– Day 11 –

Results

We arrive back at the house while Katharine’s still unconscious. I had thought about dropping her off at her father's manor but quickly abandoned the idea after picturing my head being caved in before I had a chance to explain what happened. After all, Katharine doesn’t get her domineering side from her mother. So instead I princess carry her from the carriage to the house and upstairs to my room, being as careful as possible not to wake her, putting her to rest in my bed. I really should make it a priority to get a sofa for the main room downstairs…

As I lay her down on the bed, I can’t help but focus on her reddened cheeks and lips. Her long tied up hair has come free from its bindings, and few strands are laying across her adorable sleeping face..

They’re in her way right. I should just.. Brush them to one…

…

“Master!”

YIKES. I nearly kissed her. That would have been assault right! Totally assault, what the hell is wrong with me!?

“Master?”

“E-Emily?”

I whisper back, trying not to wake sleeping beauty.

“..Katharine’s resting, let's go downstairs.”

“Okay”

I close the door behind us, and we both creep while avoiding the floorboards we know to be creaky.

“So how did training go?”

“Bella said I have no talent–”

Harsh.

“–but if I work hard and keep at it, I might be worth teaching.”

“That sounds like Bella…Is she calling you doe?”

“maggot…”

Bella must have secretly wanted to come with us to the Catacombs and decided to take it out on her. Sorry, Emily, it’ll be worth it so stick with it! Truth be told though, I only need you to get Archery proficiency level 1 before I can take you with us.

“Ouch. Well, stick with it. You’ll need to train with Risk tomorrow as I’m taking Bella to the Catacombs in the afternoon.”

“I’m not going?”

“Not yet. You need to at least have the basics down; the catacombs aren’t a place to be underestimated.”

“..Then I think I’ll go shoot more arrows.”

“Sound plan. Oh and tonight, come to my room again–”

“Night raid!?”

“..*sigh* We need to have that talk, remember?”

She sighs and nods before walking off outside.

Leaving Emily, I meet up with the others in the dining room. Millie looks to be cooking again as there’s a wonderful aroma perforating from the Kitchen, filling the air with a fantastic scent. Risk seems to be giving Bella a complete blow by blow account of our encounters in the Catacombs while Sybil is sitting beside him in her usual chair with her usual dumbfounded expression. I decide to take my usual spot and sit opposite her.

Once Risk completes the recount, I go on to explain the plans for tomorrow and the next day.

“So tomorrow Bella will come with Katharine, Sybil and myself, then the day after, we all go.”

“Who’s going to watch the house if we’re all away?”

That’s… Hmph, I didn’t think about that, good point Bella..

“About that. Aburi I’d like to hire someone on your behalf. He’s an old friend, and I can speak to his character.”

Oh, someone who has stories of Risk? I can hardly say no!

“Sure, I can warp us to Tolian–”

“He’s not a merc but a retired adventurer. He’s er, not a ‘people’ person.. If it’s alright if you all, I’ll visit him this evening myself and offer him the ticket.”

“Very well. I look forward to meeting him”

Getting rather impatient by the amazing smells coming from the kitchen, I get impatient and accost Millie into letting me have a taste test. She flat out refuses as it’s not ready yet and forces me out of the kitchen. Meanie!

Well, there’s still sometime before dinner, so I decide to spend it messing with my own stats. As Katharine’s still sleeping upstairs, I head outside to be alone, forgetting of course that Emily’s still shooting arrows. I hover for a bit trying to decide if I should go elsewhere but she doesn’t seem to mind my presence, so I take a seat on the step some distance behind her.

There’s no denying after today that my magic is far more effective than my physical fighting capabilities. Magic is now definitely going to be my long-term goal but seeing as I’m meant to be an all-rounder based on skill EXP to points, I’ll keep training my physical attributes manually for now. Freebies are always nice after all, and I have a feeling it’s going to start getting harder to level sooner rather than later.

STAT points remaining 74 STR: 059 / 999

AGI: 036 / 999

STA: 040 / 999

VIT: 020 / 999

PER: 019 / 999

INT: 060 / 999

WIS: 050 / 999 STAT points remaining 2

There. Now skill points.

