They both left the restaurant at 8:30, the night sky was clear but a bit windy. Not far from the restaurant, they rode a horse carriage. The taxi equivalent in this town and era. Viers was confused because Farley said an unknown address to the driver.

“I have booked a place to stay,” Farley respectfully said while looking at Viers who sat in front of her.

“Where are we going?”

“To a hotel, I have already made preparations.”

Farley answer was quite unexpected to him. “And why we are going to a hotel?”

“…To offer myself to you,” Farley softly said. Viers thought he saw Farley’s face turned red.

Hmm? Oh… Wow. Is this what I think it is?

“Ehem,” Viers coughed, “I’m grateful for your offer but there’s no need for that.”

Farley face turned ashen, “Is there something you unsatisfied of?”

“No, I just don’t think it’s appropriate… I won’t force you for that kind of thing.” Viers was a bit struggling to find the right response.

“You didn’t force anything, I’m ready to offer my vi–”

“Whoa! Whoa! Stop right there!” Viers raised both of his hands with palm outwards. “Look, I don’t… want to do that.”

“…I understand, forgive me for my presumption. I’m unworthy of Lord’s favor,” Farley looked dejected.

She looks… disappointed? Did I offend her womanly feeling? Shit, I must say it more delicately.

“No, no, no, there’s no problem with you.”

“…Then why?” She asked, eyes hopeful.

Damn, why must it be so difficult to get this straight.

“I think we are too young for that.” Said Viers after some thinking while making a difficult expression.

Confusion could be seen on her face. “It’s normal for people of our age to marry. If both parties didn’t have financial difficulties, marriage was very normal for the townsfolk. Even the middle-upper families marry their sons and daughters young. Although, most prefer to have children a few years later. Ah! I understand, I’m not looking for the position of the first wife. I could be one of your mistresses if Lord Viers prefer to.”

Viers frowned and didn’t answer her immediately, he needed time to think. His existence was but forgotten the carriage driver still exists. Even while faithfully controlling the horse’s steps, he couldn’t help to overhear his young couple passengers.

Ahhh, young people these days. Marriage? Children? Mistress? What mature topics. I myself didn’t marry until the age of twenty. And it was with the shoe maker’s daughter too… I don’t even have a choice in the matter. How lucky for that boy to have such a cute girl fawning over him.

Viers’s mind was hard at work.

Is this what they call culture clash? My true age is far more mature and my values also rooted in my Earth’s upbringing. Yes, she’s cute but no matter what people say, fifteen years old is too young! And that’s not all. I’m still not strong enough for all of this! Man-woman relationship is too complicated and binding, I don’t need more complications in my Path of Power.

She might have offered her everything to me including her body. From her view it might be normal for us to… do something intimate. Therefore my rejection didn’t conform to her common sense. That being said, I should tell her a reason that she can accept normally.

But... damn, Farley is so daring.

“I read something in a book… keeping your chastity and purity can boost your Mana-mastery.” Viers blurted out some nonsense.

Hehehe, this is a lie. I only know the opposite. Many xianxia novels have dual cultivation techniques or something similar. Some MC even just need to have sex then his problem will magically resolve itself while getting the girl in the process. Of course, this leads to another hundred or so chapters of plot if the heroine is a major one while tens of chapters for a minor heroine. I’m not dipping my toes in this mess. I, Viers Isuel do not think with my dick.

Contrary to Viers's expectation, Farley seemed to realize something. “I recall a big shot church guy preached something like that in the past… If I’m not wrong, his name is Reverend Purity. I’m surprised you know this Viers, he’s a character of one century ago. ”

Holy shit, there’s something like that? Viers was amazed.

Farley continued her story. “His teaching seemed effective in the past, the priests’ strength significantly towered over the cultists in that era. But after he went missing, that trend abated and the power balance returned to normal. Everyone thought it was a false conjecture nowadays. Celibacy didn’t affect our progress in Mana-mastery.”

“…Perhaps. Anyway, I don’t want to do anything in a haste. Let’s leave it that. My main focus is how to raise my power as much as possible until this winter. I’ve received enough from you to know your sincerity. You don’t need to worry about me, worry about yourself.” Viers tried to change the topic of the conversation.

“As you will. The tournament crystals were supposed to be yours. I hoped to provide you some funds but…”

“…It's fine. I have enough for now and the wine business should be able to cover my needs for the time being. As I said, you worry about yourself and Gwen. Be extra careful and taking precautions won’t hurt.”

“Yes, Viers.” Farley nodded in confirmation.

