Three more ghost dungeons finally allowed Pef to reach level 18.

Also, they produced a few surprised about his skills.

*Bronze skin has maxed out at level 20. Blocks 25 incoming physical damage. Costs 10 MP per minute.

*Mana Shield has maxed out at level 20. Blocks 200 Damage. Incoming damage reduced by 20. Cost 20 MP per minute.

*Aura Body has reached level 10. Blocks 100 damage and 10 percent of any damage.

*Lightning arrow has maxed out at level 20. Does 11 times Magic damage. Cost 1 MP.

*Spinning lightning arrow has maxed out at level 20. Does 12 times Magic damage, with 20 percent extra Penetration. Cost 2 MP.

*Lightning spear has reached level 5. Does 1000 damage plus modifiers. Costs 8MP.

*Charged armor has reached level 11. Blocks 11 damage. Adds 110 Lightning damage to each of your melee attacks.

*Volt has reached level 4. 1 million volts+4 percent Penetration. Cost 170 MP.

*Incendiary cone has reached level 3. Hits all enemies in the cone. Costs 297 MP.

*Freeze Cone has reached level 2. Hits all enemies in a cone. Cost 298 MP.

*Swift has reached level 11. Gain+4 Agi during use.

*Nine Steps has reached level 3. Gain +33 Agi during use.

*Your overuse of magic spells and recovery methods has gained you +1 Magic.

*You gained the Skill: Three Percenter. You gain +3 percent mana recovery.

Combined with the attributes gained at his level up, it was a 10 percent increase in his Magic power and mana pool.

Quite amazing for a few hours of work.

Pef decided to call it a day, and relax in the pool till evening.

"You've grown a bit!" Lucia remarked as he lowered himself into the pool.

"I just finished four ghost dungeons. The things are only killable with magic." he explained with a tired voice.

The witch stole a long glance at his chest. "Try not to overdo it. Three dungeons per day are the norm for training mages, unless you really want to burnout. " she advised him gently.

"I'm sure doing four dungeons is okay. Don't forget I also regenerate." he mused with his eyes closed.

Lucia nodded in silence. "And you found potions again?" she asked after a minute.

"Yes. 20 potions and a new spell manual called Spectral Claw."

"From the first boss, but not from the others?" she asked curious.

"Yep!"

"Gaia must really love you, Pef. I got this ring in Hell, after killing a million imps and lesser devils." Lucia complained with a petulant voice.

"Can you show me?" he demanded, holding a hand for hers.

"Observe" he whispered, measuring the black and red ring.

*Sarcosis. This ring was worn by once a Devil Lord and lost in a battle. Grants + 30 Magic and 1000 MP. Grants +30 Agi for combat purposes. Consumes 30 Kharma every decade. (Unique/Cursed)

"What?" Lucia asked when seeing the horrified look on Pef's face.

"You're 39 years old, Lucia. But you won't reach 40, if you still wear this ring." he whispered in a low tone.

"Oh? You mean the curse?" she asked with a shrug.

"Yes. The curse. It eats the user's fate. It would eat twice as much as mine, for example." Pef said with a shudder.

"What if I stop one year?" Lucia asked a bit desperately.

"Look, it's a strong ring with magic and speed. But unless we find a way to remove the curse there is no point to wear it.

You got a few years out of it, for free. Now take it off. I swear I'll give you a nicer ring soon!" Pef begged with a shaky voice.

"Huh? You mean it? A nicer ring?" Lucia asked cautiously.

"I swear it!" Pef proclaimed stupidly.

Lucia plucked the ring off and dropped in his palm. "And, I stay here for free, til I get my ring."

*The Gamer has received a new quest. Lord of the Rings.

Primary objective: Give Lucia a nice ring.

???

???

Change her fate and remove the cursed ring.- Done.

???

???

???

???

Rewards. Kharma, Rings, Skills, Profit and pleasure.

*You have completed a secondary objective: +1 Kharma.

"Don't you have a home of your own?" Pef asked with a confused eye blink.

Lucia wiped a few fake tears. "I had this situation, with the Inquisition burning my place for no reason at all. So, I'm kinda freelancing for a while..." she explained with a heartbreaking sob.

"Lucia, sure you can stay. I mean you're my teacher and a friend as well. I should pay you to stay..." Pef mused for himself.

"Really? I mean... You did give me that Elixir already. But maybe some pocket money, like Sonia gets?" she asked gently.

Pef raised an eyebrow. "Sonia works hard for those euros..."

*Relationship with Lucia has increased to 19 (Accepted).

With a flick of her fingers, a long flute glass appeared in her hand.

Lucia sighed and sipped some champagne. "Yeah, I know. But, I could help to make dinner, maybe?"

"We'll try a month, okay? Sonia will be back soon, and you both can cooperate in the kitchen. Good?" Pef proposed in a pleasant tone.

Lucia chugged the champagne as a vow.

'Well, I shouldn't judge. The Inquisition is after me too.' Pef mused to himself. 'Though probably it has something to do with Lucia visiting Hell.' he concluded after a minute.

"You should come to Geneva as well, Lucia." Pef proposed airly.

"I really should not. Look, being a witch has made me a few enemies. I can escape them, but you'll get killed just for being near me." she argued in a softer voice.

Pef glanced at the notice and the many quest secondaries. She sure seemed to have a complicated life.

Luckily, Sonia returned from her day into town, and life resumed the normal patterns.

Just with a few more accidents in the kitchen, as Lucia tried her best to help.

+++++++++++

Next morning, Pef awoke to the amazing wake up call of his maid.

"Morning Sonia..."

"Mmmmm"

"Good job!" he congratulated her for an exquisite service.