Skill Points: 90 - Mineralogy Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Gemmology Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Draconic Language Lv 5 / 10 [>]

- Enchanting Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Spell Crafting Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Summoning magic Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Magical Perception Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Magical Item Enhancement Lv 10 / 10 [>]

- Ancient Tongue Lv 5 / 10 [>]

- Binding magic Lv 5 / 10 [>] Skill Points: 5

[- Master Mineralogist. 50% increase in yield of mineral veins -]

[- Master Gemmologist. 50% increase in refinement yield -]

[- Master Enchanter. Increase the max mana storage capacity and enhance-able values by 25% -]

[- Master Composer. Spell scrolls crafted have additional power and effects -]

[- Master Summoner. Summons have increased STAT and Skill values by 100% but cost double to maintain -]

[- Master Magical Perception. Interpret the flow of magical energies -]

[- Master Enhancer. Items enhanced with magical energies are 25% more powerful -]

[ Locate Vein learned ]

[ Geological Survey learned ]

[ Mana Meld learned ]

[ Spell Transcribe learned ]

[ Summoning learned ]

[ Magic Eye learned ]

[ Mana workbench learned ]

Hmm, where to start. AE, tell me about [Locate Vein].

[**Active Skill **]

[** Use to find Ore deposits in the ground. Active Range (Skill Level x 10metre)PI **]

Will it find gems and rare stones too?

[** Incorrect. Geological Survey. Same Active Range **]

Okay, makes sense. Tell me about [Mana Meld]

[**Active Skill **]

[** Force Mana into held object **]

[** Usage. Recharge mana based items. Other usages. Possible **]

Curiosity isn't going to let that be. What are the 'Other usages'?

[** Incapacitate **]

[** Disfigure **]

[** Kill **]

[** Torture **]

[** Effective on Living Organisms. Reiterate. Theoretically **]

…Dark. Moving on. [Spell Transcribe]?

[** Active Skill **]

[** Create scroll of known spell and power. Increased usage cost **]

I assume anyone can use these scrolls if they have the required mana?

[** Correct **]

I have several ideas for which that would be handy. Okay, summoning is obvious so [Magic Eye]?

[**Active Skill **]

[** Caster visibly sees the flow of Mana **]

Hmm, handy for detecting magical traps and the like I assume?

[** Correct. Incorrect. Increase scope **]

I’m sure I’ll figure it out. Okay, and finally [Mana Workbench]?

[**Active Skill **]

[** Modify flow of mana inside magical entities **]

Modify the flow? I don’t follow.

[** Optimise enchantment **]

[** Add enchantment **]

[** Modify mana circuitry **]

[** Remove enchantment **]

Oh.. Wait, are you saying I can completely change a magical item?

[** Incorrect **]

[** Modify. Optimise. Add. Remove **]

…I’m sure I’ll understand if I actually use the skill. Let’s just leave it at that for now.

HP: 666 / 666 MP: 1400 / 1400 ST: 933/933

Hunger: 0% Thirst: 0%

Blood State: Low

I can’t help but chuckle, 666 huh–

“You’re awake? How're you feeling lass?”

Oh? It seems Katharine’s up and about in the dining room. Better go and apologise again.

“I’m good, thanks Risk…I don’t really remember much after we left the Catacombs though.”

I can’t help but feel guilty..

“I’m really sorry Katharine, that’s entirely my fault. I tried a skill on you to.. well, force a higher absorption rate of essence into you. It seems I underestimated the toll it would take on a person, and it knocked you out for a while.”

“Really? I guess that explains why I feel so different..”

“How so?”

Risk looks intrigued by Katharine’s statement. I did tell him he’d be surprised after all.

“Why don’t you have a sparring match outside. Katharine can show you.”

“Against Risk!? I don’t think I’d be a good match for him Aburi.”

I can understand her scepticism, but it’ll be a closer match than she thinks.

“I think you’ll be fine Katharine. Trust me”

She looks concernedly at me before hesitantly nodding. Relax Katharine, you’ve near godlike technical skills now and enhanced speed. I’m expecting you to run circles around him.

We head outside–

“This should be worth a laugh.”

Bella seems sure of Risks victory. Ooo the anticipation is killing me!

“Victory comes with either one not able to fight or conceding defeat. We have tonics for recovery, just don’t sever any limbs, I can’t reattach or regrow those”

‘Yet’ anyway…

Risk seems to be taking this all rather lightly, generating only a short sword to match Katharine’s bastard sword. He’s also decided not to pick a stance either, as if to say she’s not worth the effort. Undoubtedly a mind game of sorts. Katharine’s not falling for it however as she begins to circle Risk with a hi-guard. Neither one seems to want to take the first action, so Katharine just continues to circle–

“If you won’t strike lass, I will!”

Risk changes the tempo and makes the first move, charging into Katharine’s reach before darting to her right side and attempting to strike.

A beautifully done quick faint that Katharine fell for hook, line and sinker. She swings her bastard sword down at Risk’s after-image but just as Risks about to strike at her side; he forcefully jumps back. But not fast enough it seems as Katharine shifts her entire weight behind the bastard sword and swings round at an impossible speed nearly taking Risk’s head clean off.