“Dear passengers, we’ve arrived at the destination.” Not long after that, the driver’s voice could be heard from outside and the carriage had stopped. Viers looked to the side and saw an elegant three-story building.

Nice building, I didn’t get the chance during the ghoul outbreak to look around but the center part of Luxore town really is quite luxurious, as expected of rich people.

“Change of plan. Driver, take us to the Training Center Dormitory,” Viers said.

“Won’t it be a problem with how you looked?” Farley asked. Their look was a bit unusual.

“I can get in through the window, less drama that way. You can too, right?”

Farley smiled but didn’t answer. The girl’s room was on the second floor but Viers imagined it would be a simple matter for her jumping up in even while wearing a dress. The rest of the journey was quiet, they had talked a lot and the tranquility was a nice change.

They instructed the carriage to stop near the dormitory. Farley paid the cost of travel, she included a little extra. Before they separated, Viers asked her a question.

“Farley, do you think I can reach the next level before this winter?” Viers asked.

“…Even if you have the necessary funds, I don’t think so. No one digest Mana that fast. If you force it, it will bring all kinds of negative effects.”

Mmm, yes I think so too. Unfortunately, my cheat flower didn’t let me level up easily. And she really suspects I’m a level 1. Even by some chance I become a level 2 before this winter, brute force won’t work because there’s still August, Monica, and others before I can deal with Benjamin. I need to find another way.

“Later then,” Viers bid her goodbye.

“Yes, good night to you, My Lord.” Farley elegantly bowed before making her way to the back of the dorm. Viers let her go first so he stayed at the street for a couple of minutes, thinking a lot of things.

During the serious discussion earlier, I secretly used Enhanced Hearing combined with my super ear. I heard her heartbeats and based on that, I don’t think she’s lying. She really wants to kill her father and believe her mother’s prophecy. But my experience of using heartbeat sound to determine lies is very limited. I might be wrong after all… should I force her to a binding blood contract? But the contract is from the cult, they might be able to break it. Especially since Farley is the daughter of the chief.

After waiting for a sufficient time, Viers made his way to his room. He went in without trouble. Viers changed his stuffy formal clothes to a loose cheap shirt he usually wore. He lay on his bed looking at the ceiling.

Viers checked his red tumors after going into his realm of consciousness. He didn’t forget that one of the reasons he sprinted to level 1 was for healing this hidden danger in his body. It had been some time since he raised his level and he had tried using his healing factor for solving this.

When I was a level 0, the healing power was too weak. After becoming level 1, the healing power I can tap from my life-force increased and I can barely do something to these magical tumors.

It wasn’t tumors per se but magical red lumps in his body. However, since he already used to call it that, he didn’t bother to change it. It only showed itself via magical vision through his astral body projection and didn’t change his organs or cells in any way.

Not long after becoming a level 1, he had done quite a few experiments. Using his level 1 healing factor, he’d tried to vanquish the tumors but he was unsuccessful. He damaged the tumors but it was always back after a few hours. He tried his healing Arte, Aqua Regen and its Hyper Arte version but also unsuccessful. Like a stain in white clothes, it was hard to scrub clean. But with his raised capabilities as a level 1, he had a couple of methods to cure himself.

One: Keep raising my level. Based on my observation, when I’m level 3 or 4 I should be able to heal it using only my healing factor. Most simple but not realistic. Took too much time.

Two: Using special Arte to purify of cure myself. Finding a special healer or doctor can work too. But similar to method one, unsuitable in my current circumstances.

Three: I can somehow 'move' the tumors using my healing factor. I don’t get the logic but whatever. The thing is, if I don’t force it, the red tumors will gradually return to its original position, my stomach. I can move it to certain parts of my body such as fingers or limbs then cut it off. Perhaps I can grow back my lost body parts like Picc*lo using my healing factor but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m not sure Wolvie could grow limbs back or not but he got Adamantium skeleton and I don’t.

Four: Cut open my stomach and directly remove the infected organs. Then use a super healing item or Arte such as the healing pill from the woman that fought with the bull to regenerate my organs. This requires me to infiltrate the Styra family’s vault or finding similarly potent elixir... hard to accomplish.

Five: Turning into a monster. I have concluded that the red tumors don’t exist while I’m in monster form. When the tumors started to activate, I can transform to temporally halt its effect. If when I became human again the tumors continued to mutate, I can keep living as a monster while searching for a solution.

All are not ideal and have their own disadvantages but I’m certain I’ll survive the effect of the red tumors. But who would have thought…

Viers examined the green bottle in his hand.

The cure was given to me by a desperate cult princess hoping to avert her doom.