“Thanks. It was delicious.”

Walter sighed contentedly. The warm food filled his belly and he could feel a flush of warmth throughout his body. For the first time since this entire scenario started he felt safe. He couldn’t even remember the last time he enjoyed a home-cooked meal. Everything he made for himself he just threw in a microwave.

“You’re welcome,” was Elin’s cheerful reply as she took his empty plate. She was avoiding his gaze, keeping herself busy by tending to the pot and brazier she brought him. But there wasn’t much to clean and organized and soon she was caught standing, wringing her hands before him.

They just stood there, looking at each other a moment, before they both looked away simultaneously.

Please tell me I’m not imagining things and she actually likes me.

Both Walter and Elin were jolted out of their awkward embarrassment by a sudden third voice.

A nun stood at the entrance of the tent, declaring, “Priestess Evelyn is about to ent--”

She looked at the situation and read it instantly. With a sly smirk she stepped aside and lowered her head. Walter could feel his face burning hot.

Elin sprang to her feet, standing as straight as a soldier. Her sudden movement caused Walter to also jump to his feet, but he wasn't a soldier and wasn’t sure if he should copy her, so he kept glancing between Elin and the nun.

“Greetings Walter Alvis, I am Priestess Evelyn--”

The priestess was charming. That’s all Walter could think of her and she had the aura of a caring mother. But her mouth fell open in confusion when she saw the brazier, cooking pot, and used plates. She cleared her throat and put on a obviously practiced smile.

“I see--I see Lady Elin has been taking care of you?”

“Uh, yeah, she’s a great cook.”

He smiled at Elin. While her discipline had not cracked her face was blanched white.

Oh man. Was I not supposed to mention that?!

“Sorry,” he whispered as quietly as he could. Her eyebrows twitched and she returned a nearly imperceptible shake of the head. Walter hoped she meant, ‘It’s not a problem,’ and not something like, ‘Shut up, idiot.’ In the end Walter figured she meant both.

The nun let out a very suppressed chuckle.

Priestess Evelyn’s own smile twitched a bit, as if she was restraining from breaking out into a full grin.

“Please, Sister Lora. Let’s not embarrass the paladin-select any further.”

“Yes, Priestess Evelyn,” the nun said, forcing a serious tone. She never looked up, however.

Elin momentarily trembled. Walter could swear he heard her whimper in despair.

Priestess Evelyn stepped fully into the tent, “Please allow me to begin again. I am Priestess Evelyn. On behalf of the Church of the Witness of Idrin allow me to apologize for the manner in which you were summoned here. The spells cast were highly illegal and, if the perpetrators had survived they would have been severely punished. Even though the wizards were acting on their own accord they were under our employ and it happened under our watch. It’s unforgivable.”

Evelyn was deadly serious and she knelt with her head down and her hands flat in front of her. The entire mood shifted suddenly from one of levity to a chilly one.

When she knelt, so did the nun and Elin.

“No! Wait, it’s okay! Stand up please!”

The veracity of Priestess Evelyn’s apology put Walter on his heels. It honestly felt like a siege attacking him at all sides. Most off all he just wanted Elin to stand up again.

Priestess Evelyn stood up deliberately and nodded solemnly, “Thank you for your mercy.”

Then, and only then, did the nun and Elin stand up. The nun resumed her posture of staring at the floor, Elin stood like a soldier again.

“I’m sure you have many questions,” Priestess Evelyn said, “But first I would like to cast a spell on you called [Scan].”

Walter had heard of the [Scan] spell before, in his favorite MMO called ‘Sorcery Chronicle,’ which was a remake of the single-player game he loved as a kid. It was used to understand the general threat level of an enemy by scanning their level. When he thought about it the other spell he heard, [Infatuation], was a spell he knew from a different game. It was from a mod that, frankly, he’d rather not tell anyone else he used. He also recognized the [Dragonfear] ability.

