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Allis

Hope, an emotion that she hadn't felt in a long time, because she might actually get to ruin Taipa's life. It could take years to get to that point though, but she can wait however long if Leo's plan bears fruit. Until then she would have to settle for imagining Taipa being thrown out of her estate in rags, forced to beg for scraps on the streets of some town, while everyone would just walk past her.

That was the kind of revenge that left an almost sweet taste in her mouth. Still, her cynical side had developed some doubts on the methods, but they were overshadowed by his abilities and knowledge.

Last night the summon told her about his world, and she had trouble believing that none of the things he described used magic. After his explanation that his people studied the physical world to the point of defining the laws that governed the universe, she almost considered that his people might be gods in mortal form.

To learn, much less understand such things would seem almost god-like, because there would be nothing you couldn't do with magic. But that was it, his world didn't have magic so they had to follow a different path, only studying the physical.

She pieced together that that was the reason for his ability to learn magic so easily, he already had all of the knowledge to apply. She remembered the spell he used to crush the table into pieces, and that she didn't know of any spell that could do something like that, much less how it was done. Which made her very glad for his compassion, because she could picture many of her peers using such a spell to have crushed her out right if she attempted to blackmail them.

The man seemed to be flipping through the book on runic enchanting, a focus to his eyes that probably reflected his people's drive for knowledge. She turned to Elaria, wanting to strike up a conversation regarding her relationship with Leo, and to apologize for the day before.

The mage slithered to Elaria's side of the table. “Elaria, I must apologize for my behavior and rude comment yesterday. It's been a long time since I've treated others with proper respect, and since then I have only gotten worse. So if there's anything I can do to make up for it, do not hesitate to ask.” She may have offered with a little too much pride instead of the humility she intended.

Elaria looked at her with mild surprise. “Um, the comment really wasn't the worst thing I've been called, so don't worry about owing me anything. The apology is enough, so thank you.”

Allis didn't feel like a simple apology could ever make up for what she tried to do, much less the fact they were now sort of helping her with getting revenge on Taipa.

“So, you came across Leo in the forest only a few days ago? What was that like?” She inquired with a genuine interest, since it seemed like a historic turning point that historians and scholars might spend a lifetime debating after a few hundred years .

The smaller selarin shrugged, apparently unmoved by the question. “Well I was on my patrol for the guard when I came across him, and considering how he looked like a mix of a bunch of races, on top of being a lone male in the woods, I was shocked. I originally thought he was a spy, but when he told me where he was from I basically froze.” She answered a little bluntly.

Allis raised an eyebrow. “He just admitted he was a summon? How did he know that this was another world?” She probed skeptically, not quite sure how to take the fairly uninteresting encounter compared to her own.

“Apparently his world has one sun, and when I gave him a translation necklace he lit up like it was a sack of gold coins. You have to remember that his world doesn't have magic, so he didn't even know what summons were, for all he knew they could have been common. Also I'd imagine trying to lie his way out of the situation would be a bad idea.” She explained while taking a glance at the man in question, who nodded either at what was in the book or in agreement with Elaria's assessment.

Allis nodded understandably too, though it sounded dreadfully uneventful. “I see, and did he really learn to fly In less than ten minutes?”

Elaria took a long draw from her mug, then let out an irritated groan. “Yup, it was yesterday. We were at the back of town outside one of the gates so he could experiment with his magic. I was talking to a friend by the wall, a safe distance away from him when she screamed out at the sight of him flying around in the air. Had to yell him down and explain to him why flying was a pretty shit way to remain inconspicuous, and what casting that kind of magic even meant for him.” She said while taking another look at the man in question, whose reaction was to pull the book up a little more in front of his face.

‘Right, he wouldn't know what the normal level of spell casting would be for a mage.’

Allis's eyes shifted between Elaria and Leo, wanting to confirm something a little more personal. “So… Stamina of a dragon?” She questioned with a personally peaked interest, but a disgruntled groan sounded from the mostly occupied summon.

