A few days passed by peacefully for Lone and Sofia which was a welcome thing to the both of them.
Sadly, they weren't quite so lucky in regard to adventurer quests, and that was wholly a result of the aggressiveness of the hero, Daisuke Tamiko.
The Japanese man had been taking each and every single quest that needed something killed. Lone couldn’t help but worry about the young girls this kingdom had allowed him to legally own.
He was a C-ranker, and while his elven slave was a B-ranker, apparently, the foxkin girl was much weaker than them both. ‘Fingers crossed he isn’t working them to death.’
In regard to Sophie, seeing no reason to be in control due to the distinct absence of fighting, she went dormant while Soph become the main personality for Sofia once again.
Lone was tempted to contribute most of his days’ time to doing menial fetch or manual labour quests to boost his plate ranking but decided against that.
Instead, he spent his mornings fully taking in Grimsley's teachings while he left the city in the afternoon to practice his offensive magic on himself to train both his magic and his resistances to it.
When he returned in the evenings, he'd spend time chatting with Soph as he read a book or two before finishing out the day by practising his Creation Magic.
As a result of this new routine, a good chunk of Lone's skills had levelled up a great deal.
Passive Skill: Blacksmithing A skill that allows the host to craft with metal 15% faster and 15% more skilfully. Cost: N/A Mastery: Intermediate Level 8 [+6 levels]
Passive Skill: Weaponsmithing
A skill that allows the host to craft weapons 15% faster and 15% more skilfully.
Additionally, the weapons crafted by the host will do 15% more damage.
Cost: N/A Mastery: Intermediate Level 8 [+6 levels]
Lone was rather proud of how much these skills had grown as of late. He could clearly feel himself getting better at forging in general and weapons specifically as he soaked in all of the information about metals and the craft that Grimsley was willing to lecture him on.
Though Lone had noticed that his Stone Dwarven mentor had seemed... distracted recently. And not as a result of his copious alcohol consumption.
‘I do wonder what that’s really about. He’s pretty young for a dwarf from my understanding, so it’s not old age biting at him. Then again, it would be rude to pry. We all have our own worries and stresses, don’t we?’ Lone thought as he moved on with his skill reviewal.
Active Lightning Magic Skill: Lightning Bolt A standard application of the lightning magic school where the caster focuses the element of lightning into a condensed bolt of pure lightning. Cost: 2,000 MP Mastery: Intermediate Level 5 [+2 levels]
Active Fire Magic Skill: Fireball A standard application of the fire magic school where the caster focuses the element of fire into a condensed ball of pure fire. Cost: 2,000 MP [-500 MP] Mastery: Intermediate Level 1 [+6 levels]
Active Water Magic Skill: Crude Waterball
An incredibly rudimentary application of the common [Waterball] Water Magic skill.
Due to its crudeness, 25 [-50] lines of Ancient Magic Speech must be chanted either verbally or mentally to invoke this skill. These lines will automatically be spoken or thought by the host when the host intends to use this skill.
[New!] The ball passively contains 25% more of the normal force which will explode upon impact.
The MP cost to invoke this skill is slightly [down from greatly] increased due to its inherent flaws.
Cost: 1,250 MP [-2,500 MP] Mastery: Expert Level 7 [+23 levels]
Active Air Magic Skill: Crude Wind Blade
An incredibly rudimentary application of the common [Wind blade] Air Magic skill.
Due to its crudeness, 25 [-50] lines of Ancient Magic Speech must be chanted either verbally or mentally to invoke this skill. These lines will automatically be spoken or thought by the host when the host intends to use this skill.
[New!] The blade is now 25% sharper.
The MP cost to invoke this skill is slightly [down from greatly] increased due to its inherent flaws.
Cost: 1,250 MP [-2,500 MP] Mastery: Expert Level 7 [+23 levels]
Active Earth Magic Skill: Crude Boulder
An incredibly rudimentary application of the common [Boulder] Earth Magic skill.
Due to its crudeness, 25 [-50] lines of Ancient Magic Speech must be chanted either verbally or mentally to invoke this skill. These lines will automatically be spoken or thought by the host when the host intends to use this skill.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
[New!] The earth magically created during the skill's usage is passively 25% harder than regular earth.
The MP cost to invoke this skill is slightly [down from greatly] increased due to its inherent flaws.
