Skill Persuasive Presence: 94->95

Skill Beguiling Words: 83->84

Skill Social Impact: 76 -> 77

Skill Loyal Subordinates: 88->89

‘Finally, that obstinate bitch listened to me, at least she gave me a level in my path skill’ I thought as the pretty elf walked away, the business meeting concluded. She would make me a lot of money in my house’s dealings with the elven kingdom in the future, further securing my rise. I had heard that the current kings daughter was extremely pretty. Maybe I could leverage my soon-to-begin rapid wealth accretion to try for an arranged marriage? my skills may not work on him but I can be pretty persuasive without them I’d like to think.

I tried to remember what else I had to do today, standing up as one of my maids curtsied to me, asking “what are you after my lord”, a fervent look in her eyes.

“has any news come in on the minor houses?” I asked back, interested if there were any chances to expand my influence.

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“House Illumvere recently had one of their gold shipments stolen by pirates, rumors are that they’re in rather dire straits as a result. Spies have reported that they may be looking to take a loan from someone” she listed, near worship glowing in her eyes.

“Perfect, thank you, Lilias was it?” I answered, full well remembering her name, “I suppose I will have to pay them a visit, I did just come into a windfall it turns out”.

Walking up to the mirror, i held my arms out, allowing the two maids to pull my winter cloak over my arms and back. Stopping to admire myself in the mirror, i gazed upon my chiselled jaw, my high cheekbones, as amazed as always that my skills could even affect myself. Gathering myself, I stepped back, both maids scurrying to the sides deferentially.

I swept past the maid as she blushed, leaving the room and heading out of my house. Lord Illumvere was probably getting desperate, and I needed to be the first to reach out to him to ensure my skills worked, it is a lot harder to get those with higher levels, and Lord Illumvere, like all Lords, focused on his skills often and left running his house to his administrators. Chuckling to myself, I thought about how they would be useful to me, perhaps some weighted precious metals trade deals would be sufficient.

I always loved watching the rabble part before me as I walked, seeing them part for me to walk forwards, and that only got better as my skills increased. What rabble had the skills to resist? Let alone the willpower, or god forbid, intelligence, to resist, and the awed looks always grew more satisfying with each level. The smell was getting better, I mused, perks of growing to a proper town, a far cry from the village my brothers conspired to make me rot away in, but their schemes are secondary. Their abilities weak. Without struggle they would never grow to the heights I will reach.

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Ideal:

King