His green scaled companion couldn't suppress a sly smile as she peered over to him. “You wouldn't mind if I shared some of your more private abilities, besides, Glia already knows…”

He looked up from the book, raised an eyebrow, glanced between the two selarin, then sighed. “Fine, but that doesn't mean I want to hear the conversation, nor do I want said details getting out, so I'm gonna limit the sound distortion spell to just around you two. Just toss a coin or something at me when you're done so I can end it.”

Allis barely felt the shift of mana that gave the two selarin their privacy, part of her irritated by how casual he was about the use of such complex magic.

Though it made her wonder how true those rumors actually were as she regarded the mischievous looking Elaria.

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Leo

Leo returned to the book on runic enchantment after casting the spell to ignore a conversation that would have kept his face a shade of red for an unhealthy amount of time. Before, he didn't really think of that magic as enchanting, since he associated the word with having to cast a spell on an object, but the limitless mana bullshit seemed to make that connection for him.

He was searching through the book for anything on how the runes interacted with mana itself, because runes could apparently draw mana from their surroundings. It was one thing for his body to produce mana for his spells, he always needed to recover it once spent, it was another for a rune to just pull it out of thin air, though he wondered if there was any lag in consumption.

‘If I can just find a way to create a mana siphon that can pull it into my own body, then I…’ That thought ground to a halt when he remembered what he was currently capable of.

‘I most likely can already set off nuclear detonations, not to mention my control of gravity. I think becoming the definition of Unlimited Power is a little much. So I'll file that project away for later…maybe in a few years or when I need it… God that's broken though.’

He flipped to the pages near the end of the book, scanning the list of documented runes and what they mean. But when he reached the end of the list he had to go back over it again, because it seemed very short for what were essentially the cheat codes for reality. What else would you call spawning matter out of bullshit energy?

‘Okay, so no gravity, acceleration, mass, density, types of energy… Wait there's no mana rune?’ The thought made him furrow his brow, because he didn't believe that such an obvious rune would just be missing.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Curious, he held his hand over the table and tried to create a mana rune, but his mana didn't flow into anything. ‘Huh? That doesn't make any sense. You'd think there would be a rune for the thing that makes runes… Unless… Is mana the wrong word for it? Maybe the meaning that's being used for it is wrong? Well that's already a mystery I need to nail down, especially if I want to make something to measure it.’

He spared a glance to Allis and Elaria, who were still conversing within his spell. Elaria had a bit of a shit eating grin while she spoke, and Allis's eyes were wide with her mouth slightly agape. The healer looked over at him and their eyes met, she then turned a lighter shade and looked away, and Elaria started laughing uncontrollably. He felt a slight tinge of embarrassment, glad that the spell could spare him from knowing the details of their discussion.

‘Ignorance can be bliss…’ He grabbed the book on the study of mana to read next.

Opening the book to the first page was a greeting in instant disappointment. The book was filled with religious references and explanations on how the gods created and structured the system of mana. How they were responsible for blessing the worthy with the ability to produce, sense, and manipulate mana.

The more he read, the more he found himself regretting even touching the thing, because there was not a spec of information in regards to what mana actually is. He found himself flipping through the book, trying to scan over anything of importance, when something finally caught his eye.

[ The gods may speak to those who are worthy, if they pray at a sanctified temple. ]

Leo pursed his lips as he leaned back in his chair, giving the possibility some thought. ‘Well given that magic exists, gods aren't much of a stretch. But If gods are actually real, do I really want to attempt to talk with them… I guess it would settle whether or not the soul thing is true, and I might get a question or two answered about mana. Or they could just smite me on the spot…. I'm still technically not supposed to be here.’

He made a mental note to visit the nearest temple, if nothing else he can brush up on the beliefs of this world. He nearly reached the end of the book when the direction took a sudden turn on one of the last few pages.

[ Ancient texts : These texts were recovered from an expedition to the waste lands. All translation attempts using magic have failed to discern the meaning for a majority of key terms used. These texts were released by the researchers in an effort to uncover some meaning, this is a sample. ]

Leo's eyes went wide.

[ Instructional manual for the ×××× model 00971k imperial ××××× service construct.

