I didn’t waste any time in preparing a burial for Eric, even though right after killing him I had an urge to honor his body I quickly realized that performing the rites of the Three would be - in my hands - a blasphemy and… that I had no more desire in participating in celebrations of holy acts of those goddesses. Of course, I remembered about “borrowing” some of his clothes. Unfortunately, his shirt became unusable due to a big hole on its back with a huge red stain all around it. But his pants, belt, and long, dirty, traveling cloak remained mostly untouched (except for a cloak which suffered similar damage as a shirt, but, thanks to its darker color, the bloodstain was nearly invisible).

Animals would do the rest.

Also, I had to move quickly, leave the area of the forest close to the village as soon as it was only possible. Not only did I risk being spotted or encountering some adventurers on a quest, which the Lady of the Sun said she would send, but also I needed to find some actual shelter as well as a place which would help me grow stronger.

I only managed to get this close to Diederik because I had an element of surprise as well as I knew the surroundings better than him - next time I might not have this luxury.

And this body is…weak. Even though I was no longer slow and clumsy and could travel at a normal pace, I felt how physically weaker and vulnerable I had become. I needed to absorb essence - regardless of the source…

Essence. Experience… how much easier it is to address it with those names instead of saying that I had to kill someone. Someone like Eric…

You have killed [Eric, Blacksmith's apprentice] [Human Level 6] You have obtained [25 exp] [My list gets shorter] You have slain a target of your [Personal Vendetta] + [50 exp]

+ New skill learned [Deteck Intentions] [Detect Intentions] Most of the people who wrongly judged ambitions of the other men didn't live long enough to regret their foolishness, those who did, learned a valuable lesson. Don't trust anyone. No exceptions. And if there is an exception remember - Don't. Trust. Anyone. The [User] might sense if the [Target] is hostile or friendly towards the [User] Name: Asteruse Race: Animated Skeleton [Lower Undead] [Self-aware Variant] Level: 2 [25/100] Attributes: STR: 16 (+2)

VIT: 20 (+2)

END:∞

RFX: 15 (+2)

DEX: 18 (+2)

INT: 15 (+1)

WIS: 10 (+1)

SPI: 4

After killing him and leveling up, I could feel the surge of power swirling through my bones, becoming slightly denser and thicker. I knew that I could take a few more blows or grapples with slightly stronger opponents, yet…

… the words “few” and “slightly” were key. I needed more. To absorb more… I hope I will have an opportunity to kill some animals quickly, though I noticed they provide far less essence than killing humans, such as Eric.

But, how do I know which creature provides more essence?

I didn’t even manage to finish my chain of thoughts when another notification popped out.

Tutorial: [Leveling up] The number of [Essense]/[Experience] needed for the [User] to reach another level will increase with every level.

Every creature has a [Maximum Level Capacity] - after reaching it as well as meeting other specific requirements, the creature would be allowed to ascend in the Race Tree achieving a new, more fitting, form. Essense gathered via battling with other creatures depends on their Race, Class, Age, Level and/or other factors that are important for estimating one's power. So, the [User] will gain more [Essense] by killing an older monster of higher rank, higher level, and with specialized class/job, than by killing the same monster of a respectively lower value of these same factors.

Well that’s…convenient.

As soon as I walked further into Deepwood, untouched by humankind before - into a dark thicket of trees and vines I felt that I could relax. No, not because of distance or any other thing like that, no! But because of the sun which no longer was burning my body!

Ah! Even though I had no lungs, I felt as if I could finally take a deep breath after ages of being bound and restrained. Lack of light didn’t obscure my vision, quite the opposite - I sensed every fracture of the world around me, my vision became wider as if I had eyes even on the back of my head.

I savored the sensation for a moment or two longer before pulling the cloak hood and resuming my journey.

The things I need to secure:

Better weapons - one old, partly dull dagger is all I had and I didn’t want to waste too much time looking for other daggers which I took from the hunters all around the clearing. The bow which I previously had taken from the slaughtered trio and which I used during my ambushing of Micheal I found broken in a bush not far from my “grave”.

