which had briefly annoyed the [Knight], but she had also quickly realized that this new gear fit better than what she had left her home with over a year ago. She had grown since then, as both a person and a woman.


    While clopping down the road, she noticed the road was quiet, their travel unaccompanied by any passing travelers or twittering wildlife. She scanned around cautiously because even well-patrolled roads like the one they were on suffered bandit attacks occasionally, and a wagon with a small escort was a good target. Her grandfather was just as wary, reaching for his own weapons while she fumbled for her sword to unlatch it. The moment she did, an arrow landed in front of her horse. It reared up, but she kept enough control to not fall off or have it take off. Patting its mane, she yelled ahead, ¡°Who goes there?¡±


    A trio of men in rough clothes appeared: an [Archer] and two [Highwaymen] from the looks of it. Kira grabbed her sword, recognizing that the stage of Combat had been set as her grandfather gripped his own bow, an arrow notched. They were both prepared to fight. Since she was on horseback, she should have charged first, taking advantage of her mobility, but she worried about leaving the wagon undefended.


    Instead, the back of the wagon opened, and James appeared surrounded with a shimmering blue aura and a strange weapon in his hand that looked like some club. She figured he had some sort of skill that allowed him to attack first in engagements. ¡°Timer count: fifteen seconds. Three seconds to load; one second to buck each of my three slugs. Two seconds to take aim at Highwayman one and shoot. Two seconds to take aim at Highwayman two and shoot. Two seconds to take aim at Highwayman three and shoot. Three seconds to assess the damage.¡±


    As soon as he said that, a timer over his head appeared. He had finished loading by the time he reached her side. He aimed at the closest Highwayman by shouldering his weapon like a crossbow and firing. The weapon¡¯s loud roar made her horse jump. It took everything in her to keep it under control, only for a second roar almost as bad as the first to resound. At the third roar, she was forced to dismount to prevent the horse from running away. Those on the wagon faced similar issues. She turned to James again, seeing a two left on the timer.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Quick shot.¡± Diana covered her ear as she was near the weapon as it roared again and watched the last attack tear into the two stragglers who were already pouring blood. The first downed had a hole in his head, and the other two each had two similar holes through their chests. The rain of damage from the last attack had finished them off. James sighed in annoyance. He patted a hand on Diana''s shoulder to signal that she should finish the battle.


    All that was left was looting, and these poor bandits had only a few Seedz worths on them, as befitted their hard lives. Nevertheless, their arrows were good, so she took them and marked the kills to be cleaned up later by the patrols.


    Later in a roadside inn, the four sat in a room James had paid for. It was rather spare, with two beds: one fit for two, the other a single. On the road, they had all encountered far more enemies than they had originally hoped to during their trip. Only when their opponents had seriously outnumbered Diana, had James come out again. As Kira stuffed her face, the other three performed maintenance on their weapons. While wiping the grit and traces of blood along with her undulling sword, she curiously observed the array of parts and pieces that composed James¡¯s weapon. He noticed her curiosity.


    ¡°I call it my boomstick. Think of it as a merger between a magic staff and a crossbow.¡± James lifted a tube and shoved a cloth and brush through it to clean the barrel.


    ¡°So what was that magic you used to act first?¡±


    Wriggling the cloth a bit, James kept quiet a moment before lowering the barrel to check another part. ¡°Call it a mix of initiative and haste. I have an amulet that allows me to increase my speed by three times at the start of a fight. However, after my first turn, that buff is removed and replaced by a steep penalty. I also have an accessory that increases my health by five hundred, but that health is nonrestorable in combat. My clothing is made up of a lightweight material that offers rather high protections against almost all the elemental magics at the cost of overall defense. Since my amulet reduces projectile damage by half, I am overall a tank because of all that, I guess. It¡¯s what let me save you.¡±


    Hearing James speak made her think. The way he spoke made perfect sense to her. With the exception of becoming a very fast melee attacker, he was well suited to fill almost all roles. ¡°Can I ask something? Why didn¡¯t you come out every fight then?¡±


    James considered that as he started to assemble his weapon again. ¡°First, unless Howard said that you seemed to be in trouble, I was too busy working in the back of the wagon. Second,¡± James held up a shell for the weapon. ¡°I do not have a lot of these. They are easy enough to make, all things considered, but they are expensive. There¡¯s been a lack of materials of late as well.¡± James looked at it in annoyance for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s one reason why I¡¯m coming on this journey. I hope to make contacts with suppliers of elemental crystals. Each crystal can make a different type of shell, which have different functions.¡± James showed her the shell again. ¡°This used an iron crystal. It does a lot of damage to a single target and also has half armor penetration.¡± James lowered it and brought up another shell. ¡°This was a wind crystal. It does varied damage over a large area of enemies but little against armor.¡±


    Diana remembered him using those in the first fight. He demonstrated another shell. ¡°This needed a fire crystal shell and causes a lasting AOE damage that ignores armor but is low damage overall.¡± James thought a second, rummaging for another shell. After realizing that he could not find it, he sighed. ¡°I have the ability to make one more, but I seem to be out of them. With water crystals, I can afflict an enemy with cold damage and slow them down like a debuff while they take damage. Hit them enough times with the cold damage, and they freeze. Taking them out of the fight for a time and making them more susceptible to damage.¡± Diana blinked surprised upon hearing that his weapon was surprisingly similar to mage-craft.


    ¡°So how do you make the shells?¡± James ignored her this time and focused on his weapon again. After reinserting screws at key points the machine was back to working order. He did a few quick tests to check that it operated properly, and Diana figured that it had been foolish to ask after one of his trade secrets. He loaded a single shell into it before taking to his bed. It was clear that his willingness to talk had ended for the day. Kira relaxed and retracted her claws from her bowl of leafy greens, glad her master had found no offense at the [Knight]¡¯s curiosity.

 Chapter 27: Border Patrol

    The days wore on them, and the lack of any change in pace hardly helped. The group would warily fight off a few bandits and travel beneath the hot sun until they reached a stopping point. If a structure or town were not found by late day, they would set up camp by the road. Diana was still curious about James¡¯s weapon but, despite all this time, had only learned that each shot was fairly expensive. Something someone no less than a well off noble or high ranking adventurer could afford.


    Eventually though, she had decided to drop the subject after a few unsuccessful inquiries had been met with mere grunts or glares. At this point, even she could tell that it was not a topic James wished to discuss.


    It was near midday when they arrived at the border checkpoint to the Kingdom of Natusha. The post was rather large and had well over three hundred soldiers stationed within it, which meant the post was more like a military town than an actual checkpoint.


    Since the location was possibly the last friendly place they would be in for a while, it was tacitly agreed that they would spend the night there and rest up before the rest of the journey, which with each passing day seemed increasingly monotonous. Howard went to an inn, which like the small marketplace had sprouted to serve the needs of the [Soldier]s, to purchase a room, and James hit the local markets to find materials for his work and attempted to advertise his power cores at the market so he could make some quick cash before he entered the truly arduous part of his trek.


    Since they had implemented his lights and heating systems even this far from the capital, it was no surprise that the local markets eagerly took them in because he was still the only person to have developed the technology. After a few hours of successful business, James ended the day tired but significantly richer. Meanwhile, Kira and Diana decided to care for the wagon before joining up with Howard at the inn.


    By the time James returned to the inn, it was beginning to darken, and he found the two ladies eating at the bar. Kira''s appetite had gone unchecked, resulting in four plates piling up in front of her with a fifth half-finished. From their rosy appearances and fresh aromas, they had bathed before eating as well. James joined them with a plate and a mug, prepared for an evening of casual chit chat. He decided to kick it off with a safe topic.


    ¡°How is Howard holding up?¡±


    Diana smiled, thinking of him. ¡°Good. The activity is keeping him alert. He is proud of my skills as well as my Skills, I suppose. He went upstairs to take a nap though. Claimed his old bones couldn¡¯t handle late-night drinking.¡±


    Diana recalled on the sword at her side, and James noticed. He hesitated before saying, ¡°Diana, there is something I want to tell you about that sword. However, this isn¡¯t the place to do that. It might not be safe to use it without knowing certain things about it.¡±


    Diana picked up the hint that she should not openly use the sword if challenged and nodded. After their current plates were emptied as well as a second round that followed, the three were content with their meals and decided to listen to the music from the Bard Box. When the guard changed from the day guard to the night one, it became noticeable that the inn''s dining area filled with hot and tired men wanting cold drinks. With the constant clinking of glasses and a low roar as guards recounted tall tales, it quickly became rowdy, and Diana and James rose to go with Kira rising to follow them. The pair was halfway to the stairs when a loud feline yell occurred. ¡°Rrreeeerrrr hhhsssss.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    James immediately turned to discover Kira ordering another drink through hand signals while one of the guards had his hand on her rump. Her eyes locked on her gropers as she prepared to lash out. Giving the firm flesh in his hand a squeeze, the man guffawed, ¡°Now, don''t be like that, kitty-kitty.¡±


    James rushed to her as she continued her low tone hissing. ¡°Hey, Tom, I see you met my lady.¡± Kira rushed away from the guard and hid behind James, both scared and angry. With a wince, he felt her claws dig into his clothing as she struggled to control her agitation. If he let her grow any more agitated¡­ James shuddered. He did not want to deal with a bounty on their heads.


    The guard glared at James, a little unamused. ¡°Hey, we were only looking for a little fun. No need to butt in.¡±


    James signaled the barkeep. ¡°Drinks for these Toms. On me.¡± The barkeep paused hearing the name but not recognizing to whom it belonged. The guard and those nearby looked at him in confusion as well. ¡°Tom?¡±


    James acted like he had not noticed himself saying that. ¡°Apologies, I have trouble sometimes with your tongue. Tom means friend.¡±


    Many of the [Soldier]s heard that and realized they were about to get a free drink and became excited. The burly [Guard] muttered, ¡°I¡¯d rather have a sample of her.¡±


    Kira dug her claws deeper into James, enough for it to sting and draw blood. ¡°Tom, you don¡¯t want my drink? Let me just say that you¡¯ll enjoy it a lot more than you¡¯d enjoy her.¡±


    The hostility dripping in James¡¯s tone was noticeable. James tried to clearly display the aura of an insulted lover.


    A neighboring [Guard] grabbed the first¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on, man. He¡¯s paying for the first round. Ease up. It¡¯s just a Hersha sl*t; you can find another one later. Besides, you heard the man; she might be vicious or have some [Berserker] blood in her.¡± The [Guard] paled and seemed to hesitate before glancing at the numerous people watching their confrontation. Gritting his teeth, the [Guard] James had been talking to rolled his shoulder to shake off the offending hand. ¡°No, this Tom does not want your damn drink!¡±


    James balled his fists and considered punching the imbecile right there when the barkeep yelled, ¡°Take it outside.¡±


    James nodded and headed for the door first, which gave a significant first-turn advantage to the guard once they had fully stepped outside. ¡°Master!¡± James started to turn back toward the inn upon hearing Kira¡¯s call when a chair broke apart against his arm. He was lucky that he had taken a bracing stance before he had turned as he had already suspected the [Guard] would try to fight dirty, so it looked like the chair had had little effect. The guard held the top of the chair¡¯s remains, shocked. The blood seemed to drain from his face as he realized he¡¯d probably just entered combat with a high Level [Warrior] Class. After all, while as a simple [Guard] he lacked some of the more powerful Class-Analyzer Skills, he still had the very much essential [Gauge Strength], and that Skill told him very clearly this was a fight he would not win. He was like a rabbit being stared at by a tiger.


    Wetting his pants, the unfortunate [Guard] did not move as James gripped the top of his chest plate and threw him outside with a heave. A few of the [Guard]¡¯s companions turned away upon seeing the embarrassing scene while the rest of the inn¡¯s patrons chuckled at the arrogant [Guard]¡¯s misfortune. After checking to make sure that Kira and Diana were fine, James then prepared to truly begin Combat, marching outside to face the hapless [Guard]. However, by the time he got outside, the guard was already fleeing up the street, a visible wet stain on his tunic. The inn''s dining occupants grumbled about the lack of a good show as they flooded back to their meals and unattended drinks. Glancing around at the now calm scene, James sighed and approached Kira, scratching behind her ear. She melted into his arm, happy that he had defended her. The other [Guard]s mocked their colleague as they stomped back to their seats behind him. James still paid for their drinks but not the chair. The [Innkeeper] promised to see to it that the [Guard] paid for that.

 Chapter 28: Trading with Heros

    Green grass passed beneath their wagons as a few patrollers would pass by every once in a while to see that the paths were safe. A few birds twittered in the sky as they prepared their stocks for winter. The sun peeked over the horizon, staring at weary travelers who had started their movements early in the day to assure that they¡¯d escape the worst of morning traffic.


    Yawning, James looked into the sky as he listened to the birds overhead. ¡®It was nice to sleep on a real bed again.¡¯ After setting the last box in the back of the wagon, James heard something.


    ¡°Hey, you, hi?¡±


    James turned to find the party of four who had ordered the lantern from him that Diana had beaten up so long ago. They looked a bit stronger than when she had handed them their asses. He suspected that they had gained several Levels over the past few weeks. James finally asked, ¡°Hi, can I help you?¡± The leader of the group looked at James, then at Diana passing by on her horse, ready to take point. She gave them a look.


    Their leader paused, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be acting like a mobile shop, would you?¡± James considered the group. The number of healing supplies alone he had were far more than his group would probably need.


    Taking a second to doublecheck his wares, James reported, ¡°Well, yes and no. I do normally sell things, but they are specialized. If you want some of my items on the road, I¡¯m going to sell them at limited numbers and at higher costs. If you got one or wish to rent one from me or the city, I can use a storage bag as well to haul it to anywhere along our route.¡± James took out a box and demonstrated some of the wares he had on hand to the watching heroes.


    The heroes looked pleased hearing that. ¡°These are some quality potions.¡± Olaf grinned widely before seeming to remember something. ¡°What about buying from us? We¡¯ve found a few interesting goods during our travels.¡±


    James paused. Wild materials could be useful for creating various potions since wild animals tended to have higher mana concentrations as compared to farm bred ones. Obviously, though, wild materials were far more expensive because they required hunters to face usually dangerous beasts that could easily end their lives.


    James paused, running through his current inventory. ¡°I''ll take most materials since I¡¯m running low on most of them, to be honest. I might be able to pay well if something catches my interest, although I¡¯ve got limited funds as well, so don¡¯t expect much.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ve been hunting some forest creatures, so we¡¯ve got some Direwolf blood and that sort.¡±


    ¡°You found any rare herbs on your trip?¡±


    ¡°A few Yezelnuts and some blue fruits we haven¡¯t been able to identify.¡±


    James thought for a bit. Yezelnuts were pretty uncommon and could be used as a very effective amplifier of potions. Deciding to take a bit of a gamble, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll offer 50 Seedz per Yezel, and 200 Seedz for that fruit.¡± This could be either a huge steal or a complete loss, but since it clearly emitted mana, he decided that it probably wouldn¡¯t be worthless.


    After exchanging a few goods, the heroes wandered off; both sides rather pleased with their new items. James sighed, thinking about how rude they had been to not even say thanks, but he was used to it by now. Adventurers tended to be a rather gruff bunch, always only thinking about their next heist.


    Diana ran up to them and tried to convince them to spar again, but Olaf stoically refused after reconsidering. Clearly, the leader didn¡¯t think their team had improved enough to match up to the [Knight]. With a brief smile at Diana¡¯s antics, James turned to stow away his new materials before they deteriorated due to exposure to the outside elements. After the Adventurers had finally disappeared, Kira came out of the shop and hefted the last of the bags onto the wagon. It was time for their own journey to begin. While the morning delay would cost them some time, useful goods would¡¯ve made the wait worth it.


    After all, one never knew for sure whether the extra bags he had brought could come in handy later on the trip. James helped Kira onto the wagon by holding her hand. He felt a bit rushed since he was feeling the time pressure himself. For a moment, she lost her balance, and he found himself having Kira sitting on his face. ¡°Oh, master!¡±


    James smiled lightly at her playfulness before she helped him stand up on the rollicking wagon. Still, James knew better than to keep her there, he hurriedly guided her to the back of the wagon where a small mat in the shadows had been set up. After curling up on the soft surface, Kira immediately fell asleep, but no one begrudged her for it. They all knew that she had been up all night making sure no one stole their valuables from the inn. The fight from last night had worried her that the [Guard]s in the village would take revenge for their friend¡¯s loss. With a dazed head, Kira was far too tired to even think about doing anything besides rolling up into a ball on her mat next to James. She contentedly lay her head on his lap and fell asleep with him gently rubbing under her ear.


    James tinkered with some of his old materials, trying to figure out some grand new invention while he patted Kira. Staring toward the rising sun, he felt a few rays of sunshine land on his face, helping to chase away the last vestiges of sleep. His trusty boomgun at the side, James prepared to face what today would bring.

 Chapter 29: Strike in the Night

    As James had expected, the heroes caught up with them by the end of the day as his group was making camp off the road in a clearing. While it was a rather small space, there had been a small creek nearby, which would allow his weary party to clean up a bit.


    They had set up two tents, and Kira cooked dinner while Diana and Howard set up lighting posts every few tens of meters around the camp to offer them better visibility through the night. Something about this place gave James the creeps, so he¡¯d extended the post range by about sixty meters. Although Kira did not need light on a full moon like it would be tonight, if something happened, the rest would need the artificial light to see past the main camp¡¯s fire. Otherwise, their defenses would quickly fall apart into shambles, especially since James¡¯s accuracy with his boomstick would be adversely affected.


    It was just as Kira was handing out the skewers of boar they¡¯d hunted during the day that the heroes arrived along with a few passersby traveling the other way. This trend of fellow travelers being attracted off the main road by the party¡¯s warm fire continued throughout and after supper, with a few contributing their own rations to assure that everyone was fed. By the time night fell, well over thirty travelers rested in the makeshift camp. Sensing an opportunity to collect some final wares before traversing the barren stretches of land between Kingdoms, James spent most of this time buying and selling things by the wagon while the others prepared their own tents. It was only now that he could truly appreciate that he had saved a large amount of merchandise because half the stock he had reserved for trading was depleted after a long night of bargaining. He quickly learned why so many were eager to gobble up his up-marked healing potions and common weapons: werewolves roamed the plains they currently traversed, and on a full moon, they would be dangerous beasts capable of taking out a low Level [Knight] with a bit of luck.


    Throughout the night, as fellow travelers conversed over food, the only talk that could be heard concerned the werewolves that had preyed on many a fellow. When he¡¯d first heard about this, he¡¯d dismissed it as idle talk. However, after listening to horror stories for hours, James had finally scowled and decided to spend the night on top of the wagon on guard for an attack. Of course, he¡¯d lie next to his weapon pre-loaded with fire shots. According to his logic, while it would be a long night, he¡¯d at least be able to contribute toward protecting his fellow travelers should an attack occur. His bullets were all he had that could affect the fearsome predators.


