“Yes, I cherished her as much as she cherished me.”

I answered firmly. Two second of being shocked was enough.

I could see a glint of dissatisfaction in her eyes after hearing my answer. I never had seen her like this. It’s completely different from the everyday Aeriasus.

“But your… special arrangement is quite troubling for all three of you. Sooner or later, Vefal and Katarinova would feel bitter about such arrangement-”

“Stop. Let me correct you there. Vefal wouldn’t even feel an ounce of bitterness as she was the one who propose the arrangement. If there are victims, it would be Rino and I but we’re getting quite comfortable in time. Back then, I too had thought of how ridiculous it was but for the sake of my love for Vefal and maybe because an iota of desire in having two lovers, I agreed to it. I don’t know about Rino but she looked content as far as I can discern. Now, I don’t think I ca... I want to let any one of them go so I intend to give my best to make this arrangement work.”

I went and had an emotional outburst. It had been building up in me ever since that night when I had confided with Shakil about my predicament. Even though I had resolved myself, tiny bits of doubt still haunts about my decision. And just like a dam overcome by the pressure, it bursts out with a force. Such release gave me a feel of emancipation from those doubts. It turns out that not only do I need inner resolve but also the necessary venting.

“I know it’s a private affair and I, as an outsider, has no right to intrude but…”

“Do you have feelings for Vefal?”

I interrupted her.

She stopped and looked at me. I thought I caught something in her corner of her eyes the like of a shock but she quickly concealed that.

Just before she could answer, her eyes darted towards the entrance and I instantly peeked from the corner of my eyes. We saw a hooded and cloaked figure peeking left and right from the entrance. She or he then closed the entrance and cautiously proceeded to move away from where we were.

Without saying anything but only a silent mutual understanding, we both got up and started to tail the figure.

After several roundabouts and turns, we found ourselves in a desolated area as she suddenly stopped in place. Ah crap, due to our inattention, we blindly followed this target without noticing our surroundings.

“Now!”

There was a female voice coming from that figure. The figure turned around and several locks of silver hair could be seen under her hood and several vials were thrown on the ground.

As the vials break, there were reactions of popping sounds and grey gases rises up into the air.

I used the Light Blue Eomancy spell and kept an isolation area as the wind swirled around us but something unexpected happen.

I thought it was some sort of paralyzing gas but the gas actually solidified, forming a crude entrapment around us.

“It’s hard and slippery.”

Aeriasus touched the newly wall entrapment and muttered.

Mentally trying to stop myself from saying the innuendo of ‘that’s what you said’, I glazed at the entrapment and found a solution.

But before I could act, several vials were thrown inside the entrapment. I recognized the vials as the explosive type the same as yesterday.

(‘Eo, Alt, Aletum, Intu’ )

I made a purple barrier around us and the vial, upon contact, exploded.

Not only as explosive but it also act as a smokescreen in the aftermath.

“Ruigne, [Limitless]?”

“… Yeah, charge me up.”

As I was her fellow apprentice, we experimented both of our special abilities before. Her initial understanding of [Limitless] was that it gives a dramatic recovery in physical and mental capacity but in truth, it’s much more complicated. It actually boosted the several potentials of the targeted being. Back then, she tried it on Ubermensch, Stryklos… and me. All three of us, shown reinforced physical and mental signs but as we had experiment on different individuals, we found that it differs. It was just that the three of us were only coincidentally the same but there were different effects if one were to observe carefully. For example, when she tried it on Krolve, Krolve suddenly became wise and world-weary that he gave me an advice about my relationships.

In theory, [Limitless] shared the same concept with Ghiscra’s [Perfection] but unlike [Perfection] which increased all the positive qualities of a defined skill to the optimum and only can be casted on the user, [Limitless] increase the qualities of both the good and the bad of the targeted without stopping but it would exhaust Aeriasus.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

As she casted [Limitless] on me, I endured the growing hyperactivity by hastily imagining a fantasy world where cakes is the main currency and everyone does a legshake which is like a handshake but with legs.

Oh yeah, spells to be cast. Disabling the barrier, I went and touched the surface of the entrapment started chanting.

(‘Eo, Luxigrum, Ateria, Interitu’)

A light black flickered on my palm with an Origin Circle appearing, printing itself on the entrapment. The chant completed and the circle brightened.