Armor and clothes - and I had no idea which was more vital to me right now. I didn’t need to be afraid of wild animals attacking me - it’s something I noticed quite quickly. Apparently, I had walked through the territory of one of the wolf packs - sensing an intruder they came to chase me off, but once they got quite close - close enough to notice I was not alive - growling, they returned back to the forest.

They sensed that fighting me wasn’t wise - that I had no flesh to provide on which they could feast and that fighting me would only cause unnecessary losses on their side. Which meant that only “higher races” and magical beasts could threaten me. I didn’t hear about any other magical beast but Ol’ Rockpaw in these woods, and that would leave only humans as a source of threat.

Armor could save my life during combat, but good clothing - the one that would hide my entire body, could spare me the troubles of fighting to begin with. And now, if anyone approached me from the front, from a few meters they would be easily able to tell that I was an undead. I needed either a bandana or helmet to cover my head, and gloves or gauntlets for hands.

Someone who would train me - I already have some basic knowledge regarding swordsmanship, but… yeah. Basics and knowledge. Once they became “advanced” and “experience” - only then, would I stand a chance.

And last but not least - a place to stay during daytime. Close to a settlement of some sorts, but not too close either. Zariel suggested a dungeon…

Dungeon - either an artificial or natural place filled with mana, a home for monsters which feasted on it, usually mutating due to its power. A place which could purify and crystalize magical power into crystals - material extremely desirable by scientists, armies, and nobles.

A place of interest to many people… but, monsters within the dungeon are usually extremely hostile towards one another, fighting for supplies of the dungeon’s waters, they usually attack on sight. What are the chances of me winning a duel against a monster who was powered by such magic?

I still have time to think about it. For now, even a regular cave would do.

A cold breeze tickled my body, finding a way through the holes in my clothes. The night was approaching. At night, the passive ability of my race would trigger, making me more… awake. Alive. I need to use this time for hunting, replenishing Vitality which the sun sucked out of my body.

For now… I am running. But, Michael, the time will come when we would meet again. It may take weeks, months, years or decades, but I will never stop chasing you! By the spirits of vengeance! If I have to, I will hunt you between the realms! And once you would face me, I would make sure to not just let you die! I will make you pay with everything you got, just like you took everything from me.

A pack of wolves howled in the distance. Hungry, agitated, and lusting for blood. What a beautiful sound, so very fitting to my current mood.

Already a few days have passed since the “incident” in the forest. Michael spent two more days in the village, promising to send help to the village’s chief telling him that at least this much he could offer them as Aster saved his life and talked with Liz a little, reoffering her work in his mansion.

She refused, with a tone and words… unfitting a lady, which was understandable. So, he had another conversation - with her mother. Offering both of them a place to live and a better job.

Jagna refused the offer for herself, but managed to convince Liz to go with the young noble. Well, saying “convince” is a bit too much, she pretty much loaded her onto the cart and sent her away. In the end, once she gathered her thoughts, she could always return.

“You can cry and murmur anywhere. Your sorrow won’t be greater or smaller just because you traveled a few miles. Also, Aster took this job because he wanted to get you your beloved books… You should at least honor his memory by taking the gift he prepared for you…”

And so, she complied. Like a lifeless husk, with shadows under her eyes, barely eating, drinking and sleeping for the past few days, she was sent towards the small castle.

Upon arrival, she was given quite a decent room - usually reserved for merchants and other guests of non-noble blood who were still viewed as “worthy” or “needed” and thus were respectively honored.

During the journey, as well after arrival, Michael was trying to act as tactfully as possible - putting it simply, he gave her access to almost the entire mansion, each morning and evening he would appear by her doorstep asking if she needed anything and letting her know that if she wanted to, she could join him and his closest servants and friends during meals.