The attack seems to settle for a large gash across his left cheek and nose instead. She doesn’t stop there though, pressing forward on her advantage immediately with a thrust that Risk, who’s still mid-air at this point, can’t dodge. It might be over; Risk is about to be impaled on her sword–

*CLANG*

–Or not. He manages to generate a shield while in mid-air and blocks the attack just in time. He continues to hop backwards to create some space between himself and Katharine.

“That…that was impressive.”

“T-thanks… Truthfully though, I don’t quite understand how I did it.. Can we begin again?”

He touches his gushing cheek and looks at the blood on his hand, then looks over to me.

“Aburi, truthfully. Do I stand a chance against her?”

I can’t help but chuckle.

“Yes.. but don’t expect me to tell you her weakness. Also, Katharine, you should switch to a one-handed grip. It’s more in line with your skills.”

“O-okay!”

Round 2 begins almost immediately with Risk charging in once more, this time with sword and shield. He’s decided that she’s more of a threat than he would like to admit.

Katharine changes stance into an open guard and stops Risk’s advance in its tracks with a flurry of beautiful one-handed attacks, striking continually against Risk’s shield as he frantically moves to block them. Her speed is making it hard to follow one strike into the next, truly spectacular.

Risk seems wholly locked down by this and is unable to counter at all. Being continuously forced back by the sheer speed and aggression of Katharine’s onslaught… It’s unfortunate, but at this rate, Risk will discover Katharine’s current weakness.

*CRACK*

Damn, I guessed right.

Risk blocks the attack and immediately lets the shield go, suddenly jumping back before quickly taking a closed guard stance. Looks like he’s planning to over-power her instead.

Katharine stupidly charges forward, being completely unaware of her own weakness it seems. I guess this is where the difference in experience begins to show. Knowing Risk had only just managed to take all of those attacks with a shield, yet has now completely abandoned that very same shield screams trap to me but Katharine doesn’t seem to realise this and falls right into it.

*PANG*

Risk blocks the attack, puts all his weight into his shoulder and ripostes, Katharine, back and onto the floor. Placing his blade immediately to her neck.

“Yield?”

“I.. I yield..”

I guess that confirms it. Increasing stats and skills doesn’t automatically make you stronger. Experience can and most likely will overcome a sudden increase in… Hmm, not sure how best to describe this really.. Perhaps ‘talent’?

I’m giving people talent that they don’t already have.

Yeah, it works.

I take a moment to look around and notice Bella deep in thought; I guess it’s not hard to imagine why. No matter what Risk says, he was on the ropes for a while there, and if Katharine hadn’t been so careless to expose her weakness, the results might have been different.

“Aburi, you created a monster.”

*blink*

I throw him a rejuvenation tonic for his face.

“Hey now, that’s no way to speak about a Lady.”

He catches it in his left hand while shaking his head.

“You know what I meant”

“I did..I do. The results are better than even I imagined but there’s no making up for experience it seems.”

Katharine lets her sword go and lays back on the grass, staring at the sky.

“Aburi… What exactly did you do to me?”

I made you, better, comtraya! ..ahem.

“I took your speed, strength, perception and skill with one-handed weapons to a higher potential.”

After downing the tonic with a grimaced face, Risk helps her up. I should do something about the taste of those.

“But how is that possible?”

He looks at me with glee. He knows I’m going to have to make something up…

“…You’re aware that when you kill a monster, some of its essence is absorbed into you right?”

Katharine nods in affirmation.

“Well, most of us don’t actually use the absorbed essence to strengthen ourselves, and it just sits inside us doing nothing. I took that essence and activated it, to make you realise your full potential.”

And not one word of a lie either. Don’t look so unhappy Risk.

“And you can do this with anyone?”

“Unfortunately not Bella. There are some requirements for me to be able to do this, the primary one being a bond of trust.”

“So that’s why you asked me to close my eyes?”

“Basically, yes but I have no way of knowing if you trust me enough prior to actually attempting to modify your essence–”

“Then do mine.”

Unexpectedly, Bella jumps in. She is a bit of a thrill seeker so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Sure, but it takes a lot out of you Bella?”

“That’s fine. I’m curious.”

“Then sit in front of me here and close your eyes.”

Truthfully, she doesn’t need to close her eyes but a while you ever sat opposite someone and stared into their eyes… It’s awkward as hell!

Bella sits crossed legged, and I scan her with [Detailed Scan].