Still, he couldn’t be sure it was the same, so he asked after a moment of internal deliberation, “What does it do?”

“It allows me to see what level you are. I promise not to cast any other spells. You have my word,” at that Priestess Evelyn put a hand over her heart.

“Then I guess it’s okay.”

Walter watched attentively. The priestess concentrated a moment. When she finished motes of blue light surrounded her hand and formed into a magic circle, which was replete with occult symbols and diagrams. It flared a bright white then disappeared when she pointed at Walter.

“[Scan].”

As he watched Walter mentally reviewed how magic in the MMO worked.

The spellcasting seems really similar to ‘Sorcery Chronicle’. It was a balancing act between power and speed. So, magic casting is in three phases: channeling, realization, and components. I didn’t see any components used but I can probably assume she could have? It looks the same. Was all that time memorizing how the magic worked in that game not a waste after all? The only question I have is how do I become a mage?!

Walter tried to restrain his excitement. Whenever he played a game that had a character class choice he always, unhesitatingly, picked wizard. His philosophy is, “If I’m going to play a game with magic in it why wouldn’t I want to cast magic? Seems boring to just use a sword, then.”

The expression on Priestess Evelyn’s face worried him. She lost her smile.

“How can that be?” Elin whispered hoarsely.

There was a small blue box with a white outline floating in front of Priestess Evelyn. It even had the same appearance as the status update box in Sorcery Chronicle. If he didn’t know any better he would have just assumed it was some sort of holographic display.

Walter Alvis

Level: 0

HP: 100 / 100

MP: 0 / 0

[Eyes of the Archwizard]

[Scales of Love and Passion] - Elin Folcey

Walter had never heard of someone having zero levels. And the two status ailments, [Eyes of the Archwizard] and [Scales of Love and Passion] he had never heard of either.

“What does it mean?” he asked the priestess.

She shook her head slowly, “I have no idea. I only know of [Scales of Love and Passion]. I’ve never seen a level zero before. Does [Eyes of the Archwizard] mean anything to you?”

Walter shrugged, “Not really. What’s this [Scales] status, then?”

The priestess and Elin exchanged mortified looks.

“Step forward, child.”

Elin did so, kneeling in front of the priestess with her head down. Both her hands were clenched and her face was whiter than before. She bit her lip.

“[Scan].”

Elin Folcey

Level: 12

HP: 100 / 100

MP: 22 / 22

[Scales of Love and Passion] - Walter Alvis

“What is it? [Scales]?” Walter asked again.

“It’s a form of magical enforcement.” The priestess took a beat before following up. “To ensure a successful marriage--to provide an heir.”

Elin looked like she was struggling not to hyperventilate. She stood up slowly and, without looking directly at anyone one, furiously marched out of the tent.

----------=====#####=====----------

Priestess Evelyn had attempted to explain Elin Folcey’s behavior by first explaining who the [Heroes] and Ouroboros were.

She explained Ouroboros by quoting some of her holy texts.

“She eternally lingers outside in the void between worlds, jealous and hungry and endless, restlessly seeking out fissures in the Great Barrier from which to flow inside, so that she might corrupt life and undo order. Ouroboros is the sea of sin, the mother of monsters.”

Ouroboros has always been a malevolent force in this world. Its goal seems to be to corrupt the innocent and create monster spawn, called the Corruption of Ouroboros and the Spawn of Ouroboros, respectively. There was a time hundreds of years ago, an age of [Heroes], when that entity wasn’t such a threat. Now there were no [Heroes] because there were no safe connections to other worlds. It ran rampant. Life was a bleak struggle because of it.

“So, how did I get here?”

“[Dimensional Portals] can still create bridges to other worlds. It’s just so dangerous now none have survived. Until you, that is. Do you have any idea how this happened? It could greatly help us.”

“I’m sorry,” Walter said pitifully, “I have no idea. I think--I think it just didn’t want to eat me.”