    From eavesdropping while roaming between the two adventurer groups that had made camp at their clearing, Diana also became wary, noting the dark circles beneath the eyes of the group that had been staying around the area the past few nights. It seemed that this werewolf infestation could trouble even experienced adventurers. Thus, she opted to sleep in the wagon rather than a tent, which she let a thankful young couple have instead. She blushed, thinking about what they¡¯d do in the privacy of the mobile home¡­ Shaking her head, she turned to glance at Kira who was impatiently striding below, her green eyes glinting beneath the firelight.


    As the night had worn on, Kira had kept a lookout for anything lurking in the darkness outside the rim of the light posts. One of her Racial Skills was |Feline Eyes|, a useful Skill in any situation. Every few minutes, the Hersha would check up on the three-person patrol along the campfire''s parameter. Collectively, the entire camp had decided to perform guard shifts by collecting volunteers from each group. In this way, it was assumed that people would be able to sleep more easily. After all, werewolves rarely dared to attack large groups of clearly armed travelers. Still, James could not fall asleep, and the subtle chill above the wagon certainly did not help with that. Eventually, he reluctantly acquiesced to his insomnia and started working on a smoke-bomb-like item he had bought in the last town to try out how compatible the alchemical tool was with his methods of infusing magic crystals into items. The thought of a magical mist silently knocking out enemies certainly appealed to his pacifist sentiments. He had had to suppress his urge to curse himself for being silly and not thinking of such a functional idea beforehand, but still, a hint of excitement flickered in his heart as he began working on this new gadget.


    Carefully taking some of the reagents he¡¯d prepared for this journey, he first tried simply poking a small hole in the smoke bomb and pouring liquified crystal essence inside. However, he¡¯d had to immediately trap that in a testing barrier because it had started violently vibrating and giving off fumes. Clearly, there was either some type of anti-tampering enchantment or more likely, a complex reaction going on. Pulling out a sheet of paper, James began jotting down his observations, trying to figure out whether there was some way to easily combine the two pieces of magic.


    After a few minutes, James wondered whether he could simply douse the smoke bomb in liquified essence, but discarded the idea as too wasteful and would anyway probably not cause a great enough mana taint for the smoke to change in quality. Finally, he resolved to actually dismantle the smoke bomb with all its enchantments to figure out how to make one of his own. While it was far more work, he suspected it was the only way to succeed.


    Slicing open the wooden and cloth ball, he examined the powder nestled inside surrounded by several tightly-spaced runes. He grimaced. Rune work was definitely not one of his strengths since he¡¯d originally been more of a mechanical engineer, not a computer scientist. Still, after puzzling over the runes beneath the lamplight he figured out the mechanism.


    Effectively, the outside was a small circuit that would break when the bomb was thrown as the wood splintered. In addition, this circuit could be broken by pouring in an excess of mana or twisting the cap through which the runes ran. After that, the rest of the bomb was far less clever and more straightforward. Basically, a couple of runes would vaporize the powder with a highly concentrated burst of mana as well as act as a fan and circulate the air within the small device. Finally, the smoke would escape through the cloth parts of the bomb. James guessed the only reason this hadn¡¯t been universally weaponized was that easily mana-vaporizable substances were also highly volatile and were, thus, usually too expensive or dangerous to work with.


    Smirking, he mixed some crushed fire crystal essence with the smoke particles and resealed the device, redesigning the runes to assure that the seal was far more secure and would only go off if the cap was twisted. He shuddered thinking about what would happen if an innocent human were to unleash the fury of this weapon: third-degree burns would be getting off easy. Still, with werewolves and other fast healing monsters, only fire would truly end them with any efficiency. While unlike some species of trolls and other monsters, werewolves couldn¡¯t survive decapitation or complete destruction of their hearts, anything less than that would see them living to hunt another day.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    He had just finished the third grenade, which was hopefully his second successful one, (he wasn¡¯t quite sure as he hadn¡¯t tested it yet) when Kira crept up behind him and gently rubbed his shoulders. ¡°Master, you look so tired. Take a break.¡±


    James thoroughly wiped his hands before pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, careful to not expose himself to excess mana elements. He wriggled the skin, trying to massage his tired brain. ¡°It would take at least twice as long to make a core out here compared to when in the shop, not to mention the lower quality that would be produced due to the impurities in the environment. It¡¯s not comfortable either.¡± Sighing, he leaned back against the Hersha, trying to figure out how to further improve the smoke bomb. Kira kept looking around as her rubbing became firmer, turning into a massage.


    James smiled happily as he lay his head on her arm. ¡°Next time we get to a place with rooms for rent, I¡¯ll get the others to share one for themselves and leave us one to ourselves.¡± James had expected her to purr in pleasure upon hearing that, but she did not. Instead, she rose up. He cursed, already knowing what he¡¯d find.


    James looked up and saw her growling with her claws extended. James grabbed his weapon, and the bell beside it, vigorously ringing it to raise the alarm. Like amateurs, the three on patrol glanced back at him to find the source of the sound, allowing the werewolves to reach halfway past the torches on the outskirts unimpeded. James looked away before the inevitable happened. After all, he wouldn¡¯t waste a charge on a nearly impossible shot in the dark. The guards never stood a chance, but the others in the camp quickly awakened at the screams and sound of tearing flesh. Diana instantly shot outside the wagon, sword in hand, and stood by the tents, standing guard over the other three in her party.


    James noted his wristwatch and turned to Kira. ¡°No need to hold back.¡± Handing her one of the grenades he¡¯d made for her [Bombardier] Class, he warned, ¡°This one¡¯s a flame area of effect. Be careful. 6-second fuse.¡± Raising his own boomstick, he began combat with a shot straight through a werewolf. In such a chaotic battle against so many opponents, a fifteen-second quick start advantage would not be sufficient to overcome the later speed penalty. Taking a stand on the cover of the wagon, James took aim at his next target.


    Kira growled louder as her fur lengthened, solidifying into a tough material that rivaled wood in sturdiness, and she leaped off the wagon. He had no time to worry about her as he hurriedly raised his weapon to target a werewolf sneaking up on Howard. Nevertheless, he knew he didn¡¯t need to guard her. After all, besides her [Maid] Class, she also had her natural Racial Class, which embodied the lethal attributes of feline predators. While they weren¡¯t quite sure what type of Class it had transformed into, it was still a [Berserker] Class and was probably only stronger than what it had been before.


    Diana ripped through a werewolf¡¯s stomach, grimacing as a bit of bloody spittle landed on her face. Ducking another werewolf¡¯s slash at her head, she prepared to finish off her target. The impaled humanoid beast bloodthirsty grinned as it grabbed her blade, trapping it in its body. Slowly, it stumbled forward, trying to reach the [Knight]. She grinned right back at it.


    The werewolf howled in surprise as the flamberge burst into flames, lighting its fur on fire. Fearfully batting at the flames on its body, the werewolf died with a flaming sword straight through the head. Diana spun around to face her next opponent. Watching its predatory sway, she suddenly felt like she grasped some elusive concept that she had only previously been able to glimpse a shadow of despite countless hours of training. The Skill seemed to almost unconsciously flow out from her flaming sword. |Sword of the Howling Wolves| surged forward, sending flickering waves of scorching heat toward the leering werewolves creeping upon her.


    Howard stumbled forward, a werewolf¡¯s claws glancing off his armor plate. He was once again extremely thankful that he¡¯d decided to sleep in armor for most of this trip. A force of habit from years of assassination attempts and a life spent on the battlefield. The [Knight] who had surpassed the fiftieth Level, once a powerhouse on his own, sighed as he lunged forward, his two hands grasping his longsword. Bang!


    Shooting a glance behind him, Howard found a headless werewolf that had snuck into his blind spot. Age had dulled his reflexes. Nodding toward the figure on top of the wagon behind him, he focused on the battlefield in front of him. With a grunt of effort, he shook his head and roared, joining a group of armed travelers charging the center of the pack where the alpha no doubt waited.


    James scooped some water from the drinking barrel that he¡¯d gathered and boiled from the river earlier in the night. He dumped it into a large pot hanging over the campfire while Howard and Diana examined the injured. The two hero groups had helped a lot, confronting almost half of the werewolves themselves, with Olaf¡¯s group handling slightly more than the other one despite the other¡¯s greater experience fighting werewolves. Nevertheless, the two [Knights], Hersha, and James had not slacked off either, taking out by themselves a fair number of the over forty dead werewolf corpses that the pack had left behind when they¡¯d finally been scared away. More impressively, the three humans had done it without injuries, although several other members of their little camp had met their grisly ends at the werewolves¡¯ claws. Based off a brief inspection of the corpses, James had killed at least five while Diana and her grandfather had finished off over eight together. Kira''s claw marks marred more than a few of them as well.


    James could tell she had entered the fray among the vanguard of the camp, hitting as many as she could while continuously moving around to avoid being ganged up on by the werewolf pack. After all, werewolves had an animal cunning to take out the most difficult opponents first so they could feast on the weak. What concerned James was that he had still not found her even as the camp slowly restored itself to order and reorganized the tents and fires. Just as he was about to initiate an exploration into the dark, James suddenly saw something lurch in the darkness.


    Swinging his flashlight over, a glint flashed through the night, reflecting off a pair of eyes. James readied to defend himself against a werewolf straggler until a familiar feminine figure appeared. Kira was still in her Berserker form, that signature form of the Beast Kin gifted with the Skill of |Ancestral Linkage|. Her muscles bulged even though they were covered in cuts and blood, both her own and otherwise. James lowered his gun and reached for a rag, dribbling some warm water from his flask onto it. He approached her with it when the heroes suddenly cut him off. Olaf warned, ¡°Stand back. She¡¯s dangerous. You never know what a Berserker will do. Can¡¯t believe we traveled with one for so long without an incident. Let her calm down; I don¡¯t want to have to put down a decent Hersha.¡±


    James rushed forward, both angry and annoyed. He used his free hand to hit Olaf and a burly man raising a club in the back of their heads.


    ¡°Stop your damn staring! She doesn''t like people seeing her naked, you perverts!¡± They look at him in surprise as he gently dabbed Kira¡¯s bloody cheek with the cloth. It wiped off the blood on one side of her face, but not the other, as James would discover the next morning. She hugged him and lay her head on his shoulder, rubbing her face against his clothes. ¡°Master!¡± James held her up as she collapsed in his arms, slowly reverting back to her thin form. As he passed the heroes to take Kira toward the healers, Olaf gazed at him in shock and awe. ¡°So freaking cool! Even a Berserked Hersha girl melts in his arms.¡±

 Chapter 30: Off They Go

    Stretching out her toes, Kira yawned and wriggled out of her sleeping bag. Basking in the sounds of morning, Kira looked around before realizing she was in James¡¯s spare tent. She tried to remember what had happened yesterday. She¡¯d been hunting for the alpha and chased down the pack after she¡¯d ended up victorious¡­ then she¡¯d found James and ended up here somehow.


    She looked through the details of last night in her head.


    [Ancestral ??? Berserker] Class


    Level 7->8 [Taking down of alpha]


    Skill Gained: Pack Leader!


    A frown passed across her lips. It seemed this Class was quite unusual. Normally, taking out the leader of a group that had terrorized countless travelers would¡¯ve granted her far more levels¡­ Still, putting the disappointing news out of her mind, she focused on the Skill, mentally activating it. Immediately, she sensed a slight aura around herself that made her feel more confident. She wasn¡¯t quite sure what it was, but she decided it was probably an area of effect boost for allies. She¡¯d have to test it out later with James once they were in privacy. After all, he enjoyed examining Skills and determining their constraints and effects. In his own words, knowledge was power.


    Sighing at how he¡¯d probably try to force her to start reading some of his boring books again, Kira looked down at the bandages on her arms. With a shrug, she removed them, revealing clean fur beneath, as it should be.


    ¡°You woke up! I was starting to get worried¡­¡± James came in carrying a bowl of steaming oatmeal that Kira happily took and started eating. ¡°Uh, Kira¡­¡±


    Kira looked up, licking her lips with her long tongue to remove the grains of oatmeal glued around her lips.


    With a sheepish look, James handed her a wooden spoon. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to eat like that.¡±


    Kira smiled and stopped slurping on the oatmeal like a common pet. Master James was so thoughtful about such things, even if it would¡¯ve been far simpler for everyone if she¡¯d just munched the food. Elegantly using the wooden spoon, Kira listened as James detailed what had happened before she¡¯d fallen asleep.


    ¡°We were a bit worried that you¡¯d contract lycanthropy even though we gave you some of our anti-werewolf potions I¡¯d stocked up before the trip because of how bad your wounds were and how long we¡¯d given the disease to replicate. By the way, one of the travelers was a healer and helped make sure you were at maximum regeneration rate before you fell asleep. I¡¯ve been meaning to thank her before we leave¡­¡±


    Kira nodded, happy to just listen to James as he explained that her racial Class had appeared to fight off the lycanthropy before it could take effect. All in all, it was the typical mumbo jumbo stuff her master would come up with every once in a while. For all that, she enjoyed these moments with him.


    He remarks that both Diana and Howard gained a few levels, with Diana upgrading a Skill, which Howard had wanted her to practice with him. Licking her bowl clean, Kira placed it to the side as she pulled on James¡¯s pants, making him glance down. Gesturing at the pillow on her bedspread, she muttered, ¡°Sit down, Master. You¡¯ve had a long day, and I need a pillow.¡±


    Barely suppressing a hearty laugh, James sat down cross-legged, and Kira rested her head on his lap.


    Suddenly, Kira remembered something. Turning her head to face James, she worriedly asked, ¡°Are Howard and Diana okay?¡±


    Running his fingers through the soft fur between her ears, James answered, ¡°Oh, they¡¯re fine. They had a few injuries, but nothing that would persist past a good night¡¯s sleep, and certainly nothing that outweighed the two Levels both gained. Diana also gained a new Skill that really excited Howard, so he¡¯s been making her train ever since the sun came up.¡±


    Kira listened to James¡¯s rhythmic breathing while they waited for the pair to return. For her, all was right in the world.


    The attack had left six dead and four others besides Kira injured. Anyone else injured had just drunk a potion to ward again lycanthropy and promote passive regeneration and woken up fine this morning. Even after five years in this world, James had still not wrapped his head around the fact that a night of sleep and a warm meal would heal all but death and the most grievous of injuries. However, he couldn¡¯t explore the mechanics of this today because duty called. Olaf¡¯s loud bellowing as his team packed their belongings into the wagon attracted his attention. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Since they and the heroes had anyway planned to travel the same way, the heroes had decided to take point on defense while asking Diana to help them if they needed it. In this way, James would gain a bit of free protection while the heroes would get to carry a lighter load.


    Still slightly flushed from a morning of strenuous training, the Knight in question sat by her grandfather who drove the wagon as James and Kira slept behind them. Wringing out her hair which was still wet from her bath at the nearby stream, Diana had a lot of questions. All were about Kira.


    ¡°Grandfather, how did Kira keep her sanity in her beast form?¡±


    Howard immediately became white in the face, putting his finger to his lips. Taking a furtive glance behind him at the resting pair, he looked at her before sighing.


    ¡°In my foolishness, I asked that very question to Master James¡¯s face the first time I witnessed her go all out.¡± He took a moment to look behind him to be sure the two were asleep. ¡°He refused to tell me, but she did later that day. You remember before when you asked why she didn¡¯t leave James since she was free, correct?¡±


    Diana nodded. ¡°Their shared response was that she had nowhere else to go,¡± Diana trailed off, trying to figure out how that detail fit into this story.


    Howard looked down, a little sad about having to remember the story. ¡°The day she became his, he freed her from her servitude collar.¡± Diana became puzzled. Kira still wore one now¡­ On the other hand, she quickly remembered that it seemed to be rather unusual based on the fact that she¡¯d still been able to transform even while wearing it. ¡°But why would he do that? Isn¡¯t that¡­ dangerous?¡±


    Howard glanced away. ¡°He was raised differently than you or I. Kira is a person to him, and where he hails from, ownership of people is forbidden. In fact, it is a practice shunned outright. That is, at least, how he described it to me. Well, right after being freed, she attacked him. Nothing too serious, but after that, she ran away. Then, she learned the hard way what it was like to be without a home, without anyone to care for you. Every day she¡¯d steal food from stalls and scare the domesticated animals by sleeping in their beds. Every day he would wait for her to come back.¡±


    Howard paused, reflecting on some of the things he had done in his own past. ¡°Every night, she would come back to him after finding nowhere else that would keep her for the night. The complaints and fees for her trouble-making alone must have been hard on him, but he never stopped letting her free.¡±


    Howard stared at her again. ¡°After about a week, she calmed down. Other than forcing her to be cleaned up each time after returning home, he never raised a hand to her or spoke even a single ill word, so she accepted him as her master. After that, she was eager to mend the ills she had caused.¡±


    Howard paused again to gulp a swig of water before continuing, ¡°James invested a lot of time and effort into Kira. More than any other master of a Hersha girl would. He taught her how to talk, read and write, and even calculate numbers to a great degree. In fact, he originally didn¡¯t plan for her to choose the [Maid] class, but she wanted to better aid him. After a year, her latent Racial [Berserker] abilities awakened with her puberty.¡± He paused again this time reaching for his sword because a group of foolish [Bandits] had started attacking the wagon. No doubt, their last moments of life would be spent regretting attacking a small group of travelers that had probably double the levels of the entire pack. Diana noticed this too and went to aid the heroes. Life was never quiet, even if sometimes trouble didn¡¯t bring Levels with it.


    After the battle finished, and the spoils were collected, Diana washed off her armor and blade before returning to sit beside her grandfather again. Howard picked up where he had left off without missing his place. ¡°When she transformed for the first time, it was shortly after her first heat. I believe the day after, in fact. I do not know all the details, but something fell and would have killed James if Kira had not transformed and stopped the descent of that object. He had immediately rubbed behind her ear as a reward for her. Didn¡¯t hesitate even a moment despite her monster-like fury.¡± Stilling, Howard stopped as if to say more but was unsure whether it was his place. Diana paused. This seemed a lot like an adverse reaction to a [Dangersense] Skill¡­


    A voice came from behind them. ¡°I saw it in her eyes; she would never threaten me. Shortly after the incident, a pair of heroes attacked Kira seeing her still transformed. Kira was not hurt, and the heroes were not seriously injured, but from that day forth, we have never trusted them. Kira would never unjustifiably hurt someone. That is the way I raised her.¡±


    Diana looked behind her at the two. She saw Kira stirring while James leaned on an arm, propping up his body to watch them. Kira noticed the position James was in and grabbed his pants, pulling them down his legs. James quickly rubbed behind Kira''s ear, and she gazed at his face. ¡°Master, I want. I¡¯ve been good and it¡¯s been so long.¡± James looked back toward Diana. She was obviously red-faced, and Howard¡¯s laughing did not help alleviate her embarrassment. By then Kira''s breasts were doing their best to get her what she wanted, and it was obvious that her charms would assure that she would not need to wait long.