Stats first:

STR: 072 / 999

AGI: 064 / 999

STA: 052 / 999

VIT: 030 / 999

PER: 033 / 999

INT: 012 / 999

WIS: 008 / 999 STAT points remaining 52 STR: 102 / 999

AGI: 074 / 999

STA: 052 / 999

VIT: 040 / 999

PER: 033 / 999

INT: 012 / 999

WIS: 008 / 999 STAT points remaining 2

Seems to be working. Let’s do the skills next.

Skill Points: 14

[>>>]

One-handed Style Lv 8 / 10 [>]

[>>]

Dagger Proficiency Lv 8 / 10 [>]

[>>]

Two-handed Style Lv 10 / 10

[>>>>]

Sword Proficiency Lv 10 / 10

[>>>]

Greatsword Proficiency Lv 10 / 10 Skill Points: 0

Okay, hold on to your hats folks. Commit–

The impossibly bright yellowy light returns engulfing Bella and carries her upwards towards the heavens, just as it did with Katharine. The air vibrating around her, humming strangely while continually getting louder and louder. Then, once again, just as suddenly as it appeared, nothing. It was gone, and Bella falls to the floor with a collapsing thud.

[** Bella has gained the following Static Effects **]

[** Master ‘Two-handed Style’ achieved. +10% AGI and STR transference while wielding a weapon with two hands **]

[** Master ‘Sword Proficiency’ achieved. +20% STR transference while wielding regular Sword weapons **]

[** Master ‘Greatsword Proficiency’ achieved. +20% AGI transference while wielding regular Greatsword weapons **]

AE, what do these mean by ‘transference’?

[** Transfer of STAT to weapon **]

[** Impossible to put 100% of STAT behind every attack. Transference increases possible ratio **]

Ah, I think I get it. So you’re saying that when I attack with my spear unless I’m having a perfect day, I’ll only be using x% of my possible strength in an attack without even realising it?

[** Correct. Incorrect. Increase scope **]

Well, I sort of get it. The key point is, Bella just got a lot more menacing, and that’s enough for now.

“How're you feeling?”

Risk asks with a concerned look.

“…Like I was hit by a Razorback.. Fuck this. I need a drink.”

She looks visibly annoyed as she climbers up and storms off towards the house.. Now that I think about it, we’re probably almost out of booze.

“Dinner’s Ready everyone.”

“Yosh! Let’s go eat!”

I couldn’t get to the dining room fast enough since I knew it’s another full roast but with a full boar as the centrepiece.. head and all..

“It took awhile to spit roast, sorry for the wait Master.”

“Don’t be silly, the wonderful smells that were coming from the kitchen alone were well worth the wait. You’ve outdone yourself again Millie.”

She smiles widely and gives a cute curtsy.

As with all our meals eaten together, the dining room is filled with banter and laughter. Bella with her typical boozing, Emily roaring at Hannah about whose doing the dishes and Kate acting like a big sister splitting them apart. Sybil looking dumbfounded and Katharine holding back laughter while trying to maintain some noble etiquette. It seems we really are like a big family.. It’s strange considering we haven’t known each other all that long, but I guess some people are just fit together more comfortably than others. I’m certainly not complaining as it’s honestly a warm and peaceful environment. I hope these days last forever!

After eating, the results are in, and Emily seems to have lost her battle with Hannah and is condemned to the dishes in the kitchen. Hannah didn’t get away completely free either though as Kate made her do the drying for causing a stir at the table during dinner. It was rather amusing to watch, but it made it really apparent who’s really in charge around here..

Katharine shortly after took her leave of us. I offered to walk her to the carriage again, but Risk is going that way anyway to find his friend, so she headed off with him instead. That’s totally fine, and besides, I should be trying to distance myself from her anyway since the revelation that whoever she’s in love with also loves her back…which is also fine..*sigh*

I decided instead to take a bath and clear my mind. Millie and Kate seem to follow me in as per the usual routine and offer me their blood. Thank you angels~

With that, I’m now relaxing in the bath thinking about Risk.. and how to help cure him, not that I needed to clarify that to myself.

I know, I have plenty of time for solving this but if I let myself think that, six years will fly by in no time.. Plus he now has to live on a clock.. I’m not sure what’s worse. Knowing you could die any day, or feeling the ‘tick tock’ as your death grows closer? I guess both are probably equally bad. I’m a little curious about his friend as well, but for now, I guess I’ll go have my chat with Emily.

“Kate?”

“Yes, Master?”

“Somehow I just knew you’d be there. I assume your standing with a robe?”

“You assume correctly–”

“You know you could have just left it in here for me right?”

“And miss my chance to ogle at your naked form? I think not Master.”

Ah Kate, you devilishly corrupt woman. How I adore you so.

I take the robe with a chuckle and head upstairs.