In a second, a web-like crack appeared and widened. The wall in front of us was beginning to crumble.

(‘Eo, Iridis, Impetu, Actus’)

With a Green Eomancy, I blasted at the nearly crumbling wall and scattered it. The wall remains shot out like a shotgun round.

(‘Eo, Luxaer, Acuum, Illu’)

A light blue Eomancy spell vacuumed all the lingering gases in front of the origin circle.

During this process of my casting, there were several more vials were thrown in here and both of us had to dodge some but they fell and broke onto the floor, spilling reddish liquid but nothing happened.

Were the vials supposed to be reacting to the gas earlier? Would there be another explosion or other effects? Thankfully I already dispersed them but I’m curious.

 (‘Eo, Luxaer, Rocursus, Rupti’)

Using another Light Blue, the combination I’m quite fond of when getting rid of unwanted smell, the gas was blasted outside.

(‘Eo, Altiridis, Ongrego, Illu’)

Using a Deep Green and casted it in a radius of the entrapment, it took me a second to take control of the liquid spilled from the vials. Using a mental command, the liquid pooled in front of me and it rapidly surge forward towards the dispersing gas.

When it came in contact with the gas, the colour of the gas turned orange and shouts of pain were heard.

Hearing some sizzling sound, the newly-reacted gas is definitely corrosive.

Oh ye god, they really tried to kill us and-

“Why can’t we use bird’s faeces as currency?”

Oh bird shit.

I can imagine Aeriasus cocking her head to the side when she heard what I just blurted.

“Aeriasus. I’m going to lose my focus.”

“Alright.”

[Limitless] wears off and I started to felt my mind stabilizing. I no longer have the needs to act on my impulse.

Everything that occurred just now happened in just ten seconds.

Usually, rapid casting of spells in succession in a short amount of time is impossibility itself but that’s the beauty of [Limitless]. After some experiments, it seems that in my case, aside from physical and mental aspect, all aspects pertaining to Eomancy, was increased. The downside was the chance that a straying thought of kicking my own nuts that could result in my impotence would be higher.

It’s just a matter of how long I can hold on before the Hyperactivity acts up.

“Flee!”

A single word came from the same feminine voice and several footsteps scurrying all around were heard.

“Let’s chase them. Circle the entrapment first and chase the first one you can see.”

As I thought of using Light Blue ‘Wind Friend’ on Aeriasus, I changed my mind and decided to use a physical boosting spell of Light Red since the difference is that former caused one to be frictionless with air in a short duration while the other one elevates her physicality but has a relatively longer duration.

(‘Eo, Luxruer, Potenti, Rura’)

I casted a Light Red Eomancy of enhancing her leg muscles. Aeriasus, instantly ran to her left side and it seems that she caught a sight of someone as she crouched and with her wings, she had short burst of flight further strengthened by her erstwhile powerful leg kicks.

A scream was heard as Aeriasus had probably pounced on her target.

And aside from that, I can safely say that Eomancy truly does triumph over Alkhemia.

                                        --

It was a man wearing an overbearing robe and cloak that hides the figure but he was knocked unconscious by Aeriasus. We let the other assailants fled because just of them is enough.

What a day. It hasn’t even been a week and yet I was assaulted twice in a row. From the previous summoned that had stationed here; I only heard that it happened only a few times in three months.

And probably because we went out without any bodyguards so it makes us looked like easy picking. Although, I think they would think twice before they tried to assault us again after this.

Afterward, Aeriasus went and left to go to the designated meeting to bring August or Herkaloi here and I was left to watch this tied and still unconscious guy.

Just to be safe, I set up defensive traps around me.

After a dot of Ethka had passed and it seems like the sun was about to set, August and Aeriasus had appeared.

The guy had awaked about half an hour ago but he only showed a panicked expression before settling quietly.

We dragged the guy with us and he let us without protesting, resigning to his fate.

Realizing something as we made our way, ever since I been here, it’s all violence and huge responsibility even though there are some good things that came along but just like a trial run, I don’t think this sort of lifestyle is something I want

I remembered what I told myself that I wanted to be adventurous by going outside the Leylines but at this rate, being constantly in danger made me realize how I like my peace and quiet.

Peace and quiet seems so distance now though.