    Elsewhere in a basement belonging to a Classless engineer, an egg that had lain itself cracked, and a scaled snout popped out. In a high-pitched squeak, a voice asked, ¡°Why¡¯s my name Jeffry?¡± And far closer, a behemoth of steel marched to save his people.

 Chapter 31: Mechanical Warrior Cezar

    It had been about twenty days since James had left his shop behind, and fortunately, but perhaps unexpectedly, nothing extraordinary had happened after the werewolf attack. Based on the maps and local guides he¡¯d conferred with, it would take another nine days to arrive at the trade city, assuming that the weather held. Unfortunately, that assumption seemed increasingly unlikely to be proven true.


    By now, summer has turned to fall, bringing with it the occasional rain that would force them to slow their progress for many days in a row or risk losing a wheel in the mud. Nevertheless, James could admire the countryside of this world, something that had for the most part been lost in his industrialized home dimension. Along the more populated sections of the road, people would often work on their farms and fields, preparing for the coming harvest. On this day, however, the weather was more severe than usual, so the group sat crouched beneath the wagon while poor Howard braved the front of the storm. Eventually, though, the raging rain and thunder forced the group to shelter at a roadside inn instead of stalwartly forging on. If not for James utilizing his best salesman pitches on the [Innkeeper] and even offering one of his heaters, they might not have even received a room for the four of them. While he¡¯d still gotten paid for his invention, he¡¯d had to part with it at a severe discount. After all, there was a veritable line of travelers trying to book rooms about the small town, and there was no need for the [Innkeeper] to offer them special treatment. Two days passed like this, and as they had feared, the weather washed out the bridge ahead of them.


    During this entire time, the heroes were nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, that was not unusual. It would not surprise him if they were scouting a new route over the river or hunting the unique monsters that came with such storms. Should they gather any rare materials, he¡¯d happily buy a few of them: one never knew when a random component could come in handy. Snapping out of his musings, James eyed the warm broth in front of him. It was a goulash soup filled with some small bits of meat that the [Innkeeper] had hunted before the storms had arrived. It had also cost almost twenty Seedz, practically highway robbery. With a sigh, James forked a brown piece of meat and savored the rather fragrant juices. Perhaps the price was worth it¡­ The [Cook] in this inn must be relatively high Leveled to turn simple materials into a rather delicious meal. Kira ate with her hands while Diana watched in exasperation, her original surprised disgust having long since faded away at the beginning of the trip. Still, Diana elegantly blew on the wooden spoon before delicately sipping at the broth. James struggled to control his mirth at the between the ravenous Kira and collected Diana since any laughter would result in some rather unpleasant choking.


    After they had finished eating, James pulled out a deck of cards to play Solitaire with while the others found their own things to do. That was when a small group of [Soldier]s arrived at the inn. Obviously, they had been through a fight because of how bandaged they were. They started sitting around anywhere that was free while their [Captain] talked to the [Innkeeper]. From the brief tidbits James picked up from their hurried conversation, the [Captain] sought room and supplies for his injured men so that the rest could return to their fight with peace of mind. Still, it wasn¡¯t his business, so James wisely tried to distance himself from the restless [Soldier]s. Tired, beaten men were often a source of trouble for snooping travelers.


    James had decided to head up to where the others were resting when another [Soldier] came into the inn while panting. Breaking off from his conversation with the rather unhelpful [Innkeeper], the [Captain] glared at his subordinate before composing his features. Compared to the out of breath [Soldier], the [Captain] looked intimidating with a bandage wrapped around his head. A frown forming on his face, the [Captain] fingered his bandages while the [Soldier] gave his report about the current situation. Muttering at the [Innkeeper], the [Captain] beckoned for his men to collect their belongings to search for another place.


    Going up the stairs,  James overheard a gruff voice mention something about his wagon. Creasing his brow, he hurried his steps to figure out what was going on. By the time he reached his room, he found a couple of [Soldier]s standing in the hallway while talking to Howard about some potions. Thinking that they were just trying to buy some simple wares, James decided to let the old [Knight] handle the simple matters since he wanted to relax with the girls. Keeping a wary ear toward their negotiation, James got Kira and Diana to rest beside one of the heaters that he¡¯d unpacked from his wagon. Kira lazily let the heat warm her back while Diana performed maintenance on her sword, carefully eyeing the fearsome edge of the flamberge.


    Yawning, he steeled his resolve and scooted away from the warmth. Some things just had to be done. He thought about asking Kira to help, but she hated the rain and would probably just spend most of the time complaining. In the end, she would be more of a hindrance than a help. ¡°Diana, I am worried about those heroes. Care to come with me to look for them?¡±


    Diana looked at him, mildly surprised. ¡°You cared about them?¡±


    James glanced at the door, eyeing the group of [Soldier]s trying to convince Howard to give them a discount since they were ¡°protecting the roads. ¡± The wily [Knight] was having none of it. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t, but they have made the journey much easier for us so far. It would be a shame to have to go any further without them. Plus, they are good for business.¡± He let out a small chuckle.


    Diana laughed a little, figuring that was the real reason. James was glad that she had accepted his falsehood without thinking much on it as she fetched her cloak. After all, he had to maintain his tough-guy persona! Kira sadly gazed at James; she was disappointed that she had not been asked, but that momentary feeling of abandonment disappeared with a thunderbolt that struck a bit too close for her comfort, causing her fur to stand on end before she hid her head under her arm. James kneeled down to rub her back before rising to hurry off. Wrapping her in a blanket from the bed, he nodded to the [Soldier]s and patted Howard¡¯s back. ¡°Once you settle the deal, just give me a note signed by both parties detailing the deal, and I¡¯ll exchange it for the goods.¡±


    The moment James came down the stairs, the [Captain] of the [Soldier]s finished off his mug of liquid courage and strode to James with purpose. James had hoped he would have escaped the inn before being confronted. ¡°Hey, you the one with the wagon?¡±


    James looked back at Diana before deciding to take a defensive stance in his response. James displayed the crest to the [Captain] that was also on the wagon. ¡°Good, me and my men will escort you up to the front-line base. We need your supplies.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    James reflected on that for a moment. While he was unwilling to let the [Captain] order him about like this, they could provide some useful protection.  ¡°Did your men happen to meet up with four heroes: an [Axeman], a thin [Thief], a [Sorceress] and a [Cleric]?¡±


    The mid Level [Captain] paused, surprised. ¡°Well then, that makes this easier if you know them. I will explain on the way.¡±


    James listened to the [Captain]''s story as the two rode in the back of the wagon; the rest of the [Soldier]s patrolled the path while Diana guided the horses. Half of James¡¯s belongings had been packed into his room to make room for extra food and arms that the [Soldier]s had bought around the small town. It sounded like the [Soldier]s were fighting a monster that loomed a hundred feet tall and could knock out dozens of men with a single movement. Somehow, it all sounded strangely familiar.


    It was a bumpy, long hour ride in the washed-out back road, but there were no incidents. Few [Bandit]s would be foolish enough to attack a small army. The [Soldier]s must have cleared the path just for them since James didn¡¯t spot any signs of a rampaging monster that could have injured the trained [Soldier]s to such an extent. Surely, a violent 100-foot being would leave some type of wreckage in its wake? When they got to the camp, it became clear the weather had done it no favors, with tents half set up around grim [Soldier]s. The campfires, where they had been successfully lit, were small and flickering in the heavy downpour. A [Soldier] approached the [Captain] as soon as he got off the wagon to give an update. Meanwhile, James spoke to Diana, ¡°They paid for everything in the bags. The stuff in my boxes is still for sale. There are potions, revives and mana restores. Do not buy anything from them. If they ask, say that I will be taking a look at the monster that they mentioned.¡±


    Diana only gave a nod and got into the wagon to vigilantly make sure that no one touched anything that was not supposed to be touched, and James got off through the front. Mentally thanking the [Knight], he hurried to where several men were limping, nursing battered and sometimes bloody limbs. They were only too happy to point out where the being responsible for their injuries was, although the contemptuous looks in their eyes revealed their belief that James was sending himself toward his own doom. Then, a brief run allowed James to see something he could not believe. Staring at the metallic creature before him, he felt a thrill of shock course through him. While he was completely unaware of how it had happened, he couldn¡¯t deny the proof walking before him.


    Maintaining a clear head, he raced back toward the wagon with all the speed he could muster. A few of the men he¡¯d asked directions from stared at him in bemusement, believing that he¡¯d lost his courage upon seeing the enemy. ¡°How is that here?¡± He kept muttering in his head as he dashed toward the supplies he¡¯d, fortunately, carried along on this trip. After realizing what the monster was, he wasted not a second, ignoring the numerous hired Adventurers that he passed who advised him against attempting to face the beast with whatever foolish contraption he had in stock.


    He continued on, eager to get to the only thing that could help in this situation. Heavily panting, he jumped onto the wagon, completely ignoring Diana, and moved to access a metal lockbox. This one was special. Bolted down to the very structure of the wagon, it was one of the few pieces of technology that had come with him from his world that still worked; he opened it with ease and found a plastic card before heading back toward the monster.


    It was not long before he passed the [Guard]s enraptured by the battle between the heroes and the monster. While many of them were trained [Soldier]s, none of them were high Leveled elites, so they wisely chose to stay removed from the fight. Then again, their actions were not completely fueled by cowardice since James could see one of them was already unconscious on her back, and the other three were barely standing while they tried to nurse their wounds with a healing potion. No doubt high command had told them to let the hired heroes handle it. Loyal [Soldier]s were expensive and hard to find.


    Eyeing the metal being that fought against more than a dozen trained Adventurers, James hoped what he had planned would work. Walking past the tense heroes, he held up the card in his hand and used his native language. ¡°Engineer N356D-09G-33C-C.¡± The monster raised its bladed arm to strike James but suddenly stopped to examine the card in his hand. ¡°License recognized. Input further information.¡± James sighed in relief as the machine returned to a neutral stance.


    ¡°Inquiry: time assessment by best estimate; how long have you been on this world?¡±


    The monster''s face flashed green. ¡°This unit has been in this world for fifteen days, six hours, twelve minutes and thirty seconds and counting.¡±


    James''s heart stopped for a moment before playing a scenario in his head. ¡°Before coming to this world, were you to be transported via a teleport pad? From any unspecified location to any unspecified location. You do not have to state the locations.¡±


    The added comment was to ensure its classified protection programs did not activate. While they normally wouldn¡¯t cause the machine to target allied civilians, James feared that this model had been altered by its travels.


    ¡°Correct!¡±


    James sighed, both relieved and worried. It seemed that it too had arrived here by mistake, so his fears of a hostile invasion by his home dimension were unfounded. However, if these glitches became more frequent¡­ ¡°Here is the current situation as I understand it. We have arrived at a previously unknown world. Its location in space, time and dimensionality is unknown. The very laws of physics are different on some levels. That is why your munitions will not work.¡± James reached into his pocket and brought out one of the slugs. ¡°However, merging our technology with this reality is possible, and many fundamental ideas remain the same. I have foregone attempts at contacting or bridging this world and the HSRC together as there is the possibility of hostile forces attempting to conquer HRSC. I suspect that there is a powerful entity capable of controlling this whole world and realistically capable of matching our own military. Thus, the best course of action is to lay low and avoid its attention so as to best protect our people. Compute?¡±


    The monster processed the information, and its face turned green. ¡°Computed!¡±


    James continued, ¡°Make and model number?¡±


    The monster seemed to straighten. ¡°I am a sentry bot, series EZ, model number 4, setup R serial number 5,234. Commonly referred to as a Cezar.¡±


    James smiled humored, recalling old Roman history for a minute. They might ignore the ethics section of creative emotionless killer bots, but one thing the military engineers knew well was their military history. ¡°Do you agree that it is necessary to employ a primitive world initiative protocol?¡±


    Again, the green face appeared. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    James relaxed: the hard part was over. ¡°Assessment, locals have reported you as an outside force invading their claimed land. Have you killed any?¡± Cezar looked toward the base camp. ¡°Negative, life form count has not decreased. System in unknown condition. The situation calls for a retreat. Action failed. Unable to activate mobility tracks.¡±


    James moved to the tracks on Cezar and found after a cursory glance that the oil was gone. It was a miracle that the machine even worked. Taking a step back, James addressed the robot,  ¡°I am James Hues. I will attempt to make repairs and render further aid. Can you have your monitor flash green for yes and red for no during negotiations with locals?¡±


    Cezar¡¯s face turned green.

 Chapter 32: Cezars New Job

    Cezar monitored James while the engineer worked on the treads responsible for his movement. The machine kept a close watch on its only potential ally in case James had been turned by the local populous and was secretly trying to figure out his weaknesses, or even worse, sabotage his beautiful frame. However, Cezar recognized that to a degree such slight deficits would be expected as James had integrated with the natives during his prolonged stay. Thus, some small missteps would have to be forgiven.


    He was also weary because his processing systems were old. Despite a machine¡¯s infinite stamina, eventually, their parts would erode just like everything else. In fact, he had been deactivated because he had been nearing the beginning of operating non-consistently. Fortunately, it seemed that the hostile presence which James had called the System was unable to infiltrate even his outdated viral defense systems that had not been updated ever since he had joined the classified retired mech list. While he had only been on it for a few years and had been in the process of being transported to long term storage before he landed here, technology evolved so quickly that he was surely vulnerable to newer exploits.


    Upon being briefed of the current situation by James and reading the related files, the conditions for standing down had been met, and he had accepted James¡¯s license. Of course, the related files had been a single page involving the discovery of new planets beyond the maps of humanity suggesting that he first contact high command before following the orders of the highest-ranked human available. While James was a mere mechanic, he was technically the only valid human¡­ so Cezar assumed he would do. With the situation as explained by the human, Cezar''s assessed that the situation was valid and further discretion toward the hostile System was needed. With James acting as an intermediary, the [Captain] of the [Soldier]s that had been attacking Cezar since the storm had started was cajoled into letting Cezar travel to James¡¯s base of operations.


    It took three days for the storm to clear up and another week for James to finish the basic repairs required for minimum combat capabilities. Five of those days were spent rebuilding his automatic drone repair systems. Normally, these systems would be the most protected and least likely to break as they represented nearly half of his combat capability, but his arrival at this world had been chaotic and somehow shut down the systems as well as destroyed many of the parts. Nevertheless, with a bit of experimentation, James had found make-do parts from this world that could replace parts of the delicate circuitry and reboot the operating system responsible for controlling the drones. After receiving all the local maps of the area he could access and observing the overall layout of the land, Cezar escorted James and the three he kept in his company for a bit along their path while James detailed his new mission. According to Cezar¡¯s observations, James¡¯s closest companion was an animal-like creature that gave off a slightly unfathomable feeling. Cezar analyzed that it was a pet that performed mundane chores for James and chalked the mystery surrounding it toward the hostile System messing with his sensors. The next was another female, a warrior, although James called her a [Knight] for some reason. Cezar calculated that there was a high probability that James would breed with her, well within the 99% confidence interval. The last of James¡¯s small group was a relative of the female according to the faint DNA tracings Cezar had tested. Obviously, James was seeking favor with the older man in order for a more proper integration with the female. Eventually, though, their paths diverged as the group left Cezar to fulfill the rituals of this strange land that would complete James¡¯s breeding privileges with the female. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    While Cezar was a bit puzzled about why the humans would undergo such trivial rites, he knew that this was common to humans even in the lands from which he came and not something worth looking into. In the end, he followed James¡¯s instructions to travel south to where James had come from while the rest of the party traveled north.


    Cezar avoided populated regions the best he could since James had revealed that there were some powerful Classers who could apparently rival top tier mecha warriors. With the modifications and upgrades of James¡¯s blended technology, Cezar walked day and night, and on the first snow of the year, he finally escaped the No Man¡¯s Lands and came to the border wall surrounding the Natusha Kingdom. Upon reading the message James had given the robot to deliver, they let him through without any trouble, and he continued on his journey until he came to a fortress-like wall spanning miles in each direction and served as the only conceivable entrance to the Capital. Cezar followed the directions that James had detailed to him and eventually found the shop belonging to James without more than a few confrontations with the local guards. Luckily, each time, the slip of paper James had given him with a golden crown imprinted on it had made these foolish natives bow down and get out of his way. Cezar figured James must¡¯ve installed a modicum of fear into this native populace given his natural technological superiority. In the back, he found the garage door that James had mentioned a being called Jeffry frequently used. It was easily big enough to let him through and after inputting the gate code, the door rumbled and slid open.


    Once inside, he entered standby mode, but to his surprise, something else rather small had followed him without his noticing. Aiming a turret at this blue scaled creature, Cezar reviewed the explanations James had given him and recognized this with a 95% probability as being James¡¯s guard dog. While it was far smaller than what James had described, Cezar figured that James must¡¯ve merely exaggerated the ferocity of this guardian as humans often did. Still, just to be safe, Cezar calculated his combat victory odds. Satisfied with the result, Cezar still kept his scanners on the creature in case any sudden action became necessary. Then, Cezar completed the orders he had received.


    The special container for important packages opened on his chest, revealing a piece of hard candy, and Jeffry, the guard dog, sniffed it in joy before licking it up and curling up on the mattress, his tail hitting the door switch to close it.


    Ignoring the descending garage door, Cezar continued assessing his surroundings after that. The first thing he noticed was a twentieth-century M1 Abraham USA army tank. By the look of its tracks, it too had had similar issues to what he had experienced when he first came to this world, which explained why James had known how to quickly fix the issue. Next, there was a workstation. On it were various crystals and blueprints for things, mostly mundane objects like telephones and other basic technologies. Deciding against venturing into the darkness because James had no doubt prepared traps again unwary trespassers, Cezar decided to exercise care and check all his sensors for any hints of danger. After collecting all the data he could, Cezar went to work.

 Chapter 33: Under The Mountain; Over His Head Pt. 1

    James relaxed, relieved to finally be resting in a bed at an inn. Still, as usual, there was business to review. He tried to figure out what his next meeting would be like. The Kabali or lizard people who lived under the Marjon Mountain were a loud, annoying and prideful people. Each of them was easily stronger than him in addition to towering over him by at least a few feet when they straightened their backs. The few he had met before this journey had been arrogant fighters, many of them advanced [Warrior]s.