Priestess Evelyn thought a moment, “Yes, that might make sense. Ouroboros might have sensed Lady Elin would attempt to save you and decided to weaken her through you.”

The idea that Elin was attacked because of him really depressed Walter.

“It’s not your fault, child. She lost a lot in the last few days. Friends and colleagues. Please do not think badly of her. After all is said and done she is a paladin-select, but all paladins are still human and still have feelings.”

“I won’t. I don’t think I could.”

Priestess Evelyn smiled warmly when he said that.

“Can you tell me more about the [Scales]?”

The [Scales of Love and Passion] were a type of magic high nobles would volunteer to be enchanted by during certain political marriages, especially those where there was some question the two might not act as husband and wife. The scale of love was for the husband and the scale of passion for the wife.

The scale of love was, essentially, a type of forced obedience for the husband. If the wife gave him an order and he disobeyed then more weight was added to his scale. If his scale fully tipped then he was afflicted by a [Charm Person] spell, with the wife as the controller.

“And the scale of passion?”

Priestess Evelyn took in a measured breath, and gave a reluctant smile, “Well, it’s best if I don’t detail it. Rest assured Lady Elin is not under any danger, nor you, from it.”

“When will the spell end?”

“Well… that’s difficult to explain also.”

Still, Walter had already surmised what the purpose of the scale was, from the name alone, and when it would stop.

Despite the flowery language the [Scales] really aren’t about love, he thought, but gettings two specific people in bed together and making a child that is surely theirs. I’d imagine passion has something to do with getting the wife ready. The scales probably break when a child is conceived?

That explains why Elin was so upset. Hell, even I’m uneasy with the idea. Not that I wouldn’t choose her, of course, she's very pretty, strong, talented--

--He shook his head to avoid that line of thought.

Walter confirmed what he figured already: there was no easy way to dispel the magic.

Of course not, if there were everyone in this room would already be motivated to seek it.

“Walter, this spell was not meant for anyone who wasn’t nobility. The nobles would have had extensive political and legal checks and balances to ensure this spell wasn’t abused. Bear that in mind at all times. The two of you are essentially at each other’s mercy. I implore you to always be a gentleman about this and keep Lady Elin’s reputation and status in mind. Do not speak openly of it, either.”

Priestess Evelyn explained the strict laws about mind control magic. It could be summed up in one word: don’t. Although the two of them were, technically, victims of a curse, it would still draw legal scrutiny which might not be fair. Furthermore, encountering Ouroboros, let alone actual contact, is a stigma.

Right. This isn’t the wild west. It seems there are sophisticated laws in place but also hand-in-hand with superstition. She’s right. It’s best not to expose ourselves.

“So, what do the [Heroes] have to do with me?”

Priestess Evelyn smiled sadly, “Lady Elin thought you might be one. She was just disappointed.”

----------=====#####=====----------

“Elin, hey, I just wanted to apologize.”

“It’s not your fault,” Elin muttered without looking up from her horse. She carried on packing its bags without pause.

“I just feel bad about it. If there was something I could do to change it I would.”

“I understand.”

She didn’t stop packing though.

Walter was realizing she was still managing to respond politely, which was more than anyone could expect of her. It was obvious she was being extremely careful with her wording.

“There’s something else,” he said apprehensively.

She closed her eyes and waited.

“I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

Elin lowered her head and clenched her fists.

“We will ride double then.”

“If there is anything I can do to help--”

“Be quiet.”

“Okay. Sorry I just--”

For the first time it felt like Walter had a second set of eyes, which could only see the [Scales]. They were gold with elaborate carvings. On the left side was a figurine that looked like him and on the right was a figurine that represented Elin. A small weight appeared on his scale. His side dipped a tiny bit. He shut up immediately.

Elin looked up, confused, and then covered her face with her hand.

“I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. You can talk.”

At that point, however, Walter couldn’t think of anything to say.