But, Elize was barely leaving her room, each of the generous offers of help, she answered with silence, and during the first week of her stay she didn’t join the house-owner during his meals. Later, one of the maids would only bring her food to her room, and an hour later would take it away - barely touched. Only after the first week has passed, did she leave her room for the first time. She went to the mentioned library, where she would spend the entire day.

In a small merchant city of Bardford, located to the north-west from the little nameless village, in the adventurer’s guild, there was quite a commotion. Medium rank adventurers were running from one side of the quest board to another.

“Hey! Mia! What is this noise all about!?” A young man - in his early twenties - asked the receptionist who was handling requests from two adventurers at the same time. “The Church of the Three went nuts! Few priests came here an hour or so ago carrying bags filled with gold, ordering a shitload of eradication requests! Mostly undead… Yeah, undead and demonic beasts. Bring cores or other proofs, and you would be paid for each beast slaughtered. If you ask me, the rewards are more than generous.” “Anything fitting such a young, brave, and handsome hero like myself?” He asked, winking seductively. “If this young, brave, handsome hero would finally hit B rank, then maybe, indeed.” Mia smiled widely, setting one of the adventurers away. She was beautiful and despite the fact that she was easily over ten years older than her little admirer, she was still far more popular than the rest of her younger colleagues working in the guild. “So you do admit that I am handsome!” The man cheered, proudly sticking out his chest. “ Oh, indeed! You are a very handsome boy! I just can’t wait to see what kind of man you will be once you grow up!” “That… hurt.” “Oh? Is that so? Do you want me to hug your pain away?” “That would be divine, yes, please…” “Perfect! I would love to hug you… once you would report back the quest you took last week.” She quickly fluttered her eyelashes. “But! I have already sent eighteen shade wolf’s furs!” The man raised his voice. “Contract was set on twenty.” The woman was inexorable. “Last guild’s hunts scared them off their usual hunting grounds and that means…” “… that means that you need to go further into the woods, track the pack, kill two more, and bring their fur. You have already been paid half of your reward… but, I talked about it with the guild leader. He decided that not only you won’t get the other half until the request you currently have is finished, but that you have to finish it by tomorrow's end. Otherwise, your quest would be marked as failed and you would have to pay a compensation fee!”

The woman smiled widely.

“Ah, as cruel as beautiful, why are you doing this to me… Miaaaaa!!!” “Why? Because I care for you, obviously! This lazy attitude is un-acc-cep-ta-ble” She said gently poking his nose with her finger while saying each part of the word “... seriously! You could be already B rank, on your way to A rank, but you are not taking your responsibilities seriously! With this kind of behaviour you will never be popular with women!” She pouted with a sad expression. “I...I am sorry. I will try harder.” Pressured by the guilt, the man lowered his face. “Will you? Then… how about this deal? I will hide one of the better quests which the priests gave under the table - I will give it to you once you finish your current quest, and, when you finish the other one…” She leaned forward, showing off lots of her sizable cleavage “... I will give you a very… special… reward…” “S-special… r-reward? W-what kind?” The man, young, pure and naive, didn’t even realize he already fallen into her honey pot trap. “Oh, the kind of reward I didn’t give any other adventurer yet… you might say, that with little luck… you might be my… very… first.” “I will do it! I will definitely do it!”

He came out running from the guild, just to run inside one more time and yell.

“THAT BETTER BE A PROMISE!” “Pinky-promise!” she said, raising her finger.

After these words, the man vanished for good.

“Mia, you truly are a devil.” One of her colleagues didn’t try to hide her amusement “... I am just curious, what did you offer him? Because clearly not what he believed that you did.” “Oh? The guild master wanted me to motivate adventurers into finishing more quests, so he gave me some artifacts for bonuses. From each rank, the adventurer that did the most quests in a month will get it… and in C-rank, little Frank is leading… with these two more quests he can secure his positions so….” She said in an innocent tone. “Mia…” Her colleague just shook her head with a huge smile. “What?!?!” “You are a devil!” “But you love me though! Tee-he!” “We all love you, Mia, you little beast!”