Cost: 1,250 MP [-2,500 MP] Mastery: Expert Level 7 [+23 levels]
‘It’s so interesting that just because I practised them all equally, they all levelled the exact same amount,’ Lone thought.
For any other person, their talent and natural affinity for the different magics would dictate if they could learn the skills at all, needless to say how quickly they would gain mastery in said skills.
‘Growth Accelerator is definitely my most powerful unique skill,’ Lone noted.
Of course, his resistance skills for these different magic schools had naturally grown as well since he used the skills on his own body to multitask.
Passive Skill: Lightning Magic Resistance
A skill that allows the host to resist all forms of Lightning Magic.
Lightning Magic used on the host will be weakened by 15% [+10%].
Cost: N/A Mastery: Intermediate Level 1 [+3 levels]
Passive Skill: Fire Magic Resistance
A skill that allows the host to resist all forms of Fire Magic.
Fire Magic used on the host will be weakened by 15% [+10%].
Cost: N/A Mastery: Intermediate Level 1 [+4 levels]
Unfortunately, those two were the only resistances to rank up. Even if he continued to hit himself with Crude Boulders, Crude Waterballs, or Crude Wind Blades, his resistances to their respective schools of magic wouldn't grow past Intermediate-Level-one.
Of course, this could be due to the strength of the crude spells, so Lone was still hopeful that his Lightning Bolt and his Fireball would be able to assist him in raising their respective resistances beyond Intermediate-Level-one and perhaps even into advanced rank.
Lone cracked his somewhat stiff neck as he returned to the Amberbark Inn from the library with Soph, however, unexpectedly, the receptionist Phil looked rather relieved to see him instead of slightly happy and mildly bored like usual.
It was rare for the man to have a day off from his herbalist's apprenticeship, so he was always immersed in a book as he absentmindedly handled guests during the few times a week that he was given the night shift in place of his sister.
"Lone, you've got a guest. She's in the backroom playing chess with dad, but she seems to have come here specifically just to see you, and she wouldn't take no for an answer, so, uh, yeah. You don't have any enemies, do you? Or a secret lover maybe? She's gorgeous - if not a little bit on the mature side," the young man commented a bit nonchalantly.
Lone's eyebrow arched up in interest. "Unless she's secretly the hero or maybe a crime lord, then no, I don't think she's my enemy. Well, I guess I'll go meet her, huh?"
Phil's face cracked. "I hope that was a joke..."
Regardless of Phil's reaction, Lone glanced down at Soph and asked, "Wanna come with? I think we both know who my visitor is, right?" Whispering, he added, "I don't know how she'll feel about you since you're a human."
Soph slowly shook her head and answered in a soft tone with, "Um, you're right... I, hmm… I'll just return to our room. If anything happens, don’t blame me if Sophie does something violent."
Lone smiled and nodded. "Phil, can you help Soph back up to our room? My tails usually act as her walking canes, after all," he lied.
"Right, she's blind. It's hard to remember that at times if I don't look right at her." Phil sighed and cracked his neck before he got up, walked around his desk, and then lightly grabbed Soph's hand. "Well, let's go then. I was just at the good part of my book too. Do you need me to carry you up the stairs as well, or are you fine with just me leading you by the hand?"
Soph smiled softly as the air around her changed. "We shall be fine. Your hand is enough, young man."
"'Young man' she says,” Phil chuckled. “You’re what, one, maybe two years older than me? I’ll give you three since you’re so short,” Phil said mostly in jest as he shoved his free hand into his pocket and began helping Sophie up the flight of stairs that led to her and Lone's room.
Lone smiled wryly as he walked past the reception counter and pushed open the door to the backroom. 'Soph's such a wallflower... As much as I love her, I don't want to be the only person she can talk to besides herself... Well, she's halfway there with Grimsley, so there's that, I suppose. Her defaulting to switching out with Sophie when she feels awkward is a bit of a problem though.'
He shelved his thoughts when he saw Kerny.
"Ah, Ninetails. It's a pleasure to see you again," Lefakern said as his barky face smiled.
He was sat at his usual chess table while an unbelievably gorgeous middle-aged woman was sitting on the other side of the board across from him.
Lone nodded and replied, "You too, Kerny."
The lady raised her ponderous face and smiled warmly towards Lone before she moved her queen. "Checkmate, Mister Lefakern."
Stroking his leafy beard, the Lesher laughed. "I was wondering when you would put me out of my misery. I suppose it only made sense that you were waiting for the ninetails. Well then, I shall take my leave. I trust you both to not make a mess in here, yes?"