    While he had been rather fortunate in that he had managed to contact his crystal supplier in the region to arrange for rooms and a barn for the horses and the wagon before they had arrived, much of those arrangements had been for naught. Unfortunately, the house they had planned to stay in had been destroyed a week ago by a brawl between the resident [Skirmisher] and a wandering [Paladin] and had yet to be rebuilt. Although the victorious [Paladin] had forced the [Skirmisher] to pay for damages, all the money in the world wouldn¡¯t fix a house in a day. Well, that wasn¡¯t exactly true, James mused since a high Level [Mage] or [Builder] could probably manage it within an hour, but they¡¯d also require a much larger payment. Even though he had desperately hoped to have already fallen asleep by the time they arrived, he found himself still awake to witness the door opening and the other three of his party appearing.


    Kira jumped toward his legs headfirst and went straight for his belt, much like she had done several times on this trip. However, this time, James caught her before she could finish unbuckling his belt to keep her from showing anything to Diana. He complained, ¡°Kira, what has gotten into you?¡± James wanted to roar about etiquette and manners, but he knew that she was secretly worried that she would lose him to Diana.


    Clawing at his belt, she merely meowed in reply. A moment later he let go and scratched beneath her jaw. As if in a trance, she relaxed and laid her head on his lap. James sighed. Her desire for attention was going to get him in trouble one day. Today though, she became a warm blanket for him as his eyes closed once more. When the knock came from the door, James scowled: he had still been unable to get a single wink of sleep. James secured his belt again while Kira got up and removed her hand from his pants to answer the door. Licking her hand, she twisted the knob to find one of the local residents. This one had a single special trait: large and leathery, his tongue would frequently slip out of his mouth as if to taste the air. Quickly picking up on Kira¡¯s smell, the lizard apologized, ¡° My apologies, I didn''t mean to interrupt anything. When my sister notified me that this room had been occupied by ya¡¯ll, I came over as soon as I thought you¡¯d be settled in.¡±


    James looked at the Kabali again and sighed. The [Merchant] watched him in concern. The engineer felt victimized. This embarrassing situation had nothing to do with him; it had been all Kira. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Gorgox, correct? Apologies, but we can not identify things through smell like you can.¡±


    Gorgox nodded understandingly. ¡°Of course, I deal with many non-Kabali during the regular course of my business. I fully understand. And, you were correct. My name is Gorgox. My apologies about the state of this house. I have many business colleagues who stay during the year, and the last angered one of the neighbors.¡±


    James smiled, humored upon hearing that. A [Skirmisher] for a ¡°business partner,¡± ey? ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Here will do for now.¡±


    Gorgox nodded in relief and finally spotted what he had really come for and quickly moved toward it. Appraising it with his |Merchant¡¯s Eye|, he commented, ¡°I have heard many great things about the magic lanterns you make.¡±


    James rubbed the back of his head, a little bashful. ¡°And as promised. That one is yours. The bag behind it has enough power cores for it to last well over a year.¡± Gorgox''s tongue extended, showing that he was pleased upon hearing that. No doubt, the suave [Merchant] assumed that James had expected his visit and suspected that James had secretly planted all the little details that he had observed, from the display of his masculinity with Kira to his skill in crafting. Still, Gorgox liked smart partners¡­ they were more interesting and tended to grant more experience. Without waiting to hear another thing, Gorgox grabbed his prize and left James alone with Kira impatiently closing the door behind the Kabali, eager to go back to bed with her master. And so with a few moans and purrs, the pair fell asleep for the night...


    ¡°Master, why didn¡¯t you want to go through the tentacle fields when we got underground?¡±


    James tried to maintain a straight face at Kira¡¯s innocent question as the four got ready for the day. Other than the few liters that they had brought with them, they had only received about five liters of water a day for the four of them and buying more would¡¯ve been excessively expensive. After all, water was a commodity to these people who lived in the desert-like underground. One of the reliable methods they used to obtain more of this precious liquid was sending waste to the tentacle fields. Timid plant-like creatures would then purify the waste into drinkable water. However, the method of extracting the water out was somewhat... unusual. Diana noticeably blushed at the question, which James happily latched onto, seeing a way out of the tricky situation. He explained, ¡°Well, Howard is an elderly man. He does not need that kind of stress right now, and Diana is a virgin maiden. They hold such things with a certain dignity, you know.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Kira rolled her eyes, annoyed. ¡°Her virginity again, Master? It¡¯s always Diana this and Diana that! What about me, Master?¡±


    James observed Kira¡¯s aggravation and knew he had to calm her down. While she probably had the self-control to not enter a Berserk stage, it was never good to test it. He opened his arms toward her, but she refused to enter his embrace. Instead, she sulked while facing him with her arms crossed.


    James sighed. Shrugging his shoulders, he admitted, ¡°All right, you got me. The thought of one of those tentacles entering my butt disturbed me.¡±


    Kira looked at him as if that were a bald-faced lie when in fact it was the truth. The whole reason that they had had to take the long way around the swamp was because of this simple fact. However, after a moment, she warmed up to him again and happily moved into his arms. ¡°Oh, I get it! I know you don¡¯t like to think of anyone or thing doing something nasty with me.¡±


    James could not help but smile and kiss the top of her head. ¡°Of course, not without your permission.¡±


    Now that Kira was out of the way, he looked toward Diana. ¡°Gorgox is liable for the wagon, so it¡¯ll remain safe in his care. What are you going to do?¡± Diana looked at her sword and thought about the warning James had given her about its value. ¡°I¡¯m going to find a spare sword. Many of the arms and armor produced within this city are legendary. Perhaps, I can find something of interest. After that, I¡¯m going to find myself a nice watering hole to wait out the winter.¡± James figured that that would serve as a fine plan and glanced at Howard. His plan turned out to be similar, but he decided to follow along with Diana to keep her out of trouble. James sighed. These [Warrior]-type classes were all the same: completely pragmatic.


    James and Kira arrived where they were to have lunch with Gorgox. He was already sitting down, chowing on a plate of grilled mushrooms and deep-fried larva type insects. Carefully controlling his face, James made sure to maintain a courteous smile even though he was a bit grossed out. Waving, Gorgox signaled the waitress to bring two more plates while the pair took the seats in front of him. Once Gorgox set his fork down, James began, ¡°I was hoping to talk to you about my monthly stock.¡±


    Gorgox signaled that he wished for them to give him a moment as he swallowed his food, following his mighty gulp with a swig of something from the canteen hanging around his neck. After tapping his chest and letting out a gentle belch, he turned to them again. ¡°Apologies, for that and what I say next. You are a newcomer to the market, and I am cutting from my normal supplier duties as it is. Many of the contracts to whom I owe the duties of which I speak have been maintained for generations on both sides. While it has been profitable so far, as it is, I see no longevity to our deal. You humans are famously¡­ forgetful. I mean no offense, you see, but there¡¯s an old Kabali saying that you can only trust another if you can see the end of his tail, and well, humans don¡¯t have tails.¡± James knew as well as Gorgox that every guild on both sides of the mountain was trying to find out his secrets, not to mention the mountain itself, which was a center for magical enchantments. It was only a matter of time before someone figured it out, and then, his business would quickly face stringent competition that would likely force him out of the market. After all, how could he compete with companies that had existed for centuries?


    ¡°I fully understand where you are coming from. However, my business model differs from the competition in that what I am after is not quality or quantity but variety. I have many designs that I haven¡¯t even introduced to the market, so there¡¯s very little possibility of the competition being able to reverse engineer my designs before I can come up with something new. Moreover, I am looking into more complex builds, but the materials I¡¯ve been getting are not adequate for the job.¡±


    Gorgox leaned forward as two more plates similar to Gorgox''s appeared in front of the two. As the two talked, Kira poked one of the larvae. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± The Kabali¡¯s tail was still, displaying that the [Merchant] probably had either a lot of experience or a Skill for hiding his inner thoughts. James sighed and picked out a piece of mushroom. Carefully scraping off any vestiges of bug, James said, ¡° I need some dark crystals. About two hundred. Some water and life ones as well. As many of those as you can give.¡± before taking a bite.


    Gorgox considered the order for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Sorry, but I cannot fulfill that request. The water ones maybe, but dark and life are a lot rarer and already in high demand. I know that there are already advanced orders for the next ten thousand of both at least.¡± Gorgox picked up a larva and ate it whole before resting an arm on the table. ¡°However, I may have a way for you to obtain these crystals. There is a contest going on that the war engine [Head Builder] is hosting. The grand prize is a reserved set of fifty thousand elemental crystals as well as several other prizes. I can sponsor you in the build tournament and cover your entry fee.¡± What was Gorgox¡¯s angle¡­ Briefly wondering whether Gorgox¡¯s schemes could end up harming him, James chewed on his food a little more to think on it. Kira ignored her food, finding holding James arm more pleasurable. ¡°You had this planned from the beginning, didn''t you?¡± James sighed and stood, pushing away his almost uneaten plate of food.


    Beckoning at the waitress, Gorgox cautiously got up as well.


    James frowned, wondering whether to test the Kabali¡¯s boundaries. ¡°The sooner I learn of this contest. The sooner I will make my decision.¡± Tapping Kira on her arm, he turned and left the way they had arrived.

 Chapter 34: Under The Mountain; Over His Head Part 2

    James followed Gorgox out of the restaurant with a worried Kira hanging on his arm. The strange meal had spooked her sensibilities, and the looks the two were receiving from the relatively insular Kabali were not all that pleasant. After moving from the residential area to a more construction-oriented sector, James could see weapons of war being built or packaged for delivery. Some looked appropriate for tunnel warfare while others seemed more purposed for open areas and still others he couldn¡¯t even fathom how they worked. Then again, the surrounding weapons and various lethal paraphernalia left him with little doubt that these too were more than capable of ending many lives. One example of the weapons on display was a catapult that stood three times taller than a man and had strange runes engraved along its frame. Before James could take a closer look though, Gorgox led the two to an elderly but still capable Kabali who had to have seen his fair share of mishaps. His arms were covered in minor burn scars, and his hands had the hardened look of a real [Mechanic]. James guessed this Kabali probably specialized in flaming objects based on the various extinguishers and fuel sources littering the area. Bowing toward the other Kabali, Gorgox waited expectantly as if he were waiting to be acknowledged.


    The elderly Kabali took a moment to glance up from the projects he was tinkering with to take notice of Gorgox and sighed, slightly annoyed. ¡°What are you doing here, Nephew? I told you that you should never enter again unless something I made blew up or we¡¯re all about to die. Actually scratch that for future reference, only the former would count; I don¡¯t want to have to take care of you in my last moments. Last time, you tried to steal one of the trebuchet blueprints...¡±


    Shuffling his tail sheepishly, Gorgox shook his head and gestured toward James. James mused that Gorgox must have a very practiced |Poker Face| Skill. ¡°Uncle Kornar, I brought you the one I told you of last time. He has some Skills you might find of interest.¡± Kornar sighed in annoyance again before taking a look at James. One look told him that he was entirely not interested in anything that James would be able to produce for the contest.


    ¡°No!¡± Gorgox moved forward and held his hand out pleadingly, flashing his best |Sleezy Smile|. ¡°Uncle, give him a chance. What will it take?¡±


    Kornar growled, ¡°Don¡¯t use your little tricks on me.¡± He glared at James who was examining one of the projects being built by a couple of [Apprentice]s. ¡°What do you see, Runt? That thing is the culmination of years of perfection.¡±


    Blinking, James took a look at Kornar, realizing he was being spoken to. ¡°Junk?¡±


    Kornar stopped working on his project. Struggling to control his surprise, he hesitated before opening his mouth, but Gorgox beat him to it.¡°Master James, please do not insult my uncle like that! I¡¯m still your main supplier you know!¡± James shrugged.


    Kornar gave Gorgox a look that told him in no uncertain terms to shut up. Seeing that Gorgox was unwilling to maintain his silence, Kornar growled, ¡°You want him to build in your place. If he¡¯s actually half as good as you claim he is, give him the respect he deserves. I know what you [Merchants] can do, thinking lies and gold can twist the world in your favor. You will not be putting any words in his mouth or thoughts in his head. I will hear what he has to say.¡± Gorgox backed away and bowed before giving James a pointed look.


    James explained, ¡°Fighting is stupid in my opinion. The strong beams used in this weapon of war, I would have used to build homes for your people or building reinforced pillars for your tunnels to keep them from collapsing. This would gain your people much more resources than any silly weapon ever could. The iron bands could be melted and forged into good cookware. The rope¡¯s material to make clothing, so all I see here is waste and junk. It¡¯s all so¡­ frivolous.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Kornar was mildly surprised and shocked but not enough to let James¡¯s words sway him. So are you saying we should not have the means to protect ourselves?¡±


    James rubbed the back of his head in thought. ¡°A man has the right to protect his home and family. I will not argue about this but killing a man for what is theirs... I see no right in that. I would rather starve than steal what belongs to another.¡±


    Kornar saw the feline girl to his side look away in shame upon hearing that. He guessed that something in their past rang true with that statement but didn¡¯t put much thought into it. ¡°So, by your own words, these things that will help protect my people from harm¡­ are they still waste or junk then?¡±


    James pointed to a catapult. ¡°Tell me how that protects your home in these caves then? That is a tool of war for attacking those outside your mountain. A catapult is a weapon of offense.¡±


    Kornar, surprisingly even to himself, became amused. ¡°We do not commonly settle differences in the caves. There is too much risk, so we often settle differences in the plains to the west and south of the mountain.¡±


    James raised his shoulders. ¡°I will not argue with you on your culture or how you wage war. You asked what I saw, and I told you.¡±


    Kornar sobered himself and gave James¡¯s words a moment of thought. ¡°Gorgox, I do not know your angle yet, but you know I do not like games. If this is some joke at my expense, I will ruin you even if doing so will cause the same to myself, and no fancy [Merchant] Skill will save you. Since you are not the first to sponsor an outsider, I will allow him¡ªif he can pass the preliminary tests. I do hope he shall be as interesting as his words today were.¡±


    The preliminary tests were not difficult, or at least nothing different from what he had done while helping out some of the other castes or guild members when he had been asked for his aid back in Natusha. Most of the tests involved doing simple repairs on everyday items: making and replacing a wagon axle for example. To be truthful, most of those taking these tests could probably have just passed them automatically with a [Repair] skill. The only strange one had been magic-related and had required a drop of his blood at the beginning. Since he had proceeded safely and successfully past that strange artifact, he figured that there had been no issues. It had been two weeks, and there were seven others who had made it as far as he had. In total, five of them were Kabali, two were Human, and the last was a lion-looking Hersha. At least he thought the last was the same species as Kira, but he was not actually sure since he hadn¡¯t been aware that lions were included under the umbrella of the Hershan bloodline. After a week of tests, they were all taken to a warehouse district by Kornar. There were twenty-four other Kabali waiting there. All looked like they were experienced [Carpenters] or [Craftsman]. ¡°I have arranged for these [Senior Apprentices] to be your assistants in the final test. They will not be privileged to participate in your planning or the overall designs but will help you build parts of whatever you decide to build.¡±


    Pointing toward two rows of buildings behind him, Kornar continued, ¡°Each of these eight warehouses holds the same tools, supplies, and space. Other than the necessities for life, nothing is to come or go from these warehouses in the next month. You can build anything you want. Use your resources and time wisely. I am looking for creativity, originality, and complexity.¡± Kornar turned to the apprentices. ¡°Each [Apprentice] has been pre-allocated to a warehouse. They will meet you there.¡±


    Kornar took a bucket held by one of the [Apprentice]s. Then, the [Apprentice]s divided up, moving to their new homes for the next month. Kornar moved to the closest of the eight remaining test takers and stirred the bucket before raising it over the lion-man¡¯s head so he could make a selection. Pulling out a slip of paper, Kornar glanced at it before shouting, ¡°Four!¡±


    The man started heading to the appropriate warehouse while Kornar went to James. ¡°Eight!¡± James followed the assumed Hershan to the end of the arranged buildings but turned left instead of right to find a workshop brimming with tools and materials. At the back were a few living bunks and toward the front, there was even a full-fledged forge. The [Senior Apprentice]s, however, did not look enthusiastic about who they were stuck with. Sighing gently, James entered as the gate behind him closed. He was going to be here for a long time.

 Chapter 35: Under the Mountain; Over His Head Pt. 3

    James examined at the three. Without the briefest bit of hesitation, two of the three each handed the middle one a pair of coins. James chuckled. ¡°I bet you¡¯re thinking those are the worst coins you¡¯ve ever made. Well, I guess I might as well tell you that I got roped into this as well. Name¡¯s James. Who are you three?¡±


    The three looked at one another before the center one moved forward. With a grimace, the Kabali man said, ¡°It is uncustomary for us to introduce ourselves, but since you asked, I am Jerkins; to my left, Kable, and to my right, Kord.¡± As Jerkins introduced them, the other two then bowed. James noticed a pause after that: they were waiting for instructions.


    Looking around at the vast pile of materials, he genuinely had no idea what to do. He then noticed the set of bunk beds. ¡°I don¡¯t have a full idea about what I want to do yet. I¡¯m only now finding out the conditions of this test. To be honest, I am not sure about what to do with you three; however, I am not a fan of sleeping with another man over or under me. Make one of those into single beds if you can, both if you wish. We will also need a table and some seats so that I can show you diagrams of some of the objects necessary and the construction plans.¡± The three looked at one another and nodded, relieved to be receiving orders to do something that, at least, made a bit of sense, even if they came from a strange human.


    The three finished setting the last bed onto the ground before moving back to the table they had made with the seats nearby. It had taken the three [Apprentice Engineer]s just a few |Quick Build|s to complete and looked rather sturdy. They stood standby, waiting for further orders as James started drawing lines on some parchment. He paused to look up at them. ¡°The first day will be spent planning. I am sorry, but I got nothing else for you to do at this time. Just get familiar with the tools, I guess?¡±


    Kable and Kord looked at Jerkins, and he shrugged his shoulders, mildly annoyed as the other two followed him to the other side of the warehouse. Pretending to take some form of stock, Kord began with feigned nonchalance, ¡°Word is he is quite brilliant. Did you hear of the lights that work even in the null mana tunnels? He makes those.¡±


    Jerkins looked at Kord and seemed even more annoyed. ¡°So what. He knows how to make something unique. My wife makes me the best lizard pie. Doesn¡¯t mean she deserves to make food for money. He¡¯s just a human. Besides, he insulted Master Kornar...¡±


    Kable laughed lightly at that. ¡°But you paid a hefty price to be able to eat my sister¡¯s pies, did you not?¡±


    Kord laughed as well, making Jerkins even less amused. So much so that he punched Kord hard in the arm. Kord¡¯s response was to ball his own fist and drive it into Jerkins¡¯s midsection, except that Jerkins saw that coming and moved so the attack would hit Kable in the groin. Kord growled, ¡°So, now you think you¡¯re some type of [Warrior]?¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Kable grunted and doubled over as Kord tried to follow up but was instead grabbed by the arm and slung into the open area of the workshop by Jerkins. It quickly became a flurry of blows between the two and then three once Kable, who was out for revenge, was able to stand once more. After a few minutes of brawling, the three no longer had it in them to fight anymore and just lay on the cold floor, surprisingly happy. After all, they had no |Warrior¡¯s Endurance| Skill or even a warrior¡¯s endurance granted by endless training.