"Master, are you going to marry Lucia?" she asked with a frown.

"What, marry? I mean, she's pretty and all, but we aren't together..." Pef mused aloud.

Sonia poked his forehead. "You promised to give Lucia a ring, and she helps now in the kitchen. Training to be a wife."

Pef patted her hand while thinking. "I'm not good with women, Sonia. Help me here." he asked shyly.

"I know how silly you are Master. You did not have back pains that needed relief. But you're rich and good to me. So I'm good to you." Sonia whispered like a secret.

"And about Lucia?"

Sonia looked up, thinking. "Lucia is rich blood. She never made a meal in her life. Bad times now perhaps? But she teaches you history and latin and stuff. She is very learned. Powerful friends or relatives, I think."

"So, why would she marry me? I'm not powerful, not learned..." Pef wondered aloud.

Sonia kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry Master. You will always have me, if you want."

+++++++++++++++++++

Another day, more dungeons and grinding.

More and more spells reached their maxed levels, through constant use.

His ID create reached level 4, which allowed a mix of ghosts and zombies.

And of course, two bosses at the end, which made it worth it.

He could use a Banish of the ghost, and the Dacian falx on the Giant Zombie.

Slowly, he got used to the bosses' peculiarities and stopped getting hit.

And two weeks later, he opened the 5th layer in ID create, the Angry Ogres.

*You have killed 1000 Ogres. You gain the perk Shrek: +1 Charisma. +10 percent damage vs ogres.

These ogres were a pleasure to hunt and farm, as the dungeon was open and well lit, the monsters big and easy to hit with either physical or magic attacks.

Simply hovering above them in Floating Meditation and pelting them with magic worked as well.

Pef preferred to mix it up, using at least one dungeon to grind physical skills, like Martial arts, or Swords.

Plus, gaining a few extra stats that way wasn't bad at all.

By the end of the month, he checked his stats with satisfaction.

*Pef the Gamer

Level 29 Mage, HP 2200, MP 1100

Attributes: free = 0

Str: 26+2

Con: 21

Agi: 21+2

Magic: 100+10

Mind: 22

Charisma: 19

Kharma: 17

*You have reached 100 Magic. You may select a trait. Telepathy, Telekinesis, Technopathy, Mana Reservoir or Advanced Affinity.

Pef hovered over the screen, considering his options.

Telekinesis still won, due to its pure versatility and utility, in combat or not.

*You have selected Telekinesis. What gods use most of the times. Power of mind over matter, and magic. Use your mana directly, and shape it how you want. Shields, weapons, artifacts or summons. The sky is the limit.

*Due to a wise decision, you gain +1 Mind.

'Yeah, I know. See that floating leaf? That's me!' Pef commented inward, while struggling to keep a single leaf in the air.

It wasn't easy at all.

Letting the leaf fall, Pef called on the ID create again.

Finally, the level 6 ID appeared, a mix of all three types of monsters.

Pef rushed to collect the mobs into a throng, then lit them up with a couple of Incendiary Cones.

*You have killed 100 zombies.

*You have killed 200 Ghosts.

*You have killed 700 Ogres.

*You gain 800000 Exp.

*You gain the perk Monster Hunter. +1 Charisma. +10 percent damage vs any dungeon monster.

Three bosses spawned in retaliation, though staying floating proved sufficient as a safety measure.

Pef targeted the Banshee first, to remove its annoying wails.

*You have killed a Banshee Ghost (elite)

*You gain +1 Kharma.

Then he focused down the Zombie Giant.

And lastly the Sylvie, the Ogre Boss.

*You have killed Sylvie(elite).

*You have found a diamond ring.

*You gain +1 Kharma.

*You have received 800000 Exp.

The Gamer has leveled up. You have reached level 30. You gain +3 Magic and 2 free attributes.

Pef poked the Kharma stat and added one point, to make it a round 20.

*You can select a Charisma ability.

*You have selected Prince Charming. You gain +10 percent Charisma.

*You can select a Kharma ability.

*You have selected Twice Critical. Gain an extra Kharma roll.

*The Gamer has completed the quest: Training montage.

*Reach level 30 in one month. -Done

*Create a level 6 ID. -Done

*Complete 100 dungeons. -Done

*Reach 100 Magic. -Done

*Find Ogre's lady Magic lenjery. -Failed.

*Find the Ogre lady wedding ring. -Done.

Rewards:

100000 Euros.

1 million Exp.

1 Ogre Ring.

510 HP potions.

1 Ogre Hat of Invisibility

-Offer Lucia the ring.

With a curious glance at the screen, Pef located Lucia in the kitchen and went to offer her the Ogre's diamond ring.

"Hey Lucia!"

"I'm busy! This pancake gloup is almost done..." she muttered with concentration.

"I found a ring..." Pef said in a shy tone.

The bowl with flour and eggs fell to the floor as Lucia froze in mid-swing.

"Say again?" she asked with a short breath.

"It's a diamond ring with a bit of magic bonus..." Pef said awkwardly, and presented the ring for inspection.

"Yes...I see. What finger do you think it should go to?" the witch asked with a wry smile.

Pef took a step forward and placed the ring gently on her ring finger.

"Here, if you like it..." he said with burning cheeks.

"I do" Lucia said, while hugging Pef tightly.

*Lucia joins your harem.

*Relationship with Lucia has become 20(Favored)

*You leave for Geneva in 9 hours and 20 minutes. Use the time wisely.

Pef glared at the notifications, but proceeded to make good on them anyway.

Lucia enjoyed being kissed and pampered as well, and much more later.

By the time Pef got out the bed, Lucia was well and trully worn out, but sleeping with a blissful smile one her face.