Lone looked confused but nodded regardless. The lady closed her eyes and bowed her head respectfully.
"Good. Well, Ninetails, I'll be retiring early, so we'll have to postpone our usual match until tomorrow evening," Lefakern said with a friendly grin strewn across his bark-encrusted skin.
"Uh, sure," Lone replied.
After that, the Lesher exited the room, leaving only Lone and the mysterious woman inside. Glancing at her, Lone asked, "Is it safe to assume that you're the matriarch the kids spoke of?"
The woman smiled and waved her hand, dispelling the illusion covering her body. What was revealed was a woman with the exact same body shape, size, and face, but her hair had turned bright red, her human ears had been replaced by two fluffy ones similar to Lone's, and she had seven luscious and gorgeous tails swishing calmly behind her.
Also, oddly enough, the tips of her tails, ears, hair, and even the centre of her eyes were all a striking yellow.
She stood up and approached Lone. "I am Lossa Redtail, the current matriarch of the Crimson Foxkin Clan. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Lone would be lying if he said that he wasn't rather nervous right now. 'She's meant to be really strong, right? I wish I was a B-ranker so I could tell how strong, exactly... Well, here's hoping this doesn't go tits up. She came here to help me after all, right?'
Trying his best to ignore his rising paranoia, Lone stuck out his right hand for a handshake and replied, "Lone Immortus, bronze-plate adventurer and Golden Foxkin, I suppose?"
Matriarch Lossa chuckled faintly as she looked at Lone's outstretched hand. She batted it away softly and wrapped her arms around his back instead. "You have no idea how good it is to meet you."
"Uhh..." Lone wasn't exactly used to being embraced by beautiful women besides Soph and Sophie, so he wasn't specifically sure what to do in this kind of situation. 'Is this a foxkin tradition or something? For some cultures on Earth, hugging new acquaintances upon greeting was pretty standard, so it isn't that weird... right?'
Sensing his mild discomfort, Matriarch Lossa pulled back. "My apologies. It's been a long time since I last saw a Golden Foxkin... I had a... friend amongst your race and he meant a lot to me. To see his kin still lingers on Altros... That gives me hope. I almost didn't believe Trella when he informed me of a second Golden Foxkin's existence who also happened to be in Milindo."
"Also in Milindo? I'm not the only one?" Lone asked in confusion. He'd heard about another Golden Foxkin from Gilbert only recently, but the comment was so off handed it had caught him by surprise. He had assumed the other Golden Foxkin was, well, nowhere near him. Especially not in the same country as him.
A brief look of disappointment flashed across the woman's face before she sighed. "Of course things would be more complicated than I'd initially hoped... Come, sit. Why don't we have a chat? It seems that we have much to discuss."
Nodding, Lone replied, "Sure."
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"Ahhhh, finally!" a young man with dashing good looks and curly blonde hair exclaimed as he stepped out of his carriage. "I'm finally completely free from the damned fishy smell of Ros!"
Following him out of the horse-drawn vehicle, Ceela - Lord Griffset's 'hired' adventurer rogue - wore her frown under her skin. "Young lord, shall we find some lodging first, or should we make contact with the Golden Foxkin's owner?"
The young man, Bastion, waved his hand dismissively. "My friend George lives here. We often send letters to each other, but now that I'm actually in Ranton, I'm sure his father wouldn't mind lending us a set of guestrooms. He may be a duke while my father is only a margrave, but I doubt he'd refuse us imposing on him."
Ceela did not like the sound of that. She did not like the sound of that at all. "Perhaps some more subtlety would be more beneficial for us and our goal, young lord? Your father and Duke Leston are not on the best of terms, so when Lord Griffset discover-"
Bastion slapped her across the face. "Don't ever talk back to me again, okay? I'll leave contacting the filthy demi to you while I and George catch up and have some fun."
Ceela held her throbbing cheek and bit down on her tongue. 'Rotten nobles. Like father like son... Damn it... If only... If only I was stronger, then maybe I could protect you, Mum, Izzy, Al... One day, I swear on the Primals, I'll kill them both...'
The thought of slitting the throat of the young man in front of her and imagining Lord Griffset choking to death on his own blood as his fat body turned into a cold corpse calmed her down greatly. She bowed her head politely and replied, "Of course, young lord."