    ¡°Oh, by the hells!¡± The other two looked toward Kable after he made the comment, hoping to not see what they suspected he was seeing. A human watched the three panting figures. To their surprise, James was not angry but amused. ¡°I get a sense that you three are not strangers. Well, let¡¯s hear it.¡± Jerkins rose to a sitting position, and James offered him a hand to help him up. Jerkins took it, nodding in appreciation. ¡°I married Kable''s sister last year, so I have known him for well over two. Kord is my cousin, and I have known him almost my whole life.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± James quirked his eyebrow. ¡°Well, then what brings you here?¡±


    Jester glanced at Kord and Kable, but they only stared at him sheepishly. He said slowly, ¡°Well, Kord and I always dreamed about becoming [Warriors] but lacked the funds to get trained and gear crafted, so we figured we might as well become [Mechanics] and try to fix up some weapons and gain a few of our own. If we got enough cash and practice, we figured we¡¯d try to become [Mech Warriors].¡±


    James looked at Kable who gruffly muttered, ¡°My Ma didn¡¯t want me to go to war, but war¡¯s the only thing in demand in the Kabali job market.¡±


    Nodding, James paused before deciding to reveal a bit of his own backstory. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been working at this for a few years. To be honest, this is just an extended pitstop on an adventure I¡¯m going on with some friends until winter passes, and the roads clear up.¡±


    The two standing men helped the other two [Apprentice]s off the ground. James relented, ¡°Okay, maybe I am at fault this time by not giving you anything to do, but when the time comes to work, I expect y¡¯all to work. Got it?¡±


    The three nodded at the authoritative tone. ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With a grimace, James straightened up a little upon hearing that, surprising them. ¡°Damn it! I hate being called ¡®Sir.¡¯ Reminds me of my old man. Call me boss or the annoying white thing or whatever, just not sir.¡± James gave off a little shudder. Mandatory military service in his homeworld had been terrible, even if he¡¯d escaped the brunt of it by joining the engineering corps.


    Jerkins looked at the other two who were as confused as he was. ¡°Boss, have you come up with a design?¡±


    James shook his head. ¡°It is hard coming up with something from scratch. From my understanding, my competitors are not going to make it easy for me, so I came over and watched you three play around.¡±


    The threes¡¯ jaws dropped. Kord exclaimed, ¡°But don¡¯t you want to win with something marvelous? You¡¯re supposed to do the impossible!¡±


    Suddenly, James had an idea. ¡°Something impossible, you say? Well, actually. Look, I¡¯m not at all confident that I¡¯ll win, so let¡¯s have some fun with this.¡±


    For some reason, the three Kabali men felt a shiver up their spines at James''s playful grin.

 Chapter 36: And the Prize is!

    Kira, Diana, and Howard gathered around the guest area for the ceremony occurring a month after James had been locked inside the warehouse. Based on the fact that James¡¯s warehouse hadn¡¯t ever started smoking, they weren¡¯t too concerned about his safety despite how trouble often seemed to follow him. To be honest though, by this point, the two young women were dying for something interesting to happen since their month in the underground city had been rather drab, or rather, Kira was very eager to meet a certain body part of James¡­


    Though due to the often secretive nature of the best projects, it was not like they were going to be able to see any of the creations made since many industrial [Guild Master]s watched while lazily sipping some of the free drinks in order to snap up any especially promising [Mechanic]s or inventions. Nearby, Gorgox also waited while reading over the pamphlets handed out by the [Aide]s and [Servant]s, eager to find any clues about the results. Considering he had something to gain from the contest, it made sense that he was a bit jittery. Every few minutes, he would jump up and pace around the area. Kira kept an eye on him. He had not crossed any lines of decency with her, but he had come close to them a few times. Even if he was hosting them, she wanted absolutely nothing intimate with him.


    The judges came out of the warehouse labeled six, and after some discussion gave a point list to an [Aide] nearby keeping the scores. As with the previous warehouses, the first of those who had spent a month inside to come out was the leader of the building project who presented some blueprints to be reviewed as he told the judges what he had built with the help of the [Apprentice]s. He was the third to build an enchanted battering ram; in fact, most of the previous five warehouses had been an assortment of basic siege weapons modified with some small twists. There was some eye rolling from the judges, and they did not take long with their questioning of the [Apprentice]s for foul play and their examination of the admittedly basically enchanted ram. After all, it was highly unlikely he would win either way. The lion-man in warehouse four had completed a rather impressive shadow ward that negated the need for sacrificial soldiers to move the ram since the ram would deflect most projectiles capable of obstructing it and a small rocket at the back would power it through most gates far faster than low level [Warrior]s. Then, they jotted down some notes and moved to the next warehouse, leaving a disappointed [Mechanic] behind.


    Almost an hour later, Gorgox became even more nervous as James emerged from his warehouse. He had a whole folder¡¯s worth of blueprints for the judges. Gorgox seemed to calm some as they entered the warehouse to examine the invention further and interview the apprentices. Unlike the previous two warehouses, they stayed a while. Kira moved to Diana; she was a little worried as well. ¡°I wonder if Master is all right. Do you think everything went okay?¡±


    Diana looked at her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. ¡°Master James is a wise man with wisdom far beyond mine. They are most likely stunned by the marvelous invention he made.¡± Still, Diana¡¯s grip was a bit harder than she¡¯d intended.


    Kira smiled happily and took the [Knight]¡¯s arm and held it close. Diana was used to the move by now as without James, Kira had grown further attached to the young [Knight]. After all, the young Hersha had¡­ urges. Diana had to admit to herself that at the very least, the catgirl¡¯s cheerful demeanor and helpful attitude was very nice, despite her clingy tendencies. It was as if she hated being alone. Thinking on it a little, Diana noticed that all Hersha were like that, but she¡¯d always explained it away as them being mere slaves or pets. However, Kira was clearly free, so it was a little bit strange that the catgirl continued to act like that, but Diana decided to follow up on it at another time. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Diana could not help but smile at her, not noticing Howard who was smiling while watching the two interact. Turning away before Diana could spot him, Howard straightened his back in pride. His grand-daughter was growing up. Instead, he walked toward one of the human [Merchant]s watching the proceedings, grabbing a lemonade along the way. He¡¯d spent much of the past month exchanging stories with the portly man who¡¯d once served as a [Sergeant] in the armies fielded against the Dark Lord. While Howard hadn¡¯t known of such a lowly figure, the [Sergeant] had immediately recognized the old [Knight] in a bar and paid for a round of drinks, beginning a friendship that had burgeoned over the past month.


    Meanwhile, Diana¡¯s smile faded, to be replaced with a grim line as one of the judges came out alone and went to the scorekeeper. She looked down and was surprised to see Kira¡¯s claws gripping onto her own hands, drawing a bit of Diana¡¯s blood. The two warily watched the proceedings, refusing to miss a single detail that they could use to prove had biased the competition against James. After all, while they were confident in James, they knew that the Kabali might try to cheat him out of the crystals or something¡­


    Instead of being given a score to take record of, the [Aide] was told something that sent him running to the host table where Kornor as well as six other [Craftingmaster]s and their guests sat. That area quickly emptied as all the senior [Craftingmaster]s nearly sprinted to warehouse eight. With a murmur passing through the watching crowd, the guest area soon followed, including Kira, Diana, and Gorgox. Howard elected to stay behind with his friend, claiming he had already seen enough wonders in his lifetime and would anyway be too frail to be in a large group like that. Behind them were the general watchers, [Apprentice]s, and staff of the event. Surprisingly, even the [Guard]s around the warehouse who would normally prevent people from entering were too curious to prevent others from creeping in. Within a minute, it seemed like half the pavilion had squeezed into James¡¯s warehouse eight.


    James stood by a pedestal with a button on top of it as it seemed like everyone in the city came into the warehouse. In the very front was Kornor who was looking at the assortment of tracks and other things behind James. James takes a deep breath and offered for Kornor to push the button, but a female Kabali at his side moved forward and pushed it instead. The button first released a string holding a barricade in place to prevent a ball from falling onto the track. Then, the ball slowly rolled over the first trigger of the track. This trigger cut another string that spanned the length of the track in order to keep a stick held over a pit filled with wood. Attached to the stick was a small cup of liquid that doused the unlit wood. The cup hit a lever that sent a weight up a string track through a counterweight on the other side of a wheel like a pulley. Attached to the wheel was a flint stone that started spinning and scraped a piece of iron, causing sparks. As soon as the sparks hit the fire pit, a fire roared into being. All the while this went on, the ball that started this first event had already started two more: one cut a loaf of bread into slices and pushed the slices onto a stove top over the fire pit while the other cracked eggs and poured them into molds specifically embedded within the same stove top, with some bacon added from the next sequence. The ball accelerated before hitting a switch that changed the track, allowing the ball to stop onto a crane scoop. The water kettle that was now boiling above the fire pit soon started to steam. By releasing that steam into a catch, it triggered the crane to move the ball back to where it had started. This time, the triggers only moved the food to its final destination of four plates, which had gone unnoticed till then.


    An observant [Mage] would have noticed the small discharge from a black box at the box that no doubt powered many of the more physics-defying movements. James grabbed one of the plates and offered it to a female judge. ¡°Hungry?¡± As he said that, the ball reached its final destination, dropping tea leaves into the boiling water for a few seconds before lifting them out again. After repeating that a few times, the whole machine finally stopped. Pouring the tea within the kettle into four dainty teacups, James smiled. ¡°I present to you the Rube-Goldberg machine!¡±

 Chapter 37: An Exchange of Prizes

    After the award ceremony came a congratulatory celebration at Kornor''s place. A strangely excited Gorgox came along as the sponsor, but Kira, Diana, and Howard had to remain behind. While they had been a bit disappointed, the excitement of James¡¯s victory and his personal promise that he would celebrate with them as well later quelled their complaints. Nevertheless, despite the strict regulations around it, the celebration was nothing more than small talk over dinner. Thankfully, this one was far more appetizing than his previous taste of Kabali food with Gorgox, having plates of roast beef as well as some other more normal dishes, and James found himself rather enjoying the meal. However, James quickly tired of listening to the countless praises offered by the various influential Kabali and decided he needed some rest. Noticing James¡¯s gradual boredom, the Kabali woman from before guided James to a bedroom that was dark when they entered. She lit a lantern as the door quietly closed behind her.


    Tensing up, James looked around warily. ¡°What is going on?¡± His hand rose to his side as he prepared to summon his weapons. After all, it was possible some Kabali would seek to use his inventions for war.


    Without turning to face him, the female examined a wall of colored glass. ¡°Fear not. We have a few moments. That idiot Gorgox had no interest in the officially listed prize of the contest. He thought he was so clever by getting you to do his dirty work since he would¡¯ve lost face had he just used some random [Mechanic] from his house.¡±


    James rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Yea, I thought that was the case. He was trying to act too smart for his own good. Typical [Merchant] stuff. Still, I owed him a favor.¡±


    She looked at James as she straightened up to tower over him like most other Kabali. ¡°You are an honorable male.¡± She paused, hesitating for a moment. Next, she unfastened her top and let it slide to her feet. Stepping beyond the pile of cloth, she slowly turned to face him, shyly covering her breasts.


    James spoke up. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m missing something. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    She looked at the glass again before whispering, ¡°The whole idea behind the contest was to find me the best mate.¡±


    James seemed slightly disappointed. ¡°Let me guess, Gorgox knew about this.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I am the daughter of the most senior [Builder] of my people. It was obvious that I had to find a mate who met a certain¡­¡± She looked at James with a judging eye and sighed. ¡°Alright, I could never date because my dad¡¯s an overbearing ass. Everyone in the whole city knows of my father¡¯s position, and the hell he can bring down. However, even he eventually saw that he was getting older and agreed to let me finally find a man. Since I didn¡¯t want to get too many suitors bothering me, I told him of a standard even he did not think he could meet when he was our age, but low and behold, you met them. Your invention was quite shocking, to say the least, but the test was more than that. The [Apprentice]s were also spies for us, telling us about everything that happened. As well as performing some spying for corporations on the side, or depending on how much a contestant was favored, spying on other warehouses for them. However, yours, surprisingly, were the only ones not to be bought off by the other contestants, even after being told they could do so without consequence. It¡¯s quite commendable. Plus you showed a true inventor''s spirit by not even sneaking a peek at what the others were building.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Struggling to contain his laughter, James wondered what type of inventors the Kabali made. It seemed truly cutthroat¡­ and besides, he had little interest in armaments of war and could probably make better versions of anything the Kabali came up with. James rubbed the back of his head again in thought. ¡°I wondered why they were acting strange a few times, but as to the matter at hand, are you sure that you¡¯re fine with this? I don¡¯t want you to feel forced into it.¡± He gestured toward the room. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly the dream most virgins have¡­¡±


    Stepping closer, she nodded and almost seemed to blush with her tongue sticking out. ¡°I must admit I do find many agreeable traits in you. Perhaps, it will work out, perhaps not. Still, I would not mind journeying with you.¡±


    Shrugging his shoulders, James asked, ¡°Well, at least, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    The Kabali blinked in surprise before warmly smiling. ¡°Ha ha! You¡¯re really not like Kabali men. Call me Noralida, or Nora for short.¡±


    James embraced her, his hands sliding below her waist, mostly because she was a full foot taller than him. Arching her neck down, she placed a kiss on his lips, and they fell into bed.


    -------


    Behind the colored glass, Kornor blinked before turning away with a blush rising on his cheeks. His baby daughter sure was growing up fast. Well, it seemed this [Engineer] was certainly not lacking in the important departments. Kornor coughed. He was thinking about James¡¯s intelligence and brilliant blueprints, of course. Right. Of course.


    With his musings done, Kornor examined the magical report of the results from the blood test performed in the entry exams for the contest. James¡¯s very skilled answers and high education level did not even catch his eye, but his species certainly did. Unlike all other humans who were usually Lorden, or in the rare case, some ancestral beast mix, James was something else... something ancient and spoken of only in legends. Legends that spoke of a people who had held unequal power. Then, the door to the room opened, and Gorgox was ¡®shown¡¯ in by the [Sentries]. Surprisingly, Kornor didn¡¯t even try to hide the fornication happening behind him. Meanwhile, Gorgox¡¯s expression of irritated annoyance vanished as surprise overshadowed it upon his seeing that his ultimate prize was being claimed by another. Then, a bright rage colored his normally brownish scaled face red.


    Kornor sighed. ¡° Did you really think you would win my daughter, Gorgox? To claim her, you had to show yourself the best [Builder], not some clever [Merchant] who thinks of making Seedz over his own kin. I know about your arrangement, but my daughter set the conditions very clearly. From what I see he qualifies more in terms of being a man and a good partner...¡±


    Stilling the embarrassment that threatened to materialize on his face, Kornor peered through the glass as his daughter started screaming about coming to see the gods loudly enough to be heard through the thick glass before she collapsed onto the bed, and James slowly lay down beside her. The sheen of sweat on both of their panting bodies glinted beneath the candle¡¯s glow. Gorgox¡¯s face contorted as he struggled to resist lashing out at Kornor before hastily turning to leave while Kornor held a smirk on his face. He could not pin down what made him happier, the look on his nephew or the thought of trying out a few of the moves he had just seen with a woman. He had not even known a woman¡¯s body could bend like that, to think that James could manipulate his spear into such a tight angle¡­ Kornor mused that he would have to assure that his next mate practiced yoga.

 Interlude: Nora be a-packing

    Stretching in bed, Nora awoke from a gentle dream of what had happened the night before. It all still seemed like a dream that she had yet to wake up from. She had always wanted to be with a man, and neither what she had previously done in the privacy of her room nor taking a secret trip to the water fields had helped cure her urge. The first had quickly become dull, and the other had failed to stimulate her. After centuries of careful breeding, the monsters there had become too docile to truly try to ravage her, and it was during her first time that she had almost been recognized. After that, she¡¯d never returned again to those fields to fulfill her desires. To be fair, it was not because she had been almost caught that she avoided the place, but the fact that almost getting caught had been the most exciting part of the experience¡­ It just hadn¡¯t been any fun. In fact, she¡¯d been afraid that she might just not be a very sexual being and had almost resigned herself to a life without sexual fulfillment. However, seeing the strange causality machine that James had termed the ¡°Rube-Goldberg Machine¡±, a name already being degraded as others were already calling it simply the causality machine, had excited her. It was new, well not exactly, since the concepts used had been basic, but the way he had linked them together had made her feel like a youngling again looking up as her grandfather created a siege tower. The same grandfather who had died not so long ago. As a youngling, that tall structure had towered over her imagination. She snorted upon remembering that she¡¯d feared the tower would scrape the sky. As she had grown older, she¡¯d gradually outgrown the idea, realizing the mundane techniques used in its creation. She shook her head, but that amazing machine of James had opened her eyes to a new world once more, a creation that had torn apart the curtains of her imagination, revealing the brilliance that awaited beyond the horizon. A man with such fabulous ideas¡­ surely, they¡¯d extend to beyond the workshop? Glancing at the sleeping human by her side, Nora smiled. Reality had not failed her expectations.


    Quietly rolling out of bed so as not to disturb James, Nora began to get dressed as she started to think of what she would pack. After all, she¡¯d have to settle all her affairs within a few days as James had stated that they planned to leave within the week. A hint of sorrow rose in her chest. She would be leaving her home for the first time. After so many years, she felt a bit uncomfortable about leaving, but it would be worth it. Making herself part of the prize had been a daring move, since she had chosen skill and ability over personality or even financial sustainability, but she had quickly judged James to be more than sufficient in the latter two traits either way. Nevertheless, she would¡¯ve anyway had to find someone sooner or later. After all, she was already in her mid-twenties, still young but fairly well into her marriageable years. Most of her friends already had children, and she would be lying if she claimed that mounting pressure had not factored into her sudden decision.


    Pausing a moment before leaving the guest room, she decided that she would need to speak to her new husband to learn what tools she should bring. In fact, she knew little of her new husband. She blushed¡­ Well, she did know a lot about his skill beneath the covers. Surely, James had some type of Skill for it? She¡¯d ask her friends later whether such a thing existed. Focusing on her new husband, she knew he was fairly new in the crafting industry since his name had just spread to their mountain home a few months before his arrival, but what was his class? Was he a [Crafting Master]? Some type of [Master Mechanic]? She ran through any clues about his Class she knew of. She had seen the heater and lights he had brought along as his wares. They had been intriguing, to say the least, but they didn¡¯t match any Class she was familiar with. She had watched her father Kornor disassemble one of the heaters while waiting for the contestants to complete their designs in the contest, and he had definitely been interested. Using powdered mana crystals in something beyond enchantments was unheard of. Normally, it would require a skilled [Scribe] to draw runes and glyphs or whatever else in various inks created from processed mana crystals. Many times the ink would run too rich or poor, messing up the enchantment, so they were only rarely worth attempting. Enchantments would normally adopt the element of the ink¡¯s component mana crystal and use a variant of the element to do something, usually limited to being an attack or defense. Then again, some of the work of [Archmage]s and the like could go far beyond this, creating marvels such as talking weapons, golems, and more. Still, generally, enchantments were merely mediocre individual substitutes for Spells and, rarely, Skills by channeling parts of the System. As enchantments were good for allowing the use of mid-tier magic without the years of experience, grinding, and learning, they were still popular among the rich and powerful who also happened to be physically or mentally inept or, in some cases, just plain lazy, which is why most [Enchanter]s spent a significant amount of time marketing toward rich and incompetent Lordin human nobles. Back to the machines, Kornor had suspected James had somehow channeled mana through his systems to power them. What James was employing mana crystals in a raw form, creating the effect of the respective element. The difference was essentially that between using a fireball spell until you run out of mana or using all your mana on one fireball spell, which would deplete the crystals much faster and more importantly, not allow the spell to be recharged. While this seemed frivolous and wasteful, there was an extremely useful trade-off: you lost none of the power. This was why his devices worked even in null void zones. The zones would bleed the power from the impure ink, so mana would dissipate too quickly, but the powder James used was consistent and pure. There was still some bleed off, but the output of energy trumped this bleed on a level that allowed the effects to still be noticeable since rather than guiding ambient mana, James used crystals to directly power his spells.


    Just the amount of brilliance put into these mana power cores that James had invented would¡¯ve created a revolution across Cespes. The genius used this power to create even greater things. For the lights, he had made a loop of power, or as enchanters would call it, a circuit. The power from the core would then circulate until it hit a switch that would determine whether to power the device or not. Next would be a safety point. Had Kornor been from Earth, he might¡¯ve recognized it as a fuse since it would allow the circuit to automatically blow in cases where the circuit risked overloading. Marvelously, the entire circuit was easily modifiable since one could easily add parallel circuits or even adding them in sequence without having to go through the pain of remaking the whole enchantment pattern like other [Enchanter]s would have to. Then, there was the actual light itself. Nora tapped her chin, her tail waving behind her as she speculated about how he had made it. It ran on some principles that neither she nor her father could quite understand. After that, there was another small design along the circuit on the way back to the power core. Based on how James¡¯s design had reacted with excessive ambient mana, Nora suspected it acted to decrease ambient noise in the background. She¡¯d actually asked James last night in the middle of their lovemaking¡­ which had kind of spooked him, but he¡¯d called it a capacitor. With it, the power would return to the source¡­ Nora blushed, remembering when she¡¯d been terrified that she¡¯d broken the design when she¡¯d scratched the circuit until it broke. Still, it meant that there was something beyond the power returning to the source. She pondered on it. Maybe it had something to do with the gradient of mana around the light device? Amazingly, this return of power allowed cores to still last quite a bit of time instead of running out of power within a day like the constant use of mana would suggest. Actually, now that she thought about it, she could probably make the device last longer by preventing mana from escaping the circuit with some type of mana resistor. She hurriedly grabbed a bag of holding and stuffed some of her more valuable materials into it. Then, she grabbed some tools for processing materials. Perhaps, she¡¯d be able to help her new husband with these. Heading toward the family¡¯s kitchen, which was as large as some poorer people¡¯s homes, after all, her father was the head [Craftingmaster], she found her father at the table of the estate looking over some blueprints as he grabbed his grubs. She glanced at the roasted bugs and felt her stomach gurgle. A night of lovemaking did require a lot of energy... She took a few from the bowl as well. She had never realized how much energy was required to be with a man until she had been with one. Blushing, her mind flitted back toward all those various poses James and she had made from that strange book James had called the Karma Sutra¡­ She rubbed her butt: she was still a little sore. She had just finished swallowed the grubs while she examined what her father was leaning over when he turned toward her. ¡°Your new husband will be in the city until he finishes his deals, which should be in the coming week. This is what you wanted, wasn''t it? To sell yourself off.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Nora started to open her mouth to retort but stopped. She could see that her father was angry, but she could quickly tell he was just lashing out at her due to something else. She frowned before asking, ¡°Is it my new husband¡¯s backer?¡±


    Her father moved away from the plans and closely stared at her face before nodding. ¡°He tried to act clever and take my fortune from me. My nephew is so foolish. Other than the house, I used most of my assets as the prize to your groom. To James, I have given my store of elemental crystals, mere Seedz compared to the fortune of resources that should have been your groom¡¯s present. The mithril alone...¡±


    Her father put a hand on his face as a sigh escaped him, and Nora could not help but move to his side to give him a hug from behind. ¡°Why must there be a man with such a pure heart? I could have done something if your new husband had actually been greedy, but he willingly let it all go to my arrogant nephew and kept to his original agreement with that bloody [Merchant], with the exception of you.¡± Nora felt a burst of happiness well into her. To James, was she truly worth more than a king¡¯s fortune? Shaking the thought away, Nora glanced at the plans while her father relaxed. Kornor chuckled once he realized what she was doing. He pointed to the design for the power core plans. ¡°I spent a whole week coming up with this from his designs. They were quite fascinating. Want to know what he told me I was?¡±


    Nora looked over the plans. At a glance, they seemed reasonable. Most of the design changes from the default core revolved around changing materials, mainly the circuit and powder casing. Instead of employing iron and lead wrapped in rubber as part of the circuit conduits, the materials had been switched to more expensive but efficient alternatives. Nora felt a bit of disappointment; after all, she had just been thinking of using similar designs with mana-resistant encasings to make James¡¯s systems more efficient. Even now, after a decade, her father could still beat her in designs. Perhaps then, she could find some way to amplify the mana source once a signal became too weak? That would go beyond making the circuit more efficient. She ruefully realized that any decently Leveled [Mechanic] designer could come up with such a simple solution, so based on this and her father¡¯s tone, James had not called his designs anything good. She asked, ¡°How bad?¡±


    He could not do much other than shake his head. ¡°I failed to see the finer details of the devices. I followed the logic of conventional [Enchanter] weapon designs, but these are not enchanter circuits. James quickly explained to me that a higher yield of energy coursing through the device would be bad for the device as it could explode the circuit or even blow the fuse.¡± Kornor pointed to the small design James had talked about last night. Then, Kornor continued, ¡°Honestly, his reasoning is quite solid. Had he wanted to make that lantern into a lightning shield, then using mithril and other better metals would have been preferred as they can last longer and would better conduit the mana, but what he made was a light. He explained to me the logic. Why would he even need to risk the chance of lightning sparking off the lantern while he was using it in his home? Why would he need such power? I was so engrossed with trying to improve the device that I overlooked the application the device was designed for. But that was not the truly interesting part.¡± Kornor paused, hesitating, wondering whether he should tell his granddaughter about it. ¡°The scary part was what he asked to keep as the prize, not even Gorgox or my [Assistant]s knew I had such a thing. He asked to keep my greater angel femur because he needed it for a project he was working on. If he used that for a circuit, I would hate to face whatever he uses it on. After all, he only believes in matching materials with use¡­ a weapon with that much energy¡­ For a man who loves peace, your husband is a dangerous man.¡±


    Her curiosity was peaked toward her father¡¯s words. Being the daughter of a weapon¡¯s artisan, Nora found herself drawn to a well-designed weapon. Although she might never reach his heights as a [Weapons Craftingmaster], the thought of one of those power cores designed to have greater angel bones as the circuit materials still exhilarated her. In fact, if she was being honest, the idea strangely fueled her lust for her new husband to heights she had never before reached.

 Interlude: Meeting the Harem

    Nora looked over the small house owned by her cousin Gorgox, that was currently being lent to her new husband. In this subpar neighborhood, the odors of subpar living conditions and some less than legal substances leaked from a few houses. She scrunched her nose. Of course, Gorgox would force them to move here in his anger after being tricked. More than once, hoodlums had approached her. In fact, here came another. Little did these weak Leveled common Thug-Classers know that she was a [Warsmith] by birth and trade. To her, knowing how to use weapons came with knowing how to make them. After all, how could she make better designs without knowing how Warriors would use them? She merely needed to release a little bit of her bloodlust, and they would run off. The [Thug] walked up to her, scratching his groin. He mocked, ¡°Hey, pretty girl. You want to meet my second tail tonight?¡±


    A bit tired of all this, Nora pulled out an enchanted wand and shot a beam of fire right beneath the Kabali¡¯s ear. He yelped in surprise before glaring at her. She growled, ¡°The next one is going to make sure you only have one tail.¡± Retreating a bit, the Kabali puffed up his chest. ¡°You dare? My boys will f*ck you up! Not to mention the Kabali [Guards]!¡±


    Nora sighed. ¡°I¡¯m a [Craftingmaster]¡¯s daughter. Do you really want to see what I¡¯ve got in my hands.¡±


    Suddenly paling, the [Thug] kneeled down. ¡°Maam, please if you have any needs, I¡¯ll be sure to serve you! My boys and I will make sure your stay in our place is completely to your comfort.¡±


    ¡°Just stay out of my way.¡± Ignoring him, she went toward James¡¯s rented place.


    She knew her time was valuable, but all she could do was stand outside, looking at the closed door. A hint of nervousness appeared in the heart of this fierce Kabali female¡¯s heart. She reasoned to herself it was just because of the fresh aroma hanging around the building. Unlike many of the other unsavory buildings, this one had a modest smell of freshly baked bread and some roasting meat drafting out from inside. It made her mouth water. Grubs were a common staple of her home, but even she could not afford meat more than a few times a week, and even then, it was usually something simple such as a few sausages or pieces of bacon. Wheat for bread was even rarer in the mountainous underground. The norm was a mold-based bread that was more grown than baked in the traditional human sense. Her love for her homeland was already gradually transforming into an interest in the unexplored unknown beyond her mountain.


    Standing in front of the door, Nora hesitated, aware that people would soon start to wonder what someone like her was doing here. One part of her wanted to go in and find the man that had entered her life like a storm. Another did not want to meet the other women he already had. What if they simply outshone her in every way possible? Having multiple partners was the norm for Kabali, so she was fine with that aspect. It was just that ordinarily such groups were formed over entire childhoods and pre-arranged by clans. Rarely did a spontaneous incursion to an already set-up group end well for all involved. She placed her scaled hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath and preparing to meet James and his family. A sultry voice rang out from behind her. ¡°I smell master on you.¡±


    Nora jumped, both startled and shocked, to discover a beautiful Hersha who had so easily snuck up on her. A trickle of fear sprung through her, how had anyone been able to sneak on her. The Level required would be. She squinted at this new figure: the Hersha didn¡¯t seem that old, even by Hershan standards. Sneaking up on her was certainly not an easy thing to do considering that she had been trained to be a [Warsmith] by her father and had the skills and Skills necessary to protect herself from capture, death and her knowledge from leaving her possession. Even without bloodlust, she had been known to find more than one infiltrator attempting to pilfer the loose blueprint or plans left half-finished across the workshop. Her father was not that careful. If she could catch a professional [Thief], it meant her Skills for finding such secretive lurkers were quite powerful, so her surprise was quite genuine. However, her surprise quickly gave way to a different, more conflicted emotion, as the last words the Hersha had said registered. Nor clarified, ¡°You mean James? Yes, part of the prize of the contest was for him to become my husband.¡±


    Frowning, the catgirl corrected, ¡°You mean that you would get to become his wife. My name¡¯s Kira. I was James¡¯s first.¡± Ignoring the fact that she didn¡¯t actually know whether James had been a virgin before he had met her, Kira sniffed. ¡°Though, I guess you¡¯ll do for him.¡± The Hersha took a moment to look around and make sure there were no suspicious characters around before gesturing toward the front door. Without any reason to refuse, Nora took the invitation and followed behind Kira.


    Kira looked at the Kabali a little annoyed. It was bad enough when a certain annoying [Knight] was trying to butt into her happy time with James, but now there would be another. Struggling to conceal her irritation, little did Kira suspect that Nora was already well aware of the Hersha¡¯s hidden emotions. Kira first proceeded to open the door for the new addition before setting the bag down on a table and heading into the kitchen. She¡¯d just bought some new food to cook later for the group. Diana had been supposed to watch the roast while she was gone, but camping skills did not make one a decent cook. Finding Diana had already long left the kitchen and that the roast had consequently been seared harder on one side, she determined that that part of the meat was instantly Diana¡¯s, but that would be for later. Now, Kira turned the spit before setting up what she had bought for dinner. She¡¯d have to complain to the [Knight] later. No doubt, the girl had gone to practice her sword Skills or something. Didn¡¯t she know that just relaxing and gaining insights from nature would be more than enough to Level and increase Skills? At least, that was how it worked for her¡­ First, she rinsed her hands with some fresh water from the fields that she had acquired by herself. After all, James had warned her of microscopic creatures beyond even her eyesight that could contaminate food. There she¡¯d had a bit of fun, but she¡¯d quickly discovered that the pleasure had been no match for the real thing with James. In addition to the water, there was some green mold something that tasted not as bad as most of the other things sold underground. Their supply of mushrooms, the only other thing she could stand, had become old after their months of waiting. Ignoring the Kabali woman who awkwardly sat in the living room, Kira tried to figure out how to make a meal that would be sufficient for her favorite person in the whole world. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    With them having been underground a week before they had even arrived at the city and more than a month of waiting for the contest, winter was already nearly ending. Kira could sense from her |Ancestral Senses| that the brunt of it would be over within a few days, with a bit of cold straggling on for maybe a week or two after, so their itinerary to leave by the end of the week made perfect sense. With travel to the edge of the mountains planned to take around ten days, Kira deemed that another half a month of nothing but mushrooms would be far too much for everyone¡¯s palates, so she had come up with the excuse of cooking some meat for James¡¯s victory. Before she had left to grab some more cooking supplies, she had pulled out some of the stored wheat they¡¯d brought all the way from Natusha Kingdom to bake some fresh bread. Taking in the fresh aroma, she pouted: it had been too long since she had last taken in such a delicious smell. She missed home, where she could easily cook such things every day. Then, back in those simple days of being with James and on occasion going to the orphanage, she could just relax knowing that she was properly serving her master. Despite all that, there was one thing she knew she could not do for James, a thing that filled her with great sorrow. The whole reason why she had not resisted as much as she could have when she had first started seeing James and Diana growing closer together was that she lamented the fact that she would never be able to bear him children. Perhaps, some small part of her wished to take care of James¡¯s spawn, even if it wasn¡¯t hers. She owed him that much. She turned to glance at Nora out of the side of her eye. Now, there was a new girl in her life. Other than knowing that she was some kind of Builder¡¯s daughter and that James and she were together, making him too tired to even have a happy time with her when he had returned the next day, she knew nothing about this mysterious Kabali. With that in mind, she decided to look into her master¡¯s new mistress. Perhaps he¡¯d done some super embarrassing things with her? Kira sword to tease James extra hard the next time she saw him.


    Diana had charged up from downstairs when she¡¯d heard the subtle creak of a door opening the floor above. Although she¡¯d been in charge of watching over the roasted meat, she¡¯d figured it¡¯d be fine if she checked. After all, the meat wouldn¡¯t sear itself in a few minutes. Then, she¡¯d found a rather interesting discovery. Unfortunately, said discovery hadn¡¯t been able to put up a good fight. Even without her sword, Diana had finished subduing him within a few minutes. Leaving the intruding Kabali tied up and gagged upstairs, she came down to witness Kira rushing into the kitchen with all haste and another Kabali. Uh oh, she¡¯d taken too long. Diana decided she had better avoid the kitchen, instead focusing on the literal nine-foot giant sitting in the middle of the room.


    Unlike the one she had just subdued, this one was not a [Thief], but a Crafter of some sort, and not an ordinary crafter. Gauging up Nora¡¯s muscles, Diana quickly realized that this one knew how to fight. In fact, she suspected that even with Kira and her together, they would not be able to beat this new addition, not easily at least. She didn¡¯t actually know the full extent of Kira¡¯s power, but she was sure that this Nora, when properly prepared could take on two [Knight]s of her level. At a conservative guess from the Kabali¡¯s aura, this woman was at least in the upper 30s in Level. Based on her still youthful but fully developed looks, the new addition was older than her by a few years but not as old as James seems to be. While she didn¡¯t know exactly any of James stats were, he had the appearance of a mid-thirty-year-old man. She¡¯d never dared to put him under a full scanner device, and her casual [Aura Scan] hadn¡¯t revealed anything at the time. Saving those thoughts for later, she refocused on the Kabali. Activating her [Aura Sense], she determined that this Kabali had a life reading strength of a human in their teens. With a life expectancy of nearly a hundred and fifty years, that would scale to the late twenties for a Kabali woman since life signatures scaled with a species''s maximum age. This Kabali would be in her early to mid-twenties at the latest. The prime of her life but past the age to continue her physical growth.


    Then Diana realized it had been over a minute, and they had only been looking at each other. Perhaps this Kabali woman had been examining her stats too. Thinking on the situation and remembering James¡¯s constant advice to carefully consider a situation instead of rashly charging in, she took a deep breath. This was likely the spontaneous spouse he had mentioned when he had come back the night before. While she originated from a monogamous society, Diana had not really shunned James for Kira since there had been extenuating circumstances around their relationship, but this new addition put things into a more complicated state. Resigning herself to conceal her negative feelings for the time being, she opened her mouth to introduce herself when the door swung open, and in came James hefting a rather sizeable box. Seeing the two in the living room, he turned to Diana first. ¡°Could you keep Kira company for a few minutes. I¡¯ve got to talk to Nora about something quickly. Alone.¡±

 Interlude: Plans Meals and Gales

    Poking James, Nora gave him a once-over. While she had seen him during the day before, this was the first time when she¡¯d been able to unabashedly stare at him. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? It might not be safe¡­¡± James half-heartedly tried to dissuade her, even though he knew it was futile, and to be honest, wanted her to come along.


    ¡°Of course, but where are we going?¡±


    Gesturing toward the kitchen where a [Knight] and [Maid] were cooking, he said, ¡°Well, we left Natusha a few months ago and are heading off toward Diana¡¯s hometown.¡±


    Tapping her lip thoughtfully, Nora noted, ¡°Natusha, huh? That¡¯s pretty far away. Like what, three thousand miles? And through no man¡¯s land.¡±


    Nodding, James laughed. ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re a pretty strong group, and we had help.¡± James¡¯s mind flashed back to that group of hardy adventurers. All those weeks ago, they¡¯d diverged on those two path: to the right had been the road to more hostile lands, which the heroes had sought to clear; to the left had been a road through a series of prosperous towns toward his merchant contact Gorgox. Although the two [Knight]s of his party had deferred to him about which path they would take, he¡¯d run the numbers and realized that the cost, time, and effort required to traverse the Dark Lord¡¯s lands had far outweighed the risks of being preyed upon by [Bandit]s. With two [Knight]s, a [Berserker], and his modern weapons, any [Bandit]s would find themselves very dead. A few more moments of thought had solidified his decision since a Dark Lord combined with inspiring heroes equaled bystanders getting hurt in the crossfire. James had been perfectly fine exploiting the heroes and using them as a free guard service, but getting close to their so-called destiny or whatever was just asking for trouble.


    Although his friend and two love interests had eagerly eyed the right path, expecting to join the heroes, James had imagined the most likely scenario¡ªhe and Howard would very likely die some way or another while Kira and Diana would be captured and rescued by Olaf¡¯s group. In fact, with Theseus tied up with Petulinia, it would¡¯ve been perfect since Ivan and Olaf would¡¯ve found their partners even if Diana¡¯s aunt would be a bit upset. Following how such stories went, Kira would revert to her Hershan role of being a ¡®pleasure pet¡¯ to the heroes, and Diana would turn into the ¡®strong but love-struck damsel¡¯ archetype who would have her father seek vengeance on the dark beings that would have killed him or, more likely, Howard. It had been with a heavy sigh that he had pointed left, much to the surprise of the entire party.


    James could even remember the last words he¡¯d shared with them: ¡°It would seem that this here is where we must part ways.¡±


    A smile graced his lips as he remembered the sorrowful looks the heroes had gazed at him with. It had almost been to the extent that they had begged him to continue enlisting their services.


    Rubbing her arms, Nora wrapped her tail about her waist. Shifting nervously on the couch, she feared that the silence threatened to overwhelm them as they tried to figure out what to say.


    Brought back to the moment, James paused before opening his mouth, not at all aware of Nora¡¯s tension. Finally, he asked, ¡°So, what do you know about me?¡±


    Shrugging, Nora replied, ¡°What everyone does. What any half-par [Mechanic] can tell¡­¡±


    James quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh really? What is that?¡±


    Carefully watching his facial expressions, Nora began, ¡°Well, I suspect you have some Craftmanship-type Class to create such phenomenal work and that you¡¯re of quite high level.¡±


    James mysteriously smiled, but Nora blithely continued, ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, you seem to be using some type of lost enchantment technique to somehow use mana crystals to power your systems rather than creating it into a permanent spell-type fixture. Beyond that, I¡¯ve noted the relative affordability of your creations at the downside of them all constantly requiring new power sources.¡±


    ¡°Right for the most part, but completely off about the Class part. Also, I don¡¯t like to think of my devices as implementing spells since that often ends up limiting my thinking.¡±


    Nora barely heard James¡¯s second sentence, so engrossed was she in James¡¯s first statement. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not a Crafting-related Class? Do you have a new Class? Did you discover one of the Hidden Classes!?¡±


    Smiling in amusement, James cut off Nora¡¯s excitement. ¡°Nope, I don¡¯t have one.¡±


    Nora paused. ¡°But¡­ how do you create such wondrous creations and so quickly then? To create decent new devices, you have to be at least over Level 40¡­¡±


    Letting Nora think about it for a bit, James asked, ¡°Why does creating something require the System¡¯s help?¡±


    Flustered, Nora argued, ¡°Well, for one, you lack the experience before hitting that benchmark. In addition, the System grants Skills around then that enhance creativity¡­ While it¡¯s not unheard of for Crafting Classes to create something brilliant at lower levels, it¡¯d be statistically improbable for you to be creative enough to do all this within a few years without some serious System aid. Unless, you Forsook your Class?¡±


    ¡°What? No, no!¡± James hastily shook his head since he knew that was a bit of a taboo because forsaking a Class usually required a serious sacrifice that would leave a person missing bits of themselves. Many an [Archmage] had researched the subject, with the current theory in the vogue being that the System integrated itself directly into user¡¯s souls, so the disappearance of its existence would leave trace damage.


    ¡°Well, if you didn¡¯t break your Class¡­ Wait, did you never have one?¡± Nora frowned, trying to figure out how it had happened. ¡°But then, we go back to the problem of it being impossible for you to be so skilled.¡±


    James rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Well, you got me there. I wouldn¡¯t have figured out half my ideas so quickly if I didn¡¯t already have some basic plans from my homeland. As it stands, I¡¯m just a second-rate plagiarizer. Although, the magic crystal stuff was all me since they don¡¯t even exist in my homeland.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Wait! Your homeland has an entirely different crafting system?¡± Nora stared at James intensely as if trying to figure out all his secrets.


    ¡°Something like that. Anyway, I don¡¯t need to rely on the System to come up with my own ideas.¡±


    Nora interrupted, ¡°But you¡¯d be able to do so much more if you had a Class!¡±


    Finally, James sighed, sitting on the sofa next to Nora. ¡°I was¡­ born with a defect. Much of this world¡­ rejects me. I cannot gain Levels nor have a true Class.¡± After all, he wasn¡¯t sure whether she was ready to hear that his home wasn¡¯t even part of this world.


    The Kabali woman gazed at him in concern, trying to ignore the hidden fear within her mind. If the father of her child had such a mutation, what if it carried on to their children? As if he could read her mind, James explained, ¡°After some experimentation, I suspect it has to do with a¡­ ritual I experienced. A [Mage] made a mistake in a space spell that made me end up here.¡± After all, crossing dimensions was sort of a ritual, he justified, and the second part was definitely true. ¡°I recently had the chance to examine something else that had undergone a similar ritual and discovered that the System too seemed to ignore it. Thus, I can say with some certainty it won¡¯t pass on to my progeny as it has seems to relate more to the ritual.¡± A flicker of a smile appeared on James¡¯s face as he remembered Caesar¡¯s constant complaints about a hostile omnipresent force that had sought to contaminate him but been repelled by something. It had taken a long time to convince the robot that it was just some weird effect of this place.


    Little did he know that some rituals could pass on through family lines¡­


    Pacified, Nora leaned against James¡¯s broad shoulder. She whispered, ¡°I would¡¯ve still wanted to be with you even if that had been the case, but that soothes some of my worries.¡± She tilted her chin so that she could look down into his eyes. ¡°I admire you all the more, James. Even if your designs come from your home, to be able to so quickly create them here without the aid of Skills is phenomenal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you appreciate my skills, and I hope to impart them on you.¡± James paused, seriously considering her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether it will create a Class, but regardless, I need you to promise not to share the knowledge of how to make weapons from my designs.¡±


    Nora looked at him with worry. ¡°What about our children? Do you want your secrets to die so quickly?¡±


    Chuckling, James rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Sure, they¡¯re okay. I don¡¯t mind sharing my secrets with them.¡±


    Biting her lip, Nora nodded. ¡°I shall make a blood oath binding my very soul to this pact.¡±


    James wrapped her in a hug. ¡°No need to be so serious. Just promise me. I trust you.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± Nora relaxed in James¡¯s embrace, listening to the sound of his firm heartbeat.


    Kira called out from the kitchen, ¡°Food¡¯s ready. Now if everyone¡± The Hersha coughed loudly. ¡°Would stop wasting time and help set the table to help out this poor [Maid]...¡±


    Nora blushed, and James just chuckled. He said quietly for Nora¡¯s ears alone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Kira¡¯s just a bit ruffled at there being someone new. She¡¯ll calm down soon enough.¡±


    ¡°I heard that!¡± The sound of clattering cutlery resounded from the room next door, and the catgirl set a plate down all too hard.


    Paling, only half in mock fright, James hurried to set the table while Nora giggled in the background. A disheartened [Knight] pouted at him, and he shot her a look of sympathy. Based on the [Knight]¡¯s worn appearance, it looked like Kira had used Diana to release some of her irritation by forcing her to help with dinner.


    ----


    Clapping his mitted hands together, Olaf tried to ignore the freezing gale blasting into his face. After taking a glance outside of their cave, he retreated back toward the fire that Ivan, the team¡¯s [Thief], had set up a few hours ago. Surprisingly, the city thief had picked up a few Skills for surviving in the wilds. Olaf ignored the little voice in his mind that suggested it was because Ivan had hid from local [Guardsmen] in the forests around villages. Thank god that they¡¯d carried a few fire supplies before their travel or they¡¯d truly be doomed right now. Petulinia sneezed, wrapped in blankets by the flames. She moaned, ¡°F*@k you, Olaf. We could¡¯ve just stopped with the Kabali and been perfectly fine. If we¡¯d just done some of their local missions, we could¡¯ve just gone with that merchant guy and his harem.¡±


    Ignoring her, Olaf¡¯s mind drifted back to a certain [Baroness] before returning to the moment. He gruffly muttered, ¡°Someone wasn¡¯t complaining when they received an advance in gold for taking on some winter quests¡­¡±


    Marianne scowled. Standing up, Ivan flashed everyone a |Conman¡¯s Smile|. Olaf wasn¡¯t sure what was more sad, that everyone ignored it or that Ivan was using it to calm his own team¡­ Seemingly oblivious toward everyone¡¯s apathy, Ivan said, ¡°Cheer up, you three. At least our Captain here made sure we¡¯d have the supplies to survive out here.¡±


    Theseus laughed darkly. ¡°Says the [Thief] wrapped in enchanted fur pelts.¡±


    Ivanshrugged. ¡°I use my money well. Besides, you could just ask your goddess to warm you.¡±


    Huffing in annoyance, Theseus mumbled, ¡°First, I don¡¯t like the innuendo in that sentence. Second, divine power shouldn¡¯t be used for such silly things.¡± He went to sit next to Petulinia.


    In response, Petulinia stoically rolled over to not have to look at him. Olaf grimaced. Both Ivan and he shared a look of sympathy. Not long after they¡¯d saved a village from some marauding undead, Theseus had hooked up with a local, which to his great misfortune, Petulinia had observed. Since then, the team dynamic had been a bit strained, to say the least, and despite Theseus¡¯s numerous offers to use his divine magic to cure her, Petulinia had claimed she didn¡¯t want his cheating hands anywhere near her. While that was great and all, both Olaf and Ivan were far too perceptive to miss the longing looks both of the lovers sent each others way every few minutes. It was starting to grate on their nerves.


    Standing by the fire, Olaf tried to warm his hands above the flickering flame, careful not to let his clothes catch a spark. Trying to break the awkward, tense silence, he ordered, ¡°Ivan, stop teasing the magic users. You know damn well they¡¯re the only reason we survived that Ice Wolf attack a few days ago. And Petulinia, if you have the energy to complain, you have the energy to conjure a wall so we can use those pelts for blankets¡­¡±


    Groaning, Petulinia waved a hand at the entrance, and a wall of frost slowly coalesced into existence, leaving a few gaps to allow the proper flow of air. Nodding in thanks, Olaf chewed on some dried rations while he ruminated on how they had ended up here. Not long after meeting that metallic beast that James had tamed, the group of heroes had been offered a pair of Quests by a local Noble. Between clearing a route covered with real [Bandit]s and an abandoned village on the outskirts of the Dark Lord¡¯s lands, one that had been brimming with annoying and low-valued undead¡­ Well, they¡¯d chosen the latter since their group didn¡¯t have the stomach to hunt fellow humans, and that had led them here. Best of all, the village was in the direction of the Howderwhit Duchy, where they¡¯d planned to look for some new jobs.


    After taking a few side Quests that were along the way, the group of four had offered to take along James¡¯s group, but Olaf had discerned James reluctance, which admittedly, wasn¡¯t unfounded. Olaf sighed as a chilling gust blew throughout the cave despite the protective ice wall. Petulinia sneezed. How heroes travelled was rarely comfortable, and more often than not, bystanders would end up as casualties. Still, it was a pity. Throughout their travels, Olaf had glimpsed a fraction of James¡¯s strength, and that fraction had suitably impressed him. Had they¡¯d had his help, perhaps they wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this mess, although they also probably wouldn¡¯t have Leveled up as much as they had. Staring through the translucent ice wall, Olaf waited for the storm to pass. After all, they had a Yeti to kill. Unfortunately for them, something dark had other ideas for them.

 Interlude: Grra the [Yeti]

    Grra the Yeti lived a simple life. This morning he¡¯d said goodbye to his wife and kid and left to go hunting. In fact, he had been feeling rather hopeful and promised his son, Yrgg the Yeti, that he¡¯d even try to bring back some human flesh. While a human bystander would probably have been unable to understand the rapid series of growls and yaps the three Yetis had used in communication, the rare High-Level [Beastmaster] or [Telepath] might¡¯ve recognized that Grra had formed a rather functional family of Yetis that were only just below human intelligence.


    If you¡¯d asked Grra how he¡¯d come to be, you¡¯d probably be eaten, but deep in the recesses of his mind, Grra remembered. Once, a long long time ago, at least thirty snow falls ago, he¡¯d been a spirit, a wisp, a low Level [Elemental] to be exact formed from an excess of mana ores at the bottom of a cave. Well, he¡¯d quickly shot up to be a Level 40 [Elemental] and gained the Skill |Subsume|. In those dark caves, he¡¯d found a shiny ore that had glown with blue light, and being an [Elemental] who instinctively swallowed mana, he¡¯d incorporated it into his body with his Level 40 Skill and become an ice elemental. One thing had led to another, and his instincts had led him out of the cave and into a vast cold snowy world, exactly what would help his native attributes show their true strength and allow him to Level extremely quickly. And so, Grra the Ice Elemental had killed dozens of small animals, subsuming their corpses and stealing their mana to sustain himself. Although to be fair, he hadn¡¯t known his name was Grra at the time, but eventually, he¡¯d found it. His first human! Grra licked his lips. Although his previous memories were faint, his life had completely changed at that moment, turning him into the fearsome monster he was now.


    The human¡¯s name had been something strange, complicated, John. Grra glanced at his hands, which looked like some mutated apes. Yes, Grra had watched that shivering man, sent gusts of his wind his way until that man had closed his eyes to hypothermia. As that man took his final breaths, Grra had gained a Skill. Perhaps, it was a quirk of fate or something¡­ destined, but Grra had gained the Parasitic |Inhabit| Skill.  Grra the Ice Elemental had entered that human and changed him until John had been no more, and only Grra the Yeti. And what a strong Yeti he was! At the end of his evolution, he¡¯d started out as a Level 30 [Yeti] due to his dozens of Levels as an [Ice Elemental]. At first, he¡¯d been confused about losing Levels since his simple mind even back then had known that Levels meant strength, but he¡¯d quickly learned that some Levels were stronger than others. Grra knew what stronger meant. Stronger meant you could eat more things, and they couldn¡¯t eat you. In Grra¡¯s mind, the ideal world would be one where he was strongest, and on this mountain, Grra was strongest for the elements listened to him, and he hadn¡¯t been eaten. These two things provided the only necessary proof that he was the strongest.


    Grra¡¯s [Basic Intelligence] Skill he¡¯d gained at Level 40 went into overdrive as he listened to the wind to determine whether there was any prey nearby. Something lurked a few miles away. Thinking quickly, Grra loped toward the group the wind spoke of, careful to avoid attracting their attention. He thought of his wife Gruu who was waiting for him with their son back at the lair. He scrunched his brows. Gruu was weaker than him by a lot, and their son weaker than both of them, but like he had, they would grow. He¡¯d formed Gruu a few snow falls back from the most powerful ice elemental he¡¯d found and another human body. It had been weird, but he¡¯d used a special Skill called |Molding| to twist the ice elemental¡¯s soul around a fragment of his and made another Yeti by forcefully evolving the elemental. Initially, the newly formed Gruu had been simple, much like Grra had been when first formed. Having never seen another like herself, and finding an unwary target, Gruu had naturally attacked. However, Grra, the target, was well aware of her, and the quick ambush had turned into a deathmatch that had Gruu on top of Grra, but Grra had the other''s wrists. This is when the match had turned into a battle of the hips and the rest could only be seen as a glint in the Yeti¡¯s eye and a smirk on his monstrous jaw. That had been five winters ago now. Then, Gruu had left, and Grra had been too lazy to see to his new creation. Communication between the two did not occur for the first year, just repeats of the deathmatch and hip grinding of the two. Eventually, Gruu seemed to become less¡­ vicious and calmed down. By the end of that first Winter, neither really sought the other¡¯s life in these battles, but it was still a point of dominance and pride.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    In Grra¡¯s estimate, Gruu was currently around Level 35, so almost twenty-five Levels behind himself, but despite that, Gruu was relatively powerful and could move unfettered throughout their mountain. Grra suddenly clenched his fist in anger, remembering that fateful day when his first family had died.


    It had been three winters ago when Grra had waited for Gruu to come when something strange had happened: Gruu had not come. By now they had both known the position of the other¡¯s nest, so Grra had had no trouble making his way to hers. What he had found had startled him on many levels. First had been the litter of smaller Yetis that had lain bloody and slain around the cave. The next thing had been Gruu. She had been covered in scratches and bruises as she had cowered on her bedding, bundling over something with her back exposed. Then, he¡¯d finally noticed them, the humans and those with beast-like traits. A primal rage had filled Grra as he¡¯d stared, dumbstruck, at the carnage. Even then, before he¡¯d gained |Humanoid Intelligence|, he had not been so dense as to not figure out that the newly born Yeti laying around were his children. After all, there was no other Yeti in these lands besides for the two of them. Nor had he been foolish enough to not figure out that the humans had been toying with Gruu in her weakened state. Only one of his children had survived that day, Yrgg.


    Grra tightened his fist. After that fateful day, he had sworn to become stronger so that he could protect Gruu. Icicles emerged out of his knuckles, as hard as enchanted steel, as he remembered mauling through the intruders. Grra let out a savage roar so loud that he imagined even Gruu could hear it back in their home. It was time for him to show once more why he was King of the Mountain by taking down this new pack of intruders of whom the wind whispered.

 Interlude: How to make an [Ice Wraith]

    At last, Grra found the target of whom the wind had whispered. Bumbling along in his snowy domain, they were a group of three humans wrapped tightly in fur coats. Grra sniffed the air, sensing their auras. His nose wrinkled as he realized they had some type of charm to ward off the native ambient ice mana. Pfeh. Weaklings who couldn¡¯t take the cold. Nevertheless, they were strong. Together, they had more Levels than he did, but he would prevail as usual. After all, he¡¯d prevailed on the last few thousand hunts to reach where he was today, and today would be just like every other day. Grra¡¯s fangs jutted out as he smiled, his lips pulled back in a feral grin. Crouching behind a snowy embankment, he waited with the patience of melting ice, almost merging with the falling snow around him. For a hunter could wait a thousand years for the right prey. Five steps. Four steps. Three steps.