Maintenance for the ×××× core is self sustaining.

Operational life expectancy : Indefinite under optimal environmental conditions.

Lifetime Warranty: Covers damaged ×××× core.]

[ This next sample depicts what is currently translated from the text above, for reference.]

[ Guide ???? for the ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? service construct.

Maintain for the ???? core is self preserving.

Working life expect : long/undetermined under perfect natural conditions.

Lifetime ???? : covers damaged ???? core.]

[ Please visit the nearest academy if you have discovered any meaning behind the missing words. ]

A glance down at his translation necklace left him wondering if it conveys the meaning of a word based on the individual's knowledge. It would go to explain how he could read most of the blanks, and the not quite accurate translations by the researchers.

‘Okay, so there's a ruin of a super advanced civilization in the wastelands. Cool. Damn, I wonder If it's space age stuff. I don't mind a little sci-fi in my magical fantasy, mostly because, SPACE! Could also be a mix of space and magic, maybe that blank in front of the core is mana? Gonna also put that bit of information on the shelf for later. I can learn magic easily enough, but trying to repair stuff more advanced than a broken radio is beyon-.’ his thoughts were interrupted by a copper coin smacking into his head.

He looked up at the two selarins across from him, apparently done with their conversation. Allis looked a few shades lighter, and seemed almost unable to look him in the eyes. Elaria sported a smug expression, arms crossed while she leaned back in her chair.

Leo released the spell with a wave of his hand. “So… Got that out of yo-”

“Can I have sex with you!” Allis yelled, practically blurting out the words.

The book fell out of his hand, his mind reeled, and his jaw hung open from the question. He heard a snicker from Elaria, and she looked like she was about to keel over laughing again.

Allis's eyes went wide, as her brain seemingly caught up with her mouth. “I mean, I'm sorry for- It was improper, I shouldn't have- I don't deserve- I just…” She sputtered, her fingers interlaced while her hips slowly shifted from side to side.

There was a sudden realization that the inn had become utterly silent, which caused him to immediately cast another sound spell around them all.

He turned his attention to Elaria, while his shock at the sudden request was still evident. “Fucking hell Elaria! What did you tell her?!” It was quite the shock, considering the previous attitude of the woman.

Elaria tilted her nose up in mock condescension. “Just the truth. And I don't see a need to tell you, since you didn't want to hear. She was very curious, so I told her everything. And. Every. Last. Detail.” She finished while playfully accentuating her last words.

‘The truth? How did any of what I did get this response out of her? God, are the males here really so inadequate?’ He mentally questioned in bewilderment.

His face went bright red as he mentally conceded that it was all his fault for essentially giving her the green light to say whatever she wanted with the utter privacy of a sound barrier. He looked over to Allis, her head pointed down to the table while occasionally glancing up at him.

Remembering what she did, he was about to shut down the offer in a major way, but his lower half entered the chat.

Lower half : ‘Go for it!’

Upper half : ‘She tried to blackmail me!’

Lower half : ‘Not her fault, that was years of indoctrination.’

Upper half : ‘She essentially called Elaria a whore!’

Lower half : ‘But they seem to have made up, and if she says it's okay...’

Upper half : ‘But, I'm committed.’

Lower half : ‘To one person. Remember, that moral obligation is hollow in a society with a ten to one ratio, plus we already have a rendezvous with Glia tomorrow.’

Upper half : ‘But, but… It just feels...’

Lower half : ‘We're not on earth anymore bud, do as the Romans do and tap that tail.’

He let out a deep sigh as his internal conflict resolved itself. “Elaria?”

She gave him an annoyed expression. “Leo, I'm completely okay with it, so please stop asking.” Then a sly grin spread across her face. “In fact, if you say yes, then I request to watch.”

He felt like his brow was going to develop a permanent bend with how much it arched. “Uuuh sure... Allis?” The uncertainty of the entire situation was very much evident in his voice.

Allis seemed to light up like it was every major holiday coming together at once. “Yes!”

‘What the fuck did she tell her?’

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