    With a roar, Grra burst out of the snowbank, his claws grasping for the male in the front. To his amazement, the human managed to raise his ax in time and ward off his deadly claws. Still, the force of his initial attack nearly knocked the man over and let him continue his onslaught without pause. Letting his bloodthirst consume him, Grra furiously lashed out, trying to overwhelm this opponent quickly so he could get to the more frail figures cowering behind this burly man. Had he known or cared about these measly prey¡¯s names, he would have known that he was currently fighting Olaf while Theseus and Petulinia cast healing and ice spells respectively from behind. Stepping forward with each strike, he gradually forced the ax-wielding man toward his companions. Focusing his gaze, Grra sensed ever-familiar ice-attributed mana swirling around the woman, but he ignored it. After all, this was his mountain, and he was king of its elements! Instead, there was something much more disconcerting about that man shining with golden light who appeared to be keeping Olaf protected from the worst of injuries. That light seemed to speak of a greater King, which made no sense since Grra was King of all he had seen. Resolving to kill the man making that nuisance golden light, Grra tried to literally knock Olaf out of the way, but Olaf¡¯s |Steadfast Defense| allowed him to just barely keep the more delicate casters out of Grra¡¯s range.


    For every battering punch he gave Olaf, Grra received knicks or bashes from Olaf¡¯s mighty ax. At this point though, the fight hadn¡¯t reached the point of desperation, so neither side had used their most powerful Skills since those were usually one-time uses and would be used to tip the scales of battle at the right moment. Despite the lack of their best Skills, each strike could have easily felled lesser warriors. Olaf relied on his Passive Fighting Skills and while Grra used his passive |Ice Manipulation| to give his attacks the bite of a winter chill. Quickly though, Olaf was forced to use his rather consuming |Spirit of the Weapon| Skill to match Grra¡¯s offense. Still, Grra could sense that this human had many other powerful Skills waiting to be used. A smirk flashed across his furry face: so did he.


    Raising his hands, Grra used |Summon Snow Golem| to raise three towering beasts of snow. Each looked like a giant made out of hardened ice, easily weighing half a ton and more than capable of crushing a man to death. Grra planned to end the battle with these creations. Little did he know that he was severely underestimating his opponents.


    ¡°|Aura Slash|¡± Olaf¡¯s ax seemed to grow in Grra¡¯s eyes as the blade cleanly cut through the trio of golems. Gazing in anger at his mutilated servants, Grra lashed forward, exerting all of his |Beastly Strength| to push the man away. Panting, Olaf braced himself against the ground, eyeing his foe, trying to identify any weaknesses. His |Warrior¡¯s Awareness| told him this Yeti had a Level in the late fifties, and at least three more powerful Skills, along with an Ultimate Skill granted to any Classer who reached Level fifty in a Class. Spitting to the side, Olaf grunted. They¡¯d have to wait until they¡¯d figured out all this monster¡¯s more powerful Skills before they went on the offensive. Otherwise, a single nasty surprise could easily end up with one or all of them ending up calling this mountain their grave. Unfortunately, that meant they had to take a beating from this monster pretty passively. Luckily, Theseus had already summoned some environmental protection this morning through |Anti-Element Tokens| or else their group would be fighting a losing battle of attrition as the [Yeti]¡¯s icy aura subsumed them.


    Seeing his prey glaring at him, Grra hefted the bottom of one of the now-defunct ice golems and flung it at Olaf. |Bash|ing the block of ice out of the air, Olaf charged forward, a golden glow surrounding him as Theseus recharged his stamina.


    ________


    Slamming his fists down, Grra coated them in ice mana, instantly freezing blocks around his fists to shield them against the sharp edge of the ax they crashed against. Olaf grunted, falling back before shouting, ¡°Now, Petulinia!¡±


    Petulinia shot out the spell she¡¯d been preparing for the past minute. |Blizzard| was a powerful Spell that was normally only known by advanced Adventurers.


    Ignoring the storm of ice shards coming his way, Grra simply absorbed them into his body using his control over ice through |Ice Manipulation|, which he¡¯d gained as an [Ice Elemental]. Charging forward, he tried to use this brief gap where the humans would be blinded by their own storm of ice to skirt around the ax wielder toward that annoying healer but was forced to turn and block the ax aiming for his waist. Rage welled up in the [Yeti]. Why wouldn¡¯t these damn humans just die and get eaten already? Catching the ax, Grra grunted as he felt it sink into his toughened skin, but he froze the wound before any blood could escape. Smirking at the foolish human he ripped the ax out of Olaf¡¯s hands and thrust forward his claws, trying to pierce the human¡¯s breastplate. Right before his claws thrust through the warrior¡¯s chest, a female voice shouted, ¡°|Shield|!¡±


    To his amazement, his claws skitted across the now-glowing blue chainmail. Narrowing his eyes, Grra discovered a thin trail of mana from Petulinia surrounding Olaf. While all elemental-attributed mana in the environment would bow before his whim, she appeared to be using pure unattributed mana to create this Spell. It seemed like this female was more powerful than he¡¯d thought since despite her thin frame she could still control so much mana. For [Yeti]s, the bigger you were, the more power and magic you had¡­ Grra shook his head, trying to focus on the battle. He now realized it was very possible for him to turn into the prey at any moment. With a growl, Grra decided to tactically retreat and try to find another ambush site when he bumped into a blue barrier. Pushing against it, Grra cracked it beneath his weight, but the brief pause was enough for Olaf to unsheathe his reserve shortsword and sink it almost two inches into Grra¡¯s leg.


    Howling in pain, Grra struck back with a |Icy Breath|, seeking to freeze this meddling pest to the core. To his amazement, a blue pendant glowed on the warrior¡¯s body, causing the ice to merely freeze around him. Still, it would be enough as he¡¯d be stuck in a block of ice for a while. Grra was not stupid; he knew that a battle of attrition could turn against him if a [Cleric] kept everyone¡¯s vitals up. It was time to end all hope for these Adventurers. With a triumphant roar, Grra rushed toward the healer who had kept the troublesome ax-wielding pest alive. Now that he needed a surge of strength, Grra¡¯s |Crown of Eternal Winter| came into being. The thrill of the hunt coursed through Grra. Where once that foolish human could have perhaps stalled him, his strength and control over ice were now nearly doubled, allowing him to smash through any barriers the female tried to place before him.


    _________


    The three adventurers groaned as they felt a pressure bore down on them, seemingly seeping into their very souls. Despair welled in Olaf¡¯s heart as he tried to surge his |Leadership| Skill, only to find it did little to beat back the oppression. The cold seemed to make them dull even further as time went on. If they continued to fight under this oppression, they¡¯d quickly lose the war of attrition they¡¯d been planning on waging. Already, Olaf could hardly feel his fingers within his gauntlet despite Theseus¡¯s warding Charm before. Gritting his teeth, Olaf braced against the pressure and made his way toward their [Cleric], but every step seemed like he was fighting against a blizzard.


    Grra chuckled in amusement, seeing the burly human struggling to reach him as he casually strolled toward the [Cleric], preparing to rip his head off his fraily-armored body. The female [Mage] tried to whip up some spell, but Grra ignored her since wearing his |Crown of Eternal Winter|, he was king of all the ambient mana within the atmosphere, and no Spell could work without ambient mana. Triumphantly he reached out, just as Petulinia¡¯s spell came to an end, shooting a pillar of ice straight through his eye. Grra stumbled back in shock. How had that icicle not just melded into his body? Pain, unlike anything he¡¯d ever experienced, inundated his senses as he senselessly roared, wildly flailing his arms to keep away any attackers. His mind clouded in rage; he didn¡¯t even realize that Petulinia¡¯s spell had been no System-derived Spell, but a work of mana derived completely from herself. Since there¡¯d been no System assistance, she¡¯d been able to fully control the source of the mana. As a [Mage] specializing in ice (who in fact wanted to Upgrade her Class into [Cryomancer]), she had relatively few non-ice mana spells, so she¡¯d been forced to use an ice spell she¡¯d studied from scratch without the aid of the System in order for it to affect Grra in any way. While she¡¯d succeeded, the mana cost had also been hideously expensive compared to normal, leaving her tired and drained. Theseus hurriedly escaped the [Yeti]¡¯s range before casting a |Restore| on his (possibly, they hadn¡¯t really decided yet) ex-lover. Leaning on her staff, she gave him a nod of thanks. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    However, Theseus had torn his attention away from the [Yeti] to soon. Just as Petulinia hurriedly shouted a warning and began casting another spell, Grra focused his |Crown of Eternal Winter| to listen to where his subject, the wind, told him his frail prey lay. Using his one remaining eye, he sprinted forward with laser focus, determined to take revenge on these nasty creatures. His claws reaching out, he imagined mutilating this thin man, when it happened.


    Just as Theseus was about to have a personal meeting with the [Yeti]¡¯s rage, the [Yeti] suddenly stopped in his tracks. Grra¡¯s eyes rolled up into the back of his head as Ivan appeared with twin daggers embedded in each side of the colossal [Yeti]¡¯s neck. With a feeble groan, Grra grasped for the [Cleric] who nimbly leaped out of his reach as his |Crown of Eternal Winter| faltered. How had that dagger managed to pierce through his thick frozen fur? He knew that his natural hide was stronger than some enchanted armors! Grra shivered as he felt it; it was unnatural, unlike anything he¡¯d ever known. It was pain, and the antithesis of cold. It was like he was drowning, unable to breathe. It was like countless lacerations were being inflicted on his body. It was anathema to his very soul. Deep within his heart, the name of this force echoed: fire. If it fully circulated throughout his veins, it would disrupt his ice-attributed soul from his past as an [Ice Elemental] and cause him to completely dissipate. Panicking, Grra used his Ultimate Skill, |Rejection of the Mortal Coil|, to escape the poison.


    Ivan took a step back as the [Yeti] fell forward with a quiet thud. For all its colossal size, it had fallen so easily. Ivan gazed at his glowing red blades in surprise before jumping back. The poison he¡¯d coated on it had been extraordinarily effective. Well worth snatching a small bottle from James¡¯s stock¡­ He frowned. He was pretty sure James hadn¡¯t noticed; the merchant had like ten of them. While he had expected fire-attributed poison to be lethal for the monster, he hadn¡¯t expected for the kill to be nearly instant. With a bow toward the other three, he said, ¡°One dashing [Thief], at your service.¡±


    Puffing over now that the oppressive aura had been lifted, Olaf grumbled, ¡°Could you have timed that any tighter, Ivan?¡±


    Patting the burly man¡¯s arm, Ivan laughed. ¡°Well, someone here would¡¯ve lost their head within the first second had I not warned them they were walking straight into an ambush.¡±


    Petulinia grumbled, ¡°I could¡¯ve ended it at any time with my |Firebolt| Spell, but I was holding it in case we were ever in a desperate situation. Wait, something¡¯s not right! Get back!¡±


    Petulinia warily watched the still corpse as ice mana coalesced around it as if it were activating some giant Skill. Finally, a misty being rose from the still corpse, glaring at the four Adventurers. Grra examined himself, feeling himself in a state he had not felt for many years. He had returned to his original form as an [Ice Elemental]! He had never used this Skill before due to his instinctual reluctance to rely on it as he¡¯d always sensed it would have a significant drawback, but he¡¯d been pushed to desperate straits, and now, he felt strong. Where once he had been the ruler of the ambient mana, the mana now felt like an extension of his body, completely within his control. As he watched Olaf warily butcher his body in a foolish attempt to end the Skill, his shock and surprise faded to be replaced with rage. Summoning a blizzard, he rained wintery death on the Adventurers.


    Completely freezing the blundering oaf, he turned toward the [Thief] who had forced him out of his physical form. Grunting in surprise, the [Thief] employed those hateful daggers at his new form, only to find that the daggers passed through his form. Grinning in malevolent vengeance, Grra formed icicles around his translucent arms and prepared to let this human feel the poison that only deep winter could bring, to let him feel his own medicine.


    Theseus tried to block him with a barrier of divine light, but the icicles simply dematerialized through the power granted by the Gods before coalescing to shoot toward the unfortunate Ivan. Ivan rolled to the side.


    The icicles impaled themselves a foot deep into the snow by his foot. Paling, the [Thief] crouched, preparing to dodge at any moment. Grra grinned. In this form, nothing could harm him, not even that fiery poison. All physical attacks simply passed through, and the same was true for any mana attacks¡­ or so he thought.


    Theseus shot a bolt of pure divine energy at Grra that simply warped through his body. Grra¡¯s massive internal mana reserve successfully staved off any extraneous interactions from the passing of divine energy before they could disrupt the mana holding his [Ice Elemental] Core together. A steely glint appeared in Grra¡¯s eyes. He had nothing to worry about now that he¡¯d tested his new form against even the energy of the Gods. It seemed like even that [Mage] who blinded him would find herself in dire straits against his near mana immunity. Completely ignoring the negligible drop in health from Theseus¡¯s desperate attack, Grra thrust a spike through Ivan¡¯s shoulder. He smiled. He was going to take his time taking this little runt down. Hearing some movement behind him, he nonchalantly turned to watch the show.


    Almost casually, Petulinia pulled out her wand. Grra smirked, examining the small stick of wood pointed at him. While it could concentrate her mana, it wouldn¡¯t do enough... If he had still had eyebrows, they would¡¯ve twitched. Something about what she was doing seemed to scream danger. Quickly letting go of his prey, Grra flashed forward, almost imperceptible against the icy background as he sought to finish the [Mage] off before her Spell finished. Just as he stopped in front of her, Petulinia smiled at him. ¡°|Firebolt|!¡±


    Grra looked down, seeing some foreign red mana invading his space, quickly breaking through his entire form. Before he could slit her throat, his claws had already faded away, dematerializing into loose mana as his Core broke apart. His final thought drifted toward Gruu, who would dematerialize without his Skills holding her [Ice Elemental] Core and Yeti body together. Their son¡­ would starve. Gazing in hatred at these adventurers, he tried to roar in defiance of his fall but completely disappeared before he could utter so much as a squeak.


    Falling to the ground, Petulinia hooted in victory. Theseus laughed, and Ivan nervously patted himself at his narrow escape from death. Casting a quick incantation over Olaf, Theseus then rushed over to Petulinia, hugging her before checking that she was okay. Ivan coughed, trying to ignore the couple¡¯s blushing and whispers while Olaf sighed. Cutting off the Yeti corpse¡¯s horns, he stowed them in his bag of holding, leaving the humanoid giant on the ground. It would be enough proof to show they¡¯d taken down a high Level [Yeti], no less than the King of this icy mountain. After all, they¡¯d literally blown apart the creature¡¯s Core, and his fur well¡­ Olaf eyed the shaggy white fur covering the humanoid¡¯s monsters final expression of agony. He couldn¡¯t skin such an opponent. Bowing in respect, he turned with his team to tread away in the snow.


    Olaf: Level 28 [Swordsman]


    Level 28-> 29 (Yeti Kill)


    Level 29-> 30 (Yeti Kill)


    Class Upgrade!


    Level 30 [Swordsman] -> Level 30 [Weaponsmaster]


    Skill Gained |War of Weapons|


    Class Upgrade!


    Level 10 [Woodcutter] -> Level 8 [Monster Farmer]


    Skill Upgrades:


    |Respect of Nature|->|Noble of Nature|


    |Leadership|->|Fearless Aura|


    |Aura Slash| and |Spirit of the Weapon|->|Warrior¡¯s Domain|


    Skill |???| has received improvement!


    Olaf pumped his fist. Lugging around that giant ax had finally paid off! [Weaponsmaster] was a known path toward the coveted [Champion] Class! Nearby, Petulinia looked through her own System notes. Yelling in joy, she eagerly revealed that she¡¯d finally achieved the [Cryomancer] Class she¡¯d wanted, not caring at all about the fact that no one else cared besides for her and maybe Theseus. While Theseus¡¯s joy was far more inhibited since he had only gained a couple of Levels, Ivan allowed himself to join in the other two¡¯s revelry. After all, by killing a King in one hit, he¡¯d achieved the coveted [Ninja] Class, and so, the Hero Adventuring Team The Bunglers finally stepped onto the playing field of high ranked Adventurers by completing their Quest to become A-Rank Adventurers.


    In the distance a [Dark Knight] observed the Adventurers tidying up the Yeti corpse with a smirk on his Undead lips hidden beneath his full plate helm. They were almost painfully naive: leaving a valuable corpse behind out of respect to their enemy. He opened his gauntleted fist to examine the newest addition to his collection. Trapped in his hand was the elemental form of the former king of this small mountain on the edge of his lord¡¯s domain. Normally, the [Dark Knight] would not have bothered coming to deal with such a weakling, but rumblings of a divine destiny had caught the attention of his lord, so he had naturally been sent to investigate. Unlike what the casual observer might have thought, he had not been too surprised or alarmed to find these heroes here. Over the millennia, he had found that history repeated itself time and time again. Then again, no one ever remembered the heroes who had failed to fulfill their ¡°divine destinies.¡±  Nevertheless, he knew that these heroes could grow to become a problem if they were not nipped in the bud now. Dealing with fully developed characters protected by Destiny and System Narrative was enormous work. Now, how to make dealing with them interesting¡­ Suddenly, the [Dark Knight] remembered the elemental soul in his hand, trapped in a |Prisma Prison| crafted of his magic. After a moment¡¯s thought, he decided how he would deal with these pesky heroes. He let out a dark chuckle. It was even possible their new opponent would gain a huge System buff for seeking righteous vengeance against the people who caused the deaths of his entire family. Enslaving this elemental would not be hard. Even a [Dark Priest] could take care of it by [Returning Unlife] to the Yeti, and vengeance would provide great motivation for training. Who knew, perhaps the Yeti¡¯s drive would even cause him to develop a rare Skill. A plan to cure his countless years of boredom since the lull after his lord went into hiding formed within his Undead mind. A show for his lord using a victimized Undead Yeti to tear apart this generation of heroes would be good. Summoning a portal, he cast a final glance at the distant party of Adventurers before disappearing, leaving no trace of his appearance.


    ____


    Grra came into being howling. He remembered pain, agony, despair. His family¡­ They were gone. He could sense it: the spirits told him so. A man wearing a black robe glanced at him, holding the tiny skull of his only son.


    The man bowed toward the newly summoned Death Knight. ¡°Welcome General Frost. Your revenge shall come.¡±


    Level 40 [Yeti] Class lost.


    Due to the conditions of your Summoning, all Skills are retained.


    Gained Class [Ice Wraith] Level 70.


    Gained Skill |Misery|


    Gained Skill |Infinite Cunning|


    Gained Skill |Kiss of Frost|


    Gained Skill |Hypothermia|


    Gained Skill |Despair|


    Gained Skill |Winter of Suffering|


    Gained Skill |Immortal Undeath|


    Gained Skill |???|


    Gained Skill |???|


    Gained Skill |???|


    Grra raised his head, panting in rage. Yes, very soon, Yrgg would feast on the blood of his murderers once they joined